# What is so good about London Calling? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 23, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-good-about-london-calling/265720 "2004-09-23T18:14:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-good-about-london-calling/265720/21 "2004-09-24T18:05:21Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Thrash, not Trash. But, you knew taht already. For some reason, “trash metal” is a common term in European metal discussions. :shrug: ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-good-about-london-calling/265720/22 "2004-09-24T18:08:04Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > For some reason, “trash metal” is a common term in European metal discussions. :shrug: Huh. Wrong perhaps I have had it all these years. The first time it would be not. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-good-about-london-calling/265720/23 "2004-09-24T18:41:42Z")
I don’t think of the Police as punk simply because it was pretty clear - even from the beginning, before I heard it was true - that Andy, Stewart and Mr. Sumner were clearly accomplished musicians who were putting on a punk vibe. Don’t get me wrong - I love their music and what they mixed together style-wise to make it - but punk, to me, is more raw. My take on why **London Calling** is considered great is because it took punk to the next level. It is a double album, when most punk albums were about 25 minutes long - but it doesn’t seem self-indulgent or pretentious, it takes a variety of styles, invests them with a punk vibe and pulls them off pretty well. It covers both political and emotional points of view. And the songs stand the test of time - now that punk has been woven into the basic foundation of music today, many of these songs just sound great. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-good-about-london-calling/265720/24 "2004-09-24T19:24:23Z")
It’s very easy to forget the time… in 1978 **The Police** were definitely _weird_. And people who knew no better (which was the vast majority of people at that time) actually did consider The Police to be “punk”. A friend of mine was refused entry into Disneyland in the late 70’s because he was wearing a Police shirt. In regards to the OP, I’ll have to say that I support those who have said that what makes London Calling special, is that is was the first punk album to really get any widespread respect from critics _and_ the general public. But… I also like the first Clash album (UK version) better. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-good-about-london-calling/265720/25 "2004-09-24T20:05:10Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Huh. Wrong perhaps I have had it all these years. The first time it would be not. No, it’s a European mistake. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-so-good-about-london-calling/265720.md?page=1)