Genn reportedly did not have the ability to play sufficient lead guitar, so multi-instrumentalist Slattery, originally trained on horns and keyboards, was brought in.

Following the release of the first, Rock Art and the X-Ray Style, they toured England and North America; sets included several Clash-fan favourites.

Singer-songwriter Tymon Dogg, a longtime friend of Joe Strummer, joined the band in 2000 playing violin and Spanish guitar.

Andy Boo, Strummer's guitar tech, also appeared in the Mescaleros line up in place of Pablo Cook on percussion at a gig in Finland 1999.

Following the release of Global a Go-Go, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros mounted a 21-date tour of North America, Britain, and Ireland.

Once again, these concerts featured Clash material ("London Calling", "Rudie Can't Fail"), as well as classic covers of reggae hits ("The Harder They Come", "A Message to You, Rudy") and regularly closed the show with a nod to Joey Ramone by playing the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop".

Elements of reggae, jazz, funk, hip hop, country, and of course punk rock can be found in the three Mescaleros releases.

It was this show, which was a benefit for striking fire fighters, that Mick Jones joined Strummer on stage for the first time in nearly twenty years, during the Clash song "Bankrobber".

The Last Night London Burned, a 64-page book written by George Binette,[2] showing never before published pictures of Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, and a 26-minute film by Gregg McDonald and Alan Miles, were released as a unique visual record of that last London concert by Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros.

[3] Following the conclusion of this tour, the band headed straight for the studio, but Strummer died of a congenital heart defect on 22 December 2002[4] after returning home from walking his dogs.

Pablo Cook and Smiley together with Mike Peters (the Alarm), Derek Forbes (Simple Minds), Steve Harris (Gary Numan) are members of Los Mondo Bongo, a celebration of the music of Joe Strummer, who together with Ray Gange (DJ) tour whenever possible, performing Mescaleros tunes.