He was born in Ankara, Turkey, and in an act of self-deprecation changed his name to Strummer to reflect his role as rhythm guitarist. But Joe was much more than a mere strummer; he was one of the pioneers of punk rock in the 1970s. Tragically Strummer died of a heart attack a couple of days before Chrsitmas in 2002. This week, we celebrate what would have been Strummer’s 57th birthday by playing tunes from Strummer’s time with the Clash, his solo work and his last project:The Mescaleros.

Also, Chicago Reader music writer Peter Margasak is in for the monthly New Sounds. This month Peter’s picks include 1970’s Cuban Funk and Sacred Music from the Republic of Georgia.