The Clash as they were meant to be heard ... with theremins!

One of the reasons I love Sandinista! is that it's a big, fat, weird experiment. No punk band ever made music that sounded like Sandinista! before, and no band that ever heard Sandinista! could return to their own music untouched. So when I thought of performers I wanted on this tribute collection, I reached out to old favorites like Joe Grushecky and Katrina Leskanich, who have contributed knockout tracks already, and Willie Nile, who's recording "Police on My Back" this very week. But I also wanted to reach out to performers a bit farther off the mainstream. During an unsuccessful attempt to master the theremin, I became aware of The Lothars, a wonderful and barbed Boston band consisting of three theremins and a guitar player. The band members were kind enough not to laugh at me when I approached them, and over the weekend they delivered a take of "The Call Up" that sounds nothing like the Clash but lives up to the spirit. I think the version they sent me is top-notch, but they insist it's not done yet, so I won't post it until they're entirely happy with it. It's worth waiting for.