Clash on Parole Tour
Supported by The Specials & Suicide

updated 24 June 2006
updated 1 Aug 2011 - added vers3 recording & vers 4
updated Dec 2014 - added review Staying Free
updated 22 January 2022 - added bw photo on stage
updated Dec 2023 aded Record Mirror review





Audio 1

low gen - Sound 3.5 - 55min - low/m - 17 tracks

misses Safe European Home, Whats My Name



Audio 2

low gen - Sound 3.5 - 55min - low/m - 17 tracks

misses Safe European Home, Whats My Name

Tommy Gun



Audio 3

low gen - sound 3.5 - 59mins - tracks 14

includes Safe European Home, Whats My Name but misses the first 4 tracks - better sound



Audio 4

low gen - Sound 3.5 - 67min - low/m - 19 tracks
includes fans at start - gaps between trks

Tommy Gun





Sound quality

The sound on this recording is very good one indeed, the best of the On Parole gigs (save the Rude Boy excerpts). There is a very good range and clarity of sound, it's only faults are some bass over modulation, lead guitar a little low in the mix and vocals a touch distant.

Joe's rhythm playing comes through very well as do the drums and there is little intrusive talking from the crowd. Of the circulating tapes and cdrs during this period, this one stands out alongside the Paris one later in the year.





Clash residency

Clash On Parole Tour climaxes with their first residency, four nights at The Music Machine. The Music Machine (now Camden Palace) is actually about 20 seconds walk over the road from Mornington Crescent tube, and roughly 5 minutes walk away from Camden Town tube.

The 4 nights recendency were rapturously received in the press and by those in attendance. Rude Boy captures the drama: is there a more exciting moment in rock'n'roll cinema than when the film cuts dramatically into Complete Control at the Music Machine?





Dates






Suicide join Clash on Tour





Melody Maker: Dates & prices

Link





Sounds: Clash to be City rockers after all

Early July / Link 1 / Link 2




Adverts





Time Out Magazine previews dates at Music Machine

Link





Posters




Tickets, passes

Backstage pass, the 24th

Backstage pass for all 4 nights at the Music Machine - this one given away to a fan by Johnney Green




Snippets

The Music Machine

The Music Machine (later renamed the Camden Palace) began in the 60's and became famous for punk gigs, still in use today as a dance nightclub, it has staged gigs in recent years by Blur and the Oasis.

The Music Machine was a perfect type of Clash venue; sweaty, intimate, seat less, restrained security and within the part of London they lived and loved best. Enjoying greater critical acclaim and increasing commercial success, few other bands (if any) either then or now, would have opted to play four nights here rather than they take the money and play one or two nights at the larger Hammersmith Odeon or similar.

New heights of popularity within the UK music press, the Music Machine residency resulted in some ecstatic reviews (see link).





Steve Jones played the encores

The gig starts with the slow opening chords building, and building then exploding into a brilliant Complete Control (there is a 5 second tape bleed early on). The song ends with rapturous applause and a terrific Tommy Gun then follows with some different lyrics.

The rare Cheapskates is next with Joe shouting, "you tell me" after the "what are we supposed to do" lyrics.

The highlights of an excellent performance are 3 consecutive songs mid-set when they kick into an even higher gear with Clash City Rockers, White Man, and Capital Radio. White Man is introduced as "We'd like to play you number 98 in the charts!".

Joe whispers, "hardly a word they say" over the slow quiet intro to Capital Radio building the tension before the band explodes into the song. The song climaxes with manic ad-libs from Joe and terrific drum fills from Topper. Theres a slight edit following Capital Radio probably for a tape turnover?

Police & Thieves segues into Blitzkreig Bop after further lengthy ad-libs from Joe.

There is an edit after English Civil War which definitely loses Safe European Home (named in one review) and probably What's My Name.

It's then into the finale of the crowd pleasing released songs and the usual 3 song encore ended with a suitably climactic White Riot. A great recording of a great gig, capturing an important part of Clash history.

Steve Jones played the encores though he may have come on as early as London's Burning which has extra umph with a heavier guitar sound similar to Jones's style. CSM comments for the gig of the 26th, that this was one of the tracks he played on. Janie Jones and White Riot also benefit from his guitar playing.





Record Mirror MUSIC MACHINE REVIEW - 24th

Link







On Parole and staying free

SOUNDS Review. Barry Myers
5 August 1978.

The Clash's gig at Music Machine reviewed by Barry Myers

Link

On Parole and staying free

Sounds - Barry Myers (text version)

The Clash
Music Machine Monday 24 July 1978

text version

THE SETTING was the Music Machine for the four-day event heralding The Clash's return to London, winding up their 'On Parole' tour. There was relatively little trouble. Although I witnessed the odd mindless swipe at over-enthusiastic punters, compared to the heavies up Seven Sisters Road the security was restrained.





Record Mirror - Music Machine

Tuesday 25 July 78
Sheila Prophets Read full article

PREVIOUS SIGHTINGS of the Clash in action have been disappointingly distant: the Anti - Nazi League Rally in April, where their music and their message were both scuttled by insoluble sound problems, and before that the Rainbow, always a cold, alien venue, where the band might as well have been on' film for all the contact there was with the audience.





MELODY MAKER: 29 July 1978, Clash - Music Machine

Clash, The, Suicide: The Clash, Suicide: Music Machine, London
Live Review by Ian Birch, Melody Maker, 29 July 1978
Review of Monday 24th July 78 - full text here

Original hi-resolution scans wanted

CLASH: NO two ways about it. All I can do is echo and re-emphasise Chris Brazier's sentiments in MM of two issues ago:

the Clash are THE punk rock group. On Monday at London's Music Machine (the first of a four-night stint there) they were superlative. Total word count of piece: 336





NME, The Clash, Suicide: The Clash, Suicide: The Music Machine, London

Live Review by Charles Shaar Murray, NME, 5 August 1978

TIME HAS come today. Third of four Music Machine gigs and – surprise! – the ritual bottling of Suicide appears to have been omitted for the nonce. Alan Vega is up by the mike, moving jerkily from pose to pose like a series of still-photo slides vaguely in synch with the music – pose CLICK pose CLICK pose – while Marty Rev stands solid and immobile beside his control post and the drum machine gets louder and lOuDeR and LoUdEr and LOUDER AND LOUDER AND LOUDER AND... we do not have either the full original or text





Sounds: Suicidal success

5th, August 1978

Link





Blackmarketclash | Leave a comment






Alternative Ulster fanzine

issue #72 (1978)
Review of Music Machine concerts








NME T-Zers, (Clash) Gets the Hump





I saw all the clash gigs (4) there. Brilliant

I saw all the clash gigs (4) there. Brilliant. I followed them a lot back then. We were punks from the neighbourhood and someone from the band..usually Joe or Baker or JG would let us in through the back door. Once we had to scale 30 feet up a drain pipe to the dressingroom window. The MM bouncers were animals and there were always a lot of fights in there.





This was a remarkable gig

Wasted days / 26th or 27th

This was a remarkable gig. The first time I saw the Clash live. I went after work from Hall & Hall's. We finished work quite early at 4.30 pm so there was too much drinking time before the gig began. I remember Suicide, a New York experimental electronic duo, who the crowd did not like. Then I fell asleep at the back of the hall, only waking up in time for the encore! Still great stuff and I remember the backdrop to the stage with the flags and stukas on it. After this I had to get two night buses back to Brixton. Consequently I overslept my alarm, missed the special works bus from Brixton (the workforce was primarily West Indian) and had to go into work by tube and train instead. I was hellishly late. I should have taken a sickie…




Did you go? Comments, info welcome...

Info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
Please email blackmarketclash





Photos from the 24th


The Clash at Music Machine, 4th July 1978. Photo © by Dawn Wirth


Monday the 24th


Photos from the 4 nights

The Clash giving it all onstage at The Music Machine (Camden Palace), London in 1978 Max Browne recalls, "This was the first time I'd seen the band and it was on their home ground at The Camden Palace in 1978. Their power was shattering - visually, aurally and socially of course. White lightning flashed on musical crescendos that seemed to singe the hair, crowd surfing, fans jumping up singing with the band until they were whisked offstage, only to be instantly replaced - all part of The Clash at their peak. Mick Jones glanced at me in the box and I pressed the shutter."



14 Excellent Photos

probably from the 27th?




1978 The Clash performs at Music Machine, London with The Slits, Phil Rambow and Friends and Innocents Pic Neil Anderson

The Clash | Facebook



The Clash Official | Facebook





24th?






More photos





Tommy Gun/Suicide T-Shirts sold at gigs

Link





Extensive archive of articles, magazines and other from the On Parole Tour, June - July 1978

Archive - Snippets - UK Articles - Video-audio - Social-media - Photos





Setlist

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

Complete Control
Tommy Gun
Cheapskates
Jail Guitar Doors
Drug Stabbing Time
Clash City Rockers
White Man in Ham Palais
Capital Radio
Stay Free
Police and Thieves
Blitzkrieg Bop
English Civil War
Safe European Home
Whats My Name
London's Burning
Garageland
I'm So Bored with the USA
Janie Jones
White Riot



Extensive archive of articles, magazines and other from the On Parole Tour, June - July 1978

Archive

Snippets

UK Articles

Video-audio

Social-media

Photos



There are several sights that provide setlists but most mirror www.blackmarketclash.co.uk. They are worth checking.

from Setlist FM (cannot be relied on)

from Songkick (cannot be relied on)
... both have lists of people who say they went

& from the newer Concert Database and also Concert Archives

Also useful: Ultimate Music database, All Music, Clash books at DISCOGS

Articles, check 'Rocks Back Pages'





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OUT ON PAROLE TOUR JULY '78

ARTICLES, POSTERS, CLIPPINGS ...

A collection of
- Tour previews
- Tour posters
- Interviews
- Features
- Articles
- Tour information

Numerous articles, interviews, reviews, posters, tour dates from The Clash on Parole Tour, June & July 1978



VIDEO AND AUDIO

Video and audio footage from the tour including radio interviews.



BOOKS

A Riot of Our Own
Johnny Green

Link

Return of the Last Gang in Town,
Marcus Gray

Link


Passion is a Fashion,
Pat Gilbert

Link


Redemption Song,
Chris Salewicz

Link


Joe Strummer and the legend of The Clash
Kris Needs

Link


The Clash (official)
by The Clash (Author), Mal Peachey

Link


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