Clash bassist talks London Calling album cover
London Calling by The Clash was recently voted the fourth greatest album cover of all time by MusicRadar users. Pennie Smith's iconic photograph of Paul Simonon smashing his Fender Precision Bass onstage at the Palladium in NYC in September 1979 is a beautiful image of rock 'n' roll rebellion, and in the video above, Simonon discusses the historic moment that saw his beloved P-Bass reduced to smithereens.
In celebration of 60 years since the introduction of the Fender Precision Bass, Simonon also discusses some of his bass-playing influences and the development of his unique bass technique. Check it out and subscribe to Fender's YouTube channel for more star interview exclusives.
Get the MusicRadar Newsletter
Want all the hottest music and gear news, reviews, deals, features and more, direct to your inbox? Sign up here.
Chris Vinnicombe worked with us here on the MusicRadar team from the site's initial launch way back in 2007, and also contributed to Guitarist magazine as Features Editor until 2014, as well as Total Guitar magazine, amongst others. These days he can be found at Gibson Guitars, where he is editor-in-chief.
“It didn’t even represent what we were doing. Even the guitar solo has no business being in that song”: Gwen Stefani on the No Doubt song that “changed everything” after it became their biggest hit
"There was water dripping onto the gear and we got interrupted by a cave diver": How Mandy, Indiana recorded their debut album in caves, crypts and shopping malls