The Clash's Joe Strummer dies at 50
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LONDON (Reuters) - Joe Strummer, frontman for seminal punk band the Clash and a major influence on a whole generation of rock bands, has died at his home at the age of 50, his spokesman says.
"Joe died yesterday at his home in Somerset. We do not yet know the cause of death, but an autopsy will be forthcoming," the spokesman told Reuters on Monday.
Strummer, born John Graham Mellor in Ankara, Turkey, made the raw anger and protest of aggressive punk music a worldwide phenomenon with hits like "London Calling" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"
Sometimes described as rebels with a cause, the Clash fused a variety of musical styles with tough political messages that brought punk to the mainstream and cracked the U.S. market.
Strummer also enjoyed a successful solo career after the Clash broke up in 1989, dabbling in acting and writing music for films.