The NME LETTERS PAGE IN RESPONSE TO THE
'OUT ON PAROLE TOUR'

LET NO BLAME fall on The Clash

22th JULY 1978

LET NO BLAME fall on The Clash for the appaling state of their tour. Although Fashion were given a contract to play at the Birmingham venue, the promoters Stardate Enterprises told us that if we try’d to enter before the gig we would be removed by their guys, then palmed us off with a couple of free tickets for tile gig. We spent the rest of the fated day organising another venue (at one point even trying to play in a scientology book shop, but thought better of it) and played a small theatre in Birmingham which we advertised as a free alternative on local radio for any who specifically wanted to see us.

It was also the promoters that upped the price before the band went on - which they knew nothing of: Stardate also organised the Steel Pulse gig in Birmingham, which was also over-priced and which the band could do nothing about although they tried, and for which their fee still hasn’t been settled.

So small wonder Strummer was in tears having to deal with Stardate and what’s more they’ll probably get ripped off too. FASHION. I’m glad someone’s staying off the dash-with-The CIash-wagon. Thanx -CSM

SO THERE were 50 or 60 Clash fans outside the Apollo

SO THERE were 50 or 60 Clash fans outside the Apollo eh? NME 15. 7. 78) ... Bollocks - more like 300. I was there, where I was thrown to the ground by one of the local constabulary, cut all my face and hands and was later arrested for breach of the peace. In the cells a chorus of “The Prisoner” was sung once, by myself and about two others and that was that.

When chatting to Joe and Paul they were really alright, but fuck, they can walk out the court laughing, I can’t. when I appear in court in a month or so I’ll probably get about both their fines joined together (if I don’t go down). No joke when you’re on the dole.

The Clash gig won’t even come into it, just another Glasgow kid drunk causing trouble. So Joe, when my fine comes up and I can’t pay it (I don’t wanna be the prisoner, maaan) I’ll send you a letter and you can help me out. JOE MORIN, Rutherglen, Glasgow. Say it again: there are NO EASY ANSWERS.

I’m still glad that Strummer & Co. are doing their best. -CSM

I’M 18 and on the dole and bloody angry

22th JULY 1978

I’M 18 and on the dole and bloody angry - about some of tile crap in the Gash feature Chris Salewicz calls the Clash `the advance guards, the emissaries of the New Age when Babylon’s flaky hold on rock music (and on life) will finally fall ... “ That’s absolute shit. My respect for the Clash was reduced when they played moronic Heavy Metal and the inappropriate `White Riot” at the A.N.L. Carnival, but after this tour was announced I couldn’t identify with them at all.

If the Clash had loved or even cared for their audience they would not play venues that are well known for the ferocity of the security bozos, that exist merely to take as much money as possible from as many people as possible in one night. The band could play free gigs in parks or alternative venues not run by ultra-capitalist promoters. With a rich record company and good record sales they could easily afford it.

The Here `n’ Now have done about 60 free gigs this year. The Clash have done one. The Here `n Now will play for nothing under the Westway on the 20th, while 4 days later the Clash will charge £2.50 for a Music Machine gig (it was gonna be Picketts Lock, which is something like a scaled down Empire Pool, but they were banned from there). The Here `n’ Now got a £500 fine for an illegal free gig. The Clash pay £700 damages for shooting racing pigeons (that must have been a blow to capitalism when those pigeons were killed). Clash albums sell for £4 but Live Floating Anarchy `77’ has “Do not pay more than £2.25” printed on the cover.

Joe Strummer doesn’t really want a riot of his own. Re could have helped the Apollo Clash fans by hitting the security thugs with his mike-stand (something done very effectively by Hawkwind’s Bob Calvert at Manchester). He had hundreds of people behind him, and even security men are intelligent enough to recognise overwhelming odds. But the Clash only started fighting to save their own skins, at the end of the gig.

The Clash don’t deserve long sycophantic features in NME. Here `n’ Now, Sphynx and the rest of the peoples’ psychedelic anarchist rock groups deserve more than the occasional paragraph, because they actually put their idealism into practice for the benefit of their followers e.g. the free floating anarchy tours and the free concerts at Glastonbury, Stonehenge, Deeply Vale and the Roundhouse (the Love-in)

NIGEL SMEDLEY Letchworth, Herts.

So The Clash really love their audiences

So The Clash really love their audiences, huh? Is that why we had to wait one and a half hours before being let in last Tuesday in Birmingham? Is that why the tickets went up by 50p while we were still queueing? And so Joe Strummer cried over the way their fans were treated in Glasgow. Did he cry when the band saw fit to sack one of their support bands, Fashion? So Paul, Joe, Nicky, Mick, you think its funny, turning rebellion into money/money/money/money/money.

ETHEL OF THE FIFTH FORM, Birmingham

IT wouId seem that both of you, Nigel and Ethel, have other axes to grind on behaIf of Sphynx and Fashion, and that you’re severely wronging one of the few bands who actually TRY to do something positive about the rock business and the way it works. The CIash try harder and attract heavier pressure: the success of their attempts is limited (and I’ve got sympathy for them over the repercussions of the pigeon-shooting episode) but the fact That they care as much as they do does Them much honour. You may be demanding more than they can give. Do you seriously think, Nigel, that The Clash could get GLC permission to do free gigs the way Nik Turner can? In this racket, no-one has Complete Control - CSM.

WHAT’S ALL this crap about The Clash then

WHAT’S ALL this crap about The Clash then? I don’t really get off on their music, but I applaud them for at least having a go in the face of hype from all directions. Those that moan seem to choose to forget that until very recently The Clash were keeping prices down to 80p a gig and that it’s not usually the band who sets prices for gigs anyway. I really feel sorry for those guys - if they don’t play, they’re accused of deserting their fans. If they do play, they’re accused of playing gigs where the bouncers are morons (where else in Glasgow could they have played?). Up your revolution, lads. Don’t let the bastards wear you down. JOHNNY MOREBASS, GIoucesterhire.

P.S. Can I have a snide comment, even if you agree with me? Please?

Huh? Of course you can’t. Do you think you’ve got rights just `cause you’re right? - CSM