Note this gig did NOT take place at the Rote Fabrik

NF:

Where did you play before you came to Zurich ?

JS:
In Paris. I was surprised how many Punks they have. Before that we were in Bruxelles. That was fucked. The crowd threw everything they had on the stage - even beer cans, full cans in fact - those wankers -1 would have at least drink em down before. The spirit was very aggressiv in Belgium. I was surprised from Amsterdam. I expected only stoned hippies - but there really were some guys shouting "Brush up !" and "Fuck you !"

NF:
And tomorrow you head for Vienna. Do you know Vienna ?

JS:
No but I have heard its and old totally conservative city of wankers. Do you think they have Punks there ?

NF:
Maybe about 5...

JS:
I hope that at least they come. So we are 9 then !

NF:
What did you expect from Zurich ?

JS:
Nothing, I didn't had any idea whats going on here. But I think the people had their fun - or not ?

NF:
Sure. Only there have been some guys who didn't understand the pogo

JS:
Yeh, I saw it. But I was not quit sure if they realy did slam hard, or if it only looked like.I hate this you know! This way pogo makes no fun anymore. Mick: I was nerved because there have been so many Teds. They are frightfully they want to kill you. If you see a horde of Teds as a Punk, then run and run fast. The worst is at the weekends, then they hang around everywhere. The crowd here was probably the most strange we ever had... [ M.G thanks ...]

NF:
I mean this was the first bigger Punk Concert here, since Punk exist in Switzerland. The thing with the brawl was maybe because some magazines spread a completely wrong picture from the London scene here. Punks only are eager for fights and at each concert there is a brawl and injureds and stuff like this. Well those, who never have been to London, cannot see what kind of shit they are served. Do you really have been on Tour in Germany with Bravo ? [ M.G. Youth magazine ]

JS:
I really didn't know whats going on. There were only 10 to 15 aged Bay City Roller Fans in the hall. There were guys at the show, we never have heard about them before - we were convulsed with laugher. They played playback only making their futzing moves - and the kids were already screaming. We did play some titles live - we were completely misplaced and fucked off. It was similar in this TV-Show...

NF:
... at "Musikladen" ?

JS:
Yes, we had to play playback. But we have never made that before and we will never do it. We are musicians not comedians. Then they let us waiting in a room for 2 hours, it was not to abide. Ok, we smashed a lamp and some cans were lieing around. Afterwards it was said we smashed the studio. But beside that we had a lot of fun in Germany. The people are shocked so fast. You only have to scribble a fylfot and the people go mad. Once I dressed me like a Ted and went to a Ted-Concert. There were about 400 guys hanging around. All bored and seesawing singing "Be- bop-a-lulas" and "Sho-waddy-waddys". That made me so sick, that I went dressed like I was, to the Roxy. You should have seen the Punks like they starred at me. It was going quit fast around that a Ted is in the Roxys. The otherway round you can't imagine that a Punk is going to a Ted-local. As it looked like that some guys wanted to kick me out, I asked very politely "What's the matter? I'm a Clash-One!"

NF:
How is it to be in the London-Punk- Scene as a foreigner, does that give some problems? Mick: No, that don't gives you a problem. There is a solidarity around the Punks and as soon as they see, that you are a Punk in conviction, they accept you.

NF:
What do you think about other bands like the Sex Pistols ?

JS:
Only the best, absolutely! But there are many covers as well in the meantime. I don't like many bands.

NF:
But I have seen quit a lot of good bands in London.

JS:
(looks at my badges) Ok, Sham 69 are realy good, they bring something new. Also the X-Ray Spex I like. But bands like Gen X who are incredible pushed are shit.

Mick:
The best thing in our life are the gigs. The whole stuff around I am so fed off. Always sleep in Hotel rooms, where you can't squeeze out your fags on the carpet, traveling from City to City, driving in Cars or Taxis from the airport to the hotel and afterwards to the concert hall etc all crap. Therefore we are compensated with the two hours we stand on the stage. On stage I am relaxed and feel free.

JS:
The whole effort we only make because it is better that people think you are foolish than to be foolish. Before the Clash area I was cleaning toilets, Mick was working in a department store and Paul was a factory worker.

Interview made after the Kaufleuten Concert in Switzerland 1977 by No Fun ( Peter Preisle / Thomas Frueh / Urs (Stooge) Steiger) Translated (back) from German to English out of the No Fun magazine ( No 1 - by the way ) from Maeck Greil