Bridgwater has 7 twinnings. 6 with other towns and 1 with an ideology. Joe Strummer, lead singer and main songwriter with groundbreaking punk band The Clash, visited Bridgwater, called it a ‘Clash Town’ and liked it so much he moved here.
When you see the twin towns listed on the finger board next to the Blake statue you may not have noticed the one pointing west. ‘Seattle’ (USA). How did that happen?

I first saw the Clash in Leeds in the 70s. They transformed the rhythm n blues I’d been playing into the punk I’d soon be playing.
Fast forward 25 years later and I was onstage at the Palace Theatre Bridgwater supporting Strummers new band The Mescaleros. He signed my latest album. A ringing endorsement.
A month later he was dead.
2002
Christmas 2002 also saw the death of my other great inspiration the Leeds nightingale on Paraquat, Jake Thackray.
We did a tribute gig for both at the Labour Club. Strummers wife Lucy turned up to say thanks. And ask who Thackray was.
Fast forward another 15 years and there’s a phonecall. It’s from KEXP radio Seattle. They were starting a ‘Clash Day’ where they’d devote their airwaves one entire 24 hours every February to songs by the Clash.
Strummer actually lived in Broomfield on the Quantocks but the Parish Council told the Radio when they phoned ‘No mate you probably wanna talk to Bridgwater’.
So they did.
2016

And what did we do? We twinned with Seattle at a radio link up (which you’ll find on line and where I read the Clash Proclamation) and we agreed not to exchange students or tourists every year but to exchange Clash music.
Fast forward to now and its still going strong.
This Saturday the Bridgwater Clash Mob will be keeping the Strummer ideology flying with their annual live performance around the town organised by the SEED project, which, like Strummer, seeks to inspire people to get up and have a go. That art isn’t an elite thing that happens to you but something that comes from within people, empowers you and inspires you and everybody.
Catch them in action and now know why they’re there and yet again appreciate why Bridgwater and its people are special.
And remember, the future is unwritten.