BBC's Maida Vale Studios
No known audio or video
If you know of any recording, please email blackmarketclash
Three sources
Three sources identify this session and it is likely to be early 1978. The BBC, John Peel in his autobiography and Clash roadie, Johnny Green all refer to this session.
BBC Radio One website - Peel Session Stories
The Clash The Clash famously recorded only half a session for Peel, or indeed the BBC. There have been a number of interviews in which John spoke about this ill-fated session, one of which resulted in John saying
"The Clash did half a session and then wandered off - unbearably pretentious".
But there have been a couple of more detailed explanations since. In an interview for Interzone Magazine in January 1994, John said:
"They (The Clash) did come in actually - they did backing tracks but then said the studios weren't good enough - not a very punk attitude - though the story from the studio was that they were too out of their heads to do it."
Finally, perhaps a more plausible explanation for The Clash's walk out is that Joe Strummer once said that "listening to John Peel was like a dog being sick in your face." (NME, March 1991). Charming.
Johnny Green & Garry Barker write in 'A Riot of Our Own'
We were asked to go to the BBC's Maida Vale Studios to record a session for the John Peel show.
The outing had been a shambles from the start. I had just been at Mick's flat, admiring Tony James's weekly itinerary for Generation X, 78 neatly typed by the band's secretary, when Mick said, 'Hang on, aren't we supposed to be doing something tonight?
Oh, yeah - the John Peel show'.
We had transport problems, and I had to dash around gathering up the equipment and organizing Joe, Paul and Topper.
The date of the session may not have stuck in our minds, but when we arrived we were all conscious of the history behind the tiny, shabby studio - memories of the Beatles and Hendrix producing that tinny sixties radio sound in the same room.
The Baker was even grumpier than usual when setting up the equipment, not welcoming the interference of the studio engineers.
Mick was keen to demonstrate his newly acquired knowledge of recording techniques, and Joe wanted to capture the Clash's live sound on the session, demanding a perfect balance of instruments.
After Basing Street, we weren't used to recording entire tracks in half an hour. Spliffs abounded, to the growing frustration of the BBC engineers. The session was never finished, and Peely vented his anger with the Clash with some sarcastic comments on air.
But the Clash were manifestly not bothered. It would have been a prestigious session - but the band had wanted to produce it themselves, and preferred not to do it at all rather
John Peel
John Peel spoke of The Clash's aborted 1977 session in a number of interviews.
"The Clash did half a session and wandered off. Unbelievably pretentious." (BBC interview)
"The Clash did half one, then amazingly said that the equipment in the studio wasn't up to the standards they'd expected so they couldn't complete the session. Which seemed to me to be unbearably pretentious of them" (Radio b92 interview)
"The Clash did come in actually, they did backing tracks but then said the studios weren't good enough, not a very Punk attitude. Though the story from the studio was that they were too out of their heads to do it" (Interzone magazine interview)
This is mentioned in John Peel's autobiography.
The Clash laid down the backing tracks then went off for some 'refreshment'. When they came back they were so trashed they couldn't complete the session. Peel's producer John Waters was so pissed off he refused to have them back.
CLASH TO ME - "The Clash did half one, and then amazingly said that the equipment in the studio wasn't up to the standards that they'd expected so they couldn't complete the session. Which seemed to me to be unbearably pretentious of them [laughs]. It'd be very difficult to pick out an absolute favourite from them." John Peel
Joe Strummer | Facebook | The Original Soho Punk Rock Tour
Joe Strummer, John Peel, drinking Fosters, in the Wimpy, Piccadilly, 1981. With thanks to WiseTuna
Other sources suggest
Another account suggests that one of the people working on the session walked into the studio and recognised Topper whom he knew from previous bands and that Topper had bought his dog in with him.
On seeing Topper he enquired about his well being at which point Joe and Mick started to take the piss out of him and invited Topper to join in the little piss taking which he duly did.
The guy goes on to say he wasn't offended but felt Topper was made to toe the line with the "them" and "us" mentality.
Clash discuss the John Peel sessions
Radio interview broadcast 6 April 2016 - at 9:30 mins
The Clash - M.Jones, T.Headon & P.Simonon talk about The Band & J.Strummer
Summary
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Extensive archive of articles, magazines and other from the 'Sandy Pearlman dates in early gigs in 1978, and the Festival gigs in May 1978
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Tracks - unknown
Extensive archive of articles, magazines and other from the 'Sandy Pearlman dates in early gigs in 1978, and the Festival gigs in May 1978
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SHORT MIDLANDS TOUR, ANL CARNIVAL & PARIS ARTICLES, POSTERS, CLIPPINGS ... A collection of Numerous articles, interviews, reviews, posters, tour dates from 'Rock Against Racism' Carnival and the early gigs of 1978
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Hundreds of fans comments about the gigs they went to...
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