Paul Simonon launches Sailor Jerry clothing range

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Former bass guitarist from The Clash, Paul Simonon has teamed up with Sailor Jerry to create a limited-edition clothing line. ‘The Flash Collection by Paul Simonon’ will include three pieces – a leather jacket, a T-shirt and a neckerchief.

The Flash Collection is a series of annual collaborations by the brand, designs for which have been inspired by tattoo artist Norman Collins.

Paul comments, ‘I’ve always admired Norman Collins’ art. It’s the first time I’ve done a collaboration and combining art and clothes design is right up my street.’

The designs are available from September 2013 in selected stores around the world and on the Sailor Jerry clothing website.

Simonon is not only known for his contribution to music and style over the past three decades as the iconic bassist of ‘The Clash’, ‘Gorillaz’ and ‘The Good The Bad The Queen’, he is also a highly collected visual artist whose work exhibits internationally.

Sailor Jerry is a celebrated American brand and spiced rum inspired by the father of the old-school tattoo- Norman ‘Sailor Jerry’ Collins.

Collins entrusted his artwork to his two protégés, Ed Hardy and Mike Malone, both of whom have become prominent figures in their own right. Hardy, who turned down an MFT scholarship to Yale in order to pursue tattooing, is known for his artistic sophistication and large-scale tattoos. Malone, who designed under the name “Rollo Banks”, and was known for his conceptual boldness and distinctive designs, died in 2007.

Norman Collins is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, a military cemetery located in Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu. His grave site is 124/Section T.

Paul Simonon’s contrapuntal reggae/ska-influenced lines set him apart from the bulk of other punk rock bassists of the era in terms of complexity and the role of the bass guitar within the band. He usually played with a pick as opposed to plucking the strings with his fingers.

After the Clash dissolved in 1986, Simonon started a band called Havana 3am. They recorded one album in Japan before breaking up. He also participated in a Bob Dylan session along with the Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones that became part of the Dylan album Down in the Groove.