Early gigs 1978

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.

Archive

Snippets

UK-Articles

US articles

Retrospective-articles

Joe Ely, Dingwalls, "when one night all the Clash showed up"

Joe Ely - Facebook - Honky Tonk Masquerade had just come out, and we were in London playing the Venue Club [Dingwalls, 29 March 1978?] when all the Clash showed up one night. They came backstage and I guess they'd heard me on the radio and knew every song on my record. This was 1978 and coming from Lubbock; we had no idea what was going on in London.

Pete Townshend was there that night, but I didn't know the Clash from Adam. They introduced themselves, and after we talked backstage, they invited us to come to the studio where they were working the next day. So we went and afterward hit the clubs in the East End, staying up all night and having a good time. It was like the West Texas hellraisers meet the London hellraisers. We were from different worlds, but it was like, 'All right! Let's hang out some more!' We were playing three nights in a row at the Venue and hung out the whole time.

They told me they were coming to America and I asked where they wanted to play. “Laredo, El Paso” - they were naming off all these gunfighter ballad towns from Marty Robbins songs. “Well I don't know about that,' I said, 'but we could play Lubbock together.” And they were like, 'Lubbock! All right!' They told their booking agent they didn't care about Houston or Dallas, they wanted to play Laredo, Lubbock, El Paso, and Wichita Falls. Somehow he put it together and we played Houston, San Antonio, Laredo, Lubbock, and Juarez. It was a great Europe-meets-Texas meeting.

Daily Record, Group that ony aim to please

'Joe's cash is on a Clash survival'. Joe and his £25 a week rent.

Friday 10 March 1978

Liverpool Echo - Rotten moves on Biggs and joins the bangwagon

Saturday 18 February 1978

Paul Simonon and Topper Headon from The Clash were arrested in Camden Town, London after shooting down racing pigeons

On March 30.1978; Paul Simonon and Topper Headon from The Clash were arrested in Camden Town, London after shooting down racing pigeons with air guns from the roof of Chalk Farm Studios. Four police cars and a helicopter were required to make the arrest. Their fines totaled £800 ($1,360).

Punk Rock Graveyard | Facebook

White Riot: Black Lives Matter, 70s Punk Style

Members of Steel Pulse, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols demonstrating outside National Front Leader Martin Websters house in 1977

The Face Rock Against Racism was the pioneering UK organisation that used music to take on the fascists of the National Front in the face of violence and establishment cowardice. A new documentary tells its story. Members of Steel Pulse, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols demonstrating outside National Front Leader Martin Websters house in 1977. : r/punk Rock Against Racism: Fighting for Civil Rights in the UK | Blind More anti-fascist history; Hyde 1977 | lives; running The Clash NF Martin Webster protest - Google Search

White Riot: Black Lives Matter, '70s Punk Style - The Face

Rock Against Racism was the pioneering UK organisation that used music to take on the fascists of the National Front in the face of violence and establishment cowardice. A new documentary tells its story.

Members of Steel Pulse, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols demonstrating outside National Front Leader Martin Webster's house in 1977. : r/punk
Rock Against Racism: Fighting for Civil Rights in the UK | Blind
More anti-fascist history; Hyde 1977 | lives; running
The Clash NF Martin Webster protest - Google Search

Link

Black & White unite.... Steel Pulse and The Clash protest outside National Front HQ

'Black & White unite....'
Band members of Steel Pulse, The Clash and Sex Pistols demonstrate outside the National Front headquarters on Connaught Road, Teddington, 1978. © Caroline Coon

PuNk and Stuff on X - https://t.co/zc77Xqk7uY" / X
https://x.com/punkandstuff/

CW Gas - Need more of that from our musicians now.

In 1977, members of Steel Pulse, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols held a protest outside the home of National Front leader Martin Webster.

The Extreme Music Enthusiast on X

Pete Sofinski - Rotten's conspicuously absent. He's probably inside, having a cocktail with Martin.

THE CLASH - AN ORIGINAL SKETCH BY PAUL SIMONON.

An original sketch by Paul Simonon of The Clash, pencil and ink depicting a design for a shirt with anti-nazi message, c 1980. Page measures 15 x 21cm, clean condition with fold line through centre of image.

Formerly owned by Caroline Coon and obtained at a Bonhams Entertainment sale, 15th December 2010, part of lot 253. Sold for £240 Hammer Price

Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon in London, January 1978

The Clash Official | Facebook

Edgware Road cafe

Michael Bernard David - We used to meet Joe Strummer in this cafe on Edgware Road circa 1978 - JS lived around the corner (Daventry St / Bell Street NW1) WE LOVE THE CLASH | Facebook

Record Mirror Clash gun charges

8 April 1978

Link 1 or Link 2

Record Mirror Mick stopped by the police!

8 April 1978

Record Mirror Rotten interview, friendship wiht Simonon

6 May 1978

Link full interview

Record Mirror Clash in court, pigeons

8 April 1978 / Link

Topper and Paul make up with pigeon racer, George Dole

Record Mirror Rhodes speaks, new band, Subway Sect

18 March - Gas fitters / Rhodes needs you
1 April 1978 Correction, ~~Surburban Studs~~, Subway Sect / Link

Record Mirror Latest bands, Strummer

11 March 1978

Link

Record Mirror, WH Smiths, "We don't stock Punk!"

4 March 1978

Link

Record Mirror, Nashville bans punk gigs

4 February 1978 / Link

Pot shot punks hit trouble

Daily Mirror -
Saturday 24 June

Link

Doggedly Punk; The Clash "living in bourgeois bliss".

Coventry Evening Telegraph - Wednesday 3rd May 1978 / Link

NME / T-Zers "Secret Clash gigs"

28 January 78

Link

Rumours: This is Media Clash

unknown date / source / Link

Goodbye to the splash hit days for the The Clash

The Sun - 5 Jan 1978 / Nina Myskow / Link

Joe (from a hospital bed when he caught Hepatitus)

Date / source unknown / Link

Joe in hospital

A small visit to Joe today, in 1978, at the Fulham Western Hospital, with distribution of present!!

THE CLASH ON PAROLE | Facebook

Two members of The Clash were last week arrested in London last week ...

Date / source unknown

Link

Topper and Paul make up with champion pigeon breeder

Date / source unknown

Link

Punk Rockers in Court

Guardian / 11 May 1978

Link

Punk rockers shot birds

Guardian / 24 June 1978/ Link

Clash in Court

Sounds / 15 May 1978

Link

Sounds: Clash gun charges

8 April 1978

Full Editon of Sounds PDF

Following an incident at their Camden Town studios, Rehearsal Rehearsals, two of the Clash were arrested last Thursday evening and are currently out on bail. Paul Simonon and Nicky Headon were arrested, along with the ZigZag writer, Robin Crocker (also known as Robin Banks) and two friends Paul and Peter Barnacle. by a police squad.

It is believed that the police were called by the Railway Police (the main Euston line runs directly past the back of Rehearsal Rehearsals). All five were taken to the local police station where they were charged with criminal damage, the substance of the charge being that they are alleged to have shot three racing pigeons with air guns. Apart from Crocker, they were later allowed out on bail.

Appearing at Clerkenwell Magistrates Court the following morning, all concerned were rather surprised that the police initially opposed bail and asked that all five be remanded in custody until May 10.

The magistrate allowed them out on bail set at £500, however, and a surety of £1,000 per person with the proviso that they report daily to their local police station.

Although this means that half of the Clash will be reporting to the police daily, it will not interfere in any way with their current activities and plans. They still intend to begin work at Island Studios on April 27 on their second album with Sandy Pearlman producing and the only gig they're likely to do is one with the Tom Robinson Band and Sham 69.

Clash armbands

Miltarism in excess!

THE CLASH ON PAROLE | Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/

Anthony Moriarty - Old indeed! The two with the rising sun started printing in '78...

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Smash Hits photo feature

Record Mirror - Clash of ideals
Rosalind Russell takes tea with Joe Strummer in the darkest Camden

Strummer interview - 11 March 1978 / Link 4 / Link 1 / Link 2 / Link 3

Jamaica Mick Joe, Damned, Captain Sensible abuse, Sebastian Conran, no money, jobs, hepatitis, Clash City Rockers, Dunstable gig, bad guys, Pistols and Matlock leaving, Clash split?, change to survive, CBS

Drug Stabbing Time

Robin Banks reviews the Rope demos

Archive PDF / ZIGZAG No#85 / July 78 / 3 pages

TROUSER PRESS Greatness of Garageland.

Peter Silverton, Trouser Press,

February 1978

UNANNOUNCED, TO SAY the least, a kid in boots, suspenders and short-cropped hair clambers through the photographers' pit and up onto the stage of London's Rainbow Theatre. Benignly ignored by band, stage crew and security alike, he wanders around the stage a little drunkenly, uncertain quite what to do now that he's made it up onto the hallowed, sacrosanct boards and is not making quite the impression he thought. Decision flickers across his face, lit by the giant spots, and he grabs hold of the sing-er's mike and prepares to join in on the harmonies. When the singer wants his mike back, the kid's frozen to the stand in fear-drenched exhilaration so the singer has to shout the lines over the kid's shoulder while the kid pumps in the response lines on perfect cue.

Rotten moves on, Biggs joins the bandwagon
The Clash, Secret Dates

Liverpool Echo / Monday 18 February 1978 / Archived PDF

Punks rock in for politics

Liverpool Echo -
Monday 18 February 1978

Archived PDF

Can Punk be tamed?

Their aim is to shock, sicken and scandalise.. - 2 pages (front / inside)

Liverpool Echo / Monday 16 January 1978 / Archived PDF

Unicorn Times, March 1978

US article on English punk revolution - 4 pages / Link

New York Rocker

Vol 1 #No12 / April / May 1978

Pearlman dates & interview, 6 pages

Archive PDF

Sandy Pearlman Interview

Sandy Robertson / Sounds / 13 May 1978 / Read the full article

ERIC BLOOM is adamant about the current position and status of the band he sings and plays for, the am-aaa-zing Blue Oyster Cult; they are 'evolutionary', and that's how they got where they are today...

NME Cult Figure Cuts Clash To Suit American Dream Machine

Paul Rambali, NME / 25 February 1978 / Link

SANDY PEARLMAN IS A BRISK and lively talker. He can probably offer an animated dissertation of any number of irregular topics, ranging from advancements in the field of archeological exploration to the state of play with those past masters of base metal transmutation the Blue Oyster Cult, for whom he is co-producer, lyricist and creative consultant.

NME Thrills - Joe In Hospital Hepatitus
Grapes and Flowers for Mr Strummer (Ward 12)

25 Feb 1978 / Jack Basher / Archive PDF

Rock On!
Don't gob on Me - It Makes Him ill

Joe tells Rock On! how he caught hepatitus from gobbing
Richard Routledge / Archive PDF

Melody Maker, "In recent months, the reputation of the Clash has slipped somewhat..." Interview

May 1978

In recent months the reputation of The Clash has sffered somewhat ...

Archived PDF

Record Mirror, He aint heavy, he's a bouncer

4 February 1978
Joe, trouble with the bouncers at Marquee Club

Link

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History of Rock 1978

Welcome to 1978 / Contents ...

Joe letter to NME pg 72

The Clash ANL pg 55

Interview Melody Maker
Nov 25 8 pages pg 91

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Unicorn TImes, The beginning of New Wave

78 03 New Wave, 4 page article, 271mb download

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MOJO The Clash From Westway to Broadway

August 1994 (Bonds, US general), JS interview - 20 pages

Breakdown, retrospective and Farewell Joe

Covers November 1978 to November 1982
MOJO March 2003

14 pages

History of Rock 1978

Online edition

Rock Against Racism show after an Anti-Nazi League march. 3 pages. Page 70

"We wanted to finish rock 'n' roll' Subway Sect incl. Clash page 8

He also told us that he was sure that The Clash would split within the next month."Strummer and Mick Jones hate each other. They don't speak to each other. They'll never play together again." Damned interview page 46

Interview with Keith Levene/Public Image. Liar was a song about him page 86

Letters Page 93

Mods and Rockers clash at Brighton page 111

15 November Just another battle 8 page feature page 132

Clash Map of London

MOJO / Punk: the whole story

Online viewer (very good)

Retropective magazine features, audio, video

For a full catalogies of retropective articles in magazines, interviews and features on TV and radio go here.

PuNk and Stuff | @PunKandStuff | Link

'Black & White unite....'
Band members of Steel Pulse, The Clash and Sex Pistols demonstrate outside the National Front headquarters on Connaught Road, Teddington, 1978. © Caroline Coon pic.twitter.com/zc77Xqk7uY

— PuNk and Stuff (@PunKandStuff) November 17, 2023

1978: Don't Quote Me: Rock, Pop and Press

Facebook | BBC Archive

OnThisDay 21st May 1978: The Clash’s Joe Strummer and Rick Wakeman from Yes discussed the press with music journalists Nick Kent and Ray Coleman.

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Clash Landing - Search and Destroy - 1977

Clash Interviewed by Annette Weatherman and Vermilion Sands

The Clash were interviewed in a Camden Town pub on a Saturday evening following rehearsal, a brief pastiche of new songs. Drummer NICKY HEADON was not present. ANN and VERMILION interviewed JOE, MICK, and PAUL. Friends and crew sat about, joking and laughing until the questions started...

Read the full article

Just watching The Rehearsals with The Clash

Alternative Ulster fanzine
Spring 78 #31
- 2 pages

Archive PDF

Fanzines: Great Collection

Great collection of scanned fanzines from the 1970s and 1980s

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Clash, The, Joe Strummer: The Clash's Joe Strummer

WANTED .. Interview by Howie Klein, Rock's Backpages Audio, February 1978

A typically splendid Strummer interview: He explains Ska! He digs Steve Miller! He prefers the Sun to the Guardian! He's in hospital with hepatitis! Plus stuff on gobbing, politics, the upcoming 2nd Clash album etc.

File format: mp3; file size: 25mb, interview length: 27' 17" sound quality: ***

Clash, The: The Clash's Paul Simonon

WANTED .. Interview by Howie Klein, Rock's Backpages Audio, 4 February 1978

The Clash's bassman talks about his life pre-Clash; the Clash's politics (personal and public); his development as a musician and a showman, and a whole lot more.

File format: mp3; file size: 53.4mb, interview length: 58' 16" sound quality: ***

BBC Radio 1 'Rock On'

with John Tobler Mick & Paul

John on Facebook

BBC Radio 1 various

Something Else TV / John Tobler Rock On w Joe Mick / John Tobler Paul Mick 80

7" single Talking to the Clash - Side A&B

Side A

Side B

Something Else / BBCTV / January 1978

The show put out by BBC2 in the UK had a DIY ethic, devised and presented by teenagers, it featured a mixture of of topics and music about current social events. The actual date was not as the boot LP lists 1981, but January 1978, the BBC TOTP2 A/V source from 2001 has more info.

Something Else / Blackmarketclash.co.uk

The Clash - Tommy Gun Live

Something Else / broadcast by the BBC March 11, 1978

The Clash - Clash City Rockers Live

Something Else / broadcast by the BBC March 11, 1978

Film: Rude Boy film / tracks

Birmingham - Barbarellas
1 audio & video track

London - Victoria Park, Hackney
2 audio & video tracks

For more details on the film Rude Boy go to;

Wikipedia

Rude Boy / Blackmarketclash.co,uk

BBC2 - "Don't Quote Me" / Youtube

27 June 1978: The Clash's Joe Strummer and Rick Wakeman from Yes discussed the press with music journalists Nick Kent and Ray Coleman.

With Rick Wakeman. The Rock, Pop and Press episode presented by Brian Redhead. He of Sex Pistols anti-punk TV fame in Dec 76. Joe Strummer is interviewed (see pic in Redemption Song book. This was Series 3, they were 30 minute episodes. 30mins

Don't Quote Me / wiki

BBC Archives / "Don't quote me" / Youtube

The Clash's Joe Strummer and Rick Wakeman from Yes discussed the press with music journalists Nick Kent and Ray Coleman. Link

TISWAS / 1st Appearance UKTV / ITV - Wanted

Likely transmission date 28 Jan 1978 with Chris Tarrant and Sally James.
Joe and Paul and up in the cage. All this happenned during their short Midlands Tour,

I have a feeling this appearance on Tiswas never aired due to a strike......anybody know anything about it? And that's a great T Shirt Sally James is wearing!...I only know about two other appearances...London Calling and another pre -Rope post first album

What's On with Tony Wilson

(Granada region) - ITV - June 22 / Interview with Tony Wilson / 1.51

26mins - The Clash lasts 1.51min
Production ID 1/0938/0024
Programme Title WHAT'S ON
Production Title EPISODE 0024
First TX Date 22/06/1978
Synopsis Text Tony Wilson introduces

Rita Hunter
Sanskritik
Dire Straits
John Hurt
The Clash
Running Time 26 mins 11 secs

Johnny Green interviews

Johnny Green | A Riot of Our Own | Night and Day with the Clash | Rock City Networks

Ex-Road Manager Johnny Green Describes The Experience Of A Clash Performance | Classic Rock Network

Johnny Green The Clash Road Manager Gives A Reading and Q&A Session at The Ilkley Playhouse | WestRidingMedia

Johnny Green, the infamous Road Manager of The Clash, gives a reading and a Q&A session of his book 'A Riot Of My Own -Night and Day With The Clash' at The Ilkley Playhouse as part of the Ilkley Literature Festival 2011. Sorry about the quality but I was right at the back of the hall.

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Punk gear for sale

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Joe Strummer, contracted hepatitis while on tour

In early 1978, Joe Strummer contracted hepatitis while on tour. This incident was kept relatively quiet at the time due to the stigma associated with the disease.

According to The Baker, who took Strummer to Western Hospital, where he was quarantined, the infection was likely caused by "the nightly onslaughts of gob from the audience". This account is corroborated by another source, which states that Strummer "contracted hepatitis in the late '70s while on tour when an audience member spit on him".

During his hospital stay, Strummer was initially deemed contagious due to the advanced stage of the disease, limiting his visitors. Despite the severity of his condition, Strummer's resilience shone through. As his friend recalled, Strummer seemed to embody the philosophy of "not minding that it hurts," a phrase that encapsulated his approach to the physical toll of performing.

Strummer's time in the hospital also revealed his intellectual curiosity. Among the personal items he requested was T.E. Lawrence's "Seven Pillars of Wisdom," showcasing his diverse interests even while battling illness.

This health scare was just one of many challenges Strummer faced during his time with The Clash. As he once said, "You've gotta be slightly stupid", perhaps alluding to the risks and hardships of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle.

Despite the setback, Strummer's determination remained unshaken. His ethos can be summed up in his own words: "You ain't alive and kicking unless you're fighting", a sentiment that seemingly applied to his battle with hepatitis as much as it did to his music and activism.

https://www.grunge.com/1101019/tragic-details-about-the-clash/
https://thebaker77.wordpress.com/2013/04/26/not-minding-that-it-hurts/
https://koleenknowsnothing.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/joe-strummer-101/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/523748.Joe_Strummer
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/149526-and-so-now-i-d-like-to-say---people-can