The Rise and Fall of The Clash

'In 1985 the band known as the Clash simply disintegrated. This is the story'.

Film-maker Danny Garcia set out to discover why one of the world’s most famous rock’n’roll bands imploded at the height of its success, and why the hastily constituted Clash (mark II) failed to live up to its name. It was not to be an easy task.

Here, Garcia tells the story of how two years’ persistence finally won him the trust of the principal players - including Mick Jones (whose sacking precipitated the downfall of the band) and elusive on-off manager, Bernie Rhodes - and took him to the eye of Rock’n’Roll’s most tumultuous storm.

With a cast of characters like a Rock’n’Roll ‘who’s who’, the book also contains the full script of Garcia’s revealing interview-based documentary and unpublished photos of the band before and after the split.


‘The Rise and Fall of the Clash is a head-first plunge into conflict and chaos.’

The Boston Globe

‘The whole story, warts 'n' all, told by those who knew them, those who were there…An engrossing labour of love which does them proud.’

Kris Needs, Rock journalist and author


‘If you're looking for a definitive answer to the question "Whatever happened to The Clash?" then read this book!’
Mike Laye, Clash photographer

‘At times hilariously funny, it can also be heartrendingly sad…’
Chris Salewicz, music writer and official Joe Strummer biographer