April 1982 reviews of The Clash’s “Know Your Rights”/“First Night Back in London” were sharply divided. Sounds praised Strummer’s gritty vocals and raw, staccato rhythm, while finding the song ultimately hollow and simplistic. Record Mirror was far harsher, dismissing its…

Contemporary reviews of The Clash’s June 1982 single “Rock the Casbah” were sharply divided. Critics mocked its simplistic Middle Eastern imagery, perceived political naivety and dance-oriented, B-52s-like sound. Others acknowledged Joe Strummer’s continuing social concerns but felt the band had…

The 1982 Clash release pairs “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” with “Straight To Hell”. Critics praised the latter’s haunting atmosphere, raw guitar, insistent rhythm and politically charged poetry, interpreting it as a portrait of industrial decline, immigration and…