The Clash was a British punk rock band that sung of the political hardships of their home country and eventually became rock and roll legends in the UK. The group started with Joe Strummer, born John Graham Mellor, who attended boarding school most of his life and left the strict rigors of school to bum around the streets of London. On the other side of town, working-class Mick Jones started the group London SS, invigorated by the rock and roll sounds of the Sex Pistols. As Jones was working on his group, Strummer's own band, the 101'ers, released a single together after which Strummer left to join a fresh London SS lineup, now known as the Clash.

The Clash performed with the Pistols during their Anarchy Tour in 1976 and thanks to their three show exposure, earned a record contract with British CBS. With a few more lineup changes, their debut single and album appeared with critical acclaim in the UK, though the US wasn't ready for the Clash sound. Their White Riot tour, which was named after their debut single, followed with support via the Jam and the Buzzcocks. 1977 saw the Clash's two heavy hitters and songwriters in and out of jail, while their bassist Paul Simonon and drummer Topper Headon were also arrested.

As their image began to coincide with their music, they released their second album, Give ‘Em Enough Rope. The group found success in their first US tour, followed by a worldwide one. By 1982, the group was still touring, opening for the Who's farewell tour and working on their fifth album. As more lineup changes occurred, some due to drug use, the Clash began to see disapproval from both the fans and the critics. By 1986, Strummer and Simonon decided to disband the group after a new lineup saw the poorest reviews ever. Though rumors about a Clash reunion emerged during the ‘90s, the remaining members just worked on individual projects.