Stealing All Transmissions: A Secret History of The Clash
I worked for the Clash for seven years, and thought I knew where all the bodies were buried. In Stealing, Randal Doane peels the layers off a previously unknown history of the band and reveals how the band established a two-way love affair with America. It s unlike anything else you've ever read about the Clash. The maneuverings of the FM radio deejays, music journalists, and record company execs are deftly woven into the band's own story, and the valiant efforts of these figures laid the groundwork for the Clash to break America. Prepare to be astonished and surprised, as I was! --The Baker, Clash backline roadie, 1976-1983Rock and Roll exploded in many forms, the creators of the music have their own demons driving their work. Stealing All Transmissions: A Secret History of the Clash discusses the story of The Clash, the British Punk Rock group who gained a cult following in America and the people in the band took a liking to the country as well, in particular New York City. Randal Doane seeks to tell the untold story of the band, telling of the band s struggles with its art and its place in the greater history of punk and music in general. Stealing All Transmissions is a must for any fan of the group, highly recommended. --John Burroughs, Midwest Book Review, December 2012Quite unlike anything else you've read about The Clash thus far...a unique take...research is strong and well formulated...perspective provides such depth...a great read. --The Clash BlogIn this book Randal Doane documents with wit and verve how The Clash leapt from the Westway to the USA in 1979 with the help of rock journalists and key deejays based in the states. It was an honor to work with The Clash back in the day, and a pleasure revisiting those days through this book. It s a must have for Clash-o-philes on both sides of the Atlantic. --Dan Beck, former Senior VP at Epic RecordsStealing would be a really good book if were only about The Clash, but it s way more than that. With a captivating narrative and well-written prose, it seeks to makes sense of what happened to free-form radio and the DIY ethic of punk, and how to read that history into the digital age of file-sharing and satellite radio. Part Adorno, but mostly Benjamin, Doane has a firm handle on the history of punk and the music industry. Don t miss this book. Steal it if you must! --Michael Roberts, Dept. of Sociology, San Diego State UniversityStealing would be a really good book if were only about The Clash, but it s way more than that. With a captivating narrative and well-written prose, it seeks to makes sense of what happened to free-form radio and the DIY ethic of punk, and how to read that history into the digital age of file-sharing and satellite radio. Part Adorno, but mostly Benjamin, Doane has a firm handle on the history of punk and the music industry. Don t miss this book. Steal it if you must! --Michael Roberts, Dept. of Sociology, San Diego State University