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Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 20 Aug 2018, 3:39pm
by JohnS
The BBC certainly didn't blacklist the Clash in 1982/83. Combat Rock got some airplay on Radio 1, and not just the hit singles - I remember, to my amazement, hearing Peter Powell (cheesy MOR ultra-safe DJ) playing Overpowered By Funk on his show. He raved about it when it finished and urged the band to release it as a single!
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 20 Aug 2018, 3:40pm
by Heston
Low Down Low wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:22pm
Wolter wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:03pm
Heston wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 2:58pm
Low Down Low wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 2:54pm
Still a bit surprised RtC didn't have a better run in the charts, its not my favourite song by far but it always sounded like a song that could have done much better than it did. Funny that SISOSIG significantly outperformed it in the UK while it was the opposite in the US. I assume perhaps the MTV factor may explain the latter.
Though Casbah only got the number 30 in the UK, it had quite a long run in the charts. These were the days when a song could hang around for a long time and sell lots of copies without breaking the top 20.
In the US circa 1993-4, it was the only Clash song 90% of the people I met knew.
It begs the question given the unprecedented success of RtC why they never followed up with a promo video for SIS and milked it for all it was worth. Unless there was one and I missed it, all i can think of is the Shea stadium one and not sure that was in existence back then.
I never saw the Shea video until 1983 on The Tube.
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 20 Aug 2018, 3:44pm
by Heston
Heston wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:40pm
Low Down Low wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:22pm
Wolter wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:03pm
Heston wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 2:58pm
Low Down Low wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 2:54pm
Still a bit surprised RtC didn't have a better run in the charts, its not my favourite song by far but it always sounded like a song that could have done much better than it did. Funny that SISOSIG significantly outperformed it in the UK while it was the opposite in the US. I assume perhaps the MTV factor may explain the latter.
Though Casbah only got the number 30 in the UK, it had quite a long run in the charts. These were the days when a song could hang around for a long time and sell lots of copies without breaking the top 20.
In the US circa 1993-4, it was the only Clash song 90% of the people I met knew.
It begs the question given the unprecedented success of RtC why they never followed up with a promo video for SIS and milked it for all it was worth. Unless there was one and I missed it, all i can think of is the Shea stadium one and not sure that was in existence back then.
I never saw the Shea video until 1983 on The Tube.
Plus, the Clash were always about wasted opportunities and bad management decisions. To think they never followed the London Calling single with Rudie Can't Fail or Train In Vain is just basically insane. Instead they just had 9 long months of total chart inactivity until Bankrobber came out. Then who decided to release the Call Up as the lead single from Sandinista? Insanity!
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 20 Aug 2018, 3:49pm
by Dr. Medulla
Heston wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:44pm
Plus, the Clash were always about wasted opportunities and bad management decisions. To think they never followed the London Calling single with Rudie Can't Fail or Train In Vain is just basically insane. Instead they just had 9 long months of total chart inactivity until Bankrobber came out. Then who decided to release the Call Up as the lead single from Sandinista? Insanity!
But that's the punk (and folk) trap—commercial success means betrayal of ideals. You can't see the mass production/distribution/consumption system as corrupt and unholy while also courting it (except under the belief of destroying it from within). The Clash were plagued by the contrary principles of ambition and punk hostility to the system. So it's no surprise they just bounced from idea to idea, never fully committing to either becoming a Huge Band or staying a more militant niche band.
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 20 Aug 2018, 3:55pm
by Heston
Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:49pm
Heston wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:44pm
Plus, the Clash were always about wasted opportunities and bad management decisions. To think they never followed the London Calling single with Rudie Can't Fail or Train In Vain is just basically insane. Instead they just had 9 long months of total chart inactivity until Bankrobber came out. Then who decided to release the Call Up as the lead single from Sandinista? Insanity!
But that's the punk (and folk) trap—commercial success means betrayal of ideals. You can't see the mass production/distribution/consumption system as corrupt and unholy while also courting it (except under the belief of destroying it from within). The Clash were plagued by the contrary principles of ambition and punk hostility to the system. So it's no surprise they just bounced from idea to idea, never fully committing to either becoming a Huge Band or staying a more militant niche band.
They were committed to releasing singles in general though, Sandinista and Combat Rock had three each, the other albums two each. Why LC was neglected is a bit of a mystery.
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 20 Aug 2018, 4:02pm
by Chuck Mangione
101Walterton wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 2:38pm
I don’t think anyone is denying that The Clash were given the cold shoulder by Radio 1 (BBC) for a long time.
No doubt their TOTP stance didn’t help.
Things changed with RTC and SISOSIG both of which got airplay that summer.
Coincidence Combat Rock was their most successful album commercially? No the two go hand in hand.
Plus "do you wanna make tea for the BBC" must have teed them off
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 20 Aug 2018, 4:06pm
by Dr. Medulla
Heston wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:55pm
Dr. Medulla wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:49pm
Heston wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:44pm
Plus, the Clash were always about wasted opportunities and bad management decisions. To think they never followed the London Calling single with Rudie Can't Fail or Train In Vain is just basically insane. Instead they just had 9 long months of total chart inactivity until Bankrobber came out. Then who decided to release the Call Up as the lead single from Sandinista? Insanity!
But that's the punk (and folk) trap—commercial success means betrayal of ideals. You can't see the mass production/distribution/consumption system as corrupt and unholy while also courting it (except under the belief of destroying it from within). The Clash were plagued by the contrary principles of ambition and punk hostility to the system. So it's no surprise they just bounced from idea to idea, never fully committing to either becoming a Huge Band or staying a more militant niche band.
They were committed to releasing singles in general though, Sandinista and Combat Rock had three each, the other albums two each. Why LC was neglected is a bit of a mystery.
The singles thing was also part of a value-for-the-money campaign, no? So it wasn't about fully embracing commercial ambition but this ambiguous halfway nod to it, but also regarding it as kind of dirty, so there was the value-for-the-money angle to undercut it. The Sex Pistols navigated it so much better because McLaren demystified commercial ambition as naked greed and that they were ripping off a crooked system. The Clash were more sincere than cynical and got caught halfway, satisfying neither ambition and seeming like sell-outs.
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 20 Aug 2018, 4:08pm
by 101Walterton
JohnS wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 3:39pm
The BBC certainly didn't blacklist the Clash in 1982/83. Combat Rock got some airplay on Radio 1, and not just the hit singles - I remember, to my amazement, hearing Peter Powell (cheesy MOR ultra-safe DJ) playing Overpowered By Funk on his show. He raved about it when it finished and urged the band to release it as a single!
Funny how those that ‘were there’ remember it differently to Hammy.
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 21 Aug 2018, 1:22pm
by Red Angel
"I am not British, I am English" versus "I am Scottish but consider myself British" deserves a more serious analysis!
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 21 Aug 2018, 1:44pm
by Marky Dread
Hammy wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 12:57pm
Yeah well – I'm Scottish (but consider myself British)...so get it up ya!
Yup, least Lay Down Low's keeping it real – to some respect.
If it's 'no small beans' – why are we bothering with punk rock gigs from 77 etc?
The whole Don Letts 6 Music side of things...is just a sign of the band's appropriation in later years.
As far as being tipped off by my big brother – glad your doing your homework
...I DON'T GIVE A FUCK.
I was there I lived and fought the punk wars. Many of my friends didn't survive through drugs and racist attacks. I was at the Victoria Park RAR gig at 14 years old. As for the BBC so fucking what it's 2018 not 1977. As for keeping it real I'm the real fucking deal. And yes it's very small beans if The Clash were played on the BBC or not. The Clash stupidly walked out of Maida Vale from their Peel session. They chose not to appear on T.O.T.P's and cited not wanting to mine as their excuse yet still happily mimed in their promo videos.
The BBC was not the only outlet for TV exposure at the time and The Clash played on So It Goes (live footage) and they played live (studio) on Alright Now.
11th March 1978 - The Clash played live on the BBC for the youth TV show "Something Else" they played two versions of Tommy Gun and Clash City Rockers so get that up ya!
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 21 Aug 2018, 3:12pm
by 101Walterton
Red Angel wrote: ↑21 Aug 2018, 1:22pm
"I am not British, I am English" versus "I am Scottish but consider myself British" deserves a more serious analysis!
Definitely doesn’t
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 21 Aug 2018, 3:33pm
by Marky Dread
101Walterton wrote: ↑21 Aug 2018, 3:12pm
Red Angel wrote: ↑21 Aug 2018, 1:22pm
"I am not British, I am English" versus "I am Scottish but consider myself British" deserves a more serious analysis!
Definitely doesn’t
It ain't where you're from it's where you're at. I'm from England so I consider myself German. I'm non racist so I consider myself a nazi. It all makes sense you know.
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 22 Aug 2018, 4:17pm
by BasingSt78
"Saw" them twice in the US. September 79 in Seattle, August 82 in Philadelphia. Both times so far away I could barely make out what was happening. The PA was cranked up so loud in Seattle my pant legs were flapping. I was basically deaf afterwards for several hours. I missed them by a few weeks when they played Vancouver in January of 79. I would have loved that. I have been to The Commodore Ballroom, its a wonderful venue, where audio taping is allowed, or at least was. I still wonder why there is no recording of this show.
A cool vinyl shop in Seattle had lots of imports, bootlegs, and this is how I latched onto the first LP. I saw some photos of them outside of Rehearsals in Creem or Trouser Press, and suspected I would like their music. I loved it, and snarfed up every crappy audience tape and bootleg I could find ever since.
Who has a nice crisp copy of Vancouver Jan 1979? The Force tells me it DOES exist...
As far as the BBC doing this, for a die hard collector like me, the more the merrier. Cheers, BasingSt
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 22 Aug 2018, 4:18pm
by 101Walterton
BasingSt78 wrote: ↑22 Aug 2018, 4:17pm
"Saw" them twice in the US. September 79 in Seattle, August 82 in Philadelphia. Both times so far away I could barely make out what was happening. The PA was cranked up so loud in Seattle my pant legs were flapping. I was basically deaf afterwards for several hours. I missed them by a few weeks when they played Vancouver in January of 79. I would have loved that. I have been to The Commodore Ballroom, its a wonderful venue, where audio taping is allowed, or at least was. I still wonder why there is no recording of this show.
A cool vinyl shop in Seattle had lots of imports, bootlegs, and this is how I latched onto the first LP. I saw some photos of them outside of Rehearsals in Creem or Trouser Press, and suspected I would like their music. I loved it, and snarfed up every crappy audience tape and bootleg I could find ever since.
Who has a nice crisp copy of Vancouver Jan 1979? The Force tells me it DOES exist...
As far as the BBC doing this, for a die hard collector like me, the more the merrier. Cheers, BasingSt
That will teach you for wearing flares to a Clash gig "like trousers like brain".
Re: BBC Clash Project
Posted: 22 Aug 2018, 4:52pm
by Marky Dread
Flex wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 1:24pm
Kory wrote: ↑20 Aug 2018, 1:07pm
Then stop posting.
good advice for all of us, probably
Shut the fuck up!
Nah we may talk some bullshit here but the key is to keep it tongue iin cheek and good natured. Don't take anything too seriously. Its only rock n roll.
