Paul Weller, frontman of The Jam, has spoken about how he grew to resent The Clash as the band's success grew, feeling betrayed when they embraced American influences after starting out as figureheads of Britain's punk revolution. Weller identified with The Clash's early politically charged, DIY ethos, and the two bands even toured together in 1977, but he felt the group's move towards American arenas and sounds contradicted the anti-establishment message they had once championed. His comments highlight a broader tension within the punk movement about authenticity and commercial success.

Weller's resentment intensified after The Clash's extended 1981 residency at New York's Bond's Casino, which deepened the band's American influence, including the incorporation of hip-hop and Mick Jones's fascination with graffiti art. Telling Uncut in 2016 that he "felt a bit cheated" by the shift, Weller pointed to the irony of a band that once sang "Bored With The USA" spending so much time there. The article notes this criticism may have been harsh, given that the American period produced acclaimed albums such as Combat Rock and Sandinista!, and inspired Jones's later project Big Audio Dynamite.