THE MESCALEROS

THE MESCALEROS

Tymon became a full-time member of long-time friend Joe Strummer's last band, The Mescaleros in early November 2000, after playing a night of ‘Poetry Olympics’ at the London Astoria a month earlier with Strummer and Mescaleros percussionist, Pablo Cook. Tymon co-wrote most of the songs on the group's 2nd full-length album, Global A Go-Go in 2001, playing violin, mandolin, Spanish guitar, acoustic & electric guitar on assorted tracks, most notably on: "Mondo Bongo", "Shaktar Donetsk" and the epic 17-minute plus "Minstrel Boy" (which also happened to be the first song Tymon ever learnt to play). Tymon's first gig with the band was at the legendary 100 Club. A 2000 tour supporting The Who soon followed, and over the course of two years, from October 2000 to November 2002, he went on to play somewhere in the region of 83 live shows across the globe with the band.

Sadly, with the tragic death of Joe Strummer in 2002, unfortunately the band split. A documentary of the band by filmmaker/actor Dick Rude, was released on DVD in June 2006 titled Let's Rock Again! The film follows Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros as they tour across America and Japan promoting their second album, Global A Go-Go. Joe Strummer & Mescaleros' songs have also appeared in major films Hollywood such as: "Minstrel Boy" featured in  Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down (2001), and "Mondo Bongo", featured in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005). In 2007, "Johnny Appleseed" was chosen as the theme tune to HBO's new American television drama,  John From Cincinnati (2007). For more information regarding Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros, visit their myspace.com page at: www.myspace.com/themescaleros

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Global A Go-Go (2001) The following review of Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros' 2001 Global A Go Go album is by Jack Bukowski, at www.trakmarx.com: "Following on from 99's patchy but honest, "Rock Art & The X-Ray Style", "Global A Go-Go" makes the former sound like a collection of hurried demos. Line up changes to the Mesclaeros have obviously had the desired affect, "Global A Go-Go" is fatter than Chris Moyles' arse pumped full of helium. Kicking in with the infectious hoe-down, "Johnny Appleseed", Joe questions the eternal quandary of money over integrity with a nice Honey/Bee analogy & some fonky banjos. The gtrs are acoustic, the backing vocals offer the ghost of Mick Jones & Joe's superb delivery does the rest. "Bhindi Bhagee" turns the ragga up with flute dressing & a spoken word verse. The first real evidence of the remarkable Tymon Dogg's vibrant violin, the african style gtr arpeggios move the chorus on down the beaten track a treat. Essentially a story of a New Zealander looking to score some mushy peas in a London market, it's a warm welcome to the humble neighbourhoods that make up this multicultural island we call England circa 2001. Tymon Dogg first worked with Joe on "Sandinista", when his input was a quirky diversion to the other tensions brewing in the Clash camp. With each subsequent track on "Global A Go-Go", Dogg's presence & authority grow in stature - his inclusion is a stroke of genius. Lesser pundits have described the wonderful "Gamma Ray" as Tom Waits in dub - this sums up why they write for such shite periodicals - that explains the taste by-pass operations you have to undergo before you can work for IPC. "Gamma Ray", is of course, magnificent. Joe rides the violin, hammond & top bassline skank of the backing track like a "Ghost Town" for a new millennium. "Shaktar Donetsk" handles the problem of immigration with insight & compassion. If you really want to go, you'll get there in the end. The Balkan issue is rarely handled correctly by politicians so it's refreshing to see a humble musician do it so eloquently. "Mondo Bongo" spreads a relaxed vibe into a harsh environment. Spanish gtr lines flava the mix like paella cooking on a beach front in a giant skiv - Tymon shines once again - my senoritas rose got nipped in the bud, already. The album closes with "Minstrel Boy", an extraordinary excursion on the vershun - a folktastic lilting fiddle washes a mildly military snare pattern. Joe's haunting refrain is held up out back of the mix like a spectre - I have already playlisted this for the day they bury me. Dismissed elsewhere as crossing the line between professionalism & busking, this is again ample evidence of why; a) Mainstream critics are so up their own, & everyone else's arse, they cant see the shit for the stools. b) Why "Global A Go-Go" is the best thing Joe Strummer has recorded since "Straight To Hell".

TYMON with THE MESCALEROS - LIVE SHOW HISTORY

November 22, 2002 - Final gig of the "Bringing It All Back Home", Liverpool University - November 21, 2002 - The Leadmill, Sheffield - November 20, 2002 - Hastings, Hastings Pier - November 19, 2002 - Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms - November 17, 2002 - Bridgwater, The Palace - November 16, 2002 – Newport, TJ's - November 15, 2002 - London, Acton benefit show - November 13, 2002 - Blackpool, Winter Gardens - November 12, 2002 - Newcastle - University of Northumbria - November 11, 2002 - Edinburgh, the first night of the "Bringing It All Back Home" tour - November 10, 2002 - LONDON, Royal Opera House - October 1, 2002 - Tokyo, Liquid Room - September 29, 2002 - JAPAN, Asagiri Jam Festival - September 28, 2002 - JAPAN, Fukuoka Zepp - August 3, 2002 - CAMBRIDGE, Folk Festival - July 13, 2002 - Kinross, T IN THE PARK FESTIVAL - July 12, 2002 - Manchester, MOVE Festival - July 11, 2002 - Shepherd's Bush, Empire - July 7, 2002 - Hootenanny Festival - July 6, 2002 - Hootenanny Festival, Irvine, CA at Hidden Valley - July 5, 2002 - Hootenanny Festival, Mountain View, California at the Shoreline Amphitheatre - July 4, 2002 - House of Blues in Las Vegas, Nevada, this first of the Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros mini West coast tour of the US - June 8, 2002 - LONDON, The Fleadh - April 6, 2002 - Brooklyn, St. Ann's Warehouse - April 5, 2002 - Brooklyn, St. Ann's Warehouse - April 4, 2002 - Brooklyn, St. Ann's Warehouse - April 2, 2002 - Brooklyn, St. Ann's Warehouse - April 1, 2002 - Brooklyn, St. Ann's Warehouse - November 30, 2001 – ATHENS, Sporting - November 29, 2001 – THESSALONIKI, Ydrogeois Club - November 26, 2001 – PARIS, Elysee Montmartre - November 24, 2001 – LONDON, Brixton Academy - November 23, 2001 – BRISTOL, Colston Hall - November 21, 2001 - DUBLIN, Olympia Theatre - November 20, 2001 - BIRMINGHAM, Academy - November 18, 2001 - GLASGOW, Barrowlands - November 17, 2001 - MANCHESTER, Academy - November 15, 2001 - Brighton, Concorde II - November 11, 2001 - GRAN CANARIA, Womad Festival - November 5, 2001 - OSAKA, On-Air - November 4, 2001 - NAGOYA, Club Quatro - November 2, 2001 - TOKYO, Akasaka Blitz - November 1, 2001 - TOKYO, Club Quatro - October 30, 2001 - FUKUOKA, Drum Logos - October 26, 2001 - Troubadour in Los Angeles, California - October 25, 2001 - Troubadour in Los Angeles, California - October 23, 2001 - Troubadour in Los Angeles, California - October 22, 2001 - Troubadour in Los Angeles, California - October 20, 2001 - SAN FRANCISCO Filimore - October 19, 2001 - ANAHEIM Sun Theatre - October 18, 2001 - Scottsdale, Cajun House - October 17, 2001 - SEATTLE Groundworks Benefit Concert - October 16, 2001 - CHICAGO Metro - October 14, 2001 - TORONTO The Guvernment - October 13, 2001 - MONTREAL Spectrum - October 12, 2001 - WORCESTER Palladium - October 10, 2001 - Irving Plaza in New York City - October 9, 2001 - Irving Plaza in New York City - October 8, 2001 - HARTFORD Webster Theatre - October 6, 2001 - ATLANTIC CITY Trump Marina hotel - October 5, 2001 - PHILADELPHIA Theatre of Living Arts - October 4, 2001 - WASHINGTON 9:30 Club - October 3, 2001 - Late Night with David Letterman - August 4, 2001 - LOS ANGELES Greek Theatre - August 2, 2001 - LOS ANGELES The Viper Room - August 1, 2001 - LOS ANGELES at Tower Records Sunset - July 28, 2001 - San Francisco at Amoeba - July 27, 2001 - Chicago at Tower Records - July 25, 2001 - Toronto, HMV in-store - July 24, 2001 - New York City, Virgin Records in Times Square - July 24, 2001 - Late Night with Conan O'Brien - July 17, 2001 - LEEDS, Virgin in-store Albion Street - July 16, 2001 - LONDON, HMV in-store in Oxford Street - November 16, 2000 - LONDON, Wembley Arena (The Who support) - November 15, 2000 - LONDON, Wembley Arena (The Who support) - November 13, 2000 - LONDON, Docklands (The Who support) - November 10, 2000 - SHEFFIELD, Arena (The Who support) - November 8, 2000 - BIRMINGHAM, NEC (The Who support) - November 6, 2000 - NEWCASTLE, Arena (The Who support) - November 5, 2000 - GLASGOW, SECC (The Who support) - November 3, 2000 - GLASGOW, SECC (The Who support) - November 2, 2000 - MANCHESTER, MEN (The Who support) - October 30, 2000 - BIRMINGHAM, NEC (The Who support) - October 27, 2000 - LONDON, 100 Club

The Mescaleros & Lose This Skin - www.nudeasthenews.com

Joe Strummer talking with www.nudeasthenews.com about the use of a "Sandinista!" song in the April 1st, 2002 Mescaleros gig set in St. Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn: Joe - "Lose This Skin!" That was the subject of tremendous debate in the camp. It came down to a democratic vote. The first person who was to vote abstained! This was supposed to be a vote, but no, I'm abstaining! It kind of threw the majority. The vote went against it. But then Tymon went off to the bar down the street and we all started feeling sorry for him, because we knew he'd gone off to cry into a beer. So then we all decided it would be fitting for me and him to get up and do it, because we used to be a busking duo. So I thought, great. But god damn those changes are hard to follow! He just goes into them like John Lee Hooker. You have to be on your toes. We began to get Martin doing a little keyboard and then we forced the drummer to get up and give it some bongos. We managed to get a version going. But then poor Tymon, it's in D, and he's got only four strings, so mainly the action is on the D string. It snapped halfway through his big moment! We announced that the song had been recorded 22 years exactly in this city, so we're going to play it. Then, [hums the intro] it snapped! He had to play the whole song with like three strings. But we'll play it again tonight. Yeah." - Thanks to www.nudeasthenews.com for this piece.

LET'S ROCK AGAIN! (2006) - Image Entertainment LET'S ROCK AGAIN! is a one-hour music documentary directed by Dick Rude that follows rock icon Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros as they tour across America and Japan. Produced by Dick Rude Productions, Joe Strummer and Lucinda Mellor. Includes backstage footage of the Mescaleros, interviews and live performances. Tracklist includes: "The Harder They Come", "Quarter Pound A Ishem", "Armagideon Time", "Pressure Drop 72" and "Rudie Can't Fail". Go to Dick Rude's web site at: www.dickrude.biz/ to purchase a copy.

Vision of a Homeland - Anthony Davie

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros: Vision of a Homeland by Anthony Davie documents the history of Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros. Author Anthony Davie says of his book: "I wrote this book as a fan but was lucky enough get the privileged and unique opportunity of obtaining full collaboration of all the band members and road crew, who have all given remarkably frank, open and honest accounts of the formation of the band and subsequent tours that saw the legendary Joe Strummer return to the stage after a decade away. I am honoured to have written this book."

Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros fan John Zimmerman provides the following review: "A fantastic read, written from so many points of view. As someone who was there, to witness segments of this short lived but highly charged burst of creativity and chaos, that was, "Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros". It really helped in understanding the whole picture. For the doubting Thomases out there this book should dispell any doubts, about whether this was Joe Strummer and a bunch of session musicians or a very real Rock n Roll band in its own right. The former feeling/accusation, grew from the bone of contention that centered around the number of Clash songs, being played in the set. Joe loved music and had a genuine feeling of wanting to leave the fans, the paying punters happy, the band felt they had begun to make their own mark and should as Joe himself wanted, only be moving forward. A fascinating in-sight into the creative world of so many talented people." Some quotes from the book are featured below:

05/11/2000 - Glasgow - SECC Tymon: “I loved the Glasgow gig; it was a particular nice feel. I played with John Cooper Clarke who was supporting. At Brixton, I was not too sure about playing with John, because of finishing John’s set with a violin solo and we were starting with “Minstrel Boy” in our set. I said to Joe, “You don’t mind me playing with John, do you?” Joe said, “Nah, nah, course not.” I said to John, “I don’t know whether I can make it.” John Cooper Clarke replied, “Tymon, do you want me to beg?” I said, “OK, I’ll be there – the idea of you begging, no way!” I do like John; he’s a good lad. Joe loved John Cooper Clarke.” - "Vision of A Homeland" book quote.

15/11/2000 - Acton Benefit Show

Tymon: “When we played Acton we were sitting in the dressing room and I don’t think the people running it knew what a “rider” was. There was just a bottle of cider vinegar there and I think maybe a Kit-Kat. Joe had asked for some cider and he just sat there looking at this bottle of cider vinegar. When Mick came on during the encore, it reminded me of when I first saw them play together at rehearsals all those years ago they would always play from the same amp. That night I looked down and Mick had gone into Joe’s amp, and I thought, you’ve ended up exactly where you started. Afterwards in the dressing room Joe was sitting there and he looked over and said, “Bloody cheek, he just cam on and played.” Then he smiled.” - "Vision of A Homeland" quote.

John From Cincinnati (2007) - Opening Credits - HBO

The Late Show with David Letterman (2001) - CBS