Newly discovered photos have captured the moment that The Clash‘s Joe Strummer completed the London Marathon in 1983.
The new snaps were captured by photographer Steve Rapport, who rediscovered them after four boxes of old photo transparencies were sent to his home in California.
Rapport’s photos offer a candid look at Strummer tackling the gruelling 26-mile course, while occasionally stopping to grin at the camera.
Other photos from the set show Strummer limbering up at Blackheath Common, before the start of the race.
This was at Blackheath Common before the race. I was sent by Rolling Stone (one of only two or three jobs they ever gave me). Drove over from my house in Clapham. Parked. Got out in the rain. 30,000 people. And there was Joe. Brilliant. pic.twitter.com/j9G6qxxSny
— Steve Rapport (@NorthBankNorman) July 1, 2020
Joe Strummer. Punk as fuck. pic.twitter.com/We8fDofbgF
— Steve Rapport (@NorthBankNorman) July 1, 2020
Rapport wrote on Twitter :”You’ve never seen this before. It’s a newly-unearthed color photo of Joe Strummer running the 1993 London Marathon and until an hour ago I didn’t know it existed and I FUCKING TOOK IT!!!,” later clarifying that it was in fact the 1983 marathon that Strummer ran, not a decade later.
He went on to explain that he was commissioned by Rolling Stone Magazine to shoot Strummer’s efforts, and said the singer eventually finished the race in four hours and thirteen minutes.
Previous photos have captured Strummer’s efforts during the race, but Rapport’s snaps mark one of the first time it has been seen in high quality print.
Last month also saw the arrival of White Riot – a new documentary from Rubika Shah which captures the rise of the Rock Against Racism organisation in the 1970s.
Taking its name from The Clash’s song of the same name, the film also touches on the band’s involvement with the organisation, which saw the band headlining a huge 1978 benefit concert in London’s Victoria Park.
