16 Tons Tour Europe
Support Lew Lewis

updated September 2004
updated 14 July 2008 - updated

Audio 4

average - Sound 3.5 - time 1hr 33mins - unknown generation - tracks 29

Somebody Got Murdered

Audio 5

Average / Sound 3.5 / time 1hr 33mins / unknown generation / restored from unknown source / tracks 29

Somebody Got Murdered

Sound Quality

The audience recording taped that night was a good one, the problems of the widely circulating copy emanate from it being 3rd generation or more from that original master. There is reasonable range and detail, bass prominent but not focussed, guitars and drums good and vocals OK but somewhat distant. Vocal adlibs are hard to make out. There are several tape dropouts and some echo and distortion problems.

The sound goes noticeably flatter from Stay Free onwards and there is an edit on Police & Thieves, which loses the last third of the song. There’s plenty of audience shouting and clapping near the taper, which adds atmosphere and rarely detracts from its enjoyment.

A 2nd generation tape from the same source has no song edits and is an improvement in clarity and detail. More of Joe’s adlibs can be made out and the sound quality does not dip from Stay Free onwards.

The Clash return to Paris

The Clash return to Paris, always a “Clash City” with a guaranteed highly enthusiastic reception. Their growing reputation and following in Paris meant on this visit they played the cavernous Palais Des Sports.

A good audience recording documents another excellent performance typical of these final 16 Tons gigs. The bands musical development is amply demonstrated but there’s no loss of intensity and excitement. The run into the encores and the two encores themselves proof in point. There are even better performances (and better recordings) from this leg of the tour but this recording is important too because of the contribution of blues harmonica player Lew Lewis on three songs. Lew had played on several other 16 Tons dates but this is the best recording in circulation.

Lew Lewis joins The Clash on stage

Lew Lewis was one of the maverick characters of the British pub rock boom. He first came to prominence as a member of the early Eddie & The Hot Rods line up. Joe and Lew’s paths crossed as early as October 75 when the 101’ers played on the same bill as Eddie & The Hot Rods at the Nashville.

Lew is a great Little Walter influenced harmonica player. He formed 2 bands under his name, gaining a hit and Top Of The Pops TV exposure with ‘Lucky Seven’. He guested on Dr Feelgood’s early records and was a session player for many bands including The Stranglers and of course The Clash, getting a credit on Sandinista. He had played with The Clash earlier on the 16 Tons Tour at its start at Aylesbury and at Ipswich where his band also played support.

In 1987 he was sentenced to 7 years for holding up a Post Office with a fake pistol and has since been seriously ill. Fittingly though Lew played at Joe’s memorial gig at Chinnery’s in Southend on 2nd May 2003.

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Paris - Palais de Sports

It would have been right tonight if Police & Thieves had been given it’s frequently on this tour performed Hit The Road Jack intro because in 1961 Ray Charles played 5 triumphant nights at the Palais des Sports at the height of his fame.

A large cavernous hall, away from the city centre, the Palais Des Sports hosted scores of top acts over the years and was even used as a temporary prison for Algerian prisoners!

strong (and long!) performance

It is another very strong (and long!) performance from this leg of the tour but Joe’s not as inspired to improvise lyrics as on the tours’ very best nights.

The main highlight is Lew Lewis’ contribution on Jimmy Jazz, White Man and Train In Vain. Joe name checks him briefly before Jimmy Jazz “Mr Lewis, Mr Lew Lewis” His harmonica playing comes through clearly and certainly adds to the enjoyment of these performances.

There is some fighting in the audience during London Calling with Joe adlibbing lyrics during the song about it! Mick’s solo is impressive and Somebody Got Murdered is getting better with each performance.

Police and Thieves is as usual a highlight with Joe cracking a joke in the intro; “Attention Les Flique.I don’t want to wear a pork pie hat because I’m a vegetarian!” Mick’s heavy use of effects takes the fire out of his solo but the song builds to its climax impressively. There is no edit of this song on the 2nd generation tape.

The sound goes flatter from Stay Free onwards on the widely circulating tape but not on the 2nd gen. one.

Clampdown is strong with Mick adding to the “steal the best years of your life” line an impassioned “they fuckin’ will!” As the song builds to its extended climax Joe says “drummer can you give me that nuclear beat!”

Bankrobber is played slower than at Gothenburg and on Jail Guitar Doors, Joe adds an adlibbed final verse about Paris. The run into the encores is brilliant with an excellent English Civil War, I’m So Bored With the USA (with some adlibs)
and a storming Complete Control.

The lively and appreciative Paris audience get two encores. The first kicks off with Armagideon Time, switched back to its usual first song of the encore. On the previous gigs the energy levels had exploded into Tommy Gun then inevitably dropped for Armagideon Time. Here it segues with Topper’s machine gun intro into a terrific Tommy Gun, a fired up Joe spitting out the words. Janie Jones has its great teased out start and the energy levels peak on London’s Burning. But the extended encore continues with the always standout Capital Radio, Joe adlibs “ I sent a letter, I made a phone call, It didn’t do any good, it didn’t do any fuckin’ good at all, nothing on the radio, C.A.P. I. T., C.A.P.I.T., Capital Radio”. A rousing Garageland returns to end the set.

The crowd succeed in bringing the band back for a no doubt unplanned second encore. Joe “I don’t talk much tonight cos I know you can’t understand, so there… Mick jumps in “BUT this song is called” and Joe adds “ Comment appelle!” and the band rip into an impassioned What’s My Name. An extended White Riot appropriately ends the show. Joe’s up for more though “Spanish” he says but that’s it except for some parting comments about the start of the Iran - Iraq war; Joe “Thanks for coming, there’s a war going on you know, some people know there’s a war going on, none of my friends who play music they don’t know!” Mick, “If they ask you to go don’t bother!”

Best Magazine 141 - Poids Lourds

Avr 80- Mick Jones

Rock & Folk no.162 [French]

Link

Metal hurlant n°53 7.80

cartoon clash!

Photos

photo courtesy of Bazarboy, France

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Setlist

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Safe European Home Clash City Rockers Brand New Cadilac Jimmy Jazz London Calling Koka Kola I Fought the Law The Guns Of Brixton Julies in the Drug Squad White Man In Ham Palais Train In Vain 48 Hours Somebody Got Murdered Police and Thieves Stay Free Clampdown Bankrobber Jail Guitar Doors English Civil War I’m So Bored With the USA Complete Control Armagideon Time Tommy Gun Janie Jones London’s Burning Capital Radio Garageland Whats My Name White Riot