Tribute airs on May 6th on ABC
Called “The Only Band That Matters” in the 1980s, it is only fitting that ABC-TV’s hit comedy The Goldbergs, a show about a suburban family growing up in the 80s, will pay homage to The Clash in an all-new episode entitled “The Fake Out” on Wednesday, May 6th at 8 pm.
In the episode Barry Goldberg, hoping to win the affection of Ren, the girl of his dreams, attempts to score tickets to see the Clash in concert. While he is unsuccessful, Ren presents Barry with a Clash t-shirt which he proudly dons for the episode. At the conclusion of the show, the two attend a Clash concert, dancing to their hit “Should I Stay Or Should I Go.”
Formed in 1976 in the vanguard of British punk, The Clash would soon become the most iconic rock band of their era, a symbol of intelligent protest and stylish rebellion in the turbulent years of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Just as importantly, they were to become unflinching musical pioneers, integrating first militant reggae, then dub, funk, jazz and hip hop into their music, which has helped to make them one of the most respected and sampled bands by modern DJs and dance musicians.
Eventually cracking the Top 10 in America in 1982, before splitting three years later, they were to leave behind an extraordinary recorded legacy comprising four single albums – The Clash (1977), Give ’Em Enough Rope (1978), Combat Rock (1982) and Cut The Crap (1985) – a magnificent double in their legendary London Calling (1979) voted album of the decade by Rolling Stone magazine and a controversial, experimental and musically diverse triple – Sandinista! (1980).
“Since the Clash was a big part of the 80s and a big part of my life growing up in the 80s, it was important for us to give them a shout out and pay tribute to them in this episode,” states Adam F. Goldberg, executive producer of The Goldbergs.
Goldberg often takes “totally surreal” moments of his life and incorporates them into his show which is based on his life of growing up in a suburban Philadelphia home in the 80s.
“I was fortunate to have two older brothers who influenced my taste in music,” shares Goldberg. “I was also a super fan of MTV in the 80s and would sit in my den for hours with the hope that one of my favorite videos would play.”
“My oldest brother was a fan of the Clash which meant the band was played on a loop in my house,” adds Goldberg. “I remember how cool my brothers and his friends looked when they wore Clash T-shirts, so naturally I got my own and was quickly called out as a ‘poser!’”
While the stars of the show wear Clash t-shirts and the band’s music is prominently featured, the band does not appear in the episode.
