Today marks the 9-year anniversary of Joe Strummer’s death. I was a freshman in college, home from Christmas break, and punk rock was still very much the only music I listened to. When I heard the news, I spent the evening spinning Clash albums over and over again, especially the self-titled album and London Calling. The Clash is one of the few punk bands I still listen to quite often, and in a world where the gap between the rich in the poor is so huge and widening even more, I wish we had Strummer around, or at least someone like him, someone able to give an overview of social and political ills in a three-minute song.

Weeks before Strummer passed, Clash co-front man Mick Jones appeared on stage with him several times to rip through various Clash songs. Maybe it could have led to a full Clash reunion, or at least a chance for them to play together in early 2003 when the Clash were inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. Sadly, we’ll never know.

RIP, Joe! You’re missed!