US Bombs

Clash Tribute [7-inch] (2017)

Pete Vincelli

After seeing the US Bombs live, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this 7-inch. The death defying Duane Peters and company played two of my favorite Clash songs, “Straight to Hell” and “Death or Glory”, in succession in the middle of the set. Both songs seemed to drag their set down a little, possibly because of the slurred vocal delivery. But when I listened to the studio versions of the songs on this record, I had a whole different outlook.

The a-side of the 7-inch is “Death or Glory”, which to the casual listener, could easily be mistaken for the Clash version. It is amazing how similar Duane Peters sounds like Joe Strummer, (especially given the fact that I heard the live version first), not only in tone, but also in his vocal delivery and inflection. The only thing that is missing from the song is the background vocals in the verse, though overall the Bombs’s version is a great tribute. The b-side is “Straight to Hell” and the band delivers another perfect rendition of a classic song, while Peters once again channels Joe Strummer’s angst.

It’s somewhat obvious that The Clash had a big influence on the US Bombs, so it’s only fitting that they’ve recorded these songs (along with another 7-inch Hollywood Gong Show), their first studio release in over 10 years. This is a probably not a record that will be spun over and over, but I’m glad I have it in my collection. And after listening to these tributes, it is clear that the US Bombs are back.