John Graham Mellor, better known by his stage name Joe Strummer, was born on this date in 1952.
Updated: Today at 4, East Village Radio has a special Strummer birthday tribute, hosted by Jesse Malin. Details here.
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And now... an EVG repost from Dec. 22, 2011...
Joe Strummer died on this date in 2002. He reportedly had an undiagnosed congenital heart defect. He was 50.
In November 2003, REVOLT painted a mural in honor of the former Clash frontman on the side of Niagara on Seventh Street at Avenue A ... seen here in this video featuring Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros singing "Redemption Song."
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0Zpai-OaBWGM1Kl6MJog3i7hGeGP4CygExGiYIU288jPYhszTvL6SXeGvll6YLLOZrR62mrbxq6QNT-LhnAyqRH31O1J5nOGaGyDiGoOGJwISuCfYIt-CcRs5fPBX7gU_tIPyyHUhjjE/s400/strummer_mural.jpg)
Since then, I've taken far too many photos of the mural, which REVOLT updated in February 2009...
Look, Smokin' Joe! (Eh, sorry...)
There's always something comforting about seeing the mural there... looking rather calm about anything going on around it...
Let's end this with a Strummer solo number from Aki Kaurismäki's "I Hired a Contract Killer" from 1990...
Previously on EV Grieve:
Joe Strummer gets a splash of Niagara
Joe Strummer gets a new look, skyline