Hey guys. Sorry that took so long. I labeled the tracks in iTunes, but it doesn't appear on the file name. If you stick them in iTunes or Windows Media Player, they're labeled. I'm not sure why that happened.
Also, grab 12 Hits from Hell from Open Your Arms and Welcome, if you haven't got it yet. He's also got up two Gogol Bordello albums.
4 comments:
NO LEAFS OR THIEVES -- ha, gotta love the bootleggers' sense of humor, right? Seeing these covers made me pull out my old tape (type II Maxell, don'tcha know) and give it another listen...as Clash performances go, if you collect 'em by the bushel...this one is a "must hear, must own" from '79! Of course, if you still have that old tape, you'd get a different feel for what that night was like (versus the CDR).
Anyway, my tape starts with the last few songs from Northern Ireland's own power pop-punk sensation, the Undertones (who did the East Coast leg of this tour). You get "Here Comes The Summer," "Jimmy Jimmy," a snarling "Teenage Kicks," and a powerhouse version of T. Rex's "Get It On"...with fluttering levels to match. (Given how long this portion runs -- about 200 feet, on my old cassette -- it's pretty clear the taper didn't want to gamble on missing The Only Band That Matters!)
Then, you hear "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" (Temptations) as the hyped-up crowd screams, "We want the Clash! We want the Clash!" The boys don't waste any time, once the song fades out: Joe Strummer barks, "1-2-3-4, test test microphones," and BOOM! It's right into "Safe European Home," with nary a pause for breath, let alone a thank you...setting the tone for a classic '77-style set, with few real breaks between songs.
Unlike many amateur tapes, this one has a pretty crisp sound, allowing you to appreciate how much the Clash had developed; compare the tapes from this tour with the February '79 outing ("Pearl Harbour '79"), and you'll see what I mean. Other highlights include Mick's acoustic guitar work on "English Civil War" (which is pretty easy to pick out against Joe's choppy rhythmic style), and "Jail Guitar Doors," and "Koka Kola," among the tightest, tautest versions I've ever heard...while "Armagideon Time" is starting to take its own identity in the set (thanks to Mickey Gallagher's swirling organ rolls, and Topper's rhythmic flourishes: he understood dub like few other drummers did, before or since).
One other feature to bear in mind: of the 22 songs, six are from LONDON CALLING, an album that wouldn't appear for another three or four months (December '79/January '80, UK/US versions, respectively)...can you imagine a major band devoting nearly a third of its set to songs nobody had heard yet? Food for thought, but nobody had a problem hearing 'em on that night...because the Clash were moving forward, simple as that. 'Nuff said.
Psst, I just posted something you might like. It should make up for not understanding Father Ted :)
re: the title- it's a real groaner :p
though i wish the undertones had made it onto this version- especially the t-rex cover!
I wasn't paying attention at all, but great point that this is pre-London Calling. It's amazing, how they can get the crowd going like that.
Indeed: seeing both bands playing live would have been an Anglophile's dream come true, wouldn't it?
For more on the Undertones' experiences of touring with the Clash, check out my article on this link:
http://theundertones.net/ar_3.htm (scroll down to the bottom, and click accordingly).
I had a great experience interviewing the guys (minus -- y'know, Fergeal, ha, imagine that!) -- and I, for one, am thrilled to see 'em back, doing better than ever (as opposed to, "blander than ever").
Going back to my comments on the original tape...what's most exciting is hearing two bands at the top of their game, throwing down without a hint of compromise. By devoting so much time to their new stuff, the Clash were sending a message, and it wasn't about waiting for anybody to catch up. That's what nights like this were all about!
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