The Clash Live - Mont de Marsan Festival France

Documentary, Festival Punk 1 Trailer

FESTIVAL PUNK 1976 - 1977 [ MONT DE MARSAN FRANCE ] CLASH DAMNED
4.41mins / colour, French

'Festival Punk 1976 & 1977 Mont de Marsan France (Reportage ARTE octobre 2018)' - 4.41mins / colour, French, avec comme guide, le local André Marc Dubos, l'un des organisateurs de ce mythique festival ! ARTE octobre 2018

1080p / 2:41mins

Documentary, Festival Punk 2

'Festival Punk Mont de Marsan France 1976 & 1977'
54.43mins / colour, French

Festival Punk Mont de Marsan France 1976 & 1977 , l'explosion Punk par Fabrice Drouelle France Inter novembre 2017 avec Caroline de Kergariou scénariste et auteur dramatique . Photos de Jean Gaumy 1977.

720p / 54:53mins

News item - Pop News

September 1977 - 5mins 30secs

Reportage de Pop News sur Antenne 2 en septembre 1977 Shots of Festival, Crowd, Town plus some bands. Shots dubbed over with one Clash trackand one Damned track ... Shows the Clash in the stand

360p / 2:08mins

News item - ina-fr

September 1977 - 2mins 08secs

Reportage sur le festival punk de Mont Marsan. Alternance d'images d'un groupe sur scène et de festivaliers dont les tenues sont largement montrées. Images d'archive INA Institut National de l'Audiovisuel http://www.ina.fr

360p / 5:30mins

News item - Vie Modene

September 1977 - 2mins 14secs - reportage de Pop News sur Antenne 2 en septembre 1977
News report mostly fan shots, no Clash

Video 'Vie Moderne' Hot Cuts from Mont-de-Marsan
Réalisé par : Jean-François Roux, Produit par : Vidéostone Distribution, Genre : Documentaire. Année : 1977 Date de sortie en salle : 12/10/77, Pays : France. Acteurs; Clash, Damned, Boys, Police, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Shaking Street, Doctor Feelgood

Documentaire musical sur le festival « punk rock » de Mont-de-Marsan. Tourné en vidéo. I'm looking for a French movie about Punk Festival in Mont-De-Marsan on August 5, 1977 called "HOT CUTS FROM MONT DE MARSAN" with Clash and Police footages. http://www.encyclocine.com/

280p / 2:14mins

Dubbed version with stills - All Clash

1hr 06:09 / Blackmarketclash on Youtube

Gerard Holtz annonce le premier festival punk a Mont de Marsan

l'annonce télévisée du 1er festival punk en france,plus exactement a Mont de Marsan et c'est ce gros naze de gérard holtz qui s'y colle!

STORY SERIES : Legendary Concerts (4/6). On August 5 and 6, 1977, the Landes prefecture hosted the second edition of the only punk festival ever organized in the world. Two days that marked the history of rock and this city in the South-West.

Summer 1977, France is bored, as usual. Gérard "long live sport" Holtz, for his part, is on the breach, he presents the television news and is preparing to drop a report beyond the bizarre: "Are you punk? Oh, it's easy to check. You stand in front of a mirror. If you have short, yellow, green or red hair. If you have a pin or a nail stuck through your cheek. If you have little Nazi crosses drawn on your forehead... In short, you are a loser: you are a punk. And if you are punk, you will probably be in Mont-de-Marsan for the first punk-rock festival, the music of this new social phenomenon. Marginal, of course, like all these movements. From our special correspondent, blah-blah-blah."

480p / 0:45secs

Alain Lahana interview 2015
Festival Punk Mont de Marsan 76/77

Reportage Spicee : https://www.spicee.com/fr Alain Lahana interview 2015 Fondateur de la Société Le Rat des Villes - Management et production d'artistes tels que Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, Fefe, Zaza Fournier, Giedré,

1080p / 10:03mins

Live Mont de Marsan (Clash only) punk festival

1080p / 37:26mins / edited with stills

Un reportage de France 3 Euskal Herri

360p / 1:25mins

Le 17 août 1976, Mont-de-Marsan accueille le premier festival punk du monde. 40 ans dèjà Fuck

720p / 2:05mins

European Punk Festival at Mont De Marsan

The first Mont De Marsan festival had taken place a year earlier (Saturday 21 August 1976). An affair that had lasted from noon to three o'clock in the morning and was the first European two day festival of the punk movement. It was organized by Marc Zermati director of Skydog Records label. The line up included: Eddie and the Hot Rods (England), Ducks Deluxe, Brinsley Schwartz, Kursaat Flyers, Doctor Feelgood, Pink Fairies, Tyla Gang, Roogalator (England), The Gorillas (Scotland), Railroad (Switzerland), The Damned, Passion Force, Little Bob Story (Le Havre), Bijou, Biarritz and Kalfon It Hot Roc. Teh 1976v festival atrracted around 600 to 700 people.

The following year (5 and 6 August 1977) there was a second Mont-de-Marsan punk festival. 1977 included groups Little Bob Story, The Damned, Bijou, The Clash (a Pirate 33 towers had been recorded for the occasion), The Police, Rings, Maniacs, Lou's, Shakin'Street, Mary and the Boys, Tyla Gang, Boys, Hot Rods, Doctor Feelgood and Asphalt Jungle (led by Patrick Eudeline). It was also noted the passing of Lou Reed the day after the festival. The festival of 1977 attracted more than 4000 spectators and it was subject of a documentary film by Jean-François Roux called Hot Cuts From Mont-de-Marsan.

The 1977 festival was more punk

Dominique Laboubée (Dogs guitarist)

"There were two Mont-de-Marsan festivals. One in 1976 and another in 1977. The 1976 festival was more pub rock than punk with bands like the Tyla Gang and the Hammersmith Gorillas. The only real punk band was the Damned. They were great, really young and wild, destroying everything on stage. The 1977 festival was more punk, and there were many more people, with bands like the Clash, the Damned, the Police (with the first line-up), Chelsea, the Jam (who refused to play for reasons of timing!) At both festivals, there were a lot of French bands and they were awful, except Little Bob and Bijou."

First gig since the White Riot tour

This is the first gig since the White Riot tour at the end of May, a layoff of 2 months in which Mick and Joe had been busy writing new songs which were debuted at Mont de Marsan; White man In Hammersmith Palais, Complete Control, Clash City Rockers, The Prisoner. Complete Control, City of the Dead and Pressure Drop were to be recorded soon after in August with the assistance of Lee Perry (who gets a name check during Police and Thieves).

Even with these new songs the band repeat several songs; 1977, Complete Control and London's Burning as the set is much longer than the usual 45 minute set, clocking in at 65 minutes. Only 2 of the album songs were not included Deny and 48 hours.

All the songs are performed confidence. The Clash add to this with one of their most raging punk performance's ever.

No doubt all the bands were keen to impress amongst peers, and the Clash enjoying being back on stage after a 2 month break.

Organized by Marc Zermati director of Skydog Records

Saturday 21 August 1976, noon to three o'clock in the morning, was held for two days the first European festival of the punk movement to the arenas of Mont-de-Marsan, organized by Marc Zermati director of Skydog Records label. Now Playing: Eddie and the Hot Rods (England), Ducks Deluxe, Brinsley Schwartz, Kursaat Flyers, Doctor Feelgood, Pink Fairies, Tyla Gang, Roogalator (England), The Gorillas (Scotland), Railroad (Switzerland), The Damned, Passion Force, Little Bob Story (Le Havre), Bijou, Biarritz and Kalfon It Hot Roc. This first version of the festival will bring together around 600 to 700 people.

5 and 6 August 1977, held the second festival punk of Mont-de-Marsan, including groups with Little Bob Story, The Damned, Bijou, The Clash (a Pirate 33 towers had been recorded for the occasion), The Police, Rings, Maniacs, Lou's, Shakin'Street, Mary and the Boys, Tyla Gang, Boys, Hot Rods, Doctor Feelgood and Asphalt Jungle (led by Patrick Eudeline). It was also noted the passing of Lou Reed, the day after the festival punk. In the end, the festival of 1977 not less than 4000 spectators and it was subject of a documentary film by Jean-François Roux called Hot Cuts From Mont-de-Marsan.

RECORD MIRROR: MAGIC BUS FOR PUNK FEST

6 August 1977

Punk Rock - Line up at M2M 1977 | Facebook

Festival de Mont de Marsan
L'arene des punks ...

Rock en Stock No 6
(french fanzine) - 7 pages

October 1977

Link or Link or Link

FESTIVAL DE MONT-DE-MARSAN
l'arene des punks..

LA DEGENERATION PUNK ?

Non, nous ne reviendrons pas trop ici sur l'aspect et la tenue des « punks de Mont-de-Marsan, dont les medias, en ces semaines maigres du mois d'aou't, se sont montres particulie rement friands, depuis les Actualites Televisees jusqu'a l'inevitable Minute !

Maispoursituerleschoses,disonsque sur la piste des arenes, qui sont le cadre de la manifestation, on peut schemati- quement distinguer deux types d'indi- vidus evoluant dans la poussiere : les uns sont des « punks » vrais ou faux, mais de preference assez atrocement at- tifes, et se livrant aux seconds avec beaucouptropdecomplaisance...Car les autres sont des photographes, pro- fessionnels ou non, traquant les pre- miers sans vergogne en esperant bien realiser la photo du punk de l'annee, si non l'image du siecle !(on aimerait bien que celui qui va vendre sa pelloche a Minute porte un badge pour qu'on le reconnaisse. Mais le gros du public ...

In ROCK IN STOCK No. 5 Sept 1977

In French... our account (not shipped) punk festival held in the arena of Mont de Marsan on 5 and 6 August Program: Asphalt Jungle (we did not aim for them), Maniacs, Police, Damned, Boys, Lou's, Shakin 'Street, Mary and the Boys, Tyla Gang, Little Bob Story, Hot Rods, Dr Feelgood and Bijou.
(It was not a very "punk Orthodox" is the least we can say ...)

Mont de Marsan line up

enlarge

Posters

Huge 1977 French Concert Poster, Advertising Debut Single "White Riot"

Record Mecca Auctions: The Clash - Huge 1977 French Concert Poster, Advertising Debut Single "White Riot" A large and impressive French concert poster advertising The Clash's appearance at the 2nd Mont de Marsan Punk Festival, and the release of their debut single, "White Riot." Though French president Valery Giscard D'Estang had banned rock festivals, Europe's first punk festival in took place in August 1976 in the small French city of Mont de Marsan. A second festival was held there the following year, featuring The Clash, as noted on this poster, as well as The Damned, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Dr. Feelgood, The Police, and a number of French groups.

This impressive poster was formerly owned by the festival's organizer and Skydog Records owner, Marc Zermati. It measures 30 3/4″ x 40 1/2″ and is in very good+ condition, with handling and some soft horizontal creasing from having been rolled. There is some tape residue on the back at the bottom corners from having been attached to a wall, but this is invisible on the front. "Printed in France by Regie Internationale" appears on the bottom right edge.

The only example we've seen of this rare poster. With Recordmecca's written lifetime guarantee of authenticity, and a letter from the former owner noting this was formerly in the collection of Marc Zermati.

From the Concerts Fandom website: The Mont de Marsan Punk Festivals were held twice in August 1976 and 1977, in a small city in the deep South West of France, Mont de Marsan…during a time where the conservative President Giscard D'Estaing had outlawed music festivals entirely.

The first took place in August 1976. Marc Zermati [of Skydog Records] was in close contact with Malcolm McLaren and the burgeoning British music scene. Whilst Paris boasted a hub of Punk fans and followers, devotees of the New York Dolls and keen observers of the scenes brewing in London, the choice of location was far from arbitrary. Due to the banning of outdoor music events, Zermati hooked up with his contacts in the sleepy city of Mont de Marsan in order to keep a low profile and avoid persecution…The Arenes de Plumaçon, a bullfighting ring, was chosen as the venue, and the festival was marketed as the first Punk Rock Festival in Europe. Headlining were Eddie and the Hot Rods, and the Pink Fairies, but the highlight was an appearance by The Damned. Supposedly, the Sex Pistols were invited but refused, having seen Eddie and the Hot Rods headlining and owing to some prior beef with Zermati. But amongst the attendees, quoted somewhere between 600-1400, was a young Ian Curtis, with his wife Deborah.

The second festival in the bullring saw 4000 attendees gather under the blistering Landes sun, to see The Damned return, alongside other British acts like The Police, The Clash, Dr Feelgood and Eddie and the Hot Rods who also returned to headline Sunday. French acts included Strychnine, Marie et les Garçons and Asphalt Jungle. The Jam were unable to perform, but much to the enjoyment of the audience, Lou Reed played the arena on the Monday night.

In 1978, the authorities prevented the festival from taking place and it was "relocated" to La Rochelle. It was necessary for the organizers to wait for the arrival of the new mayor, Philippe Labeyrie, in 1983 to bring the festival back to Mont-de-Marsan for three more editions, in 1984, 1985 and 1986. It was then more rock, with punk being a little out of fashion. The Pogues and Nina Hagen participated. However, without financial support from the city, the festival disappeared after the fifth edition.

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Robin Banks, Mick Jones, Steve Strange, Joe Strummer

Mont de Marsan Festival, France

The Mont de Marsan Punk Festivals were early punk rock music festivals held in 1976 and 1977 in the small city of Mont de Marsan in southwestern France at L?Arenes de Plumaçon. Chosen for its low profile in the sleepy city of Mont de Marsan. The city is primarily known for its bullfighting traditions and the annual Fete de Madeline, an Arte Flamenco festival, which is among the most prestigious in the world. The Punk festivals took place in the Plumaçon bullfighting arena. Arènes du Plumaçon bullring, was built in 1897 in Neo-Moorish style and is still actively used today for bullfights, concerts, and other events. As of now, the bullfighting ring still exists and the city of Mont de Marsan continues to host festivals, although they are not punk rock festivals.

The festival was organised by Marc Zermati, owner of the Open Market record shop in Paris which was an early supporter of punk rock. Zermati had connections in Mont de Marsan and chose the city's bullring as a venue due to its remoteness and the mayor's support. The festival was organized by Marc Zermati, a key figure in the punk rock movement [31].

The festival was attended by around 4000 people, who gathered under the hot sun of Landes [32] and drew punk fans from across Europe and shocked the local residents of Mont de Marsan, who were not accustomed to seeing mohawks, leather jackets, and safety pins descending on their small town. Nevertheless, the back-to-back punk festivals in 1976 and 1977 cemented Mont de Marsan's place in punk history for hosting these groundbreaking early events.

Photos of Joe Strummer and Mick Jones performing live at the festival can be found in the George Bodnar Archive[26] and in Ian Dickson's museum[28] as well as Jean Gaumy. There are also videos of The Clash's performance at the festival available on YouTube[27][29][30].

Links - 1 Aural Sculptors - 2 Far Out Magazine - 3 Clash Wiki - Complete Control - 4 Iconic Pix - 5 All Flamenco - 6 Simple Wikipedia - Mont-de-Marsan - 7 YouTube - Mont-de-Marsan - 8 Concerts Wiki - Mont de Marsan Punk Festival - 9 Discogs - Clash Live At Mont De Marsan 1977 - 10 SFAE - The Clash in Concert - 11 HALSHS - Punk at the Plumaçon - 12 Guide des Landes - 13 Underground England - 14 Wikipedia - Rock Festival - 15 Clash Wiki - The Prisoner - 16 Encyclopedia Britannica - Mont-de-Marsan - 17 France This Way - 18 YouTube - Mont-de-Marsan - 19 France Voyage - 20 Magnum Photos - 21 Olydea - Mont-de-Marsan - 22 The Police Wiki - 23 Wikipedia - Mont-de-Marsan - 24 Information France - 25 YouTube - Mont-de-Marsan - 26 Iconic Pix - 27 YouTube - Mont-de-Marsan - 28 SFAE - The Clash in Concert - 29 YouTube - Mont-de-Marsan - 30 YouTube - Mont-de-Marsan - 31 Far Out Magazine - 32 Underground England

...Punk Festival. Around 3,000 people turned up for the two day event

This is a terrific performance and a very good recording and an essential bootleg of early clash performances at the second European Punk Festival at Mont De Marsan, a small town in southwest France near the Spanish border.

Alan Jones in the Uncut magazine (UK - Oct 2001) laughs about the riotous atmosphere surrounding the festival, of the drunken mayhem caused by the groups ‘enjoying their holiday in the sun’.

Strained band relationships before, dispitated in the extreme heat. The Damned, previously outcasts for their anti-Punk/Pistols appearance at their first festival and subsequent show of dialoyalty on the Anarchy Tour were forgiven. Though earlier in the day when Captain Sensible set off a stink bomb on the stage, an angry Joe Strummer retorted, “they’re fucking jealous, they can just fuck right off”.

However Paul suggests “and another thing we ain’t got a sense of smell!” calming the situation. The Jam too had had a run in as support act during mays White Riot Tour and pulled out amidst acrimony. Mick noted that ‘all the groups agreed to bury the hatchet by the end of the festival’. This did not stop Captain Sensible maniacally chain whipping a bush, because it looked strange, amphetamine psychosis!

Track by track

1. London’s Burning
Performance starts with a shouted London’s Burning , then the band crash in for a great fast version . The quality and intensity of performance continues in the same vein throughout. There are vocal problems in the mix, with Joe & Mick asking for them to be turned up. Vocal levels improve at first chorus.

2. Capital Radio

3. 1977

4. Complete Control
“Listen, I can’t speak French, so listen, can you hear the vocals?, un nouveau chanson!” No I don’t trust you etc, or controlled in the mind etc lyrics yet.

5. “A new song” The Prisoner

6. I’m So Bored with the USA Some lyric changes.

7. White Man In Hammersmith Palais
“We’re now gonna play some UK pop reggae”. Song addressed to “punk rockers of Europe”, with instead of the later Burton suit’s lyrics which would have not gone down well with Weller and Co present (but totaly pisssed - they jumped in then town centre fountains to sober up!) in the audience, “hippies of the USA, millions of Yen down Japan way”. Not the great climax to the song yet but still excellent performance.

8. Cheat

9. Hate and War “the only thing you’ve got today”

10. Police & Thieves
Bass comes over clearly, very good performance, lead guitar crystal clear “johnny be good &, johnny too bad , John Perry & Lee Perry” One short tape drop out on one channel.

11. Clash City Rockers

12. Remote Control

13. Career Opportunities

14. Janie Jones

15. White Riot

16. Garageland

17. 1977 Almost as good as the first but Joe mistakenly repeats the first verse & catches up only on the final “1984 “!

18. What’s My Name

19. Complete Control

20. Protex Blue The weakest song and performance

21. Mont de Marsan’s Burning “ Look we don’t know when to go”

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The Clash warming up to headline the Mont-de-Marsan punk festival in France, August 1977.

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5 August 1977, The Clash - Mont De Marsan Festival in France

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The Clash at Mont De Marsan Festival, France 1977

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L'ete Punk [French]

Best Magazine?

Translation wanted
Review of the Festival by Francis Dordor

Best Magazine: Mont-De-Marsan II

Preview / French

Le Punk, fun, fun, fun, de Mont de Marsan

Liberation

French

Un Jeune Homme Chic French

Alain Pacadis -

...relevant clash pages

Book: Nos Annees French punk

...relevant Clash pages

Rock en stock No.7

French

Actualties - dieu sauve l'arene

Rock & Folk Magazine
French

"No future" in Mont-de-Marsan

Liberation newspaper
French into English

Online link or text below

It happened. The first punk festival in Europe did not take place in England but in France, in the Landes.

by Sophian Fanen
published on July 12, 2013

The Plumaçon arenas ("little feather" in Gascon) have a very cute name. However, at the end of the 70s, they played a particular role in the explosion of loud rock, music that rejected studio prettiness and slick crooners: punk.

It was there, in 1977, in this Mont-de-Marsan venue, that the first punk festival in Europe was held. While the movement is being pursued by the British authorities, the Landes prefecture becomes for two days, August 5 to 6, the refuge of a philosophy that will change the way of making music by showing a generation that a guitar, an amp and three chords are enough to express yourself.

In 1976, Marc Zermati and his Skydog Records label attracted 1,500 people for a warm-up edition that battled against authorities frightened by the prospect of hordes of crested youths invading the city. "We were received by the prefect a few days before the festival," André-Marc Dubos, one of the organizers, has since told Sud-Ouest . I told him: 'It's simple, if the guys arrive and there are no concerts, they will destroy everything. It will be worse than if there is the festival!'" Everything worked out. ultimately went well, enough for the same team to do it again in a big way the following year.

The Clash then played in front of 4,000 people, with The Damned and newcomers The Police, while Paul Weller's Jam refused to play after the French kings of the time: Little Bob Story. We also come across Asphalt Jungle, with Patrick Eudeline on vocals, and the forgotten Tyla Gang, who are unanimously praised in the press.

As for the feared hordes of madmen, we are far from it, the articles of the time describing more of a good-natured festival. Alain Pacadis, who made the trip to Libé, remembers "a small, quiet town [which tries] to do everything so that it happens in the coolest way possible: we install mattresses in the hotel lounges […], the Sports Café opposite the arenas remains open at night. Beer flows freely there and the Montois are not indignant when they see joints spinning."

PUNK Mont-de-Marsan Festival 1977

In ROCK IN STOCK number 5 of September 1977 , our report (rather rushed) of the punk festival held in the Mont de Marsan arenas on August 5 and 6.

On the program: Asphalt Jungle (we weren't kind to them), Maniacs, Police, Damned, Boys, Lou's, Shakin' Street, Marie et les Garçons, Tyla Gang, Little Bob Story, Hot Rods, Dr Feelgood and Bijou. (We didn't have a very "orthodox punk" point of view, to say the least...)

[By the way, note the optical effect below...]

ROCK IN STOCK number 5

Rock & Folk " Rock'n'Roll Manifesto - Marc Zermati

PS 2011! In his column on the back page of Rock & Folk " Rock'n'Roll Manifesto for the use of younger generations ", Marc Zermati published two pages on his memories of Mont-de-Marsan 2, an event of which he was the main organizer, it should be remembered…

Without doubt much more relevant than our report on Rock en Stock…

Now that the corresponding issues (529 and 530) of this magazine (bible!) are no longer on sale, we allow ourselves to so to add them to this web page dedicated to the event… [And sorry for the hair on the scans. We offer it to you…]

Book - Punk rock Festival Mont de Marsan 1976 & 1977, Written by Thierry Saltet

Punk festival Mont de Marsan1976 & 1977
"The massacre of the skai babies"- By Thierry Saltet

https://euro.dayfr.com/local/2445483.html

The story of the historic first punk rock festival of Mont de Marsan, 1976 & 1977, written by Thierry Saltet and prefaced by Marc Zermati, "The massacre of the skaï babies". A year of research, 25 recent interviews with key protagonists make this work a reference on the subject.

The festival with its before/after, the programming and the organization, the performances on stage of groups that would become legendary: Clash, Damned, Bijou, Little Bob Story, Eddie & the Hot Rods, Doctor Feelgood, Police, Tyla Gang, Shakin'Street, Gorilla's, and Lou Reed who gave a concert in these same arenas the day after the 1977 festival.

Sale price for mainland France: 30 euros, free shipping.

The story of the first European punk rock festival of Mont de Marsan (1976 & 1977), written by Thierry Saltet, foreword by Marc Zermati. A year of research, recent interviews with key actors make this book a reference on the subject.

Events before and after the festival, programming and organization, bands that became legendary on stage: Clash, Damned, Eddie & the Hot Rods, Bijou, Little Bob Story, Dr Feelgood, Police, Tyla Gang, Shakin'Street, Gorillas... and Lou Reed who gave a concert the day after the festival in 1977.

Price: 36 euros, international shipping for Europe and other countries than France included.

Thierry Saltet Le Masacre des Bebes Skai Punk Rock Festival Mont de Marsan 1976 1977

"The massacre of the skai babies" Punk rock Festival Mont de Marsan 1976 & 1977, Written by Thierry Saltet, with a preface by Marc Zermati, it is a year of research on the historic first punk festival and 25 recent interviews with protagonists which make this work already a reference on the subject. Limited edition, 268 pages, 15.5 x 23.5 cm format. With numerous reproductions of documents in the text, and 24 full-page color photos, most of them previously unpublished.

Price France only: 30 euros, free shipping. Secure payment by Paypal or credit card. >> Published on November 2, 2013, you can order it from JULIE PRODUCTIONS

October 2013: Punk is definitely part of culture these days: exhibitions, books... But 37 (and 36) years later, a book on the Mont-de-Marsan punk festival can still surprise you ...

For the neophyte the subject may undoubtedly seem a little cramped...

However, you should know that Mont-de-Marsan has been nicknamed the punk Woodstock! And immerse yourself in the inspired text by Thierry Saltet to better understand the richness of the subject and the ambition of the project. You will see how the author went well beyond these festivals.

First, by putting everything very precisely in context: France in these Giscardian years, the state of rock then, French rock and its eternal complex, the advent of punk in England, etc. In the same way, all the characters of the adventure, the organizers as well as the groups, are described with all their "thickness", their history before, what led them to be there at that moment, and their history after...

So, even if it is a specialist book with countless details, we do not get bored, especially thanks to the accuracy of the analysis, but also to the colorful style and the omnipresent humor (but sufficiently end so as not to be disturbing).

We know we're not going to remember half of all these details (well, I don't know about you...) but we don't care. What matters is that we relive the adventure (for someone who was there, like yours truly... at least in 77) with many other dimensions. Of course, we wonder how this guy (Thierry S) can bring such an event (well, two even…) back to life with this luxury of details. But that must be the characteristic of good historians, who love their subject, and who know how to collect a multitude of information, then compare it...then make a beautiful synthesis by telling the story with grace.

Book launch with video and book review here

Nearly 50 years ago, hundreds of punks made Mont-de-Marsan their rallying point –

Correspondence, Brice MICLET.
Evening edition Ouest-France

For the first episode of our summer series on festival stories, we head to Mont-de-Marsan. This is where the very first punk festival in Europe took place in 1976, in the heart of the Landes town and its Plumaçon arenas. A look back at this local pride that contributed to the recognition of this music in France.

For a long time, they have been at loggerheads with books, articles, blogs, comments on social networks… The founders of the Mont-de-Marsan punk festival have never stopped arguing over who, exactly, had the idea of inviting the British group The Damned to become the headliner of an evening of concerts organized on August 21, 1976 in the Plumaçon arenas, in the heart of the Landes city.

The festival took place in the Plumaçon arenas. (Photo: Julien DANIEL / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons) However, all the actors of the time agree that the leader of this adventure was indeed Marc Zermati, previously founder of the French rock label Skydog Records, and who died in 2020. It was he, mainly supported by André-Marc Dubos, Pierre Thiollay and Larry Debay, who transformed this trial run into a major event, subsequently managing to bring together European big names such as The Clash, The Police, Dr. Feelgood and many others, on August 5 and 6, 1977. Europe's first punk festival did indeed take place in the southwest of France, a few days before London's 100 Club, located in a city that is the epicentre of the genre, organised its own event.

Read also: Star of Hellfest, metal music has real things to say, here is what its songs tell Seven years of ban

A source of local pride and a musical aesthetic, the Mont-de-Marsan punk festival was held for five editions from 1976 to 1986, with a seven-year break from 1977 to 1984. But it is the 1977 festival that remains the most vivid in the collective memory.

Three thousand people then turned over the earth of the arenas, attending performances of very variable quality. The spectators, installed in the stands threw their beers on those located in the pit, without committing too much excesses however, behaving more in line than it seems. The festival-goers caused above all, for two days, a strange atmosphere in the heart of the Landes city. The vacationers, in search of calm, rubbed shoulders with angry punks of whose existence they were for the most part not even aware.

After this second edition, the mayor of Mont-de-Marsan, Charles Lamarque-Cando, prevented the event from being repeated. It was only after his departure from the town hall in 1983 that the new municipality, led by Philippe Labeyrie, authorized the resumption of the festivities, for three final editions (1984, 1985 and 1986).

Read also: What does it mean to be punk today?

A festival that helped bring punk to France Marc Zermati is not only the creator of an emblematic festival and a rock record label. He is regularly considered as the one who imported punk to France. Even if this status is completely debatable, the historical reality being most certainly much less simplistic, he worked to structure and recognize this music in our countries.

The Mont-de-Marsan festival, the object of a small cult, has been recounted in an excellent book entitled Punk on the town published in 2014 by journalist Alain Gardinier. The best gateway to a major part of the history of festivals in France.

On August 17, 1976, Mont-de-Marsan hosted the world's first punk festival. 40 years already! Fuck!

VIDEO. The Clash, The Police, Bijou, Little Bob Story, Dr. Feelgood...

All answered Marc Zermati's call, first in 1976, then in 1977.

By Frédéric Lewino Published on 08/17/2016

Video: Le 17 août 1976, Mont-de-Marsan accueille le premier festival punk du monde. 40 ans déjà Fuck

2:05mins, 720p

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Pop news: punk concerts in Mont-de-Marsan

September 14, 1977, 05m 30s,
Ref. 00409

Musical presentation from the 1977 Mont-de-Marsan punk festival and excerpt from the concert of the English group The Maniacs performing Me and you.

Media type: Video - Magazine Broadcast date: September 14, 1977
Source : France 2 (Collection: One in five) - Mont-de-Marsan

Lighting

At first glance, you might imagine yourself in Haight Ashbury in the late 1960s: the sun blazing, wild camping, a lazy atmosphere, young people lounging on the lawns, some long hair and baggy pants. in hippie fashion... However, as indicated by the inscription that we see furtively on the guitar of Alan Lee Show, the singer of the Maniacs, "This definitely ain't the summer of love". An underground phenomenon in New York, which has become a media sensation with the British scene, Punk is determined to put an end to the dominant currents of rock in the 1960s, the utopias that accompanied it, its extensions into the most sophisticated or most virtuoso of the 70s. The soundtrack of the sequence bears witness to this: London's Burning by the Clash (extracted from the album The Clash released in April 1977), Me and You by the Maniacs (on stage). Three or four power chords , a rhythm and sharp-cut melodies, lyrics which are roughly summed up in the title of the song alone, in short the raw energy of rock stripped of its artifices.

After making history by hosting the first European punk festival (August 21, 1976), Mont-de-Marsan did it again with a second edition of the festival on August 5 and 6, 1977. Like the previous summer, it was organized by Marc Zermati and his label Skydog Records, in collaboration with the local Piranhas association. At the peak of the festival there were some 4,000 spectators, mainly coming - according to testimonies - from Great Britain, but also from Switzerland, Spain, Paris and Aquitaine [1].

Headlining are two of the three most influential bands of the first British punk wave: The Clash and The Damned (only the Sex Pistols are missing). The Damned were already present at the first edition of the festival in 1976, they have since become the first British punk group to release a single ( New Rose , Stiff, October 1976), an album ( Damned Damned Damned , Stiff, February 1977) , and to enter the charts across the Channel. The Clash just signed with major label CBS Records in January and released their debut album, The Clash . Both groups are already recognized as pillars of the English scene. Their rivalry is illustrated in the most picturesque episode of the Mont-de-Marsan festival, relayed by the entire rock press of the time: after trying to sabotage the Clash's performance with a lot of stink balls and unplugged jacks, Captain Sensible (from Damned ) is energetically emptied from the stage by a roadie and picked up unconsciously by the emergency services [2].

We also note the participation of the English group The Police, almost completely unknown to the public until now. At the festival he presented exceptionally as a quartet, with two guitarists: Sting, Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers and Henry Padovani. A few days after their appearance at the festival, the latter left the group and The Police were reduced to the trio formation that we know [3]. Louis Bertignac and Corine Marieneau also made an appearance there as part of the group Shakin' Street, two weeks before Telephone was signed by Pathé-Marconi and met with success at the end of the year.

Beyond these flagship or upcoming groups, the festival's programming provides a snapshot of the new rock scene on both sides of the channel, from pub rock (Eddie & the Hot Rods, Dr. Feelgood) to punk rock (The Clash, The Damned, The Maniacs, Asphalt Jungle), through a variety of styles generally influenced by the New York or London underground scenes from the late 60s to the 70s. The Mont-de-Marsan punk festival also highlights shed light on the connection that existed at the time between the British punk scene and a much less remembered French punk scene.

The concerts begin on Friday August 5 afternoon, in front of a sparse audience, with two French groups: Strychnine (Bordeaux) and 1984 (Paris). Most of the programming continues from 5 pm with The Lou's, then Asphalt Jungle, The Maniacs, The Police, The Damned, The Boys, The Clash, The Rings. Saturday's is less punk in terms of musical style. On stage, the group Quidam, Brakamar, then The Lou's (again), Shakin' Street, Marie et les Garçons, Tyla Gang, Little Bob Story, Eddie & the Hot Rods, Bijou follow one another. The Jam and Electric Callas were also scheduled to be on the festival bill and were present on site, but did not have time to play before a storm ended the concert during the night. Their absence on stage was also put down to an organization overwhelmed by events, and which had to tinker with the order of appearance of the groups until the last moment [4]. The day after the festival (August 7), it was Lou Reed's turn to enter the arena; the concert is organized by KCP and brings together nearly 5000 people [5].

[1] Composition of the public according to the report by Alain Pacadis, "White Flash / Eté Punk", Libération , August 11, 1977. Article reproduced in Nightclubbing , p.261-264. [2] Episode recounted in particular by Francis Dordor in Best , October 1977, p.36.
[3] 'The white-hot arenas', online article, www.sudouest.fr, May 29, 2010.
[4] A point addressed in particular by Francis Dordor, op. cit ., p.36: "The Skydog/Piranhas organization was visibly overwhelmed by events. [...] they had to play tight on the chessboard of time and rather anarchically moved the pawns and the big pieces, without necessarily taking into account what the contracts stipulated."
[5] Stéphane Piétri, "God saves the arena", Rock & Folk n°129, October 1977, p.54.
Bibliography:
- DORDOR, Francis, "L'été Punk", Best , October 1977, p.32-37. - DUMONTEIL, Serge, "Festival de Mont-de-Marsan: the arena of punks...", Rock en stock n°5, September 1977, p.47-49.
- JACKSON, Brenda, and PONS, Alain, "Mont-de-Marsan, the unique", Best , October 1976.
- LOGIVIERE, Régis, "Punk Landes", Rock & Folk n°117, October 1976, p.41/42.
- PIETRI, Stéphane, "God saves the arena", Rock & Folk , October 1977, n°129, p.50-54.
- sn, "Mont-de-Marsan II", Best , July 1977, p.11. - sn, "All in Mont-de-Marsan!", Best , August 1977, p.6. - EUDELINE, Christian, Our Punk Years: 1972-1978 , Paris: Denoël, 2002.
- GRAY, Marcus, Last Gang in Town: The Story and Myth of the Clash , New York, Henry Holt & co, 1995.
- PACADIS, Alain, Nightclubbing / Chronicles and articles 1973-1986 , Paris: Denoël, 2005.
- PACADIS, Alain, A chic young man , Paris: Delanoël, 2002.
- SAVAGE, Jon, England's Dreaming , St. Martin's Griffin, 2002.
Stephane Escoubet

Glossy book: Punk Sur La Ville

150 unseen photos

Wednesday June 4 at 6:30 pm, evening to mark the release of Punk sur la ville by Alain Gardinier published by Atlantica.

Alain Gardinier Punk on the city!
The first punk festival in history

Alain Gardinier / Punk on the city! The first punk festival in history / Editions Atlantica / Launch / Wednesday June 4 at 6:30 pm, evening to mark the release of Punk sur la ville by Alain Gardinier published by Atlantica.

Punk on the Town! - The First Punk Festival in History, Mont-de-Marsan, 1976-1977

The first Punk concert festival in history was not organized in London or New York, but in France, in the Landes sub-prefecture, in Mont de Marsan! Despite the fear of elected officials and some of the inhabitants that a horde of crested men would set the city on fire and blood, The Clash, The Police, The Jam, The Damned, Little Bob Story, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Bijou, Doctor Feelgood, Shakin' Street, Asphalt Jungle, etc. arrived in the city of Mont-de-Marsan in July 1976 and then in August 1977.

These groups would perform in the Plumaçon arenas, braving, in a fraternal and good-natured atmosphere, the burning sun then the storms, the sound cuts and the stink bombs!

Based on the stories of participants, organizers, musicians and ordinary spectators, this book, full of anecdotes and featuring 150 unpublished photo and documents, reconstructs the history of a fundamental episode of the punk movement, but also of rock culture.

Using the format of the vinyl 33 rpm records of yesteryear, Punk sur la Ville! brings back to life these two editions of a short-lived but crucial festival.

Present at the second edition of the festival, Alain Gardinier is today reviving his contacts and connections to revive an essential part of the history of the 'seventies'.

(Mont De Marsan) French

Amazon.co.uk or borrow from French library

Review Bang Bang

Punk sur la ville ! - le premier festival punk de l'histoire, Mont-de-Marsan, 1976-1977

The first Punk festival in history wasn't organized in London or New York, but in France, in the sub-prefecture of Landes, in Mont-de-Marsan! Despite the fear of the elected officials and some residents that a horde of mohawked punks would set the city on fire and bloodshed, bands like The Clash, The Police, The Jam, The Damned, Little Bob Story, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Bijou, Doctor Feelgood, Shakin' Street, Asphalt Jungle, etc. arrived in the town of Mont-de-Marsan in July 1976 and then again in August 1977.

These groups performed in the PlumaÁon arenas, defying, in a friendly and cheerful atmosphere, the scorching sun and then storms, sound cuts, and stink bombs! Based on accounts from participants, organizers, musicians, and ordinary spectators, this book, filled with anecdotes and offering 150 unpublished photos and documents, reconstructs the history of a fundamental episode in the punk movement as well as in rock culture. Emulating the format of vintage 33 rpm vinyl records, Punk sur la Ville! brings back to life these two editions of a fleeting but pivotal festival.

PUNK SUR LA VILLE, THE TRUE STORY OF THE MONT DE MARSAN FESTIVAL

bangbangblog JUNE 17, 2014

(Book by Alain Gardinier, Atlantica edition)

The Clash, The Damned, The Police, The Jam. 1976, 1977, Mont de Marsan, Landes prefecture, first punk festival in history. Here, we've all heard a little bit about it, but it was a bit like ancient Greece, the line between History and Mythology was blurred. So, Alain Gardinier, writer, journalist, was at the L'Escampette bookstore in Pau to tell the truth and to present his book Punk sur la Ville. The title is striking, it sounds a bit like the invasion of Warsaw by Genghis Khan's Mongol hordes, but it wasn't the case. The mayor and his advisors were the only ones to freak out. In this burning post-Madeleine August, the people of Mons are taking a dip on the coast or at the Campet and LamolËre festivals. That said, he explains very well that in this old Giscardian France, the Landes city was not exactly the asshole of rock'n'roll and that the fact that the festival was set up in the PlumaÁon arenas was not a total coincidence. There was a connection there with Marc Zermati, the pope of the Parisian underground at that time who always had one foot and one ear on the London scene. He's the one who finds promising young bands who have only a few concerts under their belt and who are too happy to leave their English cellars for the sun of the South of France, and who get paid (a little) for it.

So the author did a hell of a job of research. He was only at the 1977 edition, which is already not bad, since the 76 edition was really confidential, budget: barely 45,000 francs. He tells things as they were, without adding his own layer. He tells the story of the beautiful amateurism and the beautiful faith of the organizers who even beat each other up to the making of rillettes sandwiches. The groups of friends who crossed France in 4Ls. There are all the period docs found in an attic in Mons, management reports on a squared sheet, one-page, three-figure engagement contracts, firefighters' reports for a sprain and two illnesses when a massacre was predicted. And press articles. The one from Charlie Hebdo by Jacky Berroyer is hilarious. More into ethnology than music, he observes punk in freedom. "They look at themselves in the mirrors of the bars as much as the boulevard chicks. The difference: They are dirty and studied. What a great deal!" HAHA! And photos, black and white and color, double pages and testimonies of groups that may not have lasted more than three months.

Simply talking about what was in 1979 like Alain Gardinier does and knowing what happened today is great. "Police, at the time, it wasn't great. And then in PlumaÁon, they saw the Clash playing reggae and two months later they released Roxanne" And yes, history lesson, page 213, chapter 9. No, don't look for it, it's not there. All that to say that what obviously makes the myth of Mont de Marsan is that these groups that were only made up of wanking kids became famous for some, to the point of being archi-mythical. For example, in 1976, there weren't many people, but on the bus coming down from England, there was a guy in a black jacket called Ian Curtis who would soon found Joy Division. And yes. Meanwhile, in the Escampette bookstore, it turns into a discussion between veterans. A man saw Mick Jones get his foot crushed by a car in the Sablar roundabout, not understanding why they were driving backwards here. It is also for this kind of anecdote that you should buy this book.

Un reportage de France 3 Euskal Herri

1:25mins, 360p

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The Hippest Man in Paris, Marc Zamati RIP

Posted on September 1, 2020

My tribute to the late Marc Zermati in the Guardian, 17 June 2020:

-----

Marc Zermati: Farewell to the ‘Hippest Man in Paris'

Zermati, who has died aged 74, was an anglophile dandy whose label Skydog crash-landed rock'n'roll into conservative France

Marc Zermati with the Clash's Joe Strummer. Photograph by Catherine Faux (Dalle/Avalon.red)

Marc Zermati, who died of a heart attack on Saturday at the age of 74, was a true underground legend: a national treasure France had never heard of and probably did not deserve. Rock Is My Life — the title of a 2008 exhibition celebrating his career on the radical fringes of the music business - would serve as a fitting epitaph.

Skydog, which Zermati co-created with Pieter Meulenbrock in 1972, was the first modern indie label, directly inspiring the launch of Chiswick and Stiff in England — its most successful release was the Stooges' Metallic KO in 1976. As a promoter Zermati organised the world's first punk festival, at Mont-de-Marsan, and introduced bands such as the Clash to a French audience. His heroin addiction and wheeler-dealing landed him on the wrong side of the law, and in latter years his curmudgeonly rightwing views alienated many people. But as one of the earliest champions of punk his importance in rock history cannot be overstated; if cut, he would have bled vinyl.

Zermati was born into a family of Sepharadi Jews in Algiers. Growing up against the bloody background of the war of independence, he took refuge in rock'n'roll records imported from the US, which were more readily available — as he often boasted — than in metropolitan France.

Like so many other pieds-noirs (the name given to people of European origin born in Algeria under French rule) the family fled to la métropole in 1962, when the country gained independence. Zermati would always entertain a conflicted relationship with his new homeland, which he deemed backward-looking and inimical to youth culture. Lest we forget, the 1968 student uprising was sparked off by a protest against single-sex halls of residence at Nanterre — France, at the time, was not all nouvelle vague flair and post-structuralists zooming around in sleek Citr&?uml;ens.

It was in fact often very conservative — socially and culturally — and pop music from the US or the UK was frequently met with xenophobic contempt. In interviews, Zermati recalled how the police would constantly harass, and sometimes even arrest him on account of his long hair, and how he would escape to London, where he felt free, as often as possible. In recent years he bemoaned the "Toubon law", introduced in 1996 to compel radio stations to play at least 40% francophone songs, singling it out as yet another instance of Gallic insularity — further proof that France and authentic rock music were incompatible.

Marc Zermati, The man who made Mont-de-Marsan the cradle of punk in France has died

Rue89Bordeaux,
Walid Salem
Published June 14, 2020

The man who made Mont-de-Marsan the cradle of punk in France has died

Marc Zermati left his mark on the South-West with an improbable event, the Mont-de-Marsan punk festival in 1976 and 1977. Leading bands like The Damned, Maniacs, and The Clash passed through the Landes thanks to him. The man who brought punk to France died this Saturday at the age of 75.

Don't bother looking! Marc Zermati is not really known to the general public. Even if you are told Skydog, it must not help you. However, this label that he founded in 1972 between Paris and Amsterdam revolutionized the history of French rock. A few years later, this native of Algiers injected a politically incorrect musical current into France, passing through Mont-de-Marsan, punk.

Marc Zermati (Wikipedia)

In the 1970s, the sound of the Sex Pistols and the Damned made Valéry Giscard D'Estaing's France grind its teeth to the point that the government in power banned the organization of festivals. Marc Zermati, a seller of imported garage rock and pub rock vinyls in a store in Les Halles de Paris, the Open Market, made it his mission to resist. His rear base would be in the Landes.

Why Mont-de-Marsan?

For two years, Mont-de-Marsan, the city of garbure and rugby, saw its Plumaçon arenas labeled No Future. The first punk festival in history was born with, in 1976, Dr Feelgood and The Damned, and in 1977, The Clash and Maniacs, to name but a few. The studded rendezvous fell through for the simple reason that "some guys took off with the car" would later admit the man who would rather call himself a "modernist".

Why Mont-de-Marsan? Because "we had a local relationship that could get us the arenas," Marc Zermati said in an interview with Vice in 2016 .

"I was very stressed by the problems caused by the ambient non-professionalism and at the same time I was extremely happy to have been able to create this festival with our team from London and Paris without forgetting the contribution of "duduche" [in reality Dudu, Editor's note], a local promoter."

"It wasn't very easy," he adds. But that was without counting on André-Marc Dubos, the famous "Dudu", organizer, in these same arenas, of a concert in 1973 by Nico, Warhol's favorite and icon of the Velvet Underground, who said to those around her all the good things she thought of the city.

"It's a city where nothing was happening," says André-Marc Dubos in a report on Arte . "It's a military city with paratroopers, an air base... in August, it's dead calm."

Marc Zermati died this Saturday at the age of 75. But punk is not dead.

Do you know anything about this gig?

Did you go? Comments, info welcome...

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Sounds They came, the saw, they pogoed

13 August 1977 Page 1 & Page 2

Poor quality, better scan required

Mont de Marsan festival: a story is created
1976 and 1977

By Franco Onweb

Online or Archive PDF

On August 21, 1976 and August 5 and 6, 1977, in the Mont de Marsan arenas a festival took place which would change a lot of things! At the initiative of Marc Zermatti several groups performed. They contrasted radically with the times. They produced short, fast songs, with a rhythm that made everything explode! Worse, these groups had short hair and did not wear bell bottoms... The press, which saw these crazy people coming, baptized them "Punk"! History was created at Mont De Marsan and today much of what we listen to, read, see or the way we dress comes from what happened on three evenings in August 1976 and 1977.

Record Mirror - Review Tumbling Dice

13 August 1977

A French fans eye view

The festival was organised by Skydog . There lots of English bands who stayed at "Le Sablar" hotel.

The DAMNED were the most exiting. The French local press was frightened by this Punk festival. Sud Ouest Newspaper (06.08.77) quoted "Like wild animals they invaded the arena. The group started playing immediately, transforming the arena into a crater. The decibels and alcohol weren't strong enough, so, they cut their nostrils and fingers with razors to take rations of cocaine!"

In fact, the festival was very peaceful, calm with few punks. The audience: 2,500 or 3,000 people.

French bands from Paris started: 1984, ASPHALT JUNGLE and The LOU'S. After 8 P.M., MANIACS, POLICE and The BOYS. The sound was very bad.

A journalist spoke to Mick JONES
"This morning I crossed the road and a car run over my feet; God save the queen, I was saved by my creepers. But, why do they drive on the wrong side of the road?"

The DAMNED gave a great concert (see the movie). Later that night, the roadies took the black cover off the LONDON RIOT SCENE. Joe began "LONDON'S BURNING" and it lasted 90 minutes. During the gig, CAPTAIN SENSIBLE stamped on some stink bombs on stage. The rodies threw him out violently. CAPTAIN was injured and taken away in an ambulance. The day after. The DAMNED and The CLASH signed an armistice and drank a bottle of Bordeaux french wine-.

At 2 A.M., The RINGS finished the first day.

The second day was more rock'n'roll. A lot of French bands: SHAKIN' STREET,LOU'S (encore), MARIE ET LES GARCONS. At night, TYLA GANG, LITTLE BOB STORY (French star in ‘77), HOT RODS, Dr FEELGOOD and BUOU (another French celebrity);

The JAM couldn't play cos FEELGOOD don't wanna play after midnight. Just after the end of the show, a big storm broke out. The day after, LOU REED played at the same place (different organisation) with 5,000 people.

Lost in France

Unknown date / source
Unreadable. Clear scan wanted

Uncut Magazine October 2001

no scan as yet

Babylon's Burning

French