White Riot Tour articles, posters, clippings

Here is a list of known articles around the time of the tour. If you know of anything that is missing please do let us know.

Tour dates and album advert

Sounds: Announcing the White Riot Tour

23 April 1977

A riot of their own (White Riot Tour)

MOJO / August 2017 / 8 pages

New York Times: Punk Rock, Britain's. Latest Fad, Leaves Trail of Violence in Wake

By Roy Reed; Special to
The New York Times
July 11, 1977, Page 2

LONDON, July 10—Punk rock, the socio‐musical phenomenon that is now spreading in the United States, seems to be in trouble in the land of its birth.

Brawls are reported weekly across Britain, sometimes between listeners and band members and sometimes between punk fans and other young people.

A predictable revulsion among older people is developing, and some people in authority are demanding a curb on the more rambunctious bands.

There are hints that some of the violence is exaggerated by publicists for record companies and bands to call attention to certain performers and thereby increase their commercial value.

‘God Save the Queen’

The best‐known of the English punk rock bands at the moment is the Sex Pistols. They are led by a 20‐year‐old man who assumes the name of Johnny Rotten —other punk rockers take names like Sid Vicious and Rat Scabies.

The Pistols recorded a song for Virgin Records called, “God Save the Queen.” Not surprisingly, it expressed more contempt than admiration for the Queen. was released in time for the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and attracted little attention. Then BBC radio banned it from its programs and the record went to the top of the best‐seller list.

That was several weeks ago. The record has now dropped far down in the charts, but the Pistols are still the talk of London. Two of the band members, one of them Mr. Rotten, have been assaulted by street toughs with knives. The tabloid newspapers have reported the assaults prominently and Mr. Rotten, it is said, is in hiding to avoid further trouble.

The Pistols have not played a concert for several weeks because, they say, they cannot find a hall or a pub that will book them, considering their reputation for inspiring violence.

Ban on Appearances Sought

Some members of the Greater London Council, the city's main governing body, are trying to get the council to ban any further appearances here by the Pistols. The group's followers suggest that their heroes are about to become the victims of governmental oppression.

The publicity man for their record company says he supposes the Pistols will have to go abroad to live since England has become so inhospitable. Malcolm McLaren, the band's manager and one of the cleverest of the punk‐rock promoters, is reportedly ‘in Los Angeles, an important American center of rock music.

The maligned Mr. Rotten, who is said to be an intelligent young man from an Irish Catholic family, presumably will come out of hiding and return to work once his manager has found a suitable engagement.

Meanwhile, the violence here continues. The New Musical Express, a London weekly paper that follows the rock scene, reported this week that the casualty count had reached “a frightening new high” among punk‐rock bands, or new wave as they prefer to be called. It told of attacks on members of four bands in little more than a week.

Distorted Reporting Is Blamed

Some of the musicians are alarmed. Rob Geldoff, the singer for the Boom Town Rats, said after he was beaten up during a recent show in London: “It's totally against anything we're trying to say. It's so retrogressive. We don't want to be party to any facile fashion where it's hip to hit people.”

A student was killed during a concert in Dublin recently. Some members of the band, the Radiators From Space, blamed it on distorted, provocative reporting of punk rock by press and television.

Punk followers sometimes wear bizarre clothing, such as ripped T‐shirts and slacks made of plastic garbage‐can liners. A few wear safety pins in their cheeks, noses and ears, as well as on their clothing. Some dye their hair bright colors. Most dress fairly unostentatiously, but the handful who do not have provided the young cult with its fashion image.

Some fashion designers are cashing in on the punk look with expensive “castoff” clothes. At a clothing shop owned by Mr. McLaren in Chelsea, a young customer browsed through the calculatedly ratty shirts and slacks the other day.1 When he thought no one was looking, he tapped a cigarette ash onto a leg of his clean trousers and smudged it with his finger.

Time of Trouble and Strife

Some see political content in punk rock. The fans, they say, are mostly unemployed working‐class youngsters looking for something to do.

“This is a time of trouble and strife in Britain,” Hugh Cornwell of The Stranglers, one of the more successful groups, said recently. “That's why angry music is being produced here. People feel numbed and purposeless. That's what's behind urban music like ours.”

Bernard Rhodes, the founder and now manager of a group called Clash, said, “There's no way Britain can take a turn for the better, and that's the information we're passing on, in everything we do—clothing, concert backdrops, attitudes.

“They're a million and a half people off work now. They're always going to be off work. They're kids who want to be truck drivers but they don't know how to drive. They don't just lack jobs, they lack skills. All they're fit for is rubbish jobs and they know it. They've got lot of things to give and nothing to give it to.”

Associated Press The Sex Pistols, English punk‐rock group, during trip to Amsterdam. Front left: Johnny Rotten, Glen Matlock, Paul Cook and Steve Jones.

NME The Clash meet Tony Parsons

Originaly published April 1977

Photos by Adrian Boot.
Republished 7 October 1989

3 page biog

The Clash Official

NME The History of Rock 1977

Link to punk parts of the publication

The Clash We aint ashamed to fight Clash ST review
The Jam
Sex Pistols Insulating behaviour
Sex Pistols The more madder the better
The Clash Belfast Oct 77
The Clash Joe writes a letter re John Cale gig
The Clash ST review
The Ramones
The trials of trying to tour or record when you're the Sex PIstols

MOJO / Punk: the whole story

Online viewer (very good)

Kate Simons photo album large

link

White Riot Tour poster blank

Original sold at Bonhams auction

link

A COMMUNIQUE FROM CLASH CITY

Mick Jones, Robin Crocker

BIRMINGHAM: Strummer announcement, "We have just been told that Remote Control is to be our next single."

PLYMOUTH: (Worse than the Armada), Jones and Crocker chased by local police for loitering disguised as punks. When eventually apprehended and challenged they reply, "The Spaniards are coming."

BRISTOL: Opposite Colston Hall the Lord Mayor leaves function, entering his Rolls Royce, he is greeted by Strummer and Crocker, ? only punks wear chains". ..... .." Mayor of punk. A nearby police officer trots over, "Show a little respect boys" he pleads.

AMSTERDAM: Three funk bands, one country and western singer and The Clash appear at media party. The reaction of the Bols Advocaat set is mainly one of hysterical laughter.

SWINDON: Heir to furniture fortune is assisted into outdoor pool to see if he sinks, he is thereafter referred to as "Trout."

ST. ALBANS POLICE STATION: Post gig shock! Strummer and Nicky confess under interrogation to wilful theft of eleven Holiday Inn pillows.

CHELMSFORD: Jones storms out of dressing room as local counoillor is ushered in. Strummer and Paul promptly hurl abuse and bottle tops at the politician who sanctioned the show.

DUNSTABLE: Drunk, Paul and Crocker horrify party-goers by "canning" an innocent Prefect. A case of mistaken I.D.

MARBLE ARCH St. John' s Ambulance in attendance as Clash video I shown at Virgin record shop.

DON'T LET THE SUNDAY PAPERS TELL YOU HOW TO BEHAVE OR IT'LL ALL BE OVER BY CHRISTMAS. SPRAY YOUR OWN GRAFFITI.

War on Seafront