Joe Strummer of The Clash died a couple of days ago. I was greatly saddened -- I was a big fan of the band and saw them in 1982, on their "Combat Rock" tour, which remains for me the highlight of my concert-going days.
Perusing the Internet, I came across some old interviews Strummer had given. One was with Vic Garbarini of Musician magazine in June 1981, along with Robert Fripp (King Crimson, etc.). [The full interview is here.]
This caught my eye (and ear):
Garbarini: Speaking of evolving musical norms and working in different style, I got the new Ellen Foley record recently and I noticed that you and Mick [Jones] wrote most of the tunes, and that you all (the Clash) back her up on the record. I played it for a few people and asked "now, who do you think this is?" Most people thought it was Abba...
Strummer: That's a compliment!
Fripp: Abba are very, very good.
Garbarini: I agree, but I'm surprised to hear you both say that. What do you like about them?
Strummer: They hardly ever lay a turkey on you. They've kind of hit a rut these days, but they were in there just blammin' 'em onto the charts for ages, which is admirable . . . also the girls are nice looking!
Now I must unburden myself of a shameful secret I have borne lo these many years. I am a deeply closeted ABBA fan.
At the time, I would have rather slashed my throat than admit it, let alone bought one of their albums.
Still, my toes uncontrollably twitched when "Waterloo" or "Take A Chance On Me" came on the radio. (I claimed it was a particularly vicious foot fungus if anyone noticed.)
I sensed my affliction wasn't unique when it turned out that the over-medicated, suicidal grungemeister Kurt Cobain was also an ABBAnut.
But this clinches it. Joe Strummer, the punk avatar, the standard-bearer for integrity and rock 'n' roll bona fides, was humming along with me to "SOS" or "Does Your Mother Know?"?
I can stand tall now, yes, knowing that an unhealthy lust for "Mamma Mia" or "Fernando" is something out of my control. I was born that way.
I still hate "Dancing Queen," though, so maybe I'm not completely abnormal.
Rest in peace, Joe.