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New Clash lacks some of the old fire

San Francisco Examiner , January 23, 1984

Written by Philip Elwood

About four years ago the Clash, a British punk rock quartet invaded our shores via recordings and a concert tour. Already famous in the punk-underground for their dedicated political and social rebelliousness and the urgency of their powerfully rhythmic music, they enjoyed a most successful 1980-1982 period.

Local appearances in their early U.S. days at the Berkeley Community Theater and at the Kezar Pavilion were sensational examples of what many thought to he the most exciting and provocative turn rock music had taken since its heavy electrification in the mid-1960s.

By last year the Clash had suffered from internal differences over both musical and philosophical direction, and leader-vocalist-guitarist Joe Strummer let it he known that a new Clash ensemble, this time a quintet, would pick up where the original group had left off.

On Saturday at the overcrowded Civic Auditorium (I seldom get fearful and claustrophobic in jammed arenas, but I was on this occasion) we had a chance to hear the "new-old" clash. There were three guitarists, bassist Paul Simonon (with Strummer the only original Clasher) and drummer Pete Howard plus 10 dangling, smallish video screens and a massive sound system. Nick Sheppard and Vince White were the new guitarists.

Joe Strummer has a stronger lead role in the Clash
It was a good concert although hardly of the gutty, bombastic style of old. Strummer assumed even more of leadership role than was his earlier wont and had trouble at times keeping up the frantic pace always associated with the clash. In his rhythmic guitar-playing lead, In his shouted, strident vocals and in his non-stop commentary, Strummer often becomes incoherent.

They began with "London Calling" and ended about 75 minutes later with "Jamie Jones," the third encore. In between, "Police and Thieves," "Rockin' the Casbah," [sic] "Police on My Back," "Brand New Cadillac," "Guns of Brixton", (Simonon vocal) and others came across quite well. The video screens (all the same images) projected a variety of still and motion pictures of, usually, some significance to the players and listeners - war movies, police activities, defiant placards, etc. Strummer's concern for the British black population and for their reggae and hi-life music is particularly evident in the Clash's music and in his socio-political commentary.

The sound system, though excellent for those jammed on the main floor, was muddy for the thousands upstairs.

Record producer, anthologist, comic and interlocutor Malcolm McLarenren conducted a lively dance set on stage (with many splendid local acts) before the Clash's appearance.

The evening began with a short performance by the Los Lobos band.

'New' Clash Plays Some Old Favorites
For S.F. Faithful

San Francisco Chronicle , January 23, 1984

Written by Joel Selvin

Far away from those rocky shores, that scepter'd isle the Clash calls home, in the relative obscurity of San Francisco, the prelates of punk faced the most potentially ticklish performance in the band's career with relative ease.

If the group bombed, who would know back home?

Outside of the cynical scrutiny of the British press and fad-conscious, trendy English music scene - where the Clash may already be somewhat old hat - the group could comfortably get away with the introduction of what amounts to a whole new band, in front of a nearly sold-out San Francisco Civic Auditorium Saturday, full of California teens primed for the concert by harmless radio hits like "Rock the Casbah" and "Should I Stay Should I Go," rather than the leftist revolutionary rhetoric of "Guns of Brixton" or "White Riot."

These recently acquired fans would seem the least likely to be overly sensitive about the absence of guitarist Mick Jones, whose tough swagger and thinly veiled insolence lent so much character to the band. In his place, bandleader Joe Strummer introduced two semi-professional young British guitarists, Nick Sheppard and Vince White. Neither proved exceptional at the Civic. Far from it, in fact. Even keeping their guitars in tune proved a problem for these green additions to the world's most famous punk rock band. Nor did they show any particular skill in their brief, awkward attempts at vocals.

But the question of technical excellence matters more with other bands than with the Clash, who are the rock world's equivalent of political propagandists who spray-paint leftist slogans on walls in Berkeley.

With the rest of the band dressed in black, Strummer looked especially resplendent in his bright red sport coat and white trousers. tie certainly did his part, rolling around on the stage, thrashing upside down on his back, his kicking legs the only part of his body visible above the surging mass in front of the stage.

The program mixed familiar Clash pieces with new songs headed for the band's next album (to be recorded following the current tour). All the inevitable cornerstones of Clash concerts were present and accounted for - "London Calling," "Police and Thieves," "I Fought the Law," "White Riot" and "Rock the Casbah" in a mysteriously perfunctory rendition - but a great deal of the show was anchored on material the audience never heard before, such as "We Are the Clash," "Sex Mad War" and others which, in the great Clash tradition, were barely decipherable in live performance.

With the two new guitarists fumbling to keep up, the band never struck any rhythmic gold until late in the concert, ironically, during a bass and drums break in "Police and Thieves" when Strummer had sent one of the guitarists offstage, presumably to tune his instrument. Between drummer Pete Howard and bassist Paul Simonon, the two musicians worked up a chugging, bumping interchange that rumbled agreeably through the hall.

In introducing the number, Strummer delivered one of his trademark tirades on culture and the folk process in popular music. "This is punk meets reggae," he explained, "not white reggae. We add some of our own culture to it, so this is no ripoff. I'm talking to you Sting," he shouted, referring to the vocalist-songwriter for the Police, whose work has sometimes been accused of misappropriating Jamaican rhythmic ideas.

What's a Clash Concert without a few polemics? It helps lend a little of the delicious flavor of an anti-war rally to the proceedings and underlines the band's commitment to political struggle and rock-scene infighting. "We do have a culture," Strummer informed the crowd, "and I'm quite sure it's not Van Halen."

Actually, the band's first commitment is to rock and roll and all that it encompasses -- passion, guts, loud guitars, angry songs, anti-social attitudes and, perhaps most of all, spectacle. Helping to provide, a bit of spectacle at the Civic was Malcolm McLaren, the redoubtable manager of the defunct Sex Pistols who can always be counted on in such matters.

McLaren, hands thrust deep into the pockets of a trenchcoat, briefly preceded the Clash by supplying calls to a tape of his punk rock meets-square dance disco hit, "Buffalo Gals," while a handful of local break dancers flipped, twirled and threw their bodies around onstage, like fish out of water.

Opening the show was Los Lobos, a dream garage band of four Mexican-Americans from East Los Angeles who play like 1965 in San Bernardino. Between this lesson in Chicano rock history, McLaren's demonstrations of contemporary street life and Strummer's own lectures on art, politics and culture, the audience could at least go home feeling educated, if not entertained.

I attended the Jan. 21, 1984 concert in San Francisco.

It was memorable for several reasons, but the highlight for me was the stellar performance by opening act Los Lobos. I didnít know until today, over 25 years later, that it was the first Clash show after Mick Jones was sacked.

I have a few good pics Id like to send your way if you could use them. Best, Duffy Johnson, Albuquerque, NM

<titusalone77[a]yahoo.com>

Saw what was left of The Clash in '84 at the San Francisco Civic... I remember it being a pretty good show but I was only 14 at the time and high on NoDoz so who knows! ;-) I also remember everyone being extremely aggitated and vocal to have to wait through the opening act (Los Lobos). Here's an old review of the show...