4CD digipack set that includes shows from the Palladium New York, 21st Sepetember 1979, the Capitol Theatre, Passaic NJ, 8th March 1980, the Nakano Sun Plaza, 28th January 1982, and the US Festival San Bernadino, 28th May 1983. One of the greatest live bands ever at the peak of their powers. These are live broadcasts from the time so quality is variable.
Disc 1-New York, 1979 Safe European Home I’m So Bored With The U.S.A. Complete Control London Calling (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais Koka Kola I Fought The Law Jail Guitar Doors The Guns Of Brixton English Civil War Clash City Rockers Stay Free Clampdown Police And Thieves Capital Radio Tommy Gun Wrong ‘Em Boyo Janie Jones Garageland Armagideon Time Career Opportunities What’s My Name White Riot
Arguably among the most famous concert in the history of The Clash; the night of the ‘ultimate rock photo’ and cover of London Calling and the source of probably the most widely circulated Clash bootleg from the FM radio broadcast. Critical acclaim following the gig was also significant in pushing further the band’s profile in the US.
WNEW FM recorded the complete concert and this high quality stereo broadcast is the source of all the recordings in circulation. This was the second of the two concerts at the seated and sold out Palladium on New York’s 14th Street.
The 3,800 seater Palladium was an old converted theatre, as ornate as London’s Lyceum but sleazier with drug pushers plying their trade outside.
Disc 2-Passaic NJ, 1980 Clash City Rockers Brand New Cadillac Safe European Home Jimmy Jazz London Calling Guns Of Brixton Train In Vain White Man Koka Kola/I Fought The Law Spanish Bombs Police and Thieves Stay Free Julie’s Been Working For The Drug Squad Wrong ‘Em Boyo Janie Jones Complete Control Armagideon Time English Civil War Garageland Bank Robber Tommy Gun
Disc 3-Tokyo, 1982 London Calling Safe European Home (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais Brand New Cadillac Charlie Don’t Surf Clampdown This is Radio Clash Armagideon Time Jimmy Jazz Tommy Gun Fujiyama Mama (w/ Pearl Harbour) Police On My Back White Riot
Disc 4-San Bernadino, 1983 Somebody Got Murdered Rock The Casbah Guns Of Brixton Know Your Rights Koka Kola Hate & War Armagideon Time The Sound Of Sinners Safe European Home Police On My Back Brand New Cadillac I Fought The Law I’m So Bored With The U.S.A. Train In Vain The Magnificent Seven Straight To Hell Should I Stay Or Should I Go Clampdown
Bored With The USA
The final concert the Clash played with Mick Jones, and just after Combat Rock had made them into platinum selling world stars. Recorded on 28th May, 1983 at San Bernadino’s US Festival. Tracks include Rock The Casbah, Magnificent 7, I’m So Bored With The USA (you gotta love them!), and plenty more.
The Clash came to a rather sad ending in May 1983. The group had every reason to be on the top of the world by this point: their previous LP, Combat Rock, was an enormous hit and their singles “Rock the Casbah” and “Should I Stay or Should I Go” were all over radio and MTV. But drummer Topper Headon was kicked out of the group for drug abuse in 1982, and Mick Jones and Joe Strummer were barely speaking.
They took a six-month break after the Combat Rock tour ended in November 1982, but a $500,000 offer from Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak to headline New Wave Day of the US Festival proved impossible to turn down. To warm up for the huge festival, the group went on a four-date tour of Texas and Arizona. Founding drummer Terry Chimes (who rejoined the band in 1982 after Headon got the boot) was once again out of the group by this point, so they took out an ad in Melody Maker and recruited 23-year-old Pete Howard.
By the time they got to San Bernardino, California for the festival, they were in complete disarray. Things got worse when they learned fans were paying $25 to attend the show. They had been told previously that prices would be set at $17, and shortly before they went onstage, they held a press conference. The band announced they wouldn’t go on unless Apple gave $100,000 to charity. It was chaos. Some later claimed the real cause of their rage was the knowledge that Van Halen were getting a million dollars for their set.
The band eventually went onstage two hours late and played a sloppy, 80-minute set in front of a banner that read “The Clash Not for Sale.” Joe Strummer taunted the audience from the stage and afterward, the band got into a brawl with security. The group still walked away with a half-million dollars; four months later, they announced that Mick Jones was leaving the group. The chaotic US Festival was his final appearance with the band.
Guns From Brixton
Legendary cable broadcast recorded at the Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ on March 8th 1980, and featuring the classic line up of Strummer, Jones, Simonon, Headon. Tracks include London Calling, Guns of Brixton, Police and Thieves, Complete Control etc.
We can be very grateful that this very enjoyable Clash 16 Tons performance is unusually well documented by not only a good audience recording, but an excellent soundboard source too and even complete black and white video recording of the whole show.
This documentary evidence reveals a typically of this tour, super-tight and professional show. Although, inspired in places it does not really catch fire until Clampdown through to the encores. The Clash tired no doubt after their high profile Palladium show the night before (TV crews, New York press and glitterati) needed the feedback of energy from the audience, but that was not going to happen from this all seated venue. The result as can be seen from the video is that The Clash this night are largely on auto-pilot and real inspiration is only there on certain songs.
The Only Band That Matters
Compilation of live broadcast tracks dating from 1977 to 1983. Tracks include all the favourites – White Man, Tommy Gun, Train In Vain, Should I Stay and more.
Radio Clash From Tokyo
Legendary live broadcast from Nakano Sun Plaza, Tokyo recorded on 28th January 1982, and around the time of the release of Sandinista. Tracks include London Calling, White Man, Brand New Cadillac, Armagideon Time, White Riot etc.
The Clash were burning down the Nakano Sun Plaza in Tokyo as part of their Far East tour in early 1982, playing some pre-release versions of songs that would eventually appear on “Combat Rock” three months later. In terms of quality, this set is hit and miss . . . But even in its muddied glory, you can still hear the power and musicianship of the band shining through. You can even sense some remaining rapport between the band members here – probably the last of it, as the band was touring in the midst of the contentious recording of that album. Mick Jones was unhappy with the rest of the band rejecting his Rat Patrol From Fort Bragg mix, and Glyn Johns was about to be brought in at the end of the tour to remix the album in London. Jones was especially pissed at Joe Strummer; their acrimony would lead to Jones leaving the group less than eighteen months later .
White Riots In New York: Broadcast Live From The Palladium, NYC, 1979
The classic line up of The Clash lasted for five years from 1977 to 1982 and featured lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Joe Strummer, lead guitarist and vocalist Mick Jones, bassist Paul Simonon and drummer Nicky “Topper” Headon. Give ‘Em Enough Rope, the second studio album, was released on 10th November 1978. The album was a huge success and by 1979 The Clash had begun to make serious inroads into the US market.
White Riots in New York City is the legendary Clash broadcast from The Palladium NYC on 21st September 1979. This powerful recording captures The Clash at the peak of their form performing material from Give ‘Em Enough Rope and The Clash and their soon to be released third album, London Calling.
Featuring cover illustrations by Ray Lowry, the official Clash “War Artist”, who toured with The Clash and sketched them on stage and in rehearsal.
The Fat Angel Sings 