Clash on Parole Tour
Supported by The Specials & Suicide
updated 24 June 2006
updated 1 Aug 2011 - added vers3 recording & vers 4
updated Dec 2014 - added review Staying Free
updated 22 January 2022 - added bw photo on stage
Music Machine - The Clash
Audio 4 - low gen - Sound 3.5 - 67min - low/m - 19 tracks
includes fans at start - gaps between trks
Audio 4 – 02 Tommy Gun
Audio 1 - low gen - Sound 3.5 - 55min - low/m - 17 tracks
misses
Audio 2 - low gen - Sound 3.5 - 55min - low/m - 17 tracks
misses
Audio 2 – 02 Tommy Gun
Audio 3 - low gen - sound 3.5 - 59mins - tracks 14
includes
but misses the first 4 tracks - better sound
The sound on this recording is very good one indeed, the best of the On Parole gigs (save the Rude Boy excerpts). There is a very good range and clarity of sound, it’s only faults are some bass over modulation, lead guitar a little low in the mix and vocals a touch distant.
Joe’s rhythm playing comes through very well as do the drums and there is little intrusive talking from the crowd. Of the circulating tapes and cdrs during this period, this one stands out alongside the Paris one later in the year.
Clash residency
Clash On Parole Tour climaxes with their first residency, four nights at The Music Machine. The Music Machine (now Camden Palace) is actually about 20 seconds walk over the road from Mornington Crescent tube, and roughly 5 minutes walk away from Camden Town tube.
The 4 nights recendency were rapturously received in the press and by those in attendance. Rude Boy captures the drama: is there a more exciting moment in rock’n’roll cinema than when the film cuts dramatically into Complete Control at the Music Machine?
The Music Machine
The Music Machine (later renamed the Camden Palace) began in the 60’s and became famous for punk gigs, still in use today as a dance nightclub, it has staged gigs in recent years by Blur and the Oasis.
The Music Machine was a perfect type of Clash venue; sweaty, intimate, seat less, restrained security and within the part of London they lived and loved best. Enjoying greater critical acclaim and increasing commercial success, few other bands (if any) either then or now, would have opted to play four nights here rather than they take the money and play one or two nights at the larger Hammersmith Odeon or similar.
New heights of popularity within the UK music press, the Music Machine residency resulted in some ecstatic reviews (see link).
The gig starts with the slow opening chords building, and building then exploding into a brilliant Complete Control (there is a 5 second tape bleed early on). The song ends with rapturous applause and a terrific Tommy Gun then follows with some different lyrics.
The rare Cheapskates is next with Joe shouting, “you tell me” after the “what are we supposed to do” lyrics.
The highlights of an excellent performance are 3 consecutive songs mid-set when they kick into an even higher gear with Clash City Rockers, White Man, and Capital Radio. White Man is introduced as "We'd like to play you number 98 in the charts!".
Joe whispers, “hardly a word they say” over the slow quiet intro to Capital Radio building the tension before the band explodes into the song. The song climaxes with manic ad-libs from Joe and terrific drum fills from Topper. Theres a slight edit following Capital Radio probably for a tape turnover?
Police & Thieves segues into Blitzkreig Bop after further lengthy ad-libs from Joe.
There is an edit after English Civil War which definitely loses Safe European Home (named in one review) and probably What’s My Name.
It’s then into the finale of the crowd pleasing released songs and the usual 3 song encore ended with a suitably climactic White Riot. A great recording of a great gig, capturing an important part of Clash history.
Steve Jones played the encores though he may have come on as early as Londons Burning which has extra umph with a heavier guitar sound similar to Jones's style. CSM comments for the gig of the 26th, that this was one of the tracks he played on. Janie Jones and White Riot also benefit from his guitar playing.
Photo - not sure which night this was taken
Monday the 24th
Did you go? What do you remember?
Info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
Please email blackmarketclash
I saw all the clash gigs (4) there. Brilliant. I followed them a lot back then. We were punks from the neighbourhood and someone from the band..usually Joe or Baker or JG would let us in through the back door. Once we had to scale 30 feet up a drain pipe to the dressingroom window. The MM bouncers were animals and there were always a lot of fights in there.
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There are several sights that provide setlists but most mirror www.blackmarketclash.co.uk. They are worth checking.
from Setlist FM (cannot be relied on)
from Songkick (cannot be relied on)
... both have lists of people who say they went
& from the newer Concert Database
Also useful: Ultimate Music datbase, All Music, Clash books at DISCOGS
Numerous articles, interviews, reviews, posters, tour dates from The Clash on Parole Tour, June & July 1978
If you know of any articles or references for this particular gig, anything that is missing, please do let us know.
Backstage pass, the 24th
Clash - Music Machine, Monday 24th July 78
MELODY MAKER 25th JULY 1978 EDITION
CLASH
NO two ways about it. All I can do is echo and re-emphasise Chris Brazier's sentiments in MM of two issues ago:
the Clash are THE punk rock group. On Monday at London's Music Machine (the first of a four-night stint there) they were superlative.
Sounds – Barry Myers - Staying Free
The Clash
Music Machine Monday 24 July 1978
THE SETTING was the Music Machine for the four-day event heralding The Clash's return to London, winding up their 'On Parole' tour. There was relatively little trouble. Although I witnessed the odd mindless swipe at over-enthusiastic punters, compared to the heavies up Seven Sisters Road the security was restrained.
PREVIOUS SIGHTINGS of the Clash in action have been disappointingly distant: the Anti - Nazi League Rally in April, where their music and their message were both scuttled by insoluble sound problems, and before that the Rainbow, always a cold, alien venue, where the band might as well have been on' film for all the contact there was with the audience.
The Clash
MUSIC MACHINE, 24th July
LONDON
"TIME HAS come today. Third of four Music Machine gigs and — surprise! — the ritual bottling of Suicide appears to have been omitted for the once. Alan Vega is up by the mike, moving jerkily from pose to like a series of still-photo slides vaguely synch with the music — pose CLICK pose CLICK pose — while Marty Rev stands solid and immobile beside his control post and the drum machine gets louder and LOUDER and LOUDER and LOUDER AND LOUDER AND LOUDER AND ...
A Riot of Our Own pg83
Johnny Green & Garry Barker
Flyer (large)
Poster
MM Music Machine dates & prices
Sounds - early July
Clash to be City rockers after all
The Clash giving it all onstage at The Music Machine (Camden Palace), London in 1978 Max Browne recalls, "This was the first time I'd seen the band and it was on their home ground at The Camden Palace in 1978. Their power was shattering - visually, aurally and socially of course. White lightning flashed on musical crescendos that seemed to singe the hair, crowd surfing, fans jumping up singing with the band until they were whisked offstage, only to be instantly replaced - all part of The Clash at their peak. Mick Jones glanced at me in the box and I pressed the shutter."
Time Out Magazine previews dates at Music Machine
14 Excellent Photos
probably form the 27th?
Granada region, Whats On - ITV
Manchester – Apollo – 2nd July
Rock Revolution Video - 2 tracks - 5 mins The "Rock revolution" vid is overdubbed with fake crowd noise. This is labeled often November 1978 inlcluding inthe video itself but with both audio recordings circulating – it is from this gig, the 2nd July.
Glasgow – Apollo 4 – July 4th
audio & video tracks from Rude Boy
Aberdeen – Music Hall – July 5th
2 audio & video tracks from Rude Boy
London – Music Machine – Jul 27
3 audio & video tracks from Rude Boy
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