Jimmy Cliff and Tim Armstrong Cover The Clash for New Release

International Reggae icon Jimmy Cliff meets international Punk icon Tim Armstrong of Rancid for a Punky Reggae party. The duo have come together as artist and producer for a release later this year and next. It’s a match made in perfect harmony heaven. Jimmy Cliff who inspired so many including The Clash who then inspired so many more around the world including Rancid collaborate on a song inspired by the first in the style of the second. Doesn’t get more poetic than that.

Top blog Stereogum has a very in-depth interview with Cliff discussing the collaboration and plans for the future including an EP this November and a full-length record in early 2012. This makes perfect sense in so many ways. It will be interesting to hear what tunes they chose to cover and any new material is always welcome.

Cliff had this to say about his outlook on new material: “I still feel like I really haven’t reached the limits of my creativity. I have this new song called “One More” that I’ve been performing. The song says I’ve got one more bullet in my gun / I can’t run till the deal is done / I’ve got one more shot at the goal / straight from my soul and I’m in control. There is a fire that has been burning inside of me — a kind of sacred fire — that I feel like I’ve kept secret all of these years. All of this fire has yet to come out. It’s happening now.”

It’s further proof of the 63 year old singer’s ultimate Rudeboy cool and impact on popular culture and music in general. Along with the his continued tour schedule, the Harder They Come film remake in the works, the Harder They Come musical tour, his induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his new EP in the works it’s a downright Jimmy Cliff renaissance to say the least.

Read the full piece here.

Guns Of Brixton by JimmyCliffMusic

Check out Rancid doing Harder They Come with members of the Slackers