Trash 77. “The Clash: Why Does Mick Jones Always Look So Happy?” Trash 77 (UK fanzine), no. 2, May 1977, 3 pages.

Trash 77 Nº2 (May 1977)

— Trash 77 #2 a major review of The Clash’s debut LP, alongside commentary on Rock Against Racism.

— Main feature: The Clash, with playful headline Why does Mick Jones always look so happy?, The Clash’s debut LP described as the year’s most important release, comments on dole life, IRA bomb threats, and youth frustrations.

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TRASH 77 fanzine  |  Nº2 May 1977  |   Cover


TRASH 77 Nº2 May 1977 Price: 25p

Don't pick it up.

The Clash why does Mick Jones always look so happy?


TRASH 77 fanzine  |  Nº2 May 1977  |   Page 8 & Page 9


The Jam

Lor. Paul Weller, Rick Buckler, Bruce Foxton

The Jam: In The City/Takin' My Love.

First of all let me say that the guy who said that The Jam were a 60s revivalist band should have his ears syringed, made to listen to In The City a coupla hundred times then be hung, drawn and quartered. 60s fuck all, this is pure late 70s rock 'n' roll at its best.

The only thing that they've got to do with the 60s is that they replace the youth, energy and enthusiasm that faded out somewhere between here and the mid 60s and also they dress very like the mods did at that time. The City is a truly amazing piece of vinyl. If you don't like this you're a geek, because it's really something.

It's saying something about the 70s, something that's very relevant to us. Apart from the lyrical content though, the music can't be ignored. If The Who were Maximum R&B, then this is Ultimate R&B, this record is an event and so is the album which I managed to get a sneak preview of. Funnily enough, I didn't really think that I would have a good word for anything this issue because I've been listening to The Clash album far too much.

I think that The Jam will be just as good in a different kind of way. If you don't like groups who aren't good musically, then you can't miss a listen to The Jam, they're really tight and someday soon they are gonna be BIG.

In The City is a must for bass fans, cos there is really an infectious, throbbing bass riff all through this masterpiece and Paul Weller's guitar playing and Rick Buckler's drumming too get you moving and make you wanna get up and pogo (bet you can't sit still) even though you should be listening to the lyrics as well, that's important. I can't wait to see this group live, cos I know that they're gonna be magnificent, they just have to be.


The Adverts: One Chord Wonders/Quickstep

One Chord Wonders is a seething mass of noise, buzzsaw guitar, vibrating bass, noise, thrashing drums and noise. And I love it, it's just great. Somewhere among all this noise you can make out Tim Smith's vocals very clearly and it makes a pleasant change to be able to hear lyrics on a first listening.

This song is a true story, written from experience about the stupid audiences that new wave bands have to face who slag them off for not being very good musicians We don't like you go away/come back when you've learned to play and it works, it really does.

The B-side of this charming little ditty by T.V. Smith & Co is Quickstep, yeah another great one although Bored Teenagers might have been a better choice, just as chaotic as side 1, not quite as good though. In the lyrics one bit says Pretty soon they'll see what punks can do — yeah well The Adverts have shown everyone what punks can do by bringing this fantastic record out, I hope I see more of them in the very near future.


Album review

The Clash: The Clash

After what seems like ages of waiting, here it is, the only truly meaningful elpee so far this year and by that I don't mean any offense to any other group, but every song here means something, although I think some of them only mean something to The Clash themselves, but they're all great.

No hidden obscure meanings which you have to search for here, the messages in the lyrics of these songs hit you loud and clear, like a sharp kick to the head. Side 1 opens with Janie Jones followed by Remote Control, two brilliant tracks, then comes one of my personal favourites, I'm So Bored With The U.S.A.

I personally like this one, because I've maintained for a long time that I'm pissed off with America. Everyone's favourite next with White Riot — a better, more raw recording, with sparser producing and a great solo, gives it a live feeling, although my copy jumps around like hell. Hate & War is next and it sums up that hate and war is really all there is anywhere.

Although disliked by a lot of people, What's My Name is one of the best tracks on the LP, and I think it's just too much for words.

Deny, the next track, is quite weak, but you're not disappointed for long, because it's straight into London's Burning. Someone I know was slagging me off for raving about this, because I don't live in London, but when you think about it, there's a lot of big cities up and down the country where there are motorways like the Westway, high-rise blocks and nothing at all to do — this song could be about any one of them.

Side 2 opens with a bang, the classic Career Opportunities, possibly the best and the most blatantly obvious track on the whole album.

It catalogues the hard time and many years Joe Strummer had on the dole, where the Dept. of Employment offered him any job they had and said that he'd better take it, and it also tells about the time Mick Jones was working for the Civil Service and because he was the youngest member of staff, he had to open the letters, which were probably letter bombs, because this was round about the time that the I.R.A. were sending bombs to British government establishments.

Cheat is about how you don't get anywhere nowadays by being honest and you have to cheat and lie to survive.

Protex Blue is about prophylactics (Johnny bags to you), although my hearing ain't too good and I'm having trouble making out what they are singing.

Police & Thieves, although six minutes long, is anything but boring — a rock version of this great reggae song, choppy guitar riffs backed up by Paul Simonon's throwaway jumpy bass lines. Like White Riot, this is about the Notting Hill Riots, although both songs are completely different. You can't compare it with the original because they are both done so differently.

48 Hours is probably the weakest track on the album. I say weakest because there aren't any actual bad ones — it tells of how when the weekend comes you've got 48 hours to cram as many thrills into as you can before Monday comes and you're back at work or whatever.

To close this terrific album is Garageland. This is The Clash at their bitter best, hitting back at a journalist who, after seeing their second gig, said that they are a garage band who should have stayed in the garage with the motor running. It's also them showing that they know what they are and they don't forget how they started, and they aren't going to get out of their depth by becoming big stars and tax exiles and ignoring the people who put them where they are now.

I doubt if there's many level-headed people without this album by now, but if you ain't level-headed (I ain't but I do have The Clash), then get this LP as soon as you can, any way that you can.



Rock Against Racism

Rock Against Racism — yeah, a terrific idea, but I must admit that I don't think I'd have went up to the Roundhouse if there hadn't been at least one punk band playing. The audience was really mixed — by that I mean that there were hippies, punks, straights, Rastas, Africans, Paks, and all sorts of other nationalities, which made for a really friendly atmosphere. Going home, back to Glasgow this night, May Day, and I had my case with me, got searched on the way in, because there were a lot of bouncers about — and no wonder, cos there was a scare on, in case any of the NF was coming up for aggro.

When The Adverts came on, I was really pleased, because I was seeing my third new wave band since I had arrived in London. T.V. Smith really goes crazy on stage. I've heard he is like J.R., but since I've never seen The Sex Pistols I dunno, but he looked great to me. I've forgotten what number they played first, but I do know that it was really great.

I think Gaye Advert could move a bit more though, but it would probably spoil her image. She really has to (Continues on next page **** Missing)


TRASH 77 fanzine  |  Nº2 May 1977  |   Page 8 & Page 9





Alternate PDF - OCR

Key Articles

Publication Details

Trash '77, Issue No. 2, published May 1977 in the UK at a price of 25p.

Front Cover

Header: TRASH '77 Nº 2 (MAY 1977) - PRICE: 25p

Band Feature List: The Jam (w/ Union Jack icon) + THE ADVERTS + CHELSEA + THE JOLT + IGGY + THE BOYS + WAYNE COUNTY + THE LURKERS + MORE

Photo Captions & Graphics: * Top Right: "60s BAND NOWAY!" (Above band photo)

Footer: DON'T PICK IT UP.

Page 2 Transcript

Header: EDITORIAL. - PAGE 2

Main Editorial Text: Well I finally done a number 2 and it's twice as bad as number 1. Seriously though, I didn't personally like number 1 very much, this issue's much better, and I hope number 3 will be much better again. I don't want to go downhill like some fanzines have since their early issues. I asked in number 1 for criticism about the mag, well where were all your fuckin criticisms then?, the only ones I did get said that it was too professional. That's just too fuckin stupid for words, I think that what they meant by that was that the typing was quite good, well that was about the only thing I did learn to do at school, anyway the other fanzines who have typing errors etc don't do it on purpose you know, what am I meant to do? make mistakes just so that it looks scruffy, that would be daft.

Thanx to anyone who sent me in articles for inclusion in this issue, but I can't use everyone's stuff and don't intend to use anyone's stuff unless it's really good or I ask them to write for me. If you really fancy yourselves as budding journalists, then send your stuff to Alan at "Live Wire" because that's what his fanzine is for, fan's stuff, as he says himself, he is just the editor.

There's a bit about my London weekend on the 29th of April in this and also a lot of info on the Scottish scene and bands. Again, George has done nearly fuck all and most of this was done by myself. Whooops a mistake, what was I saying about being good at typing. - Craig

Photo Caption: JOHN FOXX. U/VOX - PIC BY: WALT DAVIDSON

Right Column Credits & Info:

ADVERTISMENT: HEY TEENS!!! COULD YOU MEASURE UP AS A SUBHUMAN? GUITARISTS & BASS PLAYERS (PREFERABLY WRITERS) PHONE DUNTOCHER 75256 ASK FOR CALLUM, OR STEVE 041-883-6991.

Signature: Craig Trash '77

Page 4 Transcript

Header: IGGOGRAPHY 4

Photo Caption: METALLIC K.O.: THE DANCE OF DEATH

Main Text: Let's get this straight, this isn't going to be one of those "Hey didja ever hear about the time the Ig threw up over the audience/rolled on broken glass/got punched out by greasers...etc" gore-spattered lists of all the depressing events which make up the Stooges legend. They've been recounted so many times as to pass into rock 'n' roll history and you aren't gonna read them again here. What you are going to read is a retrospective of the musical career of one James Jewel Osterburg, perhaps the greatest rock performer of the last decade and certainly the ultimate manifestation of rock's essentially nihilistic outlook on life... IGGY POP.

Born in a caravan park in Ann Arbor (a Detroit suburb) on April 21st 1947, the reportedly very intelligent Jimmy Osterburg soon got disenchanted with his academic career and hit the road to Chicago, where he befriended Paul Butterfield drummer, Sam Lay, who taught him to play drums. After abortive attempts at stardom via Hawaiian guitar (somebody sat on it and broke it) and playing in Detroit bands "The Prime Movers" and the "Iguanas", he left the drums behind in order to...uh...express himself more fully as a singer. Out of this came the (psychedelic) Stooges in 1968, and what a band!! On guitar, Ron Asheton, a clean cut, "All American" Nazi fetishist, who'd previously played bass fro two weeks in "The Prime Movers", but was thrown out. On drums brother Scott "Rock Action" Asheton who even then was apparently a chronic drug abuser and Dave Alexander on bass, who worked in a vegetarian restaurant and later died of alchohol poisoning.

Out of this unholy union, came "The Stooges" (Eks 74051) released in August '69 and still as relevant today as it was then. "We did that album in four days, we'd never played a note at that time and the band hadn't written any songs before, so I bought a guitar and learned these chords in two weeks, I wrote the songs in three days then we recorded them". And what songs, "No Fun", "Little Doll", "1969", all with a classic monotoned beat from the rythmn section and Ron's demented high-energy guitar, playing like the fuzz and wah-wah pedals were skin-grafted onto each foot, but it was the vocals which counted, Iggy's bored sneer, yowling banal, "nothing" lyrics and shrieking like an amphetamineined hyena. Produced by John Cale it's a quintessential piece of 'Pure Punk Rock", raw, basic and definately "couldn't care less".

The Ig's inspiration for starting a band in the first place, was seeing Jim Morrison when The Doors were playing in Ann Arbor ("Jim Morrison was my idol, if he were alive today, I'd die for him") and also ? and the Mysterians, playing in Puerto Rican clubs in Michigan. It shows too, Iggy's Morrison-derived vocals over a Mysterians-like monotonous thrashing being the staple of the Stooges sound, right through their many incarnations.

Between the first album and the second, things started to go downhill for the band. Iggy was well into acid by this time and the band had just incorporated their roadie, Billy Cheatham, into the band as rythmn guitarist (this is March 1970) but I dunno what had happened to him by the time of "Fun House" (in August 1970). "Fun House" (Eks 74071) has virtually attained legendary status by now and was described by Iggy as "a sustained scream from Hell". It catalogues the bands descent into the pits of hedonistic excess, still screaming the odds every inch of the way. Side 1 contains a string of 'punk' classics, "Down On The Street", "Loose" (which the Runaways did live once or twice), "T.V. Eye" and "Dirt", all with the teeth-grinding, over-the-top guitar of Ron Asheton, providing a musical bed of nails for the Ig to writh on. This was no pose, no fey, pseudo-violence for The Dum-Dum boys!!! Over on side 2, things

Page 8 Transcript

Header Section: The Jam | L-R: PAUL WELLER, RICK BUCKLER, BRUCE FOXTON | PAGE 8

Review: THE JAM: In The City / Takin' My Love. First of all let me say that the guy who said that The Jam were a 60s revivalist band should have his ears syringed, made to listen to In The City a coupla hundred times then be hung, drawn and quartered. 60s fuck all, this is pure late 70s rock 'n' roll at it's best. The only thing that they've got to do with the 60s is that they replace the youth, energy and enthusiasm that faded out somewhere between here and the mid 60s and also they dress very like the mods did at that time. In The City is a truly amazing piece of vinyl. If you don't like this your a geek, because it's really something. It's saying something about the 70s something that's very relevant to US. Apart from the lyrical content though, the music can't be ignored. If the Who were Maximum R&B, then this is Ultimate R&B, this record is an event and so is the album which I managed to get a sneak preview of. Funnily enough, I didn't really think that I would have a good word for anything this issue because I've been listening to The Clash album far too much. I think that The Jam's will be just as good in a different kind of way. If you don't like groups who aren't good musically, then you can't miss a listen to The Jam, they're really tight and someday soon they are gonna be BIG. In The City is a must for bass fans, cos there is really an infectious, throbbing bass riff all through this masterpiece and Paul Weller's guitar playing and Rick Buckler's drumming too get you moving and make you wanna get up and pogo (bet you can't sit still) even though you should be listening to the lyrics as well, that's important. I can't wait to see this group live, cos I know that they're gonna be magnificent, they just have to be.

Review: THE ADVERTS: One Chord Wonders / Quickstep One Chord Wonders is a seething mass of noise, buzzsaw guitar, vibrating bass, noise, thrashing drums and noise. And I love it, it's just great. Somewhere among all this noise you can make out Tim Smith's vocals very clearly and it makes a pleasant change to be able to hear lyrics on a first listening. This song is a true story, written from experience about the stupid audiences that new wave bands have to face who slag them off for not being very good musicians - "We don't like you go away/come back when you've learned to play" and it works, it really does. The B side of this charming little ditty by T.V. & Co is Quickstep, yeah another great one although Bombsite Boy or Bored Teenagers might have been a better choice, just as chaotic as side 1, not quite as good though. In the lyrics one bit says "Pretty soon they'll see what punks can do" yeah well The Adverts have shown everyone what punks can do by bringing this fantastic record out, I hope I see more of them in the very near future.

ALBUM REVIEW - THE CLASH: THE CLASH After what seems like ages of waiting, here it is, the only truly meaningful elpee SO FAR this year and by that I don't mean any offense to any other group, but every song here means something, although I think some of them only mean something to The Clash themselves, but they're all great. No hidden obscure meanings which you have to search for here, the messages in the lyrics of these songs hits you loud and clear, like a sharp kick to the head. Side 1 opens with "Janie Jones" followed by "Remote Control" two brilliant tracks, then comes on of my personal favourites, "I'm So Bored With The U.S.A." I personally like this one, because I've maintained for a long time that I'm pissed off with America. "Everyone's favourite next with "White Riot" a better more raw recording, with sparser producing and a great solo, gives it a live feeling, although my copy jumps around like hell. "Hate & War" is next and it sums up that hate and war is really all there is anywhere. Although disliked by a lot of people "What's My Name" is one of the best tracks on the L.P., and I think it's just too much for words. "Deny" the next track is quite weak, but you're not disappointed for long, because (continued next page.)

Page 9 Transcript

Header: 9 Top Left: Continued from last page.

Review: THE CLASH (Continued) it's straight into "London's Burning", someone I know was slagging me off for raving about this, because I don't live in London, but when you think about it, there's a lot of big cities up and down the country where there are motorways like the Westway, high rise blocks and nothing at all to do, this song could be about any one of them. Side 2 opens with a bang, the classic "Career Opportunities", possibly the best and the most blatantly obvious track on the whole album. It catalogues the hard time and many years Joe Strummer had on the dole, where the Dept. of Employment offered him any job they had and said that he'd better take it and it also tells about the time Mick Jones was working for the Civil Service and because he was the youngest member of staff, he had to open the letters, which were probable letter bombs, because this was round about the time that the I.R.A. were sending bombs to British Government establishments. "Cheat" is about how you don't get anywhere nowadays by being honest and you have to cheat and lie to survive. "Protex Blue" is about prophylactics (Johnny bags to you) although my hearing ain't too good and I'm having trouble making out what they are singing. "Police & Thieves" although six minutes long, is anything but boring, a rock version of this great reggae song, choppy guitar riffs, backed up by Paul Simonon's throwaway jumpy bass lines, like "White Riot" this about the Nottinghill Riots although both songs are completely different. You can't compare it with the original because they are both done so differently. "48 Hours" is probably the weakest track on the album, I say weakest because there aren't any actual bad ones, it tells of how when the weekend comes you've got 48 hours to cram as many thrills into as you can before Monday comes and you're back at work or whatever. To close this terrific album is "Garageland" this is The Clash at their bitter best, hitting back at a journalist who, after seeing their second gig said that "they are a garage band who should have stayed in the garage.... with the motor running", it's also them showing that they know what they are and they don't forget how they started and they aren't going to get out of their depth by becoming big stars and tax exiles and ignoring the people who put them where they are now. I doubt if there's many level headed people without this album by now, but if you ain't level headed (I ain't but I do have The Clash) then get this l.p. as soon as you can anyway that you can.

Section Header: ROCK AGAINST RACISM Rock Against Racism, yeah a terrific idea, but I must admit that I don't think I'd have went up to the Roundhouse if there hadn't been at least one punk band playing. The audience was really mixed, by that I mean that there were, hippies, punks, straights, Rastas, Africans, Paks, and all sorts of other nationalities, which made for a really friendly atmosphere. I was going home, back to Glasgow this night, Mayday, and I had my case with me, got searched on the way in, because there were a lot of bouncers about, and no wonder, cos there was a scare on, in case any of the NF came up for an aggro. When The Adverts came on, I was really pleased, because I was seeing my third new wave band, since I had arrived in London. T.V. Smith really goes crazy on stage, I've heard he is like J.R. but since I've never seen the Pistols I dunno, but he looked great to me. I've forgotten what number they played first, but I do know that it was really great. I think Gaye Advert could move a bit more though, but it would probably spoil her image. She really has to (Continues on next page)

Page 10 Transcript (Handwritten)

Recipient: JOE,

Main Text: I met you at Edinburgh and you gave me the address so's I could send you my fanzine, well here it is. I hope you like it. Nº 3 will contain a review of the Edinburgh gig and also the interview you gave me, so I'll send you a copy of that too. I look forward to meeting you again, very soon, which may be possible, because Bernie gave The Jolt Endale's phone number to see if they'll let them support you in Newcastle, so I'll be roadieing for them if it happens. OK I'll sign off now and hope that you like my mag. GOOD LUCK!

Signature: Craig Campbell

Footer Slogan: TRASH '77, IN TUNE WITH EVERYTHING!