Get Out Of Control Tour
Supported by Richard Hell & The Voidoids & The Lous

updated 30 Dec 2008 - added 2 bw photos


photo unknown

Cd No Elvis Beatles or Rolling Stones CD on Tommy Gunn label - Audience Master - Sound 4 - 53.28 mins - 17 tracks.

Cdr – poor audience - Sound 2 -52 min
unknown source/generation – 17 tracks

In 2002 two excellent recordings of the late 77 Get Out of Control Tour have surfaced, both capturing the energy, mania and sheer magnificence of The Clash in their punk prime. The first Sheffield Top Rank 1/11/77 has the best sound of the two but is incomplete. This second CD from the Tommy Gunn label out of Japan is the master recording and is complete.

Venue

First gig at one of The Clash’s least favourite venues, Joe says in Pennie Smith’s book that he goes to its dressing room in his nightmares! The Top Rank’s were chosen by the agency for this tour for their larger capacity but for their “secret” gigs in early 1978 The Clash returned again to the much-preferred Barbarella’s. The heavy security at the Top Rank as compared to Barbarella’s, figures in Joe’s on stage comments during this gig.


photo Penni Smith


No Elvis Beatles or Rolling Stones

The recording circulating previous to the No Elvis .. release was passable but a number of generations down the line. The new CD is sourced from the master, which is revealed as a very good indeed audience recording, capturing the power and savagery of The Clash sound at that time superbly. Mick’s guitar sound is captured best, followed by drums, Joe’s guitar and then the vocals, which are not “as in your face” as a soundboard recording but still good. Bass is good too but low in the mix. There is some stereo separation and although it lacks some range and clarity, cranked up high, it is an extremely exciting listen and is a very important document capturing a super-charged punk performance by The Clash.

“Allo” is Joe’s greeting to the audience who shout back “Allo” in response. The security at The Top Rank, responding to the media’s over the top frenzy about supposed punk violence (and a recent Stranglers gig) had searched everyone coming in, removing anything they thought dangerous even badges, which were all the craze.

Joe dryly comments on that before addressing the spitters “Nice to know you’ve all been checked by the Police before coming in here, so we haven’t got any nasty people! And one more thing before we begin, those of you here, you heroes, don’t toss any gob at me because it puts me off my stride, I hate the Stranglers, I’m just trying to do something good, alright so if you want to toss the gob, I don’t know, toss it up in the lights!”

On the Westway DVD extra interviews, Joe remarks how things were getting out of hand at gigs during this intense period, with the spitting and occasionally the dart throwing, a low life fashion transcended from the thugs who filled the football terraces and concert halls looking for mindless aggro.


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The Clash then blast into a 100 mph London’s Burning, keeping up that manic pace through to the encores. Joe is inspired, barking out the lyrics with Mick over laying everything with razor sharp but inventive punk rock guitar, the total sound equivalent to a sonic Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Complete Control builds and builds with Mick’s playing driving the song to a great climax. Without a pause for breath its an excellent 1977, the energy of the performance incredible. “Come on Topper, kick it off”” leads into Jail Guitar Doors followed by an equally strong Clash City Rockers; “Is gonna rule over you!”

Capital Radio is a definite highlight; “In tune with London [Capital Radio’s then slogan] or NOTHING or Birmingham or Walsall, or Sheffield, or Manchester, or Glasgow or Europe…” The music then crashes in and then mid song drops to just drum and bass (plus great guitar fills from Mick), Joe’s grabs the mic “I like the radio, I like something to do, I don’t like to listen to rubbish, there was nothing on the radio..” The last line repeated increasing in volume until Joe’s screams it out as the band crash back in careering to its shattering conclusion.

Next Mick sings Protex Blue but not before Joe says “Let’s have some blue lights if you’ve got any, Rubber Johnny! A superb then unreleased White Man is introduced with a sarcastic barb at reggae detractors “Now we take you somewhere you’ve never been before, to the outer edges of boredom, in other words White Man in Hammersmith Palais ..when we get in tune it sound’s better, so they say!” Joe shouts “that means you” after the Robin Hood line a call to arms to the audience to deliver some wealth distribution, a cause many of us have since at least strived to achieve! The classic “Turning rebellion into money” line is not yet written but we do get the new groups are only interested in “the money in the USA, & millions of Yen down Japan way”.

An excellent Police & Thieves builds and builds with some great lead work from Mick before midway cutting suddenly to drums only, apparently from Joe’s comments a result of a temporary powercut. The crowd cheer as the power goes back on and when the song restarts it does so building from drums only to bass, then guitars and finally vocals adding drama as the song builds to its climax.

“I don’t know what went wrong there, I wish they’d just give them the money, those working in the powerhouse, give them the fuckin’ money! When the lights go out again I hope we’ll be halfway through this number!” leads into a superb City of the Dead. There is an edit before “This is for Jimmy Carter..President Nixon” intro’s a stunning I’m So Bored with Joe improvising new lines. Career Opportunities continues at the same manic energy level into Janie Jones “let them know” With no pause for breath Topper’s bass drum herald’s a passionate magnificently ragged Garageland.

Finally the band and audience can catch their breath before the encore. The audience clap, shout, stamp and chant for White Riot long and hard before The Clash reappear. Joe; “Allo, who think’s it’s better at Barbarellas? (cheers) Yeah, about your badges, who lost one coming in tonight? I bet they were all Strangler’s badges. Anyway doesn’t matter, those yobbos who lost your chains, attack the nearest motorcycle” What’s My Name then crashes in at 110 mph followed by an even faster repeat of 1977. White Riot with Joe screaming out the lyrics and Mick doing a fantastic “solo” draws this superb performance and hugely enjoyable recording to a fitting climax.


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Londons Burning
Complete Control
1977
Jail Guitar Doors
Clash City Rockers
Capital Radio
Protex Blue
White Man in Ham Palais
Police and Thieves
City of the Dead
I'm So Bored with the USA
Career Opportunities
Janie Jones
Garageland
Whats My Name
1977
White Riot

Protex Blue

any info / reviews appreciated

ZigZag December 1977
Cover - Index - Editorial -
...Strummer attacked at the Marquee
 Derby & Cardiff reviews Kris Needs 1 2
Tour review Robin Banks
 The Lous 1 2

Oct 77 - Unknown Fanzine
page 1 page 2 page 3

Who's In Love With Janie Jones?
Interview by Caroline Coon,
Sounds, October 1977
DURING THE hot summer of 1976, a No. 31 bus jolts through Notting Hill Gate. On the top deck is Mick Jones, humming a riff. He ...

Greatness from Garageland
 Peter Silverton, Trouser Press, February 1978
UNANNOUNCED, TO SAY the least, a kid in boots, suspenders and short-cropped hair clambers through the photographers' pit and up onto the stage of London's Rainbow Theatre. Benignly ignored by band, stage crew and security alike...

Clash Landing
Search and Destroy Fanzine
Clash Interviewed by Annette Weatherman and Vermilion Sands
A lengthy interview with Joe, Mick & Paul in 1977. It was published in Search & Destroy mag out of San Francisco. It was the first word of the Clash in print in the U.S. Birmingham Rag Marktt & Sweden gigs referenced.

Oct 20 Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
cancelled, see A Riot of Our Own p20
Oct 21 Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
support The Count Bishops. Small review of Dublin at the foot of the Belfast review: The Clash in Belfast, Caroline Coon, Sounds, October 1977
Oct 22 Eric’s, Liverpool
with the Toilets
Oct 24 Kinema, Dumfermline
Oct 25 Apollo, Glasgow, Scotland
Oct 26 Clouds, Edinburgh, Scotland

Clouds was the upstairs part of Coasters (now called the Cavendish) where strummer played again with the clash busking in 1985 and with LRW in 1988 - Coasters itself is pretty small and both the upstairs rooms are tiny.
Oct 27 University, Leeds
Oct 28 Polytechnic, Newcastle
Oct 29 Apollo, Manchester
Oct 30 Victoria, Stoke
'77 was with Richard Hell & the Voidoids and the Lous, and was manic, pure 'punk', backstage after the gig Mick was all over the place taking photos, Joe was very ill, white, exhausted, but still gave time to us kids for photos. Mick Jones took my address to send me some prints but apparently they never came out ( no flash or some other such problem). They really were the friendliest band I met at the time and invited everybody back to their hotel after. I couldn't go (my mum was waiting in the car to take me home - no, really! I didn't tell them that though). I was 15 at the time. Changed my life (that old cliché). The concert was on a par with The Ramones two months later for excitement, energy. (redian2)
ticket reverse with autographs
another ticket

Nov 1 Top Rank, Sheffield
Nov 2 University, Bradford
Nov 3 Kings Hall, Derby
Nov 4 University, Cardiff, Wales
Follow Derby link for Kris Needs review of Derby and Cardiff.
Nov 5 Exhibition Centre, Bristol
This is listed as the 10th in most cases, but we are told it was in fact the 5th which makes sense near Cardiff. Bath University gig was cancelled.

The November 5 gig at the Bristol Exibition Centre, (now the Watershed arts centre) with The Void-oids, was a strange affair with the staff, selling left over sarnies, from an event that afternoon. I think the band could cope with spit & warm beer, but cheese bap missiles were unheard of during the time. I recall the French band, The Lou's - appearing first, then poor old Richard Hell, (who, I recall, hated the gobbing) didn't know that Marky Ramone, played drums on this tour.

Later on, chatted to Jonesy, who recanted the story of being chased by Ted's, when last in Bristol. These "Teds" turned out to be jealous punks, (Mick had stolen one of the disgruntled punks girlfriend)Anyway, I had a lot of fun travelling around the UK, meeting some great people.
Nov 6 Market Hall, Carlisle
Nov 7 Top Rank, Birmingham
Nov 8 Tiffany's Coventry
Original schedule listed Coverntry gig on the 8th as Locarno
Nov 9 Winter Gardens, Bournemouth
the clash gig at the bournemouth winter gardens november 9th 1977 , stole the headlines locally as it was the first time a punk band had played at the winter gardens and a full scale riot took place between two gangs in the audience that night . When jonathan ross interviewed joe strummer in july 2001, an e mail asking if joe he rememberd the gig was read it out to him, he did remember the gig and talked about it on air . Bournemouth council almost banned punk bands from playing the winter gardens after that night , but the buzzcocks and the undertones managed to play gigs there in 1979 .
Nov 10 Exhibition Centre, Bristol - moved to 5th
This date is listed on posters as 10th but over written in pen as Saturday 5th November.
Nov 11 Corn Exchange, Cambridge
Nov 12 Pavilion, Hastings
Strange stormy night. Other piers had been blown down that night!
Nov 13 Top Rank, Southampton
Nov 15 Elizabethan Ballroom, Belle Vue, Manchester
often circulated as Elizabthan Suite, it is in fact a full gig which was filmed by and for Granada TV and included Souisie and the Banshees as support.

Snippets were screened twice on the So It Goes TV show (Dec 77 and Nov 78) (and repeated again in 1990) and circulate on video and audio.

Other than the So It Goes source, no other source exists. It is thought Granada don't know where it is either and that the Dec 78 footage may have come from Tony Wilsons own collection.?

Also see A Riot of Own p31.
Dec 11 Apollo, Glasgow
Dec 13 Rainbow, London
Supported by the Zones and Sham 69, suported by Rat Scabies 2 of the nights
Dec 14 Rainbow, London
supported by Sham 69??, suported by Rat Scabies 2 of the nights
Dec 15 Rainbow, London
support Lovers of Outrage, suported by Rat Scabies 2 of the nights
Dec 19 Belfast McMordie Hall, Queens University Students Union
first night cancelled due to transport problems (Dec 19th??)
Dec 20 Belfast McMordie Hall Queens University Students Union
the story goes that 2 shows were to be done on the one night to make up for the cancelled Ulster Hall fiasco back in October. Only one show went ahead. the venue was changed on campus. Support The Lous. (Dec 20th??)