In the sweltering heat of London's 1977 punk explosion, two of the scene's biggest architects briefly joined forces. Following his high-profile exit from the Sex Pistols, bassist Glen Matlock formed The Rich Kids . To get the project off the ground, he turned to his close friend and lead guitarist of The Clash, Mick Jones .

This wasn't a permanent career shift, but rather a high-octane favor between friends that resulted in a legendary three-gig stint.

The Clash Getty Images, 1977 Dick Barnatt Stock Photos, High-Res Pictures, and Images

Mick, Glen Matlock formed The Rich Kids

This wasn't a permanent career shift, but rather a high-octane favor between friends that resulted in a legendary three-gig stint.

The Three-Gig Run

While The Clash was rapidly ascending as "the only band that matters," Mick Jones stepped in to provide a "wall of sound" for The Rich Kids' live debut. These secret and warm-up sets took place in late August 1977 :

Venue	Location	Significance
The Nashville Rooms	West Kensington	One of the earliest test runs for the Matlock/Egan/New trio with Mick.
Hope & Anchor	Islington	A "secret" set used to sharpen the band's power-pop-meets-punk edge.
The Brecknock	Camden	August 30, 1977 : The most famous of the three, immortalized in photos by Dick Barnatt.

The Band

During these performances, the lineup consisted of:

Glen Matlock: Bass/Vocals
Rusty Egan: Drums
Steve New: Guitar
Mick Jones: Guest Guitar

Mick Jones' presence gave the band immediate underground credibility and a massive sonic punch. However, the collaboration was always destined to be short-lived. By the end of August, Mick returned to his full-time duties with The Clash , who were preparing for their own whirlwind of touring and recording.

The Aftermath

Shortly after Mick's departure, the band recruited Midge Ure (formerly of Slik and later of Ultravox) in October 1977, completing the definitive quartet. While The Rich Kids only released one album, Ghosts of Princes in Towers , their origin story remains a classic example of the tight-knit, collaborative spirit of the original London punk movement.

The Legacy:

Even though Mick Jones didn't record with them, his brief tenure helped bridge the gap between the raw aggression of the Sex Pistols and the polished, melodic power-pop that The Rich Kids eventually pioneered.