Joe Strummer

Although best known as the outspoken front man for legendary punk rock group The Clash, Joe Strummer also carved out an interesting niche as an actor once the band broke up. The Clash formed in 1976, and along with the Sex Pistols spearheaded the British punk rock scene. By 1979, The Clash had broadened their musical horizons at a time when most punk bands were painting themselves into a corner. By the early 1980s, The Clash were filling stadiums around the world; ultimately, trying to reconcile punk ethics with stardom took its toll on the band. The original line-up dissolved in 1983, and but with new members, Strummer soldiered on for a couple years longer. Ultimately embarrassed that The Clash had become a strange parody of itself, he split up the band once and for all, and then kept a low profile for a few years. When he returned, he decided to branch out in a new direction: acting. Strummer first appeared on film playing himself in Rude Boy (1980), a quasi documentary look at The