Pitchfork

April 2007 will mark the 30th anniversary of the release of the Clash's "White Riot", their debut UK single, and they're celebrating early with the release of the box set The Clash: The Singles, scheduled to come out November 14 on Epic/Legacy.

The 19-disc set collects all of the band's UK singles, including the 1977 NME giveaway-only Capitol Radio EP, in two separately-released formats: seven-inch and CD.

The seven-inches come as close to the original releases as possible, with "replica record labels and replica picture sleeves, containing single A & B-sides as they were originally issued," according to a press release. The CDs "also [come] with replica picture sleeves [and] several include bonus tracks gathered from 12-inch singles, non-UK (including U.S.) single B-sides, and rare promotional sources, including six tracks previously unavailable on CD."

There will also be "a 44-page four-color booklet with dozens of rare and unseen photographs and extensive memorabilia." Original Clash designer Jules Balme oversaw the artwork for the set.

What really puts this package over the top, however, is the "in-depth personal commentary" for each single, written by over 20 musicians and writers (and one soccer player!). The Beastie Boys' Mike D wrote an introduction to the set, and other contributors include Pete Townshend, Damon Albarn, Bernard Sumner, Bobby Gillespie, Carl Barat, Nick Hornby, and Irvine Welsh.

Preceding the release of the box set will be "Revolution Rock: The Story of the Clash", an exhibit of "well-known instruments, stage clothing, rare memorabilia, and never-before-seen original manuscripts and artifacts from the band," according to another press release. "Revolution Rock" will be open to the public at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (where the Clash were inducted in 2003) from October 21 to April 15. Highlights of the exhibit include "Joe Strummer's Fender Telecaster, Mick Jones' Gibson Les Paul Jr., Paul Simonon's smashed bass guitar from the cover of London Calling, and handwritten lyrics for 'London Calling', 'Know Your Rights', and 'Clampdown'."

The festivities surrounding the exhibit begin on October 20 with a member reception at which Mick Jones, Lucinda Mellor (Joe Strummer's widow, who started the Strummerville charity), and founding drummer Terry Chimes will all be present. As part of the public unveiling of the exhibit the next day, Mick Jones will take part in "a Hall of Fame Series discussion with Warren Zanes, Vice President of Education and Public Programs."

The Clash: The Singles tracklist:

"White Riot" (booklet commentary by Shane McGowan of the Pogues):

01 White Riot
02 1977

Capitol Radio EP (booklet commentary by novelist Tony Parsons):

01 Listen
02 Interview
03 Interview (further extracts)
04 Capitol Radio

"Remote Control" (booklet commentary by John Squire of the Stone Roses):

01 Remote Control
02 London's Burning (live)
03 London's Burning (studio, from the Dutch seven-inch) *

"Complete Control" (booklet commentary by Stuart Pearce, "England's greatest-ever left back"):

01 Complete Control
02 City of the Dead

"Clash City Rockers" (booklet commentary by novelist Irvine Welsh):

01 Clash City Rockers
02 Jail Guitar Doors

"White Man in Hammersmith Palais" (booklet commentary by novelist/critic Nick Hornby):

01 White Man in Hammersmith Palais
02 The Prisoner

"Tommy Gun" (booklet commentary by Carl Barat of the Libertines/Dirty Pretty Things):

01 Tommy Gun
02 1-2 Crush on You

"English Civil War" (booklet commentary by Tim Burgess of the Charlatans):

01 English Civil War
02 Pressure Drop

Cost of Living EP (booklet commentary by Jimi Goodwin of Doves):

01 I Fought the Law
02 Groovy Times
03 Gates of the West
04 Capital Radio Two

"London Calling" (booklet commentaries by Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols and Damon Albarn of Blur/Gorillaz):

01 London Calling
02 Armagideon Time
03 Justice Tonight (from the UK 12-inch) *
04 Kick It Over (from the UK 12-inch) *
05 Clampdown (from the U.S. promo 12-inch) *
06 Card Cheat (from the U.S. promo 12-inch) *
07 Lost in the Supermarket (from the U.S. promo 12-inch) *

"Bankrobber" (booklet commentary by Ian Brown of the Stone Roses):

01 Bankrobber
02 Rockers Galore...UK Tour
03 Rudie Can't Fail (from the Dutch seven-inch) *
04 Train in Vain (from the Spanish seven-inch) *

"The Call Up" (booklet commentary by Sharleen Spiteri of Texas):

01 The Call Up
02 Stop the World
03 Cool Out (from the U.S. 12-inch) *

"Hitsville UK" (booklet commentary by director Danny Boyle):

01 Hitsville UK
02 Radio One
03 Police on My Back (from the US seven-inch) *
04 Somebody Got Murdered (from the Spanish seven-inch) *

"The Magnificent Seven" (booklet commentary by Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream):

01 The Magnificent Seven edit
02 The Magnificent Dance edit
03 Lightning Strikes (from the U.S. promo 12-inch) *
04 One More Time (from the U.S. promo 12-inch) *
05 One More Dub (from the U.S. promo 12-inch) *
06 The Magnificent Seven (from the UK 12-inch) *
07 The Magnificent Dance (from the UK 12-inch) *

"This Is Radio Clash" (booklet commentary by Richard Archer of Hard-Fi):

01 This Is Radio Clash
02 Radio Clash
03 Outside Broadcast (from the UK 12-inch) *
04 Radio 5 (from the UK 12-inch) *

"Know Your Rights" (booklet commentaries by Chris Shiflett of Foo Fighters and Anthony Roman of Radio 4):

01 Know Your Rights
02 First Night Back in London

"Rock the Casbah" (booklet commentary by Bernard Sumner of New Order/Joy Division):

01 Rock the Casbah
02 Long Time Jerk
03 Mustapha Dance (from the UK 12-inch) *
04 Red Angel Dragnet (from the Canadian seven-inch) *
05 Overpowered by Funk (from the Argentinean seven-inch promo) *

"Should I Stay or Should I Go" (booklet commentary by Pete Townshend of the Who):

01 Should I Stay or Should I Go
02 Straight to Hell
03 Inoculated City (from the US seven-inch) *
04 Cool Confusion (from the US seven-inch) *

"This Is England" (booklet commentary by Bernard Rhodes, former manager of the Clash):

01 This Is England
02 Do It Now
03 Sex Mad Roar (from the UK 12-inch) *

* CD only