LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Punk Rock Museum is celebrating the life and legacy of The Clash frontman and co-founder Joe Strummer.
He died in 2002 after he returned home from walking the dog, collapsed, and had a heart attack. He was 50 years old. A coroner's report later said it was due to an undiagnosed congenital heart defect.
To celebrate Strummer's birthday weekend, he would have turned 71 on Aug. 21, the museum will unveil new artifacts including his 1966 Fender Telecaster Guitar, original handwritten lyrics, and other items on loan from Strummer's estate.
"Listening to my favorite band, The Clash, in the mid-80s, I felt like I belonged to something bigger. I knew I was devoting myself to music that was going to make the world a better place," said museum co-founder Lisa Brownlee. "Our collective is made up of prestigious punk historians committed to preserving the sanctity and rich history of all things punk. Joe always said the future is unwritten and he was correct. The past, however, is to be shared and experienced together and that's just what we have the pleasure of doing here."
On Aug. 19, the museum will host a special evening in Strummer's honor with "All The Young Punks!" That will be at the museum's Triple Down bar with JR Ska Boss and Selecta Scream DJing along with "other surprises." The bar will also have specialty drinks all weekend like the Jimmy Jazz or Cider A-Go-Go.
The museum is also working with Dark Horse Records on a limited edition of Strummer's album "Assembly", which will be available for a short time, at the museum's gift shop.
