The Clash released a free a promotional record called "Capital Radio" given away to readers who sent off the coupon printed in NME (New Musical Express), together with a red sticker found on the inside of the cover of the first 10,000 copies of their debut album.
The single included the songs "Capital Radio" and "Listen." "Capital Radio" is a song by the English punk rock band The Clash, and it was included in the EP "Capital Radio."
It is considered very rare and is highly sought after by collectors. The song "Capital Radio" is known for its parody of one of Capital Radio's jingles, reflecting the band's disillusionment with the station.
It is a significant part of The Clash's early discography and is valued for its historical importance in the punk rock genre[1][2][4].
This version of Capital Radio would not see another release until the 1980 Black Market Clash USA 10" LP. But they recorded a new version of this classic for the Cost of Living EP in 1979.
If there was a red sticker attached to the inner sleeve of your copy of the first Clash LP (10,000 stickers were printed), you could send off with a coupon printed in the NME for this 7" release. It contained a Tony Parsons interview with Strummer/Jones on the London Underground. The cover is a picture from the interview. The back sleeve was to contain pictures of graffiti sprayed outside the Capital Radio building on Euston Road by Joe Strummer and Rodent saying "White Riot", but was withdrawn in case of legal action.
Capital Radio / Interview / Listen
UK 7" NME Freebie (CL1)
Release date – 9/4/1977
Sleeve: Black & white cover
Label: Black lettering on white background
A-side label:
1. Interview with Tony Parsons on the London Underground
2. Capital Radio
B-side label:
1. Listen: a Clash instrumental with part of the interview spoken over the top
2. Interview: further extracts
Capital Radio – "In tune with nothing"
Promo sticker stating Capital Radio... 'In tune with nothing'. Nice!
Nah, look here, seriously. Me and yer dad is sick of you kids wiv yer ping-pong and yer sponsored walks – can't yer find somefink worfwhile to do wiv yer holidays? When we was kids it wouldn't have taken us three weeks, yeah, three weeks, to take up an offer like this here from those nice ladies and gents at NME. Just you get down to that record shop this minute and pocket a copy of The Clash album, an' if you're lucky you'll find you've got one of them there red stickers wot they've stuck on the inner sleeve of the first 10,000 sold. And then all yer 'as to do is write yer name and address (yer see, I know you can write when it suits yer) on that picture over there – nah, on the light bit yer twit – and send it off with the sticker to The Clash Offer, Campsbourne Road, London N8 7PT.
They don't even want any money with it, and then you're larfin. 'Cos they'll send yer a genuine collector's item, it says here, namely a 14-minute EP with two new Clash songs, Listen and the utterly incredible – it says here – Capital Radio, plus an earful of Tony "Do I Get Royalties For This, Nick?" Parsons interviewing the band on Clash Philosophy 1977, it says here. An' if that don't get you through yer O-levels, nuffin will.
Say thank-you to the gentleman. This offer self-destructs at the end of April.
A riot of your own! 1977 is the Year of The Clash – Hideous Bill Gangrene says so – and this is a second chance to obtain some of The Sound of the Westway exclusive for those NME readers shrewd enough to buy, borrow or steal (Cool it, Hideous old fellow! – Ed) a copy of the band's first album which is going into the record shops now.
What we're giving away (yeah, giving away) is a genuine collector's item – a 14-minute EP which contains two new Clash songs, Listen and the utterly incredible Capital Radio, plus an extended burst of our very own gunslinger Tony Parsons interviewing the band about Clash Philosophy 1977. This is the stuff you read in NME. Hear it from their own lips (if you don't believe us) on this free 45.
To get this contemporary classic here's what you gotta do: On the inner bag of the first 10,000 copies of The Clash album you'll find a red sticker. Attach this to the announcement that you're now reading, legibly scrawl your name and address across the shaded area of the photo above and mail the lot to the following address: The Clash Offer, Pembroke House, Campsbourne Road, London N8 7PT.
That's all. You don't need to enclose stamped addressed envelopes; and we don't want any money. The whole deal (including postage and packing of the single) is free. A gift from NME and The Sound of Westway to anyone who's interested enough in getting hold of a copy of the new Clash elpee. Got it? Right! Can you think of a better way to spend Easter?
N.B. This offer is open to readers in the U.K. only, and closes at the end of April '77.
— Danny Kelly's 1991 article for Record Hunter charts the first year of The Clash, from their 1976 formation after seeing the Sex Pistols to their landmark releases and tours.
— Recording their debut album and early singles "White Riot" and "Complete Control," produced by Lee Perry.
— Their first gig at The Black Swan supporting the Sex Pistols and the "White Riot" Tour and the London's Rainbow Theatre gig.
The Clash: Listen / Interview / Capital Radio. A collector's item in its own time. This single was given away through NME to anyone who sent in the red sticker attached to the first 10,000 copies of The Clash album. I haven't seen this record reviewed anywhere, although NME did modestly point out that it was "utterly incredible".
Listen is a lengthy instrumental improvisation with the interview – conducted between The Clash and Tony Parsons on a tube train – fading in and out. Capital Radio is absolutely incredible! One of the best things The Clash have done. Three cheers for NME for putting it out, countless blessings to The Clash for recording an ace single for nothing, and to the people who haven't got a copy – tough, 'cos it's an absolute dynamite 45!
"THE CLASH (CBS)." 48 THRILLS, no. 4, May 1977, pp. 7 pages.
48 THRILLS, #4 The Clash (CBS)
— Extensive review of The Clash's self-titled debut album, entering the charts at number 12, an 'essential record' that will show up inferior punk and new wave cash-ins
— Includes a live review from the White Riot Tour stop at Guildford Civic Hall on 1st May 1977
— Includes review of NME free 7" single, Capital Radio
"I want to slag off all the people in charge of radio stations," raged Joe Strummer in 1977." Firstly, Radio One. They outlawed the pirates and then didn't, as they promised, cater for the market the pirates created. Radio One and Two, ...
"I want to slag off all the people in charge of radio stations," raged Joe Strummer in 1977." Firstly, Radio One. They outlawed the pirates and then didn't, as they promised, cater for the market the pirates created. Radio One and Two, most afternoons, run concurrently and the whole thing has slid right back to where it was before the pirates happened. They've totally fucked it. There's no radio station for young people any more. It's all down to housewives and trendies in Islington. They're killing the country by having that play list monopoly."
'No 2: Capital. They're even worse because they had the chance, coming right into the heart of London and sitting in that tower right on top of everything. But they've completely blown it. I'd like to throttle Aiden Day [the then-Head of Music]. He thinks he's the self appointed Minister of Public Enlightenment."
Given away to readers who sent off the coupon printed in the NME, plus the red sticker found on the band's debut studio album The Clash (1977), the extended play CAPITAL RADIO featured an interview with the NME's Tony Parsons conducted on a Circle line tube train in central London, and the instrumental track ‘Listen', one of the first songs ever written by The Clash, and featured as the set opener at their first ever show in July 1976.
‘Capital Radio' finishes with a parody of an actual Capital jingle; the band replacing the lyric "in tune with London" with "in tune with nothing".
'We've just written a new song called Capital Radio and a line in it goes "listen to the tunes of the Dr Goebbels Show."
"They say "Capital Radio in tune with London". Yeah, yeah, yeah! They're in tune with Hampstead. They're not in tune with us at all. I hate them. What they could have done compared to what they have done is abhorrent. They could have made it so good that everywhere you went you took your transistor radio - you know, how it used to be when I was at school. I'd have one in my pocket all the time or by my ear'ole flicking it between stations. If you didn't like one record you'd flick to another station and then back again. It was amazing. They could have made the whole capital buzz. Instead Capital Radio has just turned their back on the whole youth of the city." Decade 77-87 - a grown up disco: new wave, punk, postpunk, goth & indie
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