Originally Headon had joined the Clash in 1977 with the intention of establishing a reputation as a drummer before moving on to other projects,[2] but he soon realised their full potential and remained with them for four-and-a-half years.

[3] After leaving the Clash, he was considered as drummer in Mick Jones's post-Clash band Big Audio Dynamite[2] and played in a short-lived group called Samurai, with bassist Pete Farndon, guitarist Henry Padovani (from The Police), organist Mick Gallagher (from The Blockheads), and vocalist Steve Allen (formerly of Deaf School).

[6] Headon subsequently focused on recording a solo album, Waking Up (1986),[7] which featured Mick Gallagher, Bobby Tench and Jimmy Helms.

[8] He also released a cover version of the Gene Krupa instrumental "Drumming Man" as a single, which featured Headon's "DuKane Road" on the B-side.

[11]Headon was extensively interviewed for the Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten documentary film about the late Clash frontman, which was released in 2007.

Headon also stated that seeing the video of "Rock the Casbah" with "someone else (Terry Chimes) in my place playing my song" caused him to fall in even greater depression and heavier drug addiction.

[citation needed] On 11 January 2008, he performed with Carbon/Silicon at the Carbon Casino Club in Portobello London, being included with the line-up of Mick Jones, Tony James, Leo Williams and Dominic Greensmith.

[12][13][14] In a February 2008 newspaper article Headon revealed that in 2003 he started to experience serious back pain, a frequent complaint of ageing rock drummers.

Diagnosed with hyperkyphosis, a forward curvature of the back, he underwent intense posture adjustment treatment and continues to exercise daily.

[15] In 2012 Headon was interviewed by fellow drummer Spike Webb, sharing stories from his years drumming for The Clash and his experience writing 'Rock The Casbah'.

[16] Actor Alex Gold portrayed Headon in the 2016 film London Town, which tells the story of a Clash-obsessed teenager who crosses paths with Joe Strummer by happenstance in 1979 and finds his life changing as a result.

[17] As a drummer, Headon often employed a distinctive style which emphasised a simple bass-snare up-down beat, accentuated with closed hi-hat flourishes.