Bonds Residency
Supported by Lee Perry and four female singers singing acapella

List of support acts

last updated 12 Oct 2005
updated Sept 2020

Audio 1 - aud. master

Sound 3 - time 1hr 46mins - DAT master - tracks 25
slight distortion -

Washington Bullets

From audience DAT master

The circulating recording comes again from the audience DAT master and is again very similar to all the other Bonds audience recordings; same taper, same equipment. However this one is a little better with a somewhat improved bass and clarity.

align="left">Its distance problems as always with these Bonds recordings that detract from their enjoyment. The quality of the performance again though makes this recording well worth having.

Following Lightning Strikes Joe says " I am sure some of you here are Americans, (something) like to be English in New York". Full words on disc two on this one.

Broadway makes an appearance and Somebody Got Murdered is swapped with Train In Vain in the set list. One More Time at the start of the encores is preceded by a trumpeteer mentioned before the Call Up.

The media coverage, “riots in Times Square”

June 5th 1981 was a significant date for The Clash. The media coverage of the closing of Bonds and the “riots in Times Square” helped secure The Clash their second network US television appearance on NTV’s Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder. They made the most of the opportunity to play live, performing excellent albeit shortened for TV versions of Magnificent Seven and Radio Clash. The band played Magnificent Seven in front of the huge Clash backdrop that is seen on Don Letts footage draped over the top of the Bonds building. During Radio Clash, Futura 2000 is seen spraying graffiti on the usual Bonds stage backdrop of corrugated grey ‘fence panels’.

The complete Clash appearance circulates on Clash On TV Vol.1 in very good quality (apart from some ghosting) from a TV rebroadcast. For many years Clash fans had made do with very poor quality video copies of this important Clash footage.

As well as delivering musically The Clash turned Tom Snyder’s banal questioning into some effective communication. Joe demonstrates again his interview skills whilst Mick’s efforts fail to cross the UK/US cultural and language divide. When Mick talks of “sticky wickets” Joe jumps in and translates into “dead end situation” Joe turns talk of his squatting background in London into the experience of private landlords and rip-off rents that people in New York and other US cities could relate to.

Bob Gruen took his famous photos of Joe, Mick and Paul on the roof of the RCA Building where the band were appearing on the Tomorrow Show. Bob would appear later that day this time on the Bonds stage playing his bugle before the 1st encore. For The Clash on the 5th June 1981 they must have felt literally and metaphorically on top of the world.

Tickets

“Who wants to watch TV?” jokes Joe

Unusually the set list tonight is the same as the night before; it’s another powerful and committed performance with some memorable highlights. The recording starts with Joe saying "OK, Good Evening and Welcome" and then he comes in too early on London Calling messing up the opening lines. He soon recovers though and the band storm through Safe European Home, the power and the passion coming through, the recording capturing the twin guitar attack well.

A pause before The Leader as Joe says “Just watching, this here’s Sesame Street, got some videos of Sesame Street over here”. There’s lots of cheering then through the PA a noise that sounds either like a microphone held to the Bonds TV set or Mick’s attempt at replicating the Sesame Street music! “Who wants to watch TV?” jokes Joe. In Train In Vain there is again an instrumental break added after Mick’s “spoke to me” line.

"One moment I remember clearly: a crew member put a small TV onstage so Mick Jones could watch the band perform on the Letterman [Tom Snyder] show, pretaped earlier in the day. Joe Strummer was obviously annoyed at this, finally kicking the TV in."

An impassioned White Man In Hammersmith Palais next with Joe clearly again in fine form tonight, his adlibs at the end of the song are unclear. Radio Clash is fine but unexceptional and is followed by Corner Soul with Joe repeating (by way of explanation of the song) over Topper’s heavy drum intro “violence and fighting”. A fine Guns of Brixton is followed by a powerful The Call Up, with Joe beginning the song with "Where's the trumpets, Where's the trumpets...this next song is only of concern if you’re over 14!”

There is an edit before Bankrobber where Topper’s fine drumming is again well demonstrated. There is a further edit at the end of the song, which restarts into Complete Control, tonight without Mick’s teased out intro. A fine impassioned performance the song again sounding reinvigorated at Bonds. Another edit restarts with Lightning Strikes; the band improvising but are tight and together with Joe adlibbing and Mick in good form tonight adding some great heavy guitar licks.

The second CDR begins with Joe asking “What? …I’m sure some of you here are Americans, that song was what its like to be English in New York but now…” and Ivan Meets GI Joe kicks in. Joe’s intro to Charlie Don’t Surf, which features some fine inventive and expansive guitar playing from Mick, is a caustic “Those of you who want crew cuts..stand in the toilet”

Magnificent Seven is again not as extended as the earlier Bonds 8 minute improvised versions but is tight, focussed and very effective. A change of pace next with Broadway but the energy levels are brought back up for the end of the main set with an extended intro Somebody Got Murdered and then Police & Thieves, again replacing Career opportunities in the set. It’s a ‘straight’ performance with some strong playing from Mick and the band are clearly enjoying playing it again; it sounds fresh and reinvigorated, a regular in the set again. An edit at the end restarts abruptly into the beginning of Clampdown; a very strong if unexceptional performance, powered by Topper’s drumming and Mick’s lead guitar.

The first encore begins with an introduction by Joe to the photographer and their friend, Bob Gruen;“This man has been attending the Manhattan clubs of music(?) for 6 years and would like to play something he’s learnt!”. Bob manages to play a simple trumpet refrain and immediately then Topper comes in, then Paul’s bass and then Mick’s crashing guitar chords and the band deliver an intense One More Time; the band in top form with Mick sharing vocals with Joe.

It’s straight into Brand New Cadillac next with Mick’s great guitar playing dominating the sound. An edit before Washington Bullets with again Mick’s great playing dominating the sound but Topper keeps it all together. “El Salvador” shouts Joe before the by now usual mid song speech “I come from El Salvador where the people are fighting to stay alive…the bullets from Washington are killing the people of El Salvador”, the band seem impatient and bring the song to an abrupt end but as the band go straight into Janie Jones, the man continues shouting over the intro which breaks down shortly with him still shouting! The band restart the song delivering an impassioned performance with the band leaving the stage to a rare “thank you and goodnight” from Topper.

An edit begins the second encore and although its short on songs its high in quality beginning with a fine Armagideon Time which has a lengthy intro before Joe comes in with “A lot of people dead in El Salvador, a lot of people dying in El Salvador, cos the battle is getting harder…” Joe continues with El Salvador adlibs, “There’s no justice tonight” shouts a passionate Joe. Then immediately Joe screams “New York’s Burning” and the band tear through London’s Burning with Joe ranting adlibs over the ending in classic Strummer style.

Did you go? Comments, info welcome...

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Photos

photos courtesy of Bob Chrisler

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

London Calling Safe European Home The Leader Train In Vain White Man In Ham Palais This Is Radio Clash Corner Soul Guns of Brixton The Call Up Bankrobber Complete Control Lightning Strikes Ivan Meets GI Joe Charlie Don't Surf The Magnificent Seven Broadway Somebody Got Murdered Police and Thieves Clampdown One More Time Brand New Cadillac Washington Bullets Janie Jones Armagideon Time New York's Burning

The drama of the Bonds residency

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12	Background Bonds Residency The Clash arriving in New York and the build up News Reports video and audio The Ticket Fiasco The remainder of the residency History of Bonds Longer history of Bonds Posters and adverts Badges, FSLN handouts, flyers, Clash press release ... Clash on Broadway Reels List of Support Acts

1. Background: The Clash at Bond's

Italy to New York
When The Clash landed at JFK airport in New York on the night of the 25th May 1981 they had no idea that their residency at a Broadway nightclub would create such a furore and nationwide media coverage that it became a pivotal event in their assault on America, helping to propel them into the major league Stateside. As Kosmo Vinyl has succinctly put it, “People who didn’t have straight trousers and short hair suddenly knew who we were. It got out - it was big!”. The Bonds concerts became one of the most enduring aspects of the Clash legend. ... more ...

2. Residency

The remainder of the press coverage once the bad had agreed to ensure all ticket holders got in by adding 8 more dates.

3. Arrival

A collection of articles covering the bands arrival into New York including previews of the week. Also includes the WNEW preview broacast with Meg Griffin.

4. Bonds News Reports
Audio and video reports covering the ticket fiasco. Fascinating watching / listening that captures those three days well. Includes notes.

5. Ticket Fiasco
Numerous articles and audio and video reports covering the ticket fiasco.

6. The remainder of the residency

7. History of Bonds

8. Longer history of Bonds plus old photos

9. Posters and adverts
Bits and pieces inclduying all adverts and posters.

10. Badges, FSLN handouts, flyers, Clash press releases ...

11. Clash on Broadway Reels
What was filmed and what happened to it?

12. List of Support Acts

13. Photos
Random phonts bundled here.

14. Comments
Comments for those who attended one of the gigs