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SXSW Interview: Mick Jones and Tony James
An award of some sort should be given to the SXSW staffer who decided to have Mojo Magazine editor-in-chief Phil Alexander interview British punk legends Mick Jones (The Clash, Big Audio Dynamite) and Tony James (Generation X, Sigue Sigue Sputnik) Friday afternoon. Jones and James, who have started a new band, Carbon/Silicon, were ridiculously entertaining, creating the same spontaneous, anything-goes aura that the Beatles used to disarm interviewers during press conferences.
“(SXSW) reminds me of Cannes, but instead of films you go around and see bands,” Jones said when asked what he thought of his first SXSW experience.
Multiple times Alexander tried to get Jones and James to comment on what the counterculture used to be and what it means to be a part of the counterculture now.
“In the ’70s, if you had long hair it was very clear (you were a part of the counterculture),” James said.
Jones touched his balding head and joked, “that’s not an issue anymore.”
Stealing sips from a Corona that Alexander seemed to have brought out for himself, Jones displayed a quick wit and a knack for the off-topic segue that revealed him to be remarkably well-read and intelligent. At one point he analyzed Cormac McCarthy’s work; later, he offered an oral history of the Texas war for independence against Mexico.
“Lenny Kayes’ ‘Nuggets’ was really important,” Jones said of the classic compilation of ’60s garage rock when asked about his influences. He explained that he was lucky as a youth because “my mom was already in the States and she got me a subscription to Creem and sent it back to me.”
Jones also spoke about his early days with the Clash.
“We were always lucky ‘cause we (just) did it for the right reasons,” he explained. “We were in the right place at the right time. We weren’t totally fake.”
James mostly played the straight man to Jones’ cut-up. James made it clear that the two of them started Carbon/Silicon not only because they’ve been friends since 1975, but also because they had such a great time creating a song together about five years ago. Carbon/Silicon is a full-on band now, James said. “We’ve recorded three records and more in three years, and we’ve given them all away for free (on the internet).”
“The only problem with mp3s is that you can’t roll a joint on them,” Jones quipped.
During the audience Q&A session, one attendee pointed out that the punk rock ethos that birthed The Clash seemed in direct opposition Jaguar’s recent use of “London Calling” in a commercial aimed at punk rockers who have grown into middle age.
“I know about that,” Jones said smiling. “Life is full of contradictions.”
In response to another audience question, Jones noted that he identified with the 1980s American hardcore punk movement, but that he thought the real spirit of American punk was rap. “Music of the streets,” he said. “Rap was the equivalent.”
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