It is many happy returns today to Mick Jones, guitarist with The Clash and Big Audio Dynamite, who was born on this day in 1955.
He was born in Wandsworth, London, to a Welsh father, Tommy Jones, and a Russian Jewish mother, Renee Zegansky. Jones ended up studying at the West London School of Art and Design, because that is the way he thought you got into bands. He had spent a lot of time following Mott The Hoople around the country and also in the early 70s, had his own band, The Delinquents.
It is worth noting, especially with all the hoopla at the moment around the Pistols tv series, that punk didn't begin or end with the Sex Pistols. There was a lot going on, especially in London, at the same time, and even earlier, than the Pistols.
So, in the spirit of Pete Frame's excellent Rock Family Tree books, mapping out histories and connections between genres and 'scenes', I am going to take a quick look at why London SS (an unfortunate name, especially considering Jones' Jewish heritage) were possible even more pivotal in the UK punk scene than the Pistols on the London scene in 1975-76.
They formed from the remnants of Jones' band The Delinquents and featured him, with Geir Wade, Eunan Brady and John Brown. After Wade and Jones had left, they also went on to include Brian James and Tony James (not related). But why is this important? Well look at what a lot of these names went on to.
Wade / Brady: never went on to bigger and better things, although they are in a more recent version of the band.
Mick Jones: hooked up with Paul Simenon, Keith Levene and Terry Chimes - and persuaded to tempt one John Mellor (aka Joe Strummer) away from the 101ers, to form The Clash.
Levene left before recording anything with them, but he crops up again a few years later, joining John Lydon as a key member of Public Image Limited (PiL).
Mick Jones was also romantically involved with Viv Albertine of The Slits.
Brian James: went on to the Subterraneans with Rat Scabies and then grabbing Ray Burns (soon to become Captain Sensible), The Damned was born.
Tony James: went on to form Chelsea with one Billy Idol in 1976, before transforming into Generation X (which also featured Terry Chimes for a year, after he had left the Clash).
So, as you can see - a lot of the influential punk scene is rooted in this one band, making it perhaps the most important of the genre.
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