With Graham Parker & The Rumour & Steel Pulse

updated 5 Jan 2010 - added punters comments
updated 4 Aug 2014 - added link to extenisve photos
updated Dec 2014 - added link to Joe interview

Audio 1 -
from unknown source - sound 2 - 58min -15 tracks

Safe European Home

Audio 2 - wanted
allegedly a great sound recording of this exists
wish people would share these things, not going to make them a millionaire!

Interview - audio (can't find), written and a translated version

There are 4 variations of video ciculating, one of whihc has some brief silent Clash footage.

The Finnish TV shoved circa 10 seconds-clip of Clash gig in Turku (no sound) It was in a program about history of Ruisrock 25 years. Broadcast in 1995.

Chapter 1 (Ruisrock'79 crowd footage + Pelle Miljoona interview (finnish) "Pelle Miljoona 1980" played before The Clash
Chapter 2 "The Clash footage Ruisrock'79
Chapter 3 Interview of "The Jam"-manager
Chapter 4 footage of Ruisrock during years)

video - 4 - full
The Finnish TV shoved circa 39 seconds-clip of Clash gig in Turku (no sound) It was in a program about history of Ruisrock 25 years. Broadcast was 1995. "Ruisrock 25 vuotta" (Ruisrock 25 years) YLE TV1 Broadcast 06.07.95

Footage included in 'The Future is Unwritten' Full gig filmed. Owner does not want to share it at this moment in time.

video 1
2.04 Fans, including The Clash on stage, silent (there's a version with Groovy Times dubbed over and nanother with White Riot dubbed over)

Timo Lähteenmäki: 7 years ago The photographer is Sorri Saarioja. I got these films from him 20 years ago. I then used some of the clips in a video which I made for the Finnish band called Peppermint Lunch (also that video can be found in YouTube). A couple of weeks ago I decided - I don't remember why - to do something with Sorri's excellent shots of The Sensational Alex Harvey's gig in Ruisrock 1976 (also in YouTube). The feedback was so good that I decided to try similar treatment with these Clash snippets.

This version has been dubbed from the audio recording

video 2
4.41 There's another fans footage with interviews with promoters and a silent snippet of the Clash on stage again (The beginnig is over dubbed with London Calling). There's a 38 second snippet form this copy circuating.

video 3 - on website
2.55 There is another fans footage montage recently come into circulaltion.

Here is a very short montage of footage of the Clash and fans in action at the Ruisrock Music Festival, Finland, in August of '79, just a couple months after the substantial and essential Cost of Living E.P. was released. Support acts were Graham Parker and the Rumour, and Steel Pulse. Something of note: Garageland and London's Burning, which 1:12 probably is, were on the setlist that night and are discontinued on the only circulating recording of this show. Another important thing about this show was that it was one of the only times where they played Four Horsemen live, not seen here.

I matched this video shot with Super 8 footage to the audience source bootleg. Regarding the bootleg, it's not a very excellent quality sounding bootleg and Tops is way too quiet in the mix, but once again, they played Four Horsemen that night, and the City of the Dead version on it smokes.

The video titled "THE CLASH AT RUISROCK" that Timo Lhteenmki initially posted (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53YW-y...)

Songs heard in order are: Police and Thieves, Complete Control, and White Riot. And probably London's Burning is what's seen at 1:12.

For more information about this gig and its availabilities, go here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7...

The band were in holiday mood, fuelled by Finnish vodka and put on a good show according to Johnny Green, although this recording is so poor it’s hard to tell. It’s a very flat recording with little top end being copied too many times.

A low generation source probably would reveal a good recording although it is marred by audience talk and clapping, particularly on the encores when it sounds like a singalongaClash karaoke session with only Joe’s vocals heard above the din! An upgrade would be nice.

The vocals can be made out and the lead can be heard just with the drone of the bass and the percussion just about. The sound does improve a touch after an edit before Police and Thieves.

The audience are enthusiastic throughout, despite the distance between band and the dividing fence and are still calling for a second encore minutes after they leave the stage.

Photos >

A break from the London Calling sessions for a manger-less and broke Clash to earn some much needed cash, that Bernie and the lawyers could not get their hands on. They were paid £7,500 in cash to play at this annual Festival, (still going today) funded by the Finnish government under a youth arts programme.

Johnny Green begins his book with an amusing account of the Festival and how an electric shock threw him across the stage after which he screamed expletives in front of a startled crowd, thinking it was part of the act.

The Festival is held in beautiful, lakeside location, the band playing outside in sunshine, an almost unknown situation for The Clash at that point. Certainly unique was the fact they used Abba’s PA and equipment.

Here's a interview with Joe Strummer during The Clash visit to Ruisrock.



The main highlight is the only ever live outing for Four Horseman, which Joe introduces with “Ok the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse are quite tired and need a little drink..” The song has a different ending than the recorded version.

London Calling is also of interest as it’s a song in development still; musically its nearing the finished article with Mick’s guitar solo now in place since Notre Dame but lyrically there are still a number of differences, with “we should be grateful… the midnight shutdown” decipherable. Joe intro’s it with “ hope you’ve got your pens and notebooks ready, make sure you get all the wonderful lyrics!, this song is now gonna be called London’s Burning”

Janie Jones is edited midway, restarting with the crowd shouting for an encore, so probably loses Garageland and maybe London’s Burning.

Hannu Björkbacka - @BjorkbackaHannu - 2 March 2020

Ruisrock lauantai 4.8.1979 - Johnny Winter peruutti, "tilalle" tuli The Clash. Myös Graham Parker & the Rumous ja reggaebändi Steel Pulse. Kuviani siltä festarikesältä, Ruissalon "auringonläikässä". (Muualla Suomessa oli harmaa päivä).

Ruisrock kesä 1979 lauantai 4.8.1979 by Hannu

Did you go? What do you remember?
Info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
Please email blackmarketclash

kalevi: I was there and I'm quite sure that The Clash also played "London's burning" because I still remember Joe's quick introduction between songs" That was London burning, now this one's called London calling" and all the awe of hearing an instant classic there and then for the first time! kalevi.pollari[a]yle.fi

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