The early singles, first album and the early tours were fantastic, vital. Give em Enough Rope was patchy but still pretty good, but the heavy handed production, rock hero posturing and the drug busts that came with it signalled the end of them as a band that actually meant anything. After that, London Calling was a well made but relatively bland record that was bought by existing fans who hadn't moved on - and Americans. Sandinista was the most musically interesting album they made, but it was also the most self-indulgent. Combat Rock was neither combative nor particularly rocking. Cut the Crap was a good album title to end with, seeing as that's what they were by then.
