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The Clash

ChaosCatalunya

ChaosCatalunya

5.2 club is now 8.1 club...
Veteran
944s2 said:
blast from the past Herman lol,,,
Crass are from just down the road in Epping ,,, not far from me but older more refined chaps now I imagine,,,s2
Click to expand...

Steve Ignorant is now a keen volunteer lifeboatmen in Suffolk, does some acoustic sets and pub gigs around there.

In the early nineties Ignorant's Chinese girlfriend accidentally, innocently, let out her flat (so, capitalist fuckpigs at heart) to some Irish chappie, turned out he was part of a terrorist cell setting up a bomb factory there..... Pigs sussed them (can't remember if it was the one they famously got by identifying the tree pollen and thus narrowing the suspect streets down to 15) ... So, adding 2+2 declared publicly that the IRA were now working with "British Anarchist groups" ..... When nothing of the sort was happening.

Funnily enough my best mate G flew round that very corner hours later, banned, no insurance, tax, nada, and had passenger with 1kg of grass on him, he panicked, blasted through the POLICE STOP tape and carried on till the road ahead filled with firearms officers and their Heckler& Koch MP5s.... Very Busted. His dog heroically escaped Stokie's finest highly experienced Pit Bull handlers and made it home alone, a wanted dog, and G, bullshitted the pigs magnificently, gave a false name and got away, eventually, Scott free.
 
Hermanthegerman

Hermanthegerman

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picture.php
 
Gypsy Nirvana

Gypsy Nirvana

Recalcitrant Reprobate -
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Oh - a Clash thread - cool.

I knew the Clash - before they were the Clash - and Joe Strummer was in a band called the 101'ers and Joe was called 'Woody'.....back then.

Back in 1976 I saw the 101'ers headline at The Nashville in West Kensington in London - supported by The Sex Pistols, and over the next few months I saw The Clash come together with Mick Jones on lead guitar, Paul Simonon on bass, and Topper Headon on drums - initially they rehearsed at a place near Dingwalls in Camden Town - then they found a place near Vauxhall station - south of the river Thames - where they practiced relentlessly - putting together a very tight sound.

I moved to the USA from London in 1977 - and lived in San Francisco for a few years. In early 1980 The Clash showed up to play the Warfield Theatre on Market Street in SF, and at that gig The Clash asked me to come and work with them on the U.S. tour as a roadie/security person - which I did till we ended up in New York where they went into the studio to record the album 'Sandinista' - and we parted ways because I had a job offer from Lee Dorsey (who was one of the support acts on the tour)....So I flew down to New Orleans and went to work in Lee's auto-paint and fender shop during the day - and worked the door at some Honky-Tonk called 'Old Man Rivers' at night....

The Clash have always been my favourite band - and always will be.

101'ers 'Keys to your heart'...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV8Sm444Fso
 
Hermanthegerman

Hermanthegerman

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Hello Gypsy, you lucky one! Fascinating Story! I am a Clash fan all my life also. In December 78 or 79, as a Teenager, I was in London and bought 3 LPs only by the Cover, without Hearing the Music. The Stranglers-Rattus Norwegicus, The Rutles (Monty Python) and The Clash-Give em enough rope. And that it was, I was a Clash fan. :) Excactly my Band in the right time!

I saw Joe Strummer one time in my life, in Hamburg 1999. Late but not to late.:)
 
Gypsy Nirvana

Gypsy Nirvana

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Yes Herman - The were a great band, and its kinda interesting why The Clash hired me in San Francisco in 1980.

The gig at The Warfield Theatre was on a Sunday - and on the next day Monday I was due to be sworn into the US Marine Corps - then fly down to Camp Pendleton in San Diego for 13 weeks basic training - since I was going thru a bad patch in my life and the USMC were offering me $700 a month and all the food and exercise I wanted.

I was queuing up outside the venue on Market Street when Joe showed up - recognized me - then he asked me what I was doing in the USA - and I told him about joining the USMC the following day - Joe told me to follow him into the theater - and back-stage the rest of the band greeted me - having not seen me for 3 years - and Joe told them all that I was about to join the 'Yankee Army' - and all of them thought it was not a good idea.

Anyway - it was time for the gig to start - and I was seated by one of the theater staff right at the front of the stage - the band came on and ripped straight into 'London Calling' - the crowd went wild - then the next song 'Stay Free' Mick Jones dedicated to me - and my eyes got wet - it was very emotional for me having made my mind up to join the military - then have The Clash telling me it was a mistake - I was only 20 years old at the time.

It was a great gig, and after the encores I was again invited back-stage where - in front of a Rolling Stone journalist The Clash offered me $700 a week, and all the food and exercise I wanted - so the next day when the USMC recruiting sergeant showed up at my apartment to pick me up - I was not there - because I had flown down to Los Angeles with The Clash - because they were playing the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium - and I was doing back, and front stage security!
 
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Hermanthegerman

Hermanthegerman

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What a wonderfull expierence! And typical Joe "the Yankee army". In my Imagination your escape from LA reminds me of the "Bankrobber" Video. 700 Dollar was a lot of Money, still today. With my simple english I cant give a better reply but I was reading it very well.:)

I had a friend, he was dying in january 2017 and the song "stay free" is standing for our friendship and different ways.


In the summer of 1980 I was in Clacton On Sea and "Rude boy" was in the local cinema. We wanted to buy the tickets in the afternoon for the evening but we didn´t. Before the cinema were sitting real, dangerous Punks and we were to scary to go there.


Herman (right) and his friend, in winter 1980 in London.

picture.php
 
Gypsy Nirvana

Gypsy Nirvana

Recalcitrant Reprobate -
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Stay Free
The Clash

We met when we were in school
Never took no shit from no one, we weren't fools
The teacher says we're dumb
We're only having fun
We piss on everyone
In the classroom

When we got thrown out I left without much fuss
An' weekends we'd go dancing
Down Streatham on the bus
You always made me laugh
Got me in bad fights
Play me pool all night
Smokin' menthol

I practiced daily in my room
You were down the crown planning your next move
Go on a nicking spree
Hit the wrong guy
Each of you get three
Years in Brixton
I did my very best to write
How was butlins?
Were the screws too tight?
When you lot get out
Were gonna hit the town
We'll burn it fuckin' down
To a cinder

'Cause years have passed and things have changed
And I move anyway I want to go
I'll never forget the feeling I got
When I heard that you'd got home
An' I'll never forget the smile on my face
'Cause I knew where you would be
An' if you're in the crown tonight
Have a drink on me
But go easy...step lightly...stay free


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuYzsrYSQx4

Hermanthegerman said:
What a wonderfull expierence! And typical Joe "the Yankee army". In my Imagination your escape from LA reminds me of the "Bankrobber" Video. 700 Dollar was a lot of Money, still today. With my simple english I cant give a better reply but I was reading it very well.:)

I had a friend, he was dying in january 2017 and the song "stay free" is standing for our friendship and different ways.


In the summer of 1980 I was in Clacton On Sea and "Rude boy" was in the local cinema. We wanted to buy the tickets in the afternoon for the evening but we didn´t. Before the cinema were sitting real, dangerous Punks and we were to scary to go there.


Herman (right) and his friend, in winter 1980 in London.

View Image
Click to expand...

That tour ended up in New York - and The Clash went into the studio to record 'Sandinista!' - and I headed down to New Orleans. Lee Dorsey who had been supporting The Clash on the tour offered me a job in an auto-paint and fender shop.

Veggia farmer said:
Love the clash!

Sounds like a nice time Gypsy. Very thoughtfull of them to play "stay free" and the following, cool:)
Click to expand...

Probably one of the more emotive times of my life - I'd say.
 
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