Our guest, Chris Salewicz, was there at the dawn of punk in 1976 England, witnessing firsthand the birth of The Clash and Sex Pistols. Chris attended the first ever performances of both bands and will share insider stories of their rise and lasting influence over the last 50 years.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why Clash frontman Joe Strummer changed his name
• The fascinating childhood that shaped Strummer’s persona and The Clash approach
• How guitarist Mick Jones' encyclopedic knowledge of music evolved the band's sound
• Inside details behind The Clash vs. Sex Pistols rivalry
• The reason Paul Simonon, a non-musician, joined The Clash
• How The Clash brought reggae to the masses
• The economic realities of the UK that fueled punk’s explosion

Learn how The Clash became the first punk band to experience mass commercial success. Widely loved by a legion of famous fans including Pete Townshend, U2, Green Day and Nirvana, The Clash combined social conscious lyrics, music genre-bending influences and a fiery on-stage presence to captivate a generation of music fans. The influence of punk on all forms of art has continued to this day.

Guest Bio - Chris Salewicz
Chris wrote Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer and knew each of the member of The Clash personally. He is the author of several iconic musicians including Bob Marley, Mick Jagger & Keith Richard, Jimmy Page and more. He also was involved in the launch of MTV Europe.

Follow Garage to Stadiums (GTS) on social channels

• Share this episode with this link
• Check out our Bonus Content website section for videos and more of each performer
• Follow GTS on Apple or Spotify podcasts
• Download our official killer playlists for each performer on Apple or Spotify
• Follow GTS on Instagram and LinkedIn
• Sign up for the Garage to Stadiums e-newsletter to learn more music history

From the bars to the arenas, how did our biggest music legends make the leap? Join us as we take a deep dive into music history to explore the stories surrounding the fascinating journey and sometimes little-known facts of rock music’s biggest legends.

In each episode of Garage To Stadiums, host Dave Anthony teams up with an author of a rock biography or director of a rock documentary to explore that journey, their early years, the stories behind the scenes, their top songs, and their place in music history.

Learn about the passion, talent, luck and even scandal that often came together to propel these stars from obscurity to household names.

Picture a 1970s American teen, dressed as Frank N. Furter from Rocky Horror, interviewed on local TV outside a suburban cinema. That fearless teen grows up to be Michael Stipe, lead singer of R.E.M., the first alternative band to achieve global commercial success, from its origins in tiny Athens, Georgia. On this episode you'll learn:

• How Athens, Georgia became the unlikely spawning ground for several successful bands.
• How R.E.M. created a memorable sound by combining punk, pop music, southern rock and R'n'B
• Why Pearl Jam and Nirvana cited R.E.M. as a major trailblazer, and influence on their sound
• How an onstage near-tragedy changed the band forever...
• The college radio strategy the company employed to build its credibility and momentum
• Why R.E.M. turned down the offer to write a theme song for the popular TV show Friends

The first alternative band to experience mass commercial success, R.E.M. occupies an influential position in music history, inspiring many bands with their fiercely independent spirit and sound. Astonishingly, the band first heard on 1980s college radio went on to sell 90 million albums.

Guest Bio - Peter Ames Carlin, author & journalist
Peter appeared on our Bruce Springsteen episode. In addition to writing a best-seller about Springsteen, he's chronicled Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and Paul McCartney of The Beatles. His new book, The Name of This Band is R.E.M., has just been released.

Follow Garage to Stadiums (GTS) on social channels

• Share this episode with this link
• Follow GTS on Apple or Spotify podcasts
• Download our official killer playlists for each performer on Apple or Spotify
• Follow GTS on Instagram
• Follow GTS on LinkedIn
• Sign up for the Garage to Stadiums e-newsletter to get more bonus content