Support: The (English) Beat

updated 15 Sept 2012 - added full review

Audio 1 -
Sound 3 - 1hr 25min - master - tracks 24

Bankrobber

Audio 2 - LP - Stinkfoot in Hollywood LP -
Sound 3.5 - 52mins - LP - tracks 13 

Bankrobber

The full recording

One audience recording circulates which is complete and very good quality. A 1^st generation version has been posted on Dime but a master copy via Jeff Dove has a touch better sound. 

Stinkfoot in Hollywood

The ‘Stinkfoot in Hollywood’ LP is from the same source, in a notch lower quality and is incomplete with 13 of the night’s songs. Originally a Dutch limited release of 500 on black vinyl it was later re-released on red vinyl with the same cover but different labels. 

The master recording is very good but not great; little flat and distant and bass weak but still the best of the three Hollywood Palladium recordings and one of the best from the tour.

There is some digital clipping at the start of Straight to Hell, not present on the Dime 1^st gen source so a result of the transfer from master tape to digital. 

The fourth night at the Hollywood Palladium was probably the best performance of the 5 night residency and certainly has the best sound of the 3 recordings in circulation. 

Dave McCullough was their on the 18^th  and wrote very positively of it in his substantial piece in Sounds; ‘Sten Guns in LA’ (17 July 82) [link] “Playing as hot as in punk days but now with enough skill to send them to heights of great beauty now” He wrote they played almost exclusively only the 1^st and 2^nd album material (not true only 8 out of the 24 were pre London Calling) and said they “performed with fresh faced élan you wouldn’t have credited short of reincarnation” 

The Clash were back in favour with the UK ‘inkies’ after the release of Combat Rock. McCullough’s piece is in keeping with that, but he appears genuinely enthused by the performance; seeing it as a return to The Clash of the punk days when he had been such a fan of the band. Key to that he said was Terry Chimes the “star of both shows” who got that “raw back beat going again” Joe was  pleased with McCullough’s comments and support for the sacking of Topper. Joe “I think we’re really desperate, really hungry again. Because Toppers left and we feel vulnerable again that adds a desperation, a franticness to everything and that feeds the old stuff really well.” 

This performance is certainly one of the best from this tour, the band’s full on energy is audible with Joe pumped up and Mick’s playing more effective and inventive than on many nights on this tour. Terry has had time to settle back in and learn the songs but surely the loss of musicality AND excitement in the performances following Topper’s sacking is clear to hear.  Tonight was perhaps one of the few nights of this tour he was able to kid himself that he and the band had made the right decision over Topper.

Joe had also been delighted that one of his idols had been at the show on the 17^th; “Dylan came to see us even though we were not good on the night - he’s said to have been recording rock’n’roll again the next morning!” Dylan’s teenage son of course Jacob was The Clash fan no doubt urging his family to see the band but there’s plenty of evidence too that Bob was already if not a fan then an admirer. According to Chris Salewicz, Columbia press officer Ellie Smith gave Dylan a copy of The Clash’s self-titled album when he was in England in 1978, which Bob loved. Dylan played “This is Radio Clash”, “Tommy Gun”, “Train in Vain”, “The Right Profile” and The 101’ers “Keys to Your Heart” on his show, Theme Time Radio Hour and partially covered London Calling live.

Recollections of the gig on the 17^th;

"I was 19 years old when I saw the Clash in Hollywood. This was the very first time & only time I was to see them. I had been a fan since the release of London Calling." 

"The Palladium was overcrowded/oversold but a charming old-time Hollywood style dance hall. The English Beat opened for them and was Outstanding! I was down on the main floor for their show, but the crush of the crowd moved me upstairs to the balcony for the Clash's performance."

"The opposite Balcony section was completely sealed off for a private party. Later that summer I would read in Rolling Stone magazine that Bob Dylan had been the private party! The Clash were great although you could see Mick had problems at times getting the desired feedback out of his guitar. Someone threw a shoe at Joe and hit him square in the face! He stopped the show and asked "Who threw that? Why don't you come up here and get it then? Aye? I didn't think so you fucking pussy!" then he ripped into the next song. It was a highlight! " 

The recording and gig begins with “Good evening welcome to y’all London Calling to the faraway towns”. The levels rise and settle as the taper adjusts to the live Clash levels. The high energy start continues with Janie Jones; Terry thuds away on the bass drum but the bands’ collective energy tonight makes for more enjoyable performances than many on this tour. Joe is pumped up on  

Know Your Rights and again Guns of Brixton is impressive with effective guitar from Mick. Train in Vain is OK as always.

“Let’s have the lights on Jacko,- slowly the lights might come on, yeah, anyone know this one… “Joe sings the first chorus solo of Bankrobber before the band come in. A good performance but with Terry’s drumming it lacks musicality; it doesn’t swing. Magnificent Seven has plenty of energy but there’s little in the way of Strummer adlibs or band improvisation. 

“Yeah by the way forgot to introduce the man on the drums Mr Terry Chimes”

Wrong Em’ Boyo is very enjoyable as is a strong tight Rock the Casbah. Joe shouts “Woah, Woah” in imitation of a Police siren which either heralds the start of Police & Thieves or as here, Police On My Back. “They said release Remote Control” intros Joe and the band launch into Complete Control working hard to whip it up of old but it does not match the song’s former live glories of this Clash classic. 

Radio Clash is strong and features some strong guitar from Mick but the effects he’s using makes an ineffective strangulated electronic noise. After an energetic Clash City Rockers Joe says “OK next one is, we got some Reaganomics. Thanks to President Reagan this next one is even more topical - especially to you lot!  Talking about C. A. R. E. E. R. S.” and band slam into a strong Career Opportunities

“Mick Jones for this next one” his Should I Stay or Should I Go is fine

but Brand New Cadillac is excellent, a highlight. Clampdown is again a pale imitation of the best Topper performances but Terry works hard and as the band drop it down Joe adlibs “Yeah, Three Mile Island, I hear something ticking …? ? until someone shouts out Ban The Bomb!” End of main set.

If the main set performances are strong the encore performances stand out and include the first example of the band segueing into (or out of) Armagideon Time. “Junior Murvin and Lee Perry” shouts Joe as the band return for the first encore with Police and Thieves.  Mick’s guitar is clear and effective and Joe’s in good voice. They keep the effective dub ‘drop out’ bass only section and then Joe says  “Now we step forward into Armagideon Time” The band must have been working on the segue so evidence The Clash were still moving forward musically post Topper although not to the extent of previous years/tours but with Terry back (only a few weeks) realistically their options were limited. Terry thumps away but there’s now renewed interest in the song with the introduction of Ranking Roger from the support band The Beat. Joe introduces him with “rrrrrrrrRoger, rrrrrrrrrRoger and Roger toasts along including “a lot of people won’t get no sex tonight” “What do you say Roger” jokes Joe in response. Joe comes back on lead vocals to end the song; a highlight. Mick then picks out the intro to Somebody Got Murdered which builds effectively and the band deliver another pumped up performance. A fine encore ends with I Fought The Law.

A second encore, by no mean guaranteed on this tour starts a really tight and effective Straight To Hell. Joe sings with conviction and Mick’s accompaniment is excellent. Safe European Home next is not exceptional but pumped up and effective. “Look out” screams Joe as Terry rips it up as best he can at the end of Garageland; closing one of the best performances (and recordings) from this tour.

Did you go? What do you remember?
Info, articles, reviews, comments or photos welcome.
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"I was 19 years old when I saw the Clash in Hollywood. This was the very first time & only time I was to see them. I had been a fan since the release of London Calling."

"The Palladium was overcrowded/oversold but a charming old-time Hollywood style dance hall. The English Beat opened for them and was Outstanding! I was down on the main floor for their show, but the crush of the crowd moved me upstairs to the balcony for the Clash's performance."

"The opposite Balcony section was completely sealed off for a private party. Later that summer I would read in Rolling Stone magazine that Bob Dylan had been the private party! The Clash were great although you could see Mick had problems at times getting the desired feedback out of his guitar. Someone threw a shoe at Joe and hit him square in the face! He stopped the show and asked "Who threw that? Why don't you come up here and get it then? Aye? I didn't think so you fucking pussy!" that he ripped into the next song. It was a highlight! "

Went to see them in LA at the Palladium in 1982, stupidly thought we could get tickets at the door. The show had been sold out for weeks. The security guards were nice enough to open the doors for a little bit so the rather large crowd outside could see for a few minutes. The best concert I never attended.

Ticket from the gig and this account of events here 

…When it was announced that the boys would be playing at the world famous Hollywood Palladium that summer there could not have been any reason for me not to be there other than death itself. By this time in my life I had gone to see many punk bands at venues such as The Whiskey, the Roxy and The Music Machine but did not consider myself to be a punk, just a fan of the music. I stayed clear of the mosh pits that formed at every show and enjoyed the music, the events and the scene. 

As The Clash took to the stage at The Palladium on that balmy Southern California night, the wave of young enthusiastic punks pushed me over to the left front of the stage where I found myself at arms length from Mick Jones’ combat boots, but uncomfortably close to the amp that was positioned right in front of me. The juice of the guitars, bass and drums hummed in my ear all night long but I would not have had it any other way as I was up front at a potent Clash concert. The band had a forceful opening set as I recall with fast numbers such as London Calling, Career Opportunities, White Riot and Clampdown setting the tempo for the show. By mid-show, Joe Strummer slowed it down a bit, took out an acoustic guitar, got on one knee and started to almost serenade the fueled and passionate crowd with what I recall was a ballad called Bank Robber. At this moment in almost slow motion, a punk from front center hocked out a loogie projected right at Joe. From my vantage point it looked to be about 8 inches long and twisted slowly in circles in mid flight while being backlit from one of the stage lights. The projectile landed directly on Joe’s face and dangled from his ear much like a slime scene out of the yet to be released film Ghostbusters. Joe, the consummate punk, barely missed a beat where he did nothing but laugh as he wiped it off with his hand and continued with the song. When the show ended with the punk encore of “I fought the Law”, I was loaded with adrenaline, drenched in sweat and had a horrible ringing in my left ear, a consequence which continues to this day. 

I had the good fortune to see The Clash two more times; in October of 1982 at the Los Angeles Coliseum as they opened up for The Who and then again in the summer of 1983 at the US Festival in San Bernardino, but neither matched the up front raw energy of the Hollywood Palladium show… I still have the ticket stub from that night which is a bit odd since I was not nearly as nostalgic back in 1982 as I am today. Perhaps I knew someday 28 years later, I would still be talking about The Only Band That Mattered.

The band chose to return to the Hollywood Palladium where they had played in October 1979, for their LA shows; this time though they sold out 5 nights, The Jam it was pointed out struggled to fill just one.

The seat less dance floor there no doubt a key factor but perhaps also the glamour and history of this famous venue played a part in the band’s choice. The Palladium at 6215 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California remains a famous icon which has hosted everything from Sinatra, Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, MC5 The Who to the Pornographic Film industry’s Award Show. 

Built in 1940 in an art deco style with a 11,200 square foot (1040 m²) dance floor with room for up to 4,000 people, it cost what was then a huge $1.6 million on the site where the original Paramount lot had stood. In February 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr. was honored at the Palladium by city officials recognizing his Nobel Peace Prize. The Palladium reopened after refurbishment with a Jay-Z concert on October 15, 2008 after a year long, multi-million dollar renovation. 

squared, colour corrected