Far East & Australasian Tour

updated July 14 2008 - full tape & background review added
updated 12 April 2011 - added One Gig Too Far recording with two more

Audio 1 –
Sound 3.5 – time 1hr 30mins – tracks 22 - gen?
omits last two - Bankrobber, Complete Control

The Magnificent 7

Audio 2 – commercial boot: Kamikaze Clampdown -
Sound 3.5 – time 1hr 28mins – tracks 22 - gen?
omits last two - Bankrobber, Complete Control

The Magnificent 7

Audio 3 – One gig too far
Sound 3.5 – time 1hr 37mins – tracks 24 - close to the master

The Magnificent 7

Radio Interview The Clash (from FM Broadcast master recording)
December 1981? Music Live (Japan?): Happy Birthday to fans in Japan "we're coming"...

First night in Japan. Quality recording. Exceptional performances. Essential.

One gig too far whilst a little thinner/tinny is marginally the best. Review does not onclude One Gig Too Far recording

Only one recording is known of from this show but several generations of it circulate:

vers 1. – has the best sound and clarity. It’s either first generation or possibly from the master as the sound on the second half is excellent. The taper got the levels too low at the start during the Morricone intro (excluded from this source) and then raised them too high and then levelled them during the start of Should I Stay. Sound on this source is mainly in the right channel until the tape turnover at the end of The Leader. This would suggest a first generation source although its possible the master tape had this problem. The sound on this first third has as a result a flatter sound. The lack of distance on the recording with all vocals and instrumentation including bass indicates good quality recording equipment and an excellent position and could possibly be a flawed soundboard it’s that good.

Mick’s lead guitar is particularly high in the mix, the recording capturing the live Clash sound very well. It may be missing a final encore.

Kamikaze Clampdown CD – a commercial bootleg from a higher generation tape of the Jeff Dove source and is thus a notch poorer with some editing between songs, the poorest of the three.

vers 2. – includes the Morricone intro and arguably has better sound on the first half dozen songs than the Jeff Dove where although predominantly left cannel this time there is a fuller right channel than the first source. Clarity is not quite as good though and is overall a notch lower than the best source. Sound noticeably improves during Charlie Don’t Surf where as it is more gradual on the first source. A tape dropout in Train in Vain on the Jeff Dove tape missing on this one suggests two separate first generation recordings off the master.

The recording is very likely to be missing a second encore. Bankrobber, Complete Control which are on One Gig Too Far.

Chris Knowles – The Essential Clash Bootleg Bible includes this gig

“One of the most wonderful times we had together was touring the Far East”; Mick’s recent quote is in sharp contrast with the accepted view summed up by Pennie Smith’s oft quoted belief that she witnessed the disintegration of the band whilst photographing them in Thailand. Typically of The Clash both contradictory views are correct!

The constant travelling always being in each other’s company, mounting tensions over the mix of Rat Patrol and Topper’s worsening addiction, all speeded up the process of disintegration which was already inevitable well before Mick and Joe just made it onto the Tokyo flight from the NYC recording sessions. But the band were also bowled over by the enthusiasm and kindnesses of in particular the Japanese fans, loved the culture clash of touring and visiting for the first time countries outside Europe and the US. The excitement and freshness of it all patching over their differences for the time being.

Higher resolution wanted

Since their last live show on the Lyceum stage at the end of October, CBS finally released Radio Clash in both 7” and 12” versions in November. Their perilous financial position was not assisted though as it was a commercial failure only reaching No.47 in the UK charts. The Clash had to make money on the next album and thus chose to record in New York at the very expensive Electric Ladyland studios! In theory a result of a Mick ultimatum (which he later says was a joke”!) the band were happy to continue their fascination with NYC and get back to the Iroquois Hotel.

Topper described the sessions to Pat Gilbert as “The ones where we’d just bump into each other occasionally in the studio. I was right out of my head, fucked up on heroin. That was affecting my timekeeping. All four of us were fucked up – we were a band in name only”

Recording over time and budget, tempers became more frayed. The album was supposed to be complete by the end of December but Mick’s 15 track, 65 minute mix of Rat Patrol at Fort Bragg was rejected by Joe and the others as the “home movie mix”

Topper ‘s arrest in December at Heathrow for smuggling heroin put the Japanese tour in serious jeopardy but a sympathetic judge meant he was sent to the Priory for treatment. He was soon back though in New York submitting to temptation but remained a non-intravenous user until after his sacking.

The Far East tour was meant to both open up new markets (Japan 2nd largest market in the world) for the band and to reward their fans with a first opportunity to experience them live. A career summarising best of set was decided upon as these were largely virgin territories.

Redemption Song includes a wonderful map drawn by Joe entitled Rat Patrol over South East Asia & Australasia showing the planned itinerary. Mick and Joe dragged themselves from the mixing desk for a race to the Tokyo flight on January 22nd, arriving the next day (Topper, Paul and Pearl arrived on the 21st). The very next night they played the Shibuya Kokaido.

Promoter Udo added a further two shows due to demand making a total of 9 gigs (1 matinee), 2 in Osaka the rest in Tokyo. Quality recordings circulate of 5 of the shows plus the Young Music Show video shown on Japanese TV. ‘If we’d wanted to make money in Japan, we would’ve played Budokan like Bob Dylan” Joe insisted at the Sydney press conference “30,000 Nips jumping in the air, throw yer money on the plane and – bingo! – that’s rock’n’roll! We played 9 times in as many days, and never to more than 3000 people. And that’s nine days of expenses, and all’

Salewicz’s book describes how Joe and Mick took a vow not to behave in Japan in the colonial manner of so many Western acts. But there was ample phoney Beatle mania when they were greeted by a surprise reception at Tokyo airport with fans thrusting gifts into their hands as they stepped out of the customs hall. “We were treated like part-time Western gods. It was a bit frightening’ said Joe.

Joe felt uncomfortable about being part of the increasing Westernisation of Japanese culture but the group were touched by their host’s enthusiasm and kindness. Mick “They loved us in Japan especially because we didn’t take advantage of them and we treated them with love. It was fantastic our relationship with the Japanese fans. Some bands had disgraced themselves there and we had made an unconscious decision to treat them gently!” Pearl Harbour “That was the best tour ever. it was like Beatle mania with screaming, crying girls. It was insane! They treated you like royalty and took you shopping and gave you everything for free”

Pennie Smith in Japan to photograph the group just before they left found Joe in his room surrounded by gifts from fans – dolls, carvings, clothing, even a samurai sword “I don’t know what to do, I can’t get them in my suitcase! How can I leave them behind? They’ve got them specially for me” Pennie recalled they were all taken (hefty excess luggage bill!) and at Joe Strummer – Past, Present and Future exhibition in 2004 at London Print Studio there was a fascinating display of gifts, photos and mementos that Joe had kept all those years – his affection for the Japanese fans and the tour clearly demonstrated.

Chris’s book also hilariously describes the reaction of Mick and Joe and promoter Udo to the news that Japan was a spliffless zone, the tears running down their faces!

Before The Clash the Japanese had never been allowed to stand up for any act and even then the audience was only allowed to stand in their seats. The fans loved this insistence by the band and as Kosmo recalled “We got tons of coverage in the papers for that. Even the television news was there”.
You can hear and feel the mania of the fans at the Shibuya Kokaido, the band well used to extreme audience reaction are clearly taken aback and the combination makes for exceptional performances and a highly enjoyable and fascinating recording. Sho Kikuchi’s brilliant book of photographs from the tour includes a number of terrific shots from this concert.

Japanese journalist and fan, Haruko Minakami wrote an account and interview for Sounds (March 6th 1982) the only UK music paper to cover the Japanese dates. He did not rate the Shibuya Kokaido gig because Joe was exhausted and suffering from jet lag and kept pouring water on his head to cool himself down so much so that a bucket of water was put at the side of the stage for him! The audience there though thought otherwise and the Japanese press was full of praise. Certainly it is hard to imagine Joe being any more energised than he is on this recording!

Joe wore a distinctive shirt for the gig (and the next night in Osaka) but which he did not realise was provocative and controversial – the Japanese red sun flag was from the Second World War. When it was pointed out that it was the emblem of Japanese imperialism he must have decided wisely not to wear it again. The article again showed how touched Joe was by the gifts given to him by Japanese fans.

Originally built as one of the competition venues for the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games, Shibuya Kokaido Public Hall has hosted a wide array of performing arts since 1965 and the prestigious venue is still very much in use today. It was refurbished and renamed in 2006 but still stages both rock and classical music and seats 2,318.

It is located in Shibuya-ku, a prominent fashionable downtown of Tokyo with movie theatres, shops, museums etc crowded with young people.

The Morricone intro returns at Topper’s request and would remain a fixture throughout 82. Then with a roar from the audience and a “Hello Tokyo” the band launch into an exceptional Should I Stay – supposed to be a greatest hits set so The Clash (for the only time) start with Mick’s unreleased song! (or maybe they were then able to predict future Levis TV ad campaigns!). Mick’s song but unlike the 81 performances Joe’s pumped up vocal contribution in a mixture of English, Clash Spanish (and manic Strummerisms!) here runs almost throughout the song, really adding along with Mick’s vocals and great lead guitar playing to a uniquely enjoyable performance.

The band are audibly amazed at the sight, sound and mania of their first Japanese audience all standing on their seats – a spectacle even they had never seen before! Joe is clearly taken aback “OK, OK” he says amazed before the band slam into an exceptional One More Time. “Alright, alright, play music” shouts Joe over a great sounding variation of the intro but amazement has turned to concern at the audience’s safety and he soon adds “OK Cool down OK Shush!” but the band continue until he urgently orders “STOP! Everybody cool down yeah, stand still(!)” After a pause in the best tradition of Joe’s calm down instructions the band then kick back into the type of music guaranteed to have the opposite effect!

Mick’s lead guitar is high in the mix, (this recording captures really well the live Clash sound to great effect) and he adds some great fills as the band crank it up and Joe becoming as manic as the audience launches into an adlibbed “mount the speaker (which presumably he does literally – Sho Kikuchi’s photographs capture Joe in manic athletic form!) I am your electronics, I work hard for you, I am the power of music and you can turn me off too – click! …I am the power of music and it’s One More Time” Mick comes in reminding Joe of the songs lyrics but he’s too wound up and barely responds. Another unique performance is brought to an end by Topper’s great drum finish.

A short pause but no let up as a shouted “1,2,3,4” signals Safe European Home. The early evening start and absence of drugs does not prevent the band responding to the mania of the audience with terrific performances which although rusty at times after a 3 month live lay off and lack of rehearsals somehow only adds to the uniqueness and enjoyment of this gig. The band are clearly enjoying playing live again burying their differences and problems at least on stage. It is a shame the sound on the first third of the recording does not match the quality of the rest, but if you ignore the deficiencies it’s a highly enjoyable recording. “Fade out, fade out” orders Joe and the band drop the music down Joe adlibs about Rudi in a Trenchtown jail and then the band build it back up again very effectively.

“Thank you, thank you, OK, OK now Mr Mick Jones” (biggest cheer of his career!) but as the song starts he realises it’s not Train in Vain but Know Your Rights, “Next one Mick!” Joe is still really pumped up shouting the lyrics over the heavy pounding performance screaming “Get off the streets” over the ending. The arrangement has now moved on from the October performances following the December recording sessions but still remains in transition; there’s no “public service announcement” yet and the inclusion still of the young offenders lines, and strange “right to fish money” remaining more tongue in cheek amusing than the final Glyn Johns version.

Next it is Mick’s Train In Vain with some great splintering guitar licks from the man and the audience recognition high and especially appreciative for this one, they clap-a-long loudly. Topper is on great form tonight, his drumming a delight throughout.

Joe then addresses almost paternally the audience “How are you, are you alright? Does it sound good? Okie dokie” Then the band slam into White Man in Hammersmith Palais bringing out all the drama in the song. Joe encourages the audience to singalong as the band improvise around the rhythm before Joe brings it back to the climax then adlibs over the final bars “I went down there to check it out, looking for no sign of trouble…”.

Magnificent Seven has a lengthy instrumental intro and the performance though sounding under-rehearsed with Joe shouting instructions to Mick “A, A A!” is no less enjoyable for it. Mick’s inventive guitar, the clarity of Paul’s bass lines and Topper’s great drumming makes for another very enjoyable performance.

“Mr Paul Simonon will now sing” huge cheers! Guns Of Brixton has another variation on a lengthy intro, the performance only really picking up though mid-song following some great lead guitar lines.

Mick’s excellent clear as a bell intro to Charlie Don’t Surf gets an introduction of “Ho Chi Minh City” from Mick, whilst Joe prefers the older colonialist shout of “Saigon!” Mick is really pumped up tonight too, singing throughout in unison with Joe and plays some terrific and inventive guitar. The guitar and drum intro to The Leader sounds great but presumably due to a technical problem Joe’s vocals are barely heard mid song (although from his next comment it may have been his reported exhaustion). An edit presumably a tape change over on the master brings an improvement in the sound; both channels are now full and the sound to the end is very good indeed with plenty of stereo separation. The recording restarts with Joe saying “…well I’m trying now and this is Topper Headon on the microphone” There’s some distortion on Ivan Meets GI Joe which as usual is the weakest part of the set. Topper’s voice sounding as slight as the live arrangement although the band particularly Mick make a valiant effort to breath life into the song’s twitching corpse!

Junco Partner next though is another exceptional performance helped significantly by the clarity in the mix of Paul’s bass lines. “Take a walk boys” orders Joe and the band improvise effectively and then Joe adlibs “go drunk down the street, I’ll tell you when the cops followed that man they turned on the red light and made a funny sound like this Woah, Wooh, Woah, Wooh! (accompanied by some great guitar fills from Mick) they dragged that junco partner where down to jail, OK boys lets go out..” and the band obliges with Topper bringing the song to an end in style.

“What’s next? This song entitled on Broadway” Joe emotes brilliantly, the excellence of the sound quality (flawed soundboard?) really adding to the enjoyment of another terrific performance. If Joe was exhausted it certainly does not sound like it as he is totally involved as is Mick, his guitar playing here and throughout the gig is inventive and hugely effective. “Over and out boys” but not before Mick adds a great finish.

“What’s next? Mr Michael Jones definitely this time. A pause with Joe impatient Mick adds under his breath “just tuning my guitar!” then continues “OK this number is from the second album called Stay Free” A big cheer for another very fine performance but not exceptional unlike most tonight.

London Calling next though is exceptional. “We’re gonna call to you now” and Joe responds to the roar from the audience with a terrific vocal performance aided by Mick’s razor sharp guitar playing. “Yeah, yeah” shouts Joe in appreciation over Mick’s solo. On the final chorus he adds an impassioned “You’re just like us”

Then Topper launches into Janie Jones; a performance as raw and effective as any from 1977 which is greeted by a roar from Tokyo’s punks. Crank up the volume and the performances are hugely enjoyable. Next Mick picks out another variation on his intro to Somebody Got Murdered. It’s a simply stunning performance that sounds fantastic; the recording really capturing the live Clash “attack” Mick’s playing is particularly effective over Joe’s vocal section as the band drop it down before Paul and Topper bring it back up for a great climax.

There is then an edit and pause before an even more stunning and exceptional performance of Clampdown; the band on fire. Mick and Joe singing passionately in unison again, “you know you can use it” – “Truth, Truth!” shouts Joe. The playing is as hard as nails, the band conjuring up an aural apocalypse to match Joe’s adlibs “…radiation, I can feel it in my bones now…” Topper’s magnificent drumming holds it altogether then a transported Joe shouts imploringly “Stop, STOP, that’s too fast, stop, (drops down to drum and bass) darkness, that’s it dark (as the stage lights go off) Let the stars come out, Shine, Shine, SHINE” (presumably to new lighting effects). Mick plays a fantastic guitar accompaniment and the band whip it back up viciously before Topper finally brings the performance to an end.

Next Joe asks “OK what’s next?” to which Mick adds “Topper’s fucked off!” Amusingly Topper’s thought that must be the end of the set and gone backstage! “Hang on a minute, one minute” explains Joe to the audience and then to cheers Topper returns for the final song of the set an exceptional This is Radio Clash. Mick’s syn drums feature heavily and Joe works successfully to get the audience to sing along. The band’s playing is brilliantly tight and inventive so much so that even Joe is bowled over! “Brilliant, brilliant, absolutely fuckin’ brilliant” he says over one particularly stunning section. As the band leave the stage Joe says “Thank you very much, if you clap we’ll be back in 10 seconds!” to which Mick adds “or something!”

With the audience stamping and shouting for more, Topper returns first (having already had a break!) and beats out the start of Brand New Cadillac. A fine performance but unexceptional as is Armagideon Time; the unexceptional performances being the exception tonight! The final song though London’s Burning is simply awesome; it’s changed to Tokyo’s Burning now and Joe’s echoed “Tokyo” hangs in the air as the band leave the stage. Joe’s “Thank you and goodnight and I’ll see you again” sounds final so there was probably not a final encore.

Essential.