December 22, 2012 marks 10 years since the death of Joe Strummer, one of punk rock’s most enduring and beloved icons. Strummer died of an undiagnosed congenital heart defect at the age of 50, and were he to live another 10 years from now he still would have passed on too young.
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While best known for his work in The Clash, Strummer’s legacy of songwriting extended well beyond the legendary group. In addition to performing and recording as a solo artist, he wrote and recorded with The 101ers (his band before joining The Clash), The Latino Rockabilly War (which featured members such as Zander Schloss and Jack Irons) and, until the end of his life, The Mescaleros. Strummer even served as the front man of The Pogues for a short time in the early ’90s, though he unfortunately did not appear on any studio recordings.
Knowing full well that many excellent songs from Strummer’s 30-year-plus career would be excluded, we have still given it a shot to bring you his 10 very best tracks. Chime in at the bottom and let us know which of your favorites you’d include in your own list.