Big Audio Dynamite

Although the members of Big Audio Dynamite have deep punk roots—vocalist/guitarist Mick Jones was in The Clash—the UK band embraced cutting-edge techniques like sampling to augment their rock, dance, funk, and reggae sound. Jones cofounded Big Audio Dynamite in 1984 after being fired from The Clash, teaming up with noted music-video director Don Letts. The band’s debut, This Is Big Audio Dynamite, arrived in 1985 and featured the alternative-rock classic “E=MC2.” That was followed a year later by No. 10, Upping St., which was coproduced by and featured songwriting from Jones’ former Clash mate Joe Strummer; it led to dates opening for U2. In the ’90s, Jones remained a constant presence through lineup changes (and a name change, to Big Audio Dynamite II) as the band continued to push their sound forward, embracing hip-hop on “The Globe” and updating The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” riff into a dance-rock jam on “Rush.” Big Audio Dynamite wound down in the late ’90s, with Jones going on to form the band Carbon Silicon and produce The Libertines; the group’s original lineup reunited in 2011 for select shows.