Hoping to keep
the Clash as a raw punk phenomenon,
Joe Strummer and
Paul Simonon kicked Mick Jones out of the band following the success of
Combat Rock, hiring three unknowns (Nick Sheppard, Pete Howard, and Vince White) to replace him for
Cut the Crap. As the title suggests, the group attempts to get back to its roots by sticking to short, fast, hard punk songs. Unfortunately, they sound like a parody of a classic punk band -- with the exception of the surprisingly nervy "This Is England," this is all formulaic, tired punk rock that doesn't have the aggression or purpose of early
Clash records, let alone the hardcore punk that the new band was now competing with. It's a sad end to one of the greatest rock & roll bands, not even offering much of interest for the dedicated fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine