Lot of confusion over the recordings over three nights;

There is a lot of confusion over the recordings over three nights; which belongs to which so we have unusualy listed all three with a breakdown of the official and unofficial recordings and which night we believe they originate from.

Our view

There has been confusion over which of the 3 Lyceum dates are the source for the Sort It Out /Buy or Die CD and which for this “Rude Boy” filmed/recorded concert.

The pro-recorded gig used in the film IS the 3rd January and NOT the 28th as previously thought. The boots, Sort it Out and Buy or Die are from the 29th, and maybe as stated the 28th as well.

The recording from the 3rd is much superior to the boots from the 28th and 29th and nearly as good as they appear on FHTE.

FHTE dates the “Rude Boy” gig as 28th December from where 'I Fought the Law' and 'City of the Dead' came and the Clash On Broadway booklet has English Civil War from this concert as recorded January 79. However all three tracks come from the pro-recorded gig of the 3rd January and FHTE has most likely got it wrong.

FHTE used the Rude Boy dates which have proven wrong previously; eg. the Music Machine July 78 songs are not from the 27th July as stated.

Mick confirms the date of the pro-recored gig himself by saying clearly before White Riot “This is the last gig for about 6 months, so this will have to sustain you”. The dates given on Sort It Out are therefore correct with that recording coming from the 28th or 29th December. This pro-recording though is the 3rd January.

An audience recording would be VERY helpful

Thursday 28th December

Audio

sbd but from copies - 2 tracks (Sort it Out / Buy or Die bootlegs) - Sound 4.0

White Riot (28th)

There is no way of knowing if the Bootlegs Sort it Out/Buy or Die/USA 79 are from the 28th and the 29th. Sort it Out says it from the 29th with the last two tracks from the 28th. We are going to accept that. Buy or Die is a reissue but with a full Garageland.

Friday 29th December

Audio - sbd but from copie(s) - 18 tracks - Sound 4.0 - full?

Tommy Gun (29th)

There is no way of knowing if the Bootlegs Sort it Out/Buy or Die/USA 79 are from the 28th and the 29th. Sort it Out says it from the 29th with the last two tracks from the 28th. We are going to accept that. Buy or Die is a reissue but with a full Garageland.

Wednesday 3rd January

Audio

Sbd - sound 4.0 - full - 19 tracks

Complete Control (3rd)

We can assume this is the correct date as Joe apologises to ticket holders from the Music Machine gig and Mick says this is the last gig for 6 months.

This is one of the best sounding Clash boots (3rd) available and comes from a great live period. It is a superb audience recording (individual voices near the microphones can be heard) using professional quality equipment.

Of the instrumentation Topper’s magnificently powerful drumming comes through best, guitar’s are excellent too although a touch too far back in the mix, and Paul’s bass is very good but somewhat lacking in depth and focus. Vocals too are excellent but not quite as in your face as a soundboard recording. Overall there is a slightly harsh sound but these are minor criticisms of an excellent recording of a magnificent performance.

The only defects in this recording are some patches of distortion, a few drop outs and the fact that this source has not been mixed by the likes of Bill Price for FHTE to pick out the instrumentation and improve the stereo separation.

Guitars are a touch too far back in the mix to get the full 78 Clash power, giving a rather too polished sound. But these are minor criticisms and its still a definite 5 sound quality and highly enjoyable. Together with Sort it Out/Buy or Die, there exists two excellent quality recordings of the three Lyceum shows.

16 track mobile studio for Rude Boy

For Rude Boy (and CBS) this gig (3rd) was recorded professionally on a 16 track mobile studio like the previous gigs on the 28th and 29th December.

The definitive live versions from this gig of I Fought The Law and English Civil War from Rude Boy have also been available on the Clash On Broadway (ECW now joining I Fought the Law on the DVD to - previously not available on video). And the terrific City of The Dead was more recently released on FHTE.

More recently Sony have released more tracks through Sound System box set. (See above)

Bootlegs

Sort it Out CD - Sound 4 - 68min -
unknown gen - 18 tracks [plus 2 from the 28th]
this copy has an edit in Garageland and shouldn't

USA 79 CD - Sound 4 - 64min - cd/m - 18 tracks
complete but no tracks from the 28th

Buy or Die CD - Sound 4 - 68min - cd/m - 21 tracks
re-issue with all 20 tracks plus Rockers Galore b-side

Offical Releases

We have listened over and again to these tracks and in our best efforts we believe these tracks correspond to the above gigs. The official releases have been remixed (16 track originals?).

We have concentrated on the intro and outro's of each song and Joes lyrics where there tends to be particulalr differences.

We have photos the 28th and these do not match the video 'I Fought the Law' which comes from the 3rd January which places multiple photos from the middle date, the 29th.

Audio

Clash on Broadway box set

1. English Civil War = from the 3rd -
   intro words “yeah Awright”
   

2. I Fought the Law = 28th
   We are not sure but around 'Sweetest Girl' doesn't match either 3rd or 29th & quite section of the low tempo towards the end doesn't match either. See Rude Boy Cassette below.

Rude Boy Cassette (official)

A very limited promo tape issued by Atlantic Publishing Nov 16 1980.

1. I Fought the Law = 28th
   Same as Clash on Broadway version and maybe the original that Sony used and that is listed as the 28th.

From Here to Eternity

1. City of the Dead = 3rd -
   Definately from the 3rd - last chord/guitar screech
   

2. I Fought the Law = 28th
   same as CoB
   

3. Drug Stabbing Time = Def 3rd -
   end vocals “Straight up”

From Here to Eternity sampler

1. City of the Dead = 3rd - same as FHTE!

From Here to Eternity II (unofficial)

1. Cheapskates = Defo 3rd -
   matches Cheapskates played on the 3rd
   

2. Safe European Home = Defo 3rd -
   joes two shouts twoards the end

Sony Sound System box set

1. City of the Dead = 3rd -
   Intro words match
   

2. Jail Guitar Doors = 28th?
   Does not match 29 or 3rd
   

3. English Civil War = 3rd -
   sounds similar
   

4. Stay Free = 3rd? - Not 29th
   End matches the 3rd
   

5. Cheapskates =Def 3rd -
   29th Tops adds one drum strike at end, 3rd drums out
   

6. I Fought the Law = Same as FHTE

Rude Boy Video -

1. I Fought the Law - 28th - Same as FHTE

Rude Boy DVD - with bonus track

1. I Fought the Law - 28th - Same as FHTE

2. English Civil War - = from the 3rd -
   intro words “yeah Awright”

Rude Boy Promo cassette more info

Sound 5 - 6min - 1gen - 2 tracks
English Civil War

Clash on Broadway Box Set

Sound 5 - 6min - 2 tracks
English Civil War

From Here To Eternity

Sound 5 - 6min - 2 tracks
I Fought the Law and City of the Dead

full gig

from 16 track mobile studio
slight distortion - Sound 5 - 66min - 19 tracks

Rude Boy Video

Sound 5 - 3min - mast - 1 track
I Fought the Law

Rude Boy DVD - with bonus track

Sound 5 - 6min - mast - 2 tracks
I Fought the Law + English Civil War bonus

Visit the Clash on Stage website for a comprehensive catalogue of unofficially released CD's and Vinyl.

The Lyceum, London