101ers

Before there was a Clash, Joe Strummer was in a gritty, R&B-styled London pub band. The 101ers broke up after a short career, issuing only one incredible 45, “Keys to Your Heart” (an alternate version of which is included here), while in business. Released five years after the fact, Elgin Avenue Breakdown combines three 1975-’76 demo sessions and a live performance captured on cassette. It’s an essential artifact for Clashologists, spreading hints of things to come all over the place. As an energetic slice of simple, raucous rock’n’roll, it’s worth every penny as well.