Bonds Residency
Three weeks & 17 gigs that shook up New York and America.
last updated 19 Feb 02
Source 1- cdr - good less distant - aud. master - Sound 5 - time 112.20mins - d-mast - tracks 27
Source 2 – cdr – thin & hiss – unknown gen – Sound 3 – time 115.33mins- 24 tracks (27 songs)
Hits 3LP - boot LP
Capitol Air – Holy Soul Jelly Roll- Ginsberg 1993 Box Set – Soundboard – Sound 4+ -time 6.08 mins
Whatever was bugging Joe Strummer so evidently on the night before when the pro-recordings were made had been resolved by the time he took the stage on the 10th. The result was a superior performance, one of the best Bonds shows and while the 9th show somewhat fizzled out with only one encore which ended with Washington Bullets, tonight there’s two excellent encores ending with a manic White Riot. Thankfully one of the best Bonds audience recordings captured the concert in its entirety making this one of the best Bonds bootlegs to own. There’s also the considerable added bonus of Beat poet legend Allen Ginsberg.
Allen Ginsberg, The Clash and Capitol Air
Some background info on Allen Ginsberg:
He was born in 1926 into a Jewish family in Newark, New Jersey. His father was a poet and his mother (who was affected by epileptic seizures and mental illnesses such as paranoia) was an active member of the Communist Party USA and often took Ginsberg and his brother Eugene to party meetings. Ginsberg later said that his mother "Made up bedtime stories that all went something like: 'The good king rode forth from his castle, saw the suffering workers and healed them.'"
As a teenager, Ginsberg began to write letters to The New York Times about political issues such as World War II and workers' rights. When he was a junior in high school, he accompanied his mother by bus to her therapist. The trip disturbed Ginsberg and he later described it, along with his relationship with his mother, in his long autobiographical poem Kaddish for Naomi Ginsberg (1894-1956).
In 1949 Ginsberg entered Columbia University on a scholarship from the Young Men's Hebrew Association of Paterson. In his freshman year he met fellow undergraduate Lucien Carr, who introduced him to a number of future Beat writers including Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, and John Clellon Holmes. Carr also introduced Ginsberg to Neal Cassady, one of the many that Ginsberg loved. Kerouac later described the meeting between Ginsberg and Cassady in the first chapter of his 1957 novel On the Road.
Ginsberg's principal work, "Howl", is well-known to many for its opening line: "I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness". It was considered scandalous at the time of publication due to the rawness of the language, which is frequently explicit. Ginsberg's leftist and generally anti-establishment politics attracted the attention of the FBI, who regarded Ginsberg as a major security threat.
In 1954 Ginsberg met Peter Orlovsky, a young man of 21 with whom he fell in love and who remained his life-long lover, and with whom he eventually shared his interest in Tibetan Buddhism. Later in his life, Ginsberg formed a bridge between the Beat movement of the 1950s and the hippies of the 1960s, befriending, among others, Timothy Leary, Gregory Corso, Bob Kaufman, Herbert Huncke, Rod McKuen, and Bob Dylan. Ginsberg died of cancer on April 5, 1997.
Ginsberg explained in his own words how he came to be on stage at Bonds with The Clash:
"I was listening to a lot of punk, and I'd heard about The Clash from Steven Taylor. I went backstage once at their 17-night gig at Bonds Club on Times Square and Joe Strummer said, "We've had somebody say a few words about Nicaragua and Salvador and Central America but the kids are throwing eggs and tomatoes at 'im. Would you like to try?" I said, "I don't know about making a speech, but I've got a punk song about that." Simple chords, we rehearsed it five minutes and got it together.
They led me onstage at the beginning of their second set, and we launched right into the guitar clang. It's punk in ethos and rhythmic style for abrupt pogo-dancing, jumping up and down, but elegant in the sense of having specific political details. First stanza drags a little, but there's one point where we all get together for two verses, an anthem like punk song. Only one tape exists, taken off the board. They gave me a copy and it's been sitting around all these years like a little toy. Later we worked together, and I sang a bit on their Combat Rock; also tinkered with Strummer's lyrics.
He expanded further in an interview;
HK: I know you worked with The Clash on 'Combat Rock.' How did 'Capitol Air' come together, incorporated in this box set? I debuted it on KLOS-FM when I did a radio interview 2 years ago and the phone lines lit up as if somebody won the lotto.
AG: Well, it's an accident. I wondered into a place called Bonds, which at that time was a big (couple of thousand people) club in New York. The Clash at the time had a 17 night run, and I knew the sound engineer, who brought me backstage to introduce me and Joe Strummer took one look at me and said, 'Ginsberg, when are you going to run for President?' And then he said there was some guy that we've had trying to talk to the kids about Sandinistas and about Latin American policy and politics, but they're not listening.
They are throwing eggs or tomatoes at him. 'Can you go out and talk?’ I said, 'Speech, no, but I have a little punk song that I wrote that begins, "I don't like the government where I live. . ."' So, we rehearsed it for about five minutes during their intermission break and then they took me out on stage. 'Allen Ginsberg is going to sing.' And so we improvised it. I gave them the chord changes.
It gets kind of Clash-like good anthem, like music about the middle, but they trail off again. The guy, who was my friend in the soundboard, mixed my voice real loud so the kids could hear, and so there was a nice reaction, because they could hear common sense being said in the song. You can hear the cheers on the record. I wrote 'Capitol Air' in 1980, recorded with The Clash live, in 1981 or '82.
'Capitol Air' was written coming back from Yugoslavia, oddly enough from a tour of Eastern Europe, realizing that the police bureaucracies in America and in Eastern Europe were the same, mirror images of each other finally. The climactic stanza 'No Hope Communism, No Hope capitalism'. Yea, 'Everybody is lying on both sides.' We didn't play the whole cut because we didn't have enough time, but they built up to a kind of crescendo, which was nice when the whole band came in.
A recording of Capital Air was included on the 1993 CD box set Holy Soul Jelly Roll: Poems and Songs 1949-1993 http://www.glasspages.org/holysoul.html
It is now out of print but would appear to have been from the soundboard. The recording does circulate though and as Ginsberg explained in the interview the sound man turned up his vocals and the band are heard but very much in the background. Although the vocals are clearer the audience recording in many ways is preferable; it has more atmosphere and a crisper more enjoyable sound.
Ginsberg did not sing these lines on stage, (details of the performance in The Gig section later)
Truth may be hard to find but Falsehood's easy
Read between the lines our Imperialism is sleazy
But if you think the People's State is your Heart's Desire
Jump right back in the frying pan from the fire.
The Venue
See the 28th May review for details.
Two audience recordings circulate, without a doubt the best is direct from the audience DAT master. It is significantly less distant than the majority of this tapers other Bonds recordings; vocals are clearer and more ‘in your face’, drums are similar to the other recordings, bass is again blurred and largely buried, but both guitars are clearer and better detailed. Certainly one of the most enjoyable sounds of the Bonds audience recordings.
A second source circulates as ‘Clash Will Play!’ This source begins with the complete Morricone intro (unlike the better source which has only the last few seconds). It’s from an unknown generation; at least 1st gen but is probably several copies off the master. There is more shouting and talking near the taper on this one. The sound is mainly left channel and thin with significant hiss. Spanish Bombs is placed out of sequence. There are several edits, which lose the end of songs.
Much of this gig has also been booted on the Hits 3LP. The sound quality on this early vinyl bootleg is poor.
The best source begins with the last 30 seconds of the intro after which Joe says, “Good evening” and the band launch into London Calling. Joe is perhaps too keen tonight coming in too early with the first line. Mick’s solo is clear and effective. Joe sounds fired up and enjoying himself and intro’s Safe European Home with “Hey listen this is biography!” The ending goes on too long but it’s an intense and powerful performance.
The Leader is followed by Joe screaming “Train .. all aboard!” Both guitars are very clear and the audience roar their approval for a strong Train In Vain clapping along. The band are brilliantly tight and together tonight.
Mick’s guitar playing is again terrific tonight with Joe acknowledging the fact over the ending of White Man In Hammersmith Palais; as Mick lays down some great guitar Joe says “That’s nice, lets keep it going…Yes so I went to the dance to see Dillinger..”
“All right then now are the instruments prepared” is Joe’s intro to an excellent Radio Clash. Mick adds his effects whilst Joe adds some extra lines including “going to Europe, fasten your seatbelts, extinguish cigarettes” A good indicator that all is well in the Clash camp tonight is the inclusion of Joe’s favourite Spanish Bombs, only played once before at Bonds. Mick’s great lead playing is very clear and he plays variations on the melody. There is a minor tape wear drop out near the end. The audience are loud, lively and enthusiastic.
Guns of Brixton is again terrific with Mick playing ‘backwards guitar’ over an extended building intro. Like many of the later Bonds shows there’s less of the extended song improvisations present in the earlier shows but as here they are certainly no less enjoyable for that. The Call Up next is powerful and tight with Topper adding a marching beat mid song and Joe shouts “Nagasaki” at the end.
Bankrobber is excellent again tonight with Joe adding, “never been in Alcatraz”. The consistency and quality of The Clash’s performances over the whole mammoth 17 shows at Bonds is remarkable.
Mick plays a terrific solo on Complete Control, which again is a highlight of the Bonds shows. An edit near the end reprises a few seconds. Lighting Strikes is supertight and very enjoyable. Mick adds his effects over an improvised mid section. Ivan Meets GI Joe is followed by one of tonight’s highlights a terrific
Charlie Don’t Surf. Whilst the band produce on the intro an alternative soundtrack for Coppola to use on Apocalypse Now Joe intones “Yeah, this is Radio Saigon on 575FM band, traces of fun but lets talk about the waste. Approaching LXZ, beware the red flare, beware the red flare! ..Hello, come in please, come in, call the medivac” Eventually Mick plays the melody line, and the song proper starts but there’s more improvisation and some great guitar work from Mick. Over the ending Joe sings, “Charlie don’t surf, Charlie don’t work, Charlie don’t fight, Charlie got a wristwatch made out of Saigon gold”.
Topper starts the drum intro to Magnificent Seven too early then stops abruptly for Joe to shout “Don’t you ever stop long enough to get that car outta that gear” then the band crash in as planned. It’s another excellent performance of this song, which is so powerful and different in its live incarnation. Joe adlibs early on “Hey boss, kiss your shoes, I’ll do anything” Topper finally brings the song to an end after Joe adds his “fuckin’ long in it” comment.
Broadway next is tight, together and very effective. “Do you think I need spectacles?” shouts Joe before Somebody Got Murdered and maybe there’s a problem in the audience as the band play the longest ever intro to Somebody Got Murdered that goes on and on! The crowd roar their approval at the end of another powerful performance. Next it’s straight into Police and Thieves the twin guitar interplay clear and effective. Topper plays some different fills mid song as the song drops down to drum and bass before Mick and Joe come back in and the band build up to a crescendo. The ending is just missing one of Joe’s inspired rants but it’s a very enjoyable performance.
“1-2-3-4” screams Mick and the band explode into the main set closing climax of Clampdown. Mick voice sounds different; bitter and sincere as he sings “…the best years of your life…” lines. A few lines get jumbled up and repeated early on but the song builds and builds powerfully. The band conjure up a powerful onslaught of sound, an aural equivalent of the melt down Joe then rants about in Classic Strummer style “So you don’t wanna come underground, we’re going 500 feet down, 500 feet, What we gonna do there!? Don’t ask no more questions, son! Where’s my Geiger counter! and they’re working for the clampdown”
The first encore begins with an announcement from Joe “Yeah we something never before seen and never likely to again either! Welcome President Ginsberg, come on Ginsberg!” There is a pause when Joe is just heard to say “Let it rip, give me an A” and then the audience cheers as Ginsberg launches into his own rant at the state of the world; Capitol Air
I don’t like the Government where I live,
I don’t like dictatorship of the rich,
I don’t like bureaucrats telling me what to eat,
I don’t like Police dogs sniffing around my feet,
I don’t like communist censorship of my books,
I don’t like Marxist’s complaining about my looks(?)
I don’t like Castro insulting members of my sex, leftists insisting we got the holy fix,
I don’t like capitalists selling me gasoline coke, multinationals burning
Amazon trees to smoke, big corporations take over media mind,
I don’t like the copper barons(?) that are robbing Guatamala banks blind
I don’t like KGB gulag concentration camps,
I don’t like the Maoists Cambodian death dance,
15 million were killed by Stalin, Secretary of Terror, he has killed our own red revolution forever,
I don’t like anarchists screaming love is free,
I don’t like the CIA they killed John Kennedy, paranoid tanks sit in Prague and
Hungary but I don’t like counter revolution paid for by the CIA, tyranny in Turkey or Korea 1980,
I don’t like right wing death squad democracy, Police state Iran, Nicaraqua yesterday, laissez faire governments place secret police over me,
I don’t like communism don’t like capitalism, everybody lying on both sides it’s a joke,
The bloody iron curtain of American military power is the mad mirror image of Russia’s red rebel(?) power, no hope communism no hope capitalism yeah,
Everybody’s lying on both sides yeah,yeah,yeah,
The bloody iron curtain of American military power is the mad mirror image of Russia’s red rebel(?) power,
Jesus Christ was spotless but was crucified by the mob, law and order Herod’s hired soldiers did the job,
Flower power is fine but innocence has got no protection
The moral of this song is that the world is in a horrible place, scientific industry devours the human race, Police in every country armed with Tear gas and TV
The man who shot John Lennon had a hero worshipper’s connection,
Secret masters everywhere bureaucasize for you and me, aware, aware wherever you are, no fear, trust your heart, don’t ride your paranoia dear(?) pray together with an ordinary mind armed with humour and?
Enlighten all mankind”
The band do their best to play along but its mainly Joe’s rhythm and Topper’s crescendo beat that holds it together with Mick adding guitar later in the song. Ginsberg’s delivery is unique and effective and the whole performance is very enjoyable. The lyrics of course could have been written for The Clash, and it’s doubtful the band would have disagreed with any of it. This joint affinity would of course develop into their collaboration on Ghetto Defendant.
“What do call that!” says Joe before the band go into One More Time which suffers from an abrupt edit early on, but which loses a few seconds only. The sound quality dips but soon improves. A good but not inspired performance.
Brand New Cadillac is terrific though the band tease around with the intro before exploding into it. Joe is fired up and intense.
After Ginsberg’s take on the world next its Joe’s with Washington Bullets. It’s a harder and heavier than the album version with great guitar work from Mick who sings along with Joe. When Joe shouts the by now usual “El Salvador” there is no speaker from El Salvador just a great solo from Mick. Topper then takes it straight into an intense, very fast Janie Jones which ends with a great stressed “This is NOT Budweiser talking!”
The second encore is equally as excellent as the first. Armagideon Time has lots of vocal effects from Joe to complement Mick’s electronic variety. “New York’s Burning “ screams Joe, and he name checks Queens and South Bronx in an intense performance and further adlibs in classic Strummer style over the ending. Topper then takes it straight into an incendiary really fast White Riot. There’s no reticence from Mick who sings along and Joe’s on fire, bringing an excellent gig to an end with a suitably intense finale.
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London Calling |
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Any further info / reviews
appreciated
2. Newspaper & Magazine Articles
Band Arrives at JFK
3 newspaper photos
Private Super8mm film footage of the rucus outside Bonds
30 April New York Post
On the Town
New York Calling The Clash
..tickets go on sale tomorrow...
2 May - New York Post
10,000 Clash fans queue for tickets for only US appearance
6 mounted police and 12 squad cars to control the crowd
NME - Win a week in New York with The Clash!
Early May - New York Post
Bonds Sold Out - Christgua
Blister Fanzine
A weeks at Bonds (main piece)
Cover Only
BMC desperately wants the inside pages!!
NYC Advert for Magnificent 7 & Bonds dates
24 May - New York News
Passport Impasses Crimps Clash's style
5 British Groups left at Heathrow
Clint Roswell
New York Times 24 May
scan or text
26 May - New York Daily News
Clash Promise 'Something Special'
Clint Roswell
29 May - New York News
For Bonds Disco it was double capacity or nothing. Police and Fire Dept shut down Bonds. Vincent Lee
30 May - New York News?
city and Disco Clash, and Clash cools it
Disco forced to close - extra dates
Larry Sutton
30 May New York Post?
City calls a truce in Clash wars and the band plays on. Building Dept Inspectors have lifted a vacate order...
31 - May New York Times?
scan or text
Stephen Holden
31 May - New York Times Gig review
The Clash rocks with raw energy
Ira Mayer
New York Times June 3, 1981
Clash Melee Points Up Danger of Overselling
by Robert Palmer
Bondage at Bonds (full text version)
Creem - Sept 81
Clash face unrully mobs - Bondage at Bonds
Michael Barnard
First page only
Under Fire in New York - NME
Clash forced to lplay 16 date season after ticket fiasco - When the Clash landed at Kenney Airport last Tuesday, it was nore than clear that America wanted the band... Mick Farren
How The Clash Fed The Wonderbread Generation, Made The Mountain Come to Mohammed - And Other Miracles
Mick Farren, NME, 20 June 1981
The winner of NME's Flatter The Clash competition checks out the ramifications when an English band's world is at Bonds. KOSMO VINYL shoots both fists heavenward, for all the world like a man who had just scored for West Ham at Wembley. "I got the news on every channel! I got the news on every channel!....
Boston Rock Summer 81 No 19
1.. 2.. 3.. 4..
Face NO 16 August 1981
1.. 2..
MOJO Clash Special No79
pages 1.. 2.. 3..
Fanzine piece by: J Blocher
can some1 transcribe this it is very poor
Clash Contre Mafia - French Mag
1.. 2.. 3.. 4..
translation required
Anne Toone from The Bloods remembers opening for the Clash
The Clash on Broadway Part 1
Chris Salewicz, Mojo, August 1994
IF THERE WAS ONE PIVOTAL EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE Clash's assault on the USA it was the season of 17 shows they played at Bond's, a tacky former disco on Broadway and Times Square, New York, New York in May and June 1981.
The Clash on Broadway Part 2
Chris Salewicz, Mojo, August 1994
Joe Strummer talks to Chris Salewicz. When was the first time you toured America? I think it was in 1978. We went to finish off Give 'Em Enough Rope in San Francisco. So it would have been to tour that.
Best Magazine [French]
6 page review with photos form Bonds
...page1&2 ...page3&4 ... page5&6
3. Posters, video, photos
The Clash @ Bonds NYC 1981
joe streno's blog
Photos, comments
Posters and Radio / TV Commentary
Radio interview with Mick/Kosmo backstage after the opening night
Bonds Photos 1
1.. 2.. 3.. 4.. 5.. 6..
Bonds Photos 2
1.. 2.. 3.. 4.. 5.. 6.. 7..
Clash & Slits at Bonds 1981 photos
{ joe streno } seattle wa
www.go2jo.com
Radio Commentary on ticket fiasco - 20mins
NBC TV on ticket fiasco 3mins video
CBS Live tapes
Quote, "Eventually, via Jeff Jones at Legacy in New York, I contacted Bruce Dickinson who'd worked at CBS in the 1970s and 80s and was a fan of the band. He knew of a company in the States who specialised in archiving live radio tapes. They had two nights of the Clash at Bonds on Broadway and two nights in Boston."
Bonds Photos
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...play on music: “6 Seconds To Watch” by Ennio Morricone, from For A Few Dollars More...Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five are among the opening acts...after the first gig of the original seven-show run, the NYC fire marshall orders the club closed for safety reasons; eventually, the shows are rescheduled to accomodate all ticket-holders... A strike in Britain had left 5 British bands in the UK and only 3 managed to make it with the Clash. Only the Slits, Funkapolitan and The Equators, who were slated for the matinee shows, made it. Left behind were the remains of Selector, The B-People , The Bell Stars, Aswad and most of all Theatre of Hate whom Mick had produced their debut album. There were two opening acts each night: one British or Jamaican and one American. Hopefully the correct artists are listed by the correct dates. Support Acts included Grandmaster Flash and the Treacherous Three, The Sirens, The Sugerhill Gang, Funkapolitan, Lee Perry, Texan bard Joe Ely, and a forgotten horn-section-and-skinny-tie band called the Nitecaps. And, plucked fresh off the stage of CBGB's, Miller Miller Miller & Sloane and a KRAUT who had formed 3 weeks earlier with only 3 demo songs and who never played live. Plus bands that showed The Clash’s continuing identification and admiration for punk; The Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains, The Fall, The Slits, and The Bloods (not to mention The Brattles!). ESG a womans funk band from New York. The Rockets and the Equators were scheduled for the first matinee show which got cancelled.
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Bonds Times Square, New York |
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| Support The Sirens and Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
Thanks to Laura for the following info on the Sirens... From: "Laura DJ" <dejesuslauraann-at-gmail.com> i noticed you have the sirens on the tour date list from 81 as playing with treacherous three, that's not true, I was one of the Sirens, the guitarist, and we played after Grand Master Flash, and before the Clash. It was my idea to support the Clash. My manager charlie martin who built the sound system at CB's and Bonds was getting directions from the owners/managers who were in jail (studio 54 fame) and i had read an article in the nme or soho news or one of the music papers of the day and joe strummer said in the article they like all girl bands opening up for their shows. So i ran over to charlie showed him the article and suggested he get on the phone and reach out to his contacts and get the clash. The rest is history. He did it and we opened their first show at bonds. Grand Master Flash opened for us! |
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May 30 |
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Matinee show cancelled by NYC Building Dept - Riots |
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May 30 |
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Evening show cancelled by NYC Building Dept |
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| Bad Brains and the Slits opened | ||
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| The Treacherous Three |
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| The Bloods opened the show f/b The Bush Tetras. |
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| Four female singers singing accapella and Lee Perry opened | ||
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Bonds Times Square, New York | |
| (afternoon) I was at the June 6th matinee show in 1981 in Bond's. The Dead Kennedys did NOT perform then. It was the Hi-School band The Brattles who opened the matinee show, followed by Funkopolitin. The "We love you clash" that is heard mid-show is caused by a mic that fell into the audience. Joe just watched kind of amused while these guys in the first rows yelled into the mic. After a while, the roadies got it back and set it up again. | ||
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Bonds Times Square, New York | |
| (evening) The Dead Kennedys? | ||
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Bonds Times Square, New York | |
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Bonds Times Square, New York | |
| The Fall were the support act. This is the pro-recorded concert. | ||
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Bonds Times Square, New York | |
| Allen Ginsberg makes an appearance | ||
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Bonds Times Square, New York | |
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Bonds Times Square, New York | |
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Bonds Times Square, New York | |
| (afternoon) Hi-School band The Brattles opened the matinee show, plus The Rock-cats? who they had a slap bass and played Stray Cats-type music. | ||
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Bonds Times Square, New York | |
| (evening) The Dead Kennedys | ||
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