Mid November

Polydor Demos produced by Guy Stevens

updated July 2022 with Terry Chimes comment
Updated July 2024

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Recordings in circulation

Polydor Demos CD

Polydor demos / Guy Stevens / Mid Nov 1976
+Capital Radio 7" [free with NME coupon] 9 April 1977

Rare early recordings by The Clash to be released

Furthee information at Discogs

Audio (official release: Sound System box set)

Sound 4.5 - 17mins - Tracks 7

White Riot

BBC Radio London radio interview (2003)

With Paul and Mick. At 42,55 mins they talk about siging to CBS and not Polydor.

Sound Quality

Muffled at the top end but with not bad for a poor master audience recording.

This Cd was released by Sonic Books in a dual language format (Italian and English) It also contains a booklet which just repeats much of what is already written about the Clash. The CD contains just 7 tracks.

Also released previously on vinyl as A Fashion Mall Production (amongst others) - see bootleg links below for details - and 2 of the tracks on the official Clash on Broadway Box Set as well as White Riot being remixed for the debut LP.

To which is added here the b-side of the freebie single Capital Radio given away by the NME in April 77, a track titled Listen.

This is the original version which is mixed with the Tony Parsons Tube interview. Also added is the later B-side to Tommy Gun, 1-2 Got a Crush on You.

The sound quality for the Polydor session is studio standard though these songs come accross a little flat.

Background

Prior to the Anarchy Tour

The Clash prior to the Anarchy Tour [which would be about mid Nov 77], with Terry Chimes on drums to record 5 songs with Guy Stevens producing.

The Polydor Demos were recorded by The Clash in mid-November 1976 at Marble Arch Studios. The tracks recorded during these sessions included "Janie Jones," "Career Opportunities," "London's Burning," and "White Riot." The lineup for these recordings consisted of Joe Strummer on vocals and guitar, Mick Jones on guitar, Paul Simonon on bass, and Terry Chimes on drums.

The producer for these sessions was Guy Stevens, and the engineer was Vic Smith[1].

Additionally, a photo taken on November 5, 1976, at the Clash's rehearsal studio in Camden Town, London, features Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, and Paul Simonon, providing a glimpse into the band's activities during that time[2][3].

These recordings and rehearsals were significant in the early development of the band and laid the groundwork for their later success, culminating in the release of their self-titled debut album in 1977[4].

1 Clash City Forum - The Clash Studio Recording Information
2 British Photography - The Clash: Mick Jones, Joe Strummer (1976)
3 Wikipedia - White Riot
4 Wikipedia - The Clash (album)
5 The Guardian - Flashback: 18 March 1977

Recording the Polydor Demos

In late 1976, The Clash recorded their first demo session at Polydor Studios at 17 Stratford Place, London, under the supervision of 1960s producer Guy Stevens. The label had taken interest in the band following their early shows on the London punk circuit. The engineering was handled by Vic Smith (later Vic Coppersmith-Heaven), and the band's classic early lineup- Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, and Terry Chimes-laid down five tracks: "Janie Jones", "Career Opportunities", "London's Burning", "White Riot", and "1977" (source).

Although the sessions were initially promising, issues soon emerged. Guy Stevens' erratic behaviour-he was reportedly drunk during the sessions-and his insistence that Strummer enunciate his lyrics precisely led to tensions in the studio. Strummer would later recall parodying his delivery under Stevens' pressure. The band, along with Polydor A&R man Chris Parry, ultimately removed Stevens from the process, choosing to complete the demo with Smith alone (source). Still, the results disappointed everyone involved. "Very flat… dull," Strummer would later call them (source).

After two months of indecision from Polydor, The Clash opted to sign with CBS Records in January 1977-a move that sparked controversy in the punk scene but allowed them to record and release their debut album. Though a Polydor deal never materialised, the demo recordings survived and gradually gained a reputation as rare and revealing insights into the band's earliest studio output. Two tracks, "Janie Jones" and "Career Opportunities", were officially released in the 1991 Clash on Broadway box set, with all five later included in the 2013 Sound System collection.

Unofficially, the demos have been widely bootlegged in various forms. Releases like A Fashion Mall Production, Polydor Demo 76-78, and The 1976 Polydor Demos have long circulated among collectors, with varying sound quality and source claims. Despite Strummer's misgivings, many fans embrace these tracks for their raw energy and historical importance-unpolished blueprints of songs that would soon shake up the British music scene.

News Reports

Books

From Terry Chimes autobiography,
'The Strange Case of Dr Terry and Mr Chimes', Chapter 2.

Mid November. Prior to the Anarchy Tour with Terry Chimes on drums, The Clash entered Polydor Studios to record 5 songs with Guy Stevens producing with Polydor looking to sign the band. Within days the band had signed to CBS.

Social Media

Polydor Studios in Stratford Place, London

THE CLASH went into Polydor Studios in Stratford Place, London to record a demo with legendary 60s producer Guy Stevens

Link - added July 2024

THE CLASH – 1977

This month in December 1976, The Clash went into Polydor Studios in Stratford Place, London, to record a demo with legendary ’60s producer Guy Stevens.

The Clash recorded their first demo in December 1976 for Polydor. Initially, the band enjoyed working with Guy, but soon found his chaotic style of production wearing — particularly Joe, who was continually badgered to enunciate his words correctly.

It soon became clear to the band and Polydor A&R man Chris Parry that Guy was working whilst drunk, and they decided to finish the sessions with engineer Vic Coppersmith-Heaven.

Five songs were committed to tape — Career Opportunities, White Riot, Janie Jones, London’s Burning, 1977 — and nobody was happy with the results.

Polydor prevaricated over the admittedly not very impressive outcome for a fatal two months, and in late January 1977, The Clash signed to CBS instead.

“No Elvis, Beatles, or The Rolling Stones.”

The video here is the studio version of 1977. The '76 DEMOS can be heard.

here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrfj_Ppdfho 

Setlist

1 2 3 4 5 6 7	Career Opportunities White Riot Janie Jones Londons Burning 1977 Listen (original interview release) 1-2 Got a Crush on You