Paul Simonon

Paul Simonon is best known as the bassist for the Clash, but he is much more than that. He is a songwriter, producer, and painter. Now that his Clash days are behind him, he has given up music and paints full time, something he has enjoyed no small success in.

The Clash

Simonon was asked to join what would become the Clash by Mick Jones. Jones didn’t realize it, but Simonon had never touched an instrument in his life. Feeling it would be easier, Simonon learned the bass rather than the guitar. His influences on the Clash are easy to see. He was responsible for their name and their image. After all, he was the only one who went to art school in order to be a painter. Joe Strummer and Jones had also attended art school, but their motivation was to get a band together, not learn how to make art. He also contributed reggae to the Clash’s mix. What made the Clash distinct from many other punk bands was their use of reggae in their songs. For example, they covered Junior Murvin’s “Police and Thieves” on their first album. Later songs, such as Bankrobber, would further illustrate their debt to reggae. Most of that came from Simonon, who grew up in Brixton, in a largely West Indian neighborhood. Reggae was what he grew up hearing, and it would remain his favorite type of music. Simonon also wrote one of the Clash’s most well known songs, “The Guns of Brixton”. In addition to “Brixton”, Simonon also wrote “The Crooked Beat” on Sandinista! and “Red Angel Dragnet” on Combat Rock. Simonon says he wrote “Brixton” in order to receive royalties like Strummer and Jones were. After all, there are no residuals on album artwork or the bands clothes. And yes, that’s him on the cover of London Calling, smashing his Fender Precision Bass on stage. He was also responsible for a lot of the mixing and remixing duties in the band. In fact, most of the remixes on the album “Super Black Market Clash” were done by Simonon under various pseudonyms.

After The Clash

After the Clash broke up, Simonon formed Havana 3 A.M. The band recorded one album in Japan, and did a few tours, but broke up after the death of Nigel Dickinson, who was diagnosed with cancer. After that, Simonon returned to his first love – painting. After a few years of study, Simonon set out on his own, and has enjoyed success. He has done a series of paintings on bridges, and another series on London, mostly views from rooftops. Although some have attempted to steer him toward conceptual art, Simonon prefers realism. He admits that concept art would seem to be a natural place for him to go, but feels he has worked that out of his system, thanks to his time in the Clash.

Related Music Artists

• The Clash
• Joe Strummer
• Mick Jones
• Terry Chimes
• Topper Headon
• Depeche Mode