The Joe Strummer Foundation

The Joe Strummer Foundation is a non-profit organisation which promotes the development of new music. It was established in memory of punk rock singer and guitarist Joe Strummer shortly after his death in December 2002. Strummer's widow Lucinda was the principal founder along with their daughters, Jazz and Lola Mellor, and English artist Damien Hirst. The organisation was known as Strummerville until December 2014.[1]

The Joe Strummer Foundation
FoundedDecember 2002 (2002-12)
FounderLucinda Mellor Tait
TypeRegistered charity
Registration no.1104165
FocusNew music development
Location
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Tom Heber-Percy, Anna Campeau, Crispin Chetwynd, Lola Mellor, Lucinda Garland
Websitejoestrummerfoundation.org

Organisation
Joe Strummer

The Joe Strummer Foundation is a registered charity that supports aspiring musicians and funds projects which promote new music. The foundation's chief director, Trish Whelan, described it as an effort to cultivate interest and interactivity among young artists. "We are not a label, so there's no ulterior motive for us. It's not a training ground for pop stars, it's about helping people express themselves through music."[2]

The foundation extends encouragement and material support to all unsigned musicians.[3] The foundation operates the "Strummerville Studio", a free workshop and rehearsal space (decorated with handwritten lyrics by Strummer himself) at The Roundhouse in London.[3][4] Other charitable facilities include two studios located in Belfast at the Oh Yeah music centre[5] and one in Bogota, built in partnership with the international non-profit Fairtunes.[6]

In 2007, the foundation began operating one of the stages at the Glastonbury Festival, the annual performing arts event that had become one of Strummer's passions in his later life, dubbing it The Strummerville Bandstand.[7] Also at Glastonbury is a small campsite named for Strummer that is the scene of intimate fireside performances.[8][9]

The foundation has given support to hundreds of musicians including some, like Bastille and Anna Calvi, that have gone on to find wide audiences.[2] The first national tour by Strummerville bands – the "Westway Round the UK Tour" – was begun in Autumn 2010 with the headline artist Beans on Toast.[10][11]

The organization is itself often the beneficiary of charity events. In December 2019, a New York City concert marking the 40th anniversary of the release of London Calling donated all its proceeds to the Strummer Foundation. Participants included Debbie Harry, Jesse Malin, Fred Armisen, and Eugene Hutz.[12]

A cover of The Clash's "Janie Jones", retitled as "Janie Jones (Strummerville)", was released by B-Unique Records in October 2006 as a charity single for Strummerville. The record was nominally credited to "Babyshambles and Friends" – in addition to the band Babyshambles, performers included Jamie T, Jeremy Warmsley, Kid Harpoon, Laura Marling, and Lisa Moorish, as well as members of Cazals, Dirty Pretty Things, GoodBooks, Guillemots, The Kooks, Larrikin Love, The Libertines, Macabees, Mystery Jets, Noisettes, The Paddingtons, The Rakes, and We Are Scientists.[13] It reached No. 17 on the UK Single Chart. [14]

Filmmaker Don Letts, an old friend of Strummer, made a documentary about the charity, Strummerville, released in March 2010.[15] "Strummerville" is also the name of a tribute song to Strummer by Irish punk band Stiff Little Fingers. [16][17]

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References
  1. Strummerville is now The Joe Strummer Foundation
  2. Burrell, Ian (4 January 2012). "Strummerville: A place where all the young punks can play to win". The Independent (UK). Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  3. "Our work and what we do". Strummerville.com. 2013. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  4. "Roundhouse trusts and public supporters". Roundhouse.org.uk. 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  5. "Oh Yeah Rehearsal Rooms". Ohyeahbelfast.com. 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  6. "Fairtunes: Bogota, Colombia". Fairtunes.org. 2013. Archived from the original on 14 September 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  7. "Extra fun in Glastonbury's Lost Vagueness field". Efestivals.co.uk. 30 May 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  8. "Mumford & Sons play secret Glastonbury campfire show". NME. 25 June 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  9. Ian Youngs (2015). "Hidden Glastonbury: The festival's best kept secrets". BBC News. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  10. Dingwall, John (8 October 2010). "Glasgow Calling: Bands Pay Tribute to Clash Star Strummer". Daily Record. Glasgow. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2016.(subscription required)
  11. "Westway Round the UK Tour". Strummerville.com. 2013. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  12. Rettig, James (15 December 2019). "Watch Debbie Harry & Jesse Malin Cover The Pogues' "Fairytale Of New York"". Stereogum.
  13. "Janie Jones (Strummerville)" at Discogs
  14. "Janie Jones (Strummerville)". Acharts.us. aCharts. 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  15. "Strummerville: A Don Letts Film". Directorsnotes.com. 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  16. "Strummerville" at AllMusic
  17. "Seventies punk stars Stiff Little Fingers play Gloucester Guildhall". The Gloucestershire Echo. Gloucestershireecho.co.uk. 2015. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
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