Fans of the band The Clash should know that what word meaning 'citadel' in Arabic refers to any walled enclosure but is mostly used for a specific area of Algiers?
Casbah of Algiers Casbah of Algiers The Casbah (, "qaṣba", meaning citadel (fortress)) is specifically the citadel of Algiers in Algeria and the traditional quarter clustered around it. In 1992, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed "Kasbah of Algiers" a World Cultural Heritage site, as "There are the remains of the citadel, old mosques and Ottoman-style palaces as well as the remains of a traditional urban structure associated with a deep-rooted sense of community." More generally, a kasbah is the walled citadel of many North African cities and towns. The name made its way into English from French in
The Clash and to fans who picked up on the critics' muttered asides about the Clash having 'sold out' to the establishment." Mark Perry, founder of the leading London punk periodical, "Sniffin' Glue", let loose with what he would later call his "big quote": "Punk died the day the Clash signed to CBS." As one band associate described it, the deal "was later used as a classic example of the kind of contract that no group should ever sign—the group had to pay for their own tours, recordings, remixes, artwork, expenses ..." Mickey Foote, who worked as a technician at their concerts,