NME: Meet Col Tom Parker of the Blank Generation

Nick Kent ,2 page interview with Malcolm McLaren.
27th November 1976

Link

"The Pete Best of Punk," occasional Clash drummer, Rob Harper

POSTER, Anarchy in the UK single

Link

Full Today programme with Bill Grundy

interviewer suspended over TV swearing

Birmingham Daily Post -
Friday 03 December 1976

Original article

Interviewer suspended over TV swearing

Interviewer Bill Grundy was suspended for two weeks by Thames Television last night angry viewers complained of four letter words during an interview with the group Sex Pistols.

Thames also reprimanded those responsible for the groups appearance on the company’s Today teatime show on Wednesday.

Mr Grundy's suspension means he will not appear on the company's shows - although he was due to present another edition of Today this evening.

The statement from Thames came soon after Rank Leisure services announced it was notifying promoters of the group's current tour that it was cancelling the Sex Pistols' appearance at Bournemouth next Tuesday. Cancellations from other venues followed.

A Thames spokesman said: "The director of programmes, Mr. Jeremy Isaacs, has expressed his views firmly to all on the Today programme describing the incident as 'a gross error of judgment' caused by inexcusably sloppy journalism."

Earlier unofficial sources at Thames hinted that Mr. Grundy, one of television's most experienced interviewers, was not to blame.

After Mr. Grundy spent 21 hours with senior Thames executives for a post-mortem, a Thames spokesman said some viewers had said they felt sorry for him.

"He was clearly embarrassed by these people and they appreciated what he was trying to do to show what a disagreeable lot of lads they were, and they thought he was right to do so."

Angry viewers jammed the studio switchboard after the programme and Thames broadcast an apologised that was repeated last night.

It said: "Last night on the Today programme, Bill Grundy interviewed the Sex Pistols pop group. The language they used understandably offended many viewers. We very much regret this offensive interview ind apologise most sincerely to all our viewers."

But Mr. Ray Mawby, Conservative MP for Totnes, claimed it appeared Mr. Grundy was inciting the group. He would be lodging a formal protest with Lady Plowden, chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority.

Mr. Grundy said yesterday: "The object of the exercise was to prove that these louts were a foul-mouth set of yobs, That is what it proved.

"I ended the programme by saying 'I don't ever want to see you again' and I meant it."

Sex Pistols have been banned from appearing at Lancaster University on December 10. but given the go-ahead for a concert at the University of East Anglia in Norwich today. But the ,students' union has warned that there must be no bad language.

The group has also been banned from one of the north's leading entertainment centres, the £2 million Preston Guild Hall.

The BBC issued a statement yesterday which said: "In response to Press inquiries concerning the group Sex Pistols. Radio One points out that their single Anarchy in the UK is not being played in its daytime programmes."

Punk? Call it Filthy Lucre

"Concerts for the Sex Pistols were cancelled and interviewer Bill Grundy was suspended last night in a row over the group's four-letter outburst on TV." -

Daily Express, December 3rd 1976

Source

TV Fury over rock cult filth

Daily Mirror - Thursday 2nd December 1976 / Link

Daily Mirror Alternate front pages

2 December 1976

KINGS OF PUNK CULT

DAILY MIRROR, 2 December 1976, INSIDE PAGES / Link

OFF! OFF!

DAILY MIRROR, 3 DECEMBER / Link

The Night of the Nasties / Yobs

DAILY MIRROR, INSIDE 3 DECEMBER / Link

Where the PIstols loaded?

THE SUN, 3 DECEMBER 1976 / Link

The Foul Mouthed Yobs

Now Vibrators pull out of Pistols tour

SOUNDS
27 November 1976

Link

Women refuse to pack Punk Rock record

Leicester Daily Mercury -
Friday 03 December 1976

Link

NME cover only - wanted

We need a copy!

PRESS CUTTINGS NEVER MIND THE FILTH, HERE'S THE SEX PISTOLS

I'M A REVOLUTIONARY

DAILY MIRROR 19th DECEMBER 1977

‘Never Mind the Filth, Here's the Sex Pistols' / ‘I'm a Revolutionary'. In its Monday 19th December edition, the Daily Mirror presented a three page spread on ‘Britain's most notorious band' written by Gloria Stewart. The feature acknowledges the Bans Tour in progress, but focuses on a gig during the earlier Holland tour - specifically the 7th December Pozjet Club appearance. The reporter's concert review and interview presents an unusually fair and objective observation of the band as human beings - not monsters, although the interview contains some (in hindsight) chilling comments by Sid on suicidal tendencies. Dave Smitham

Phil's God Save the Sex Pistols page

God Save the Sex Pistols run by Phil!

Online or archived PDF

Anarchy in the UK press cuttings following Bill Grundy episode.

Look What Pop Kids Do Now

Sunday_People
5 December 1976

Link

COVENTRY EVENING TELEGRAPH: EDITORIAL
PAID TO BE DECADENT

Coventry Evening Telegraph
Thursday 02 December 1976

Link

PAID TO BE DECADENT

DISGUSTING, outrageous and obnoxious were just some of the adjectives used by angry viewers to complain about the appearance on a Thames Television tea-time programme yesterday of a pop group calling themselves the Sex Pistols.

Even by today's standards, this was an appalling exhibition, especially as the most offensive aspect the filthiest language ever heard on British television was encouraged by the presenter. There have, of course, been the usual apologies and excuses, but the damage has been done.

Tens of thousands of impressionable youngsters have seen and heard gutter language and behaviour given what they accept as the cachet of respectability. No doubt some of them will now seek to emulate a group being promoted as the pioneers of a new sick cult. And that surely is the worst feature that young people are so blatantly exploited in the name of naked commercialism.

The Sex Pistols are reported to have signed a £40,000 contract with a major record company who are quote} as saying: "They may not be very proficient musically but we don't think that is a major consideration."

What appalling commentary on the ethics of an industry aimed predominantly at the young. Unrepenlanl A similar attitude has been displayed by Thames Television over another of their shows that has created a furore. In a recent edition of **Pauline's Quirkes," another tea-time programme. the teenage hostess generated near hysteria among her teenybopper audience over an apparently nude view of another pop group.

Despite angry protests from parents, the TV company are unrepentent. After all, they point out, none of the complaints Came from children at whom the show was aimed. Or, as a spokesman explained with brutal honesty, 'The programme was made exclusively for partially-literate teenage girls:- What a shocking admission.

And how arrogantly irresponsible. Or have we finally got to the stage where even the most fundamental standards of morality and decency are to-be abandoned'

LETTERS: MUSIC WEEK: Lack of morals

Music Week
18 December 1976

Link

NME: PISTOLS EPISODE 93

18 December 1976

Tony Parsons

Link - page 9

BLEEP OR NOT TO BLEEP

Sunday Mirror -
Sunday 05 December 1976

Link

IT"S A DIRTY BUSINESS SAY 'VOICE OF THE PEOPLE'

The People -
Sunday 05 December 1976

Link

It's a dirty business TV But the all applaud the explosion of iblic outrage that greeted the Sex Pistols' four-letter outburst on TV.

But the day after, please note, 1.800 copies of their first record are reported to have been sold.

The Sex Pistols' filth has meant filthy lucre for E.M.I. the world's biggest gramophone company, which has them under contract.

M Leslie Hills, the E.M.I. man who is responsible for the firm's records. VOICE did not condone the group's behaviour on TV. But he does not seem to mind the company profiting from the pubicity.

The company is said to be planning more records by the Sex Pistols and to have no intention of controlling either their songs or their behaviour public. If 'that is so, there ought to be - other explosion of disgustóat E.M.I

The great majority of people, parents especially want to protect children from the vile xxxx of punk rock performers.

They are entitled to expect that a great and reputable record company will uphold standards of decency and not help undermine them.

EXPLOITING PUNK MAY BE GOOD FOR THE BALANCE SHEET BUT IT IS A DIRTY BUISINESS ALL THE SAME.

THE BAD AND UGLY

Daily Mirror -
Monday 06 December 1976

Link

PUNK ROCK Does it really corrupt youth

Aberdeen Press and Journal -
Wednesday 08 December 1976

Link

What YOU say about those Punk shockers THE Punk Rock craze

Daily Mirror -
Wednesday 08 December 1976

Link

TELEVISION TODAY Must Sense the changing mood on standards

The Stage -
Thursday 09 December 1976

Link

Horrendously shocking behaviour on Commercial T.V. in London recently

Burton Observer and Chronicle -
Friday 10 December 1976

Link

{Extract, para 10] However, you will, through having most likely read the national papers who have taken it upon themselves, in their true sense of public duty and devotion, to scare us all to death with news of this horrid cult of "punk rockers," be aware that things. are not all well with the Pistolios at this exact moment.

Shocked by what they've seen, heard and read about yon aforementioned, many a *motor has had a late change of mind and, as they say in the trade, blown *em out at the last moment. Including the one in Derby.

All over this fair land, people are rushing to decry (probably quite justifiably) this band of bands.

Said a Leeds Polytechnic student, after walking out of the band's recent gig there: "They are rubbish. It is the worst group I have ever heard. They did not shock me. Their music was just so bad."

Which is what many a rock fan said in Burton after the band played there.

Even so, people are turning out to see the band, when they actually get round to playing. Much of this interest, no doubt, has been aroused by the band's horrendously shocking behaviour on Commercial T.V. in London recently, when they and the interviewer became ensconsed in a nasty argument which included the use of (pregnant pause) four letter words (eeek)l

It would appear that such naughtiness has endangered the recording future of the band, who recently signed for and, as was reported at the time, a sixfigure advance.

Now a disgusted E.M.I. chairman, Sir John Read, who Incidentally is quoting the advance as £40,000, has announced that the company will be reviewing its "general guidelines" regarding the content of pop (pop?) records. He thinks that the band's behaviour on telly was "disgusting."

He told a shareholder:

"Sex Pistols have acquired a reputation for aggresive behaviour which they have certainly demonstrated in public.

"There is no excuse for this. Our recording company's experience of working with the group, however, is satisfactory.

"Sex Pistols is the only punk rock group that E.M.I. records currently has under direct recording contract and whether E.M.I. does in fact release any more of their records will have to be carefully considered.

"I need hardly add that we shall do everything to restrain their public behaviour, although this is a matter over which we have no real control."

It's questionable whether music holds any great significance in the punk rock movement, the Sex Pistols having done so much to push it further into the background.

But the current bail image that been created on punk's behalf by the Pistols and other loony bandwagon-Jumpers who have gone as far as they can to be even more shocking may have serious consequences for music in general.

Punk rock is certainly a valuable part of today's music scene, and an inspirational one. From it could come real talent, tired by this inspiration. But if inything does come from punk, It's got a long way to struggle to the surface now.

LETTER: Moral of silent Mary

Daily Mirror -
Friday 10 December 1976

Link

WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH
Local reaction to Punk Rock

Lynn Advertiser -
Tuesday 14 December 1976

Link

SWEAR WORD ON THE TELLY

Peterborough Standard - Friday 17 December 1976

Link

The smut that lurks around every corner

Westminster & Pimlico News -
Friday 17 December 1976

Link

High Society: It's those fucking punks again!

Sounds 11 December 1976

Link

Newsdesk: Conspiracy to silence punk

Sounds - 11 December 1976

Link

EMI: RETHINK ON SEX PISTOLS

Coventry Evening Telegraph -
Tuesday 07 December 1976

Link

EMI: RETHINK ON SEX PISTOLS
SIR John Read. chairman of EM - I. the multi-minion pound discs and electronics group. said today that the company were considering whether to release any more records by the Sex Pistols whose language on television provoked a storm of protest last week. Their interview on Thames: TV half owned by EMI was "disgrareful - . Sir John told Shareholders in London. He added: "EMI will review their general guide-

lines regarding the content of pop records." Answering a shareholder's question. hr said: "Sex Pistols have acquired a reputation for aggressive behaviour which they have certainly demonstrated in public. "There is no excuse for this. Our recording company's experience of working with the group. however, is satisfactory."

Pistols warning Sir John told in London

Liverpool Echo -
Tuesday 07 December 1976

Link

EMI: SEX PISTOLS could lose their record contract

Aberdeen Press and Journal -
Wednesday 08 December 1976

Link

EMI and Sex Pistols row

Belfast Telegraph -
Wednesday 08 December 1976

Link

Chairman of EMI said yesterday the company

Birmingham Daily Post -
Wednesday 08 December 1976

Link

Silencer threat for Sex Pistols

Sir John Read, chairman of EMI said yesterday the company is considering whether to release any more by the Sex Pistols, whose language on TV provoked a storm of protest last week.

Their interview on Thames Television -- half owned by EMI was "disgraceful," Sir John told shareholders London. He added: "EMI will follow general guidelines relating to the content of pop songs".

He said: "Sex Pistols have acquired a reputation for abusive behaviour which they have certainly demonstrated to the public.

Sex Pistols is the only punk rock group that EMI records xxxxxxx has under direct contract binding contract and whether EMI does in fact fact release any more of their records will have to be carefully considered.

"I need hardly add that we shall do everything we can to restrain their public behaviour, although this is a matter over which we have no real control."

Sir John, in a lengthy statement on permissiveness in entertainment, said EMI did not want to be a censor. But the entertainment giant wanted to discourage records likely to give offence to the majority.

The Sex Pistols 'uproar had started with "a disgraceful interview" followed by a vast amount of newspaper coverage, he said.

Sir John's remarks follow last night's walkout by scores of students from a concert being given by the punk rock group in Leeds.

One said: "They are rubbish. It is the worst group I have ever heard. They did not shock me. Their music was just so bad."

Eight other concerts organised for the group have already been cancelled after the controversial Today television interview which included a number of four-letter words.

Sir John said after the meeting that the directors ex- pected - to take a decision probably "within a week" on the future of the Sex Pistols.

EMI had a two-year contract with Sex Pistols worth 40,000, signed in October.

Termination was "one of the possibilities we might have to consider but at the moment we have no complaint against them on their recording interests."

He said: "Obscene behaviour just gets no one anywhere. It will hurt their record sales and get them nowhere."

1976 EMI MAY DROP SEX PISTOLS

Daily Mirror -
Wednesday 08 December

Link

EMI MAY DROP SEX PISTOLS

By TONY PATEY

THE Sex Pistols' £40,000 recording contract hung in the balance last night.

Bosses of E M I are considering cancelling their agreement with the notorious punk rock group.

Chairman Sic John Read said a decision about the contract would be made within a week.

The group's four-letter insult to the Queen on Monday night will be taken into account.

The Pistols burst into the limelight with their foul-mouthed replies to T V interviewer Bill Grundy last week.

Yesterday they learned that their Boxing Day concert at Harlesden, North West London had been cancelled.

But suspended Mr. Grundy had better news. He has been booked b), Granada for tomorrow's " What the Papers Say " programme.

SEX Pistols face the bullet

Newcastle Journal -
Wednesday 08 December 1976

Link

Backfire hits Pistols, Derby ban, Man City Programme ban

Sunday Mirror -
Sunday 05 December 1976

Link

By JEFF SAMUELS

T H E Sex Pistols were given the by a bunch of irate city fathers yesterday.

Councillors at Derby banned the Punk Rock group from a concert last night after they failed to turn up for a preview in the afternoon.

In return Johnny Rotten, the group's leader, stuck one finger up his nose and gave the town a V-sign as his coach nulled out.

Then he gave his verdict on the councillors behind the ban. "They're a load of daft old sods." he said. All afternoon the city fathers had waited patiently in the town's King's Hall to hear the group and decide whether to allow them to play in the concert.

And all afternoon the group sat defiantly munching chicken sandwiches i n the Crest Hotel. At 4 p.m.. the fed-up councillors decided they had waited long enough. Councillor Les Shepley, chairman of the leisure committee, told reporters: "It's off all bloody off.' It was the tenth concert' on the group's tour to be cancelled since their foul-mouthed TV performance on Wednesday.

Meanwhile Grundy, the interviewer on the programme, was taking a fortnight's enforced rest from broadcasting He said grimly: "There are two particular four letter words I object to at the moment—punk and rock."

FOOTNOTE: Officials of Manchester City football club have banned all further Sex Pistols' advertisements from their match programmes after complaints about the one used yesterday for the match against Derby.

NME: Chaos on the U.K. Tour '76

3rd December 1976

Link

NME: SEX PISTOLS LATEST, LONDON GIGS ARE OFF - ONLY 4 DATES LEFT

18 December 1976

Link - page 2

Also dates at the back

PUNK ROCK TOUR GETS A BASHING

Daily Mirror -
Saturday 4 December

Link

PUNK ROCK TOUR GETS A BASHING

THE punk rock tour of th e notorious Sex Pistols is slowly biting the dust.

Nine of the group's concerts have been cancelled following their foul-mouthed T V performance on Wednesday.

Now the Sex Pistols stand to lose thousands of pounds as a result of the cancellations.

Among th e concerts called off were last night's at Norwich and tomorrow's at Newcastle.

And today the group must play before a panel of councillors at Derby before it is decided whether they can play in the city tonight.

Last night scores of sympathisers defended Thames TV's Bill Grundy over his interview with the group.

A Thames spokesman said: " They phoned in saying that they could not understand why he was suspended when it was the group who used foul language." YOUR A S are on Page 20 today

Punk rock shockers go broke

Daily Mirror -
Thursday 16 December 1976

Link

Punk rock shockers go broke

By lAN CAMERON

PUNK rockers the Sex Pistols were singing a worried song yesterday.

The group who shocked the country with their four-letter interview on television came clean and admitted: " We're broke."

They have no money to pay rent on their homes, offices or re- hearsal studios.

The band blamed their penniless plight on public reaction to the TV interview with Bill Grundy and the giant EMI r ecord company.

Promised

They have been banned in nine towns, 'and their nationwide tour is a flop. Manager Malcolm McLaren claimed: "EMI have more or less said they won't advance- us any more money."

But he promised that the five remaining concerts on the tour would go on because hotels have already been paid for.

PISTOLS MOANING

The People -
Sunday 19 December 1976

Link

Advert: 'Anarchy in the UK' tour dates

No cancellations, pre-Grundy / Link / Link 2

Advert: 'Anarchy in the UK' tour dates

No cancellations, pre-Grundy / cancellations

Advert: 'Anarchy in the UK' tour dates

No cancellations, pre-Grundy / revised dates

Music Week advert for 'Anarchy In The UK' single

18th December 1976 / Link

TV 'punk rock' outrage

Coventry Evening Telegraph -
Thursday 02 December 1976

Link

TV 'punk rock' outrage TELEVISION Inter viewer Bill Grundy spoke today for the first time about the interview that shocked view ers with the foul language of "punk rock" group Sex Pistols.

The object of the exercise was to prove that these louts were a foul-mouthed set of yobs.

That is what it proved, he said on his way to an -interview with TV chiefs about the programme. Mr Grundy added: "I ended the programme by saying. 'I dorh ever want to see you again," and I meant it."

The group ran into trouble last month at the Lanon the Thames - Today" programme as thousands of children could have been watching.

Mr Grundy was speaking today outside Thames Television in London's Euston Road on his way to an interview with current affairs controller, Mr John Edwards.

Tonight's show was being presented by Eamonn Andrews, one of its chief presenters.

An enquiry has been launched by Thames Television, and could take a day or two , said a spokesman.

Bill Grundy is understood to have been cleared of blame

Coventry Evening Telegraph -
Thursday 02 December

Link

TV man Bill Grundy is understood to have been cleared of blame today by his company's senior executives in the storm over four-letter words used in a programme last night.

Unofficial sources said it was felt that although things got out of hand on Thames TV's ''Today" teatime show when Mr Grundy interviewed the - punk rock - group Sex Pistols, it was not his fault.

Angry viewers jammed the 12 lines to the studio switchboard for some time Grundy `cleared' after the programme and Thames broadcast - an apology later, that will be repeated tonight.

Some viewers complained that Mr Grundy had egggid on the group to be oulrageous and today a Tory MP claimed: "It would appear that Bill M - tinily was inciting them."

Mr Ray Mawby, MP for Totnes, said he would be lodging a formal protest.

INQUIRY AFTER TV RUMPUS AN INQUIRY

Liverpool Echo -
Thursday 02 December 1976

Link

INQUIRY AFTER TV RUMPUS AN INQUIRY was being held to-day by Thames Television chiefs into the use of four-letter words and obscenities during peak viewing time by " punk rock " group Sex Pistols. There was a discussion among senior management and "To-day " presenter Bill Grundy was called in, said Thames. An apology is to be repeated to-night, after hundreds of shocked viewers rang Thames to complain about obscenities.

DJ, Tony Prince suspended in punk rock row DISC jockey

Liverpool Echo -
Friday 10 December 1976

Link

24 bleeps in Pistols interview

Birmingham Daily Post -
Monday 13 December 1976

Link

RADIO Luxembourg disc-jockey Tony Prince has been suspended

Daily Mirror -
Saturday 11 December 1976

Link

RADIO Luxembourg disc-jockey Tony Prince has been suspended for insisting on interviewing the Sex Pistols punk rock group live. The group are due to fly out to Luxembourg today.

Disc jockey Tony Prince has backed down and agreed to pre-record

Coventry Evening Telegraph -
Saturday 11 December 1976

Link

GRUNDY BACK ON TV

Newcastle Evening Chronicle -
Friday 10 December 1976

Link

God Save the Sex Pistols run by Phil!

What was recorded and what wasn't. DAY BY DAY - The God Save The Sex Pistols' exclusive guide to Anarchy Tour (and more)

Link

Ray Stevenson's Extraordinary Photos of the Clash and the Sex Pistols...

online or archived PDF

The February 21, 1976, issue of the New Musical Express warned readers: ìDonít look over your shoulder but The Sex Pistols are comingî. ìThey were like a million years ahead,î The Clashís Joe Strummer later told

Rockscene Anarchy

The Clash in Concert, Anarchy in the UK Tour, London, 1976 Photograph by Richard Young

Johnny Rotten, Mick Jones & Paul Simonon, 1976, "Anarchy in the UK" Tour.

A rare pic where there is the drummer Rob Harper, Anarchy Tour 1976.

Clash, 1976, first line up Terry Chimes, Mick Jones, Joe Strummer, Keith Levene, Paul Simonon Anarchy Tour

Sex Pistols and The Clash - Johnny Rotten (left), Paul Simonon, Joe Strummer (right), Mick Jones (front) Anarchy Tour bus, December 1976. Photo by Ray Stevenson

The Clash: One week before the Tour

November ... 22nd

... The clash play a warm up gig in coventry ...
... Terry chimes leaves the band ...

Last week in November

The clash hold auditions for new drummer ... Rob harper

Wednesday, 1 December

Dundee, resheduled so the sex pistols could do the early evening today programme on lwt with bill grundy...

Harper started out playing guitar in a college band with Mark Knopfler and was asked to play bass in the band that was to become Dire Straits. He declined his offer as he was concentrating on his studies at University.

During his year at Sussex University (he dropped out in mid 1976), he played in a band called The Rockettes, (as a lead guitarist) with William Broad (later to become Billy Idol) (vocals, rhythm guitar).

In December 1976, Harper joined The Clash on the December 1976 "Anarchy Tour" supporting the Sex Pistols.After the tour, Harper quit and the band replaced him with their original drummer, Terry Chimes

Rob Harper interview [Extracts]

Interview 9: Rob Harper - Part 1 (October 2017): Original U.K. Subs drummer and The Clash's 1976 'Anarchy Tour' drummer

UK Subs / Time and Matter

Online

ROB: Well, regarding The Clash and the Subs... I did audition for The Clash in late 1976. I 'passed the audition' and played drums with them on the 'Anarchy Tour', along with the Sex Pistols et al, and also at the Roxy in Covent Garden at the very beginning of '77.

My recollections of the Anarchy Tour are many, various, disjointed and probably blurred by the mists of time... however:  the first I knew that anything had gone wrong was when I read the headlines on other peoples' papers on the underground on the way to rendezvous with the tour on its first day... by the time I got there I already had a pretty good idea that cancellations were likely!

MC: No 'cash from chaos' you could say!

ROB: Well it was interesting to me, having just been studying sociology at university, to see a moral panic in full swing... the papers portraying the whole Sex Pistols/punk thing as far more lurid and decadent than it really was - behind the scenes, the band members and even the managers were decent people, if a bit left-field... I was disappointed that the tour was mostly cancelled, but it was still a great experience to watch the various machinations from the inside - although I was far from being an 'insider' - watching Malcolm McClaren turn the publicity to his advantage, and to participate in a few trailblazing gigs..

MC: And some of the characters you met along the way...

ROB: At the Manchester venue, in the afternoon of the soundcheck, Johnny Thunders was informed that the president of the New York Dolls fan club - or appreciation society, whatever - had turned up and wanted to speak to him... JT murmured to those of us nearby that he hated this sort of thing and found it awkward and embarrassing... he spoke to the long-haired, shambling, great-coated, head-bowed fellow and signed something or other for him... you couldn't possibly have known that in short order this bloke would be well-known as The Smiths singer. Amazing...

MC: Yes, amazing indeed, especially when you could argue that another Johnny; Lydon and Steven Patrick Morrissey were two of the most revered and influential singers and lyricists for the decade 76 to 86!

ROB: At the same venue, I think it was the Electric Lady?

MC: Electric Circus in Manchester... (19 December 1976 - ed!)

ROB: ... yes there! On the other occasion we played there, again at soundcheck time, I was alone in the spacious Victorian toilets, rinsing my hands, when I heard the sound of someone throwing up in one of the cubicles... then Johnny Rotten appears from the cubicle, and is shocked to see me.... "you won't tell anyone about this, will you? I have to drink so much honey and warm water coz of my voice that it sometimes makes me sick!" I muttered something sympathetic and promised to say nothing... and here I am reneging on that promise decades later... I didn't have any proper conversations with JR but in the few brief exchanges we did have, and from watching him around the tour, he was a genuinely nice guy...

I do recall one particularly - in retrospect - funny occasion when Lydon, who obviously likes to study people and suss them out, came up to me away from everyone else, and actually asked... "'Why do you go to bed so early?'

On another occasion, backstage at Plymouth while I was waiting (alone) to go on with The Clash, he confided that "you lot are really hard to follow, you know..."  I said "yeah, I know", but if anybody could better them, it was him... I mean it... I saw lots of soundchecks and lots of performances, and the Pistols were fucking brilliant, overwhelmingly new and powerful - as were The Clash, in their different way - but JR's presence dominated everything, including even Joe Strummer's awesome onstage charisma and authority...

What did you do on the Punk Tour, daddy?

Sounds: 18th December 1976 / Pete Silverton
Review off Manchester 9 December 1976 - Link

We're gonna stuff it down your throats say Clash

National – 11 December 1976

Link

The Clash were once the only band that mattered
Before they rocked The Casbah, the Clash staked out ground as ‘the only band that matters’

GOLMINE Magazine
Patrick Prince
Updated:Aug 21, 2020
Original:Sep 7, 2010

Link

Strummer later recalled that a Dec. 9 show at the Electric Circus in Manchester was the moment he knew the group would make it. - We were better than The Pistols, - he told Salewicz. "They had a really hard time following us. We blew them off the stage." That Strummer had felt just as blown away when he first saw The Pistols a mere eight months previously says much about his growing confidence.

Eighteen Flight Rock ... AND THE SOUND OF THE WESTWAY
interview with The Clash

NME 11th December 1976,
Miles

Original page or text version

"The New Year was heralded, not by the Sex Pistols, but by the Clash’s performance at a new club in Covent Garden, the Roxy"

Book: England's Dreaming
By Jon Savage

Link

Page 257 onwards [Anrachy Tour]
On the evening of 1 December the Sex Pistols got a break. An EMI group, Queen, pulled out of an appearance on the local London evening TV show, Thames’ Today, presented by Bill Grundy. Eric Hall suggested the Sex Pistols as a substitute and had them accepted by researcher Lyndall Hobbs. McLaren wasn’t sure: the group were rehearsing hard on a stage at the Roxy cinema in Harlesden and the Heartbreakers were flying in from America at that very moment, but when Hall arranged an EMI limousine, McLaren agreed.

Page 291
The New Year was heralded, not by the Sex Pistols, but by the Clash’s performance at a new club in Covent Garden, the Roxy. The Clash embodied this polarized New Year, in which, as Culture sang, ‘the two sevens clash’. They were the true victors of the Anarchy Tour: benefiting from the publicity but not embroiled in controversy, they were the group to watch. To celebrate, Strummer specially customized a white shirt with a massive ‘1977’ on the front.

THE CLASH shaking up the music scene

Wishaw Press -
Friday 31 December 1976

Link

Punk Rock has injected excitement into the British, rock scene.

The music scene has been needing a good shaking up and hands like The Sex Pistols and The Clash are just the bands to do it.

The Damned are one of the new wave punk bands and it is their single "New Rose" which must be strongly considered for the "Single of the Year" title, with the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK as runner up.

London's Burning issue #1 (1976)

Clash, Clash, Clash

Link

Video to follow

Clash Map of London

Link