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Leeds University

Faversham Pub, Leeds

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the 'shows' generated some excitement

BUSKING TOUR...Joe and Paul took the boys on an impromptu busking tour - playing publicly and outside venues acoustically... the 'shows' generated some excitement about the forthcoming album... They all hitched from London by the M1 and agreed to meet up in the pub near Nottingham Railway Station. The Last Days of the Clash - Vince White pg 226

Local pub rocked by The Clash

Daily Mirror - Monday 13 May 1985 Local pub rocked by the Clash

Article has different dates to blackmarketclash

Alamy Photos

"The Clash playing live in a pub in Leeds, they stunned fans with a blitz of unannounced gigs. This was part of their busking tour of Britain. Pictured, Paul Simonon and Joe Strummer. May 1985. Alamy"

Blackmarketclash | Facebook

No known audio or video

See The Last Days of the Clash - Vince White pg 230
Played Cool Under Heat, Movers & Shakers, White Riot, Clash City Rockers to more than 500 fans.

From The Alarm website

Archive PDF

Alarm website lists the gig as 7th May 1985, University, Leeds.

The band played;
Cool Under Heat,
Movers and Shakers,
White Riot and
Clash City Rockers to more than 500 fans.

May 7th 1895 marked one of the most bizarre turns in the your history of The Alarm.  The Alarm had been (frustratingly, mistakenly, wrongly, dismissively — choose your own adverb here) compared to The Clash by the UK music press.  The sad part about it, was that The Clash (the remains of  the band anyway)  believed it.   The Alarm had already been supported by Mike Jones B.A.D. the year before which was odd enough, but the events of May 7th were unprecedented.

As The Alarm, were getting ready to play inside, The Clash showed-up and performed an acoustic busking concert outside the venue in Leeds (The University refectory where The Who’s - ‘Live at Leeds’ album was recorded).  The band stopepd their sound-check to go watch the proceedings.

“I distinctly remember Redeye bursting on to the stage during the soundcheck and announcing that Joe Strummer and The Clash were busking to the fans outside the venue. I didn’t believe him at first and thought it was a wind-up but soon realised it was true and so I dropped everything and ran outside to see what was going on.” - Mike Peters 2015

 “I saw The Clash on this tour, on a late night National Express from Nottingham to Leeds- it was very exclusive- just me, them jamming at the back and the coach driver. Unfortunately I wasn’t into the Clash much then, so didn’t recognise them. I only realised a few days later when there was a report about them busking outside an Alarm Leeds Uni gig in the Uni newspaper. The Alarm came out to watch apparently.” - John 2013 Internet Blog

Outside where the Alarm were playing that night, The Clash were disrupted 15 minutes / 4 songs into their set (about 7pm) as Joe Strummer got covered in red paint (which was thrown by members of Chumbawumba from the roof of the University Building), in protest at The Clash being part of CBS Records and the Company’s alleged involvement in the construction of Cruise Missiles

Paint thown at Strummer

"Outside Leeds University where The Alarm were playing that night -disrupted after 15 minutes /4 songs (about 7pm) from the Chumbawamba website. "The red paint thrown over Joe happened in Leeds, outside the University before an Alarm gig. There's a couple of references on the web to it: Pouring red paint over the Clash on their comeback "busking" tour in Leeds demonstrated their contempt for what they saw as false prophets.

Meanwhile, anarchy was becoming archaic in the U.K., as a pallid version of the Clash, sans Mick Jones, roamed the streets in search of lost credibility. They'd done the America, champagne and coke thing, and they came back over here trying to prove that they could still relate to the kids," says ex-punk Bruce, who felt betrayed by his former idols.

To me it just smacked of insincerity; they were doing this tour where they would be busking outside gigs. So [fellow Chumbawamban] Danbert [Nobacon] sprayed them with red paint and then got chased through Leeds City Center by a load of angry people. But he managed to escape."

“Meanwhile, anarchy was becoming archaic in the U.K., as a pallid version of the Clash, sans Mick Jones, roamed the streets in search of lost credibility. They’d done the America, champagne and coke thing, and they came back over here trying to prove that they could still relate to the kids, “To me it just smacked of insincerity; they were doing this tour where they would be busking outside gigs. So [fellow Chumbawumban] Danbert [Nobacon] sprayed them with red paint and then got chased through Leeds City Center by a load of angry people. But he managed to escape.” - Dunstan Bruce (Chumbawumba)

The Clash busking outside The Alarm concert, Leeds University, 1985. ("Drew a small crowd...")

The Clash leaving The Alarm gig

the atmosphere around the place was just amazing

Ian Corbridge - It seemed just like an ordinary evening on 7 May 1985 as I was waiting in the sunshine for my mate Nigel to pick me up in Sheffield town centre to go and see the Alarm play at Leeds University. However all that was about to change when he arrived in the car at top speed.

Nigel had caught a bit of the Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC2 just before he left to pick me up....at that time it had an early evening live spot. Whilst he was watching it, someone had called the BBC about a rumour that The Clash would be busking outside the Alarm gig in Leeds that night. So, whilst we didn't really believe that it was going to happen, we set off for Leeds at a fair old pace and arrived there in record time.

Having parked up we approached the University building to find that hardly anyone had gone inside.....obviously the rumours had spread and everyone was wondering whether The Clash would really turn up and there was an air of expectation and anticipation everywhere.

Within about 15 or 20 minutes, another small crowd appeared amongst which were Joe Strummer and the rest of the gang carrying acoustic guitars, a wooden box for a stand up bass and another box to hit with drum sticks.

Amidst much excitement the guys promptly set up just outside the University building and launched straight into 3 or 4 songs. By this time the atmosphere around the place was just amazing and most people, including ourselves, had forgotten that we had originally turned up to see the Alarm.

After about the fourth song, some people seemed to come from inside the University (not sure whether they were connected with the University or the Alarm) and started hassling Joe to move away from the front of the building. At the same time some idiot threw what looked like red paint at Joe at which point the band put down there equipment and started to walk off down the road.

Not wanting miss any of the action we, together with a large section of the crowd, started to follow them, not quite knowing where we would end up. As we walked down the road we managed to catch up with Joe and starting asking him all sorts of questions, most of which I canít now remember (well it was 15 years ago!).

However I do remember how easy he was to talk to, even after the hassle he had just got outside the University building. I also remember him talking about how he remembered The Clash's first ever gig at the Black Swan pub (affectionately known as the Mucky Duck) in Sheffield in July 1976, which my mate Nigel actually went to, even though it was 9 years ago!

Then on to Faversham

After about 15 minutes we arrived in the car park of the Faversham pub in Leeds, at which point the guys got their equipment sorted out and launched into an amazing set of songs for about 45 minutes - check out the Acoustic Daze CD which brings all the memories of that time flooding back.

Again the atmosphere was amazing with everybody singing along to White Man, Brand New Cadilac, Police On My Back etc. etc. Before we knew it Joe and the guys had done their stuff and they were off.

We then headed off back to the University and arrived just in time to see the Alarm come on stage. Those people that had not followed the band down to the car park had missed an unforgettable experience! Oh, and the Alarm were pretty good too.......

Ricky Burrell | Facebook

I had the pleasure of chatting with Joe in the Faversham afterwards

Chris Parkin / Clash on Parole FB 5 Dec 2012

Back in the 80's I saw the Clash busking outside the Alarm gig at Leeds Uni. Some animal rights protester had lobbed red gloss all over Joe cos they didn't like leather jackets, hmmmm.

We were tipped off that it was going to happen by the now famous James Brown (not that one) and were in at the start. I had the pleasure of chatting with Joe in the Faversham afterwards and he gave me a roll up, which I stubbed and selotaped to the Combat Rock poster. Sadly it was lost in a house move years later.

I offered them a lift to York the next day but as I only had a Mini Clubman Estate at the time it was a non starter from the off. Happy days indeed.

Had a piss next to Strummer in a local pub!

Neil Coombes Martin Hanson ran over from Henry Price flats - someone threw some red paint on joes jacket outside the Uni and I had a leak next to him in the gents at the Faversham! [After] the busk outside Leeds University 1986 - had a piss next to Strummer in a local pub!

Peter Leighton I saw them on the steps of Leeds University while the Alarm were playing inside....

barbara butterworth - @bbutterw2 - 13/01/2018, 08:43
@prodnose 1. The Clash when they were doing their busking around Leeds ‘83 or ‘84. Walked past the front steps of university as they were tuning up. No one watching at that point. Thought they looked very professional for buskers. Heartbroken when I read about it the next day.

Mark Cranfield
I was there too - even had a beer and a chat with Joe in the York Arms, which was nice!

Lee Mason 
You can just see the red paint on Band member that they threw from the window..I had a fantastic photo of Joe Strummer covered in red paint must try dig it out!!!

Simon Curtis  - 2013
There’s another picture of the night, taken out of a window at Leeds Uni, see if you can spot me...about halfway between top and bottom just in from the left side, got a blue pilot jacket on this time.

Sean McCartney 
Oh yes, I remember it well. Joe was hammered and banging on about shiny kettles being black on the bottom, and in the process up-ended his pint all over the pavement. Happy days!

Leeds newspaper

Tony White - @tony_white_ - 29 Oct 2011 - @johnrobb77
Straight to Hell? No, Leeds. The Clash busking tour of 1985 (inc archive report from Leeds Other Paper) http://bit.ly/tK6BnW

Photos - The Clash @ Leeds University

Leeds University before the gig

No known audio or video

The Last Days of the Clash - Vince White pg 230.
Played Clash songs for nearly an hour

After a short walk down the road from the Uni, the band set up in the pub car park and played a full set for 45 minutes (about 7.45pm) - date confirmed from Alarm website. More info on this gig read The Last Days of the Clash - Vince White pg 231 -

an amazing night

Neil Coombes: I saw them busking outside Leeds Uni - followed them around town before they caught the train to York when I guess this picture was taken- an amazing night - even had a leak next to Mr Strummer in the Faversham arms!

I was a DJ at The Fav at the time

Post by Chrism » Tue 17 Jan, 2012 3:58 pm
I remember them in the Fav car park as I was a DJ at The Fav at the time. Didn't take any pix myself but I know a few people there did so there must be some pix laying about in shoe boxes somewhere. I think there were some pix of the Phono gig on the Phono page on facebook, but a lot of stuff got lost or removed when FB did one of it's unannounced upgrades.

Unknown Busking Photos

No known audio or video
If you know of any recording, email blackmarketclash