Joe Strummer 003: The 101'ers Years 1974-1976 (2LP)

"Joe Strummer 003: The 101’ers Years" is a compilation of studio and live recordings by The 101’ers—the band Joe Strummer played in before joining The Clash. The band’s name, The 101’ers, comes from the address 101 Walterton Road in Maida Vale, where the musicians lived together in a squat; they established themselves as a fixture in the London pub-rock scene of the mid-1970s. Their sound blended rock ’n’ roll, R&B, and rockabilly—just as punk was emerging. After the Sex Pistols opened for the band in 1976, Strummer felt drawn to the new punk movement and left the group shortly thereafter to join The Clash. The 101’ers’ brief existence marks an important moment, just before British punk changed everything. The 2-LP edition features the complete studio recordings on the first LP, while the second contains highlights from the “Basement Tapes” and demos.