The Clash (album)

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Professional reviews
The Clash

Studio album by The Clash
Released	April 8, 1977
Recorded	January and February 1977
Genre	Punk rock
Length	35:18
Label	CBS Records
Producer(s)	Mickey Foote
All Music Guide link
The Clash chronology
	The Clash (UK) (1977)	Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978)

The Clash is the first album-length recording released by the English punk band The Clash. It was released in two different versions, both of which are still in print: the original version in 1977 and the revised U.S. version in 1979 (with several post-1977 single sides added to the album).

1 The original release, 1977
2 The U.S. version, 1979
- 2.1 Track listing
- 2.2 Personnel
3 External links

[edit] The original release, 1977

Issued in the UK by CBS Records in 1977 and produced by Mickey Foote. This first album by the Clash was unusually musically varied for a punk band, with reggae and early rock and roll influences plainly evident.

The album was recorded over 3 weekend sessions in early February of 1977. CBS Studio 3 was the location. By the 3rd of these sessions the album was recorded and mixed to completion, with the tapes being delivered to CBS at the start of March.

The album's front cover photo was taken in the alleyway directly opposite the front door of the band's 'Rehearsal Rehearsals' building in Camden Market. Drummer Terry Chimes, though a full member of The Clash at the time, did not appear in the shot as he had already decided to leave the band. The picture of the charging Police officers on the rear was taken during the 1976 riot at the Notting Hill Carnival - the inspiration for the track "White Riot".

The album peaked at number 12 in the UK charts. It cost just £4000 to produce.

[edit] Track listing

All tracks written by Mick Jones and Joe Strummer, except where indicated.

"Janie Jones" – 2:09
"Remote Control" – 3:03
"I'm So Bored With The USA" – 2:25
"White Riot" – 1:57
"Hate & War" – 2:07
"What's My Name?" (Jones/Levene/Strummer) – 1:42
"Deny" – 3:03
"London's Burning" – 2:13
"Career Opportunities" – 1:54
"Cheat" – 2:06
"Protex Blue" – 1:47
"Police & Thieves" (Murvin/Perry) – 6:04
"48 Hours" – 1:36
"Garageland" – 3:12

[edit] Personnel

Mick Jones − guitars, vocals
Joe Strummer − guitars, vocals
Paul Simonon − bass
Terry Chimes − drums (credited as "Tory Crimes")

[edit] Miscellanea

The version of "White Riot" featured here was not recorded for the album. Instead they used the original demo version, recorded at Beaconsfield studios before the band signed to CBS.
"I'm So Bored with the U.S.A." was developed from a Mick Jones song, entitled "I'm So Bored With You". The intro is borrowed from "Pretty Vacant" by the Sex Pistols.
"Protex Blue", sung by Mick Jones, is about a 1970s brand of condom. The song ends with the shouted phrase "Johnny Johnny!", "johnny" being a British slang term for a condom.
"Police And Thieves" was added to the album when the band realised just how short the tracklist was. Another cover the band toyed with at these sessions was Bob Marley's "Dancing Shoes".
Lee Perry (original composer of "Police and Thieves") heard the album whilst in London in 1976 and played it to Bob Marley, who in turn mentioned The Clash on his own track "Punky Reggae party".
"Garageland" was written in response to Charles Shaar Murray's damning review of the band's early appearance at the Sex Pistols Screen on the Green concert - "The Clash are the kind of garage band who should be returned to the garage immediately, preferably with the engine running". It was the final track recorded for the album.
In 2000 Q magazine placed The Clash at number 48 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.

[edit] The U.S. version, 1979

Professional reviews
The Clash

Studio album by The Clash
Released	July 1979
Recorded	1976 - 1979
Genre	Punk rock
Length	43:20
Label	Epic Records
Producer(s)	Mickey Foote, Lee Perry (4), The Clash (6), The Clash & Bill Price (8)
All Music Guide link
The Clash chronology
Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978)	The Clash [US] (1979)	London Calling (1979)

In the US the Clash's debut album wasn't released until one year after "Give Em Enough Rope", so was actually their second US LP. CBS in America had decided that the album was 'not radio friendly', so it was initially only available in the States during 1977/1978 as an import, and as such became the biggest selling import of the year, shifting over 100,000 copies.

In July 1979, Epic released a modified version of the album for the United States market. This version replaced four songs from the original version with five non-album singles and b-sides, some of which were recorded and released after The Clash's second album, Give 'Em Enough Rope. It also used the re-recorded single version of "White Riot", rather than the original take featured on the UK album. Initial copies of this American album came with a bonus 7" single which featured "Groovy Times" and "Gates Of The West".

This was another moderately successful American album for The Clash, even though the sales were likely diluted by the longstanding popularity of the UK version on the import market. The Clash peaked at #126 on the Billboard charts, setting the stage for the commercial breakthrough of London Calling later that year.

[edit] Track listing

All tracks written by Mick Jones and Joe Strummer, except where indicated.

"Clash City Rockers" – 3:49
"I'm So Bored With The USA" – 2:24
"Remote Control" – 3:01
"Complete Control" – 3:14
"White Riot" (Single version) – 1:59
"(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" – 4:00
"London's Burning" – 2:10
"I Fought the Law" (Sonny Curtis) – 2:41
"Janie Jones" – 2:06
"Career Opportunities" – 1:52
"What's My Name" (Mick Jones, Keith Levene, Joe Strummer) – 1:41
"Hate & War" – 2:05
"Police & Thieves" (Junior Murvin, Lee Perry) – 6:01
"Jail Guitar Doors" – 3:05
"Garageland" – 3:12

[edit] Personnel

Mick Jones − guitars, vocals
Joe Strummer − guitars, vocals
Paul Simonon − bass
Terry Chimes − drums except as noted below (credited as "Tory Crimes")
Topper Headon − drums on "Clash City Rockers", "Complete Control", "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais", "I Fought the Law", and "Jail Guitar Doors"