The Essential Clash专辑介绍
★2011世纪典藏最新版，欧洲进口精装再现巨星经典风采
★英国庞克摇滚宗师◎荣登流行乐坛最高荣誉『摇滚名人殿堂』殊荣；荣耀全球光荣纪念盘！
★超值加收1977及Broadway二首单曲，让乐迷共享庞克摇滚宗师的光荣时刻！
有人说SEX PISTOL是英国庞克的摇滚先锋，但是真正发扬光大的宗师地位的唯有THE CLASH！
76年THE CLASH在SEX PISTOL的演唱会中担任暖场，因而在77年获得了一纸唱片公司的合约并发行第一张同名专辑，展开引领乐坛首波庞克风暴，THE CLASH为流行乐坛带来全新的声音与态度，有别Sex Pistol粗野混乱的无政府主义，Strummer带领The Clash将愤怒狂暴的情绪融合到音乐及文字当中，在78年庞克音乐潮流没落时刻，THE CLASH确毫无疑问的交出亮眼的成绩，并且朝向美国迈进。虽然这期间美国纽约市早就已经出现了庞克摇滚，但是THE CLASH 的专辑London Calling却成功的占领美国的乐迷，将沉默已久的庞克摇滚提升至大西洋两岸的流行风潮。
这张改变以往庞克激烈的歌词与用力的摇滚，融合了流行的曲式，London Calling、The Guns Of Brixton（PAUL SIMON跨刀谱写）表达出阶级与经济挣扎的政治议题国歌，并被许多乐评认定为史上最伟大的摇滚专辑之ㄧ，不仅因为这张专辑具有完整的概念，它甚至为庞克音乐下了最完美的批注，几乎可算是庞克音乐的圣经。英国权威音乐杂志NME所举行史上Punk／庞克乐团之最票选，结果出炉后The Clash 压倒Punk 始祖 Sex Pistols并进一步成为乐迷心目中最伟大的庞克乐团冠军宝座。
2002年12月22日下午身亡的主唱／吉他手Joe Strummer的死因为心脏停止跳动而辞世。这位50岁的庞克偶像在屋内跌倒，他的老婆Lucinda发现后试着急救，但没有成功挽回生命。许多音乐人带着沉重的心情哀悼Strummer的过世，U2主唱Bono在官方网站上留言：「The Clash是最伟大的摇滚乐团，他们为U2写下最佳守则…我们本要在1月碰面，跟Dave Stewart一起完成我们为曼德拉所创作的歌，这真是太震惊了！」；同感震惊的艺人还包括了Audioslave(音魔乐团)吉他手Tom Morello及音乐玩童Moby(魔比)等艺人。
此世纪典藏精选THE CLASH出道以来的40首排行经典名曲。为了庆祝今年THE CLASH登上流行乐坛最高荣誉『摇滚名人殿堂』的殊荣，回馈全台湾乐迷的支持，特别比美国版加收「1977」及「Broadway」二首单曲，让台湾乐迷共享庞克摇滚宗师的光荣时刻！
The Essential Clash is a career-spanning greatest hits album by The Clash first released in 2003. It is part of the on-going 'The Essential' Sony BMG compilation series. The album is dedicated to Joe Strummer, who died during compilation of this album.
The B-side recording titled "Radio Clash" was accidentally released on the US version of this album with the incorrect A-side title of "This Is Radio Clash", much like it had been on Super Black Market Clash. Both tracks have the same length and the only notable difference is in the two mixes and the lyrics. The similarities of the titles and the recordings has led to quite a bit of confusion not only by fans but by record companies as well. The two songs can be identified by the opening lyrics. "This Is Radio Clash" begins with "This is radio clash on pirate satellite, Orbiting your living room, cashing in the bill of rights" and "Radio Clash" begins with "This is radio clash resuming of transmission, beaming from the mountain tops using aural ammunition." Apart from these two compilations, every other compilation (including the European version of "The Essential Clash") where "This Is Radio Clash" is listed on the sleeve includes the original song rather than its similarly titled B-side.