Futura 2000 is seen spraying graffiti

June 5th 1981 was a significant date for The Clash. The media coverage of the closing of Bonds and the “riots in Times Square” helped secure The Clash their second network US television appearance on NTV’s Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder. They made the most of the opportunity to play live, performing excellent albeit shortened for TV versions of Magnificent Seven and Radio Clash. The band played Magnificent Seven in front of the huge Clash backdrop that is seen on Don Letts footage draped over the top of the Bonds building. During Radio Clash, Futura 2000 is seen spraying graffiti on the usual Bonds stage backdrop of corrugated grey ‘fence panels’.

As well as delivering musically The Clash turned Tom Snyder’s banal questioning into some effective communication. Joe demonstrates again his interview skills whilst Mick’s efforts fail to cross the UK/US cultural and language divide. When Mick talks of “sticky wickets” Joe jumps in and translates into “dead end situation” Joe turns talk of his squatting background in London into the experience of private landlords and rip-off rents that people in New York and other US cities could relate to.

THE CLASH TAKE ON TOM SNYDER, ARMED WITH A TEDDY BEAR, 1981

09.13.2013

This footage is preposterously entertaining. It was 1981, the Clash were supporting Sandinista! The Clash had booked eight gigs at a nightclub called Bond’s Casino in Times Square in May and June of 1981—Richard has already written about that legendary stint in considerable detail.

(In related news, a comprehensive Clash box set dropped this week. The Clash: Sound System, designed by Paul Simonon to resemble an old-school boom box, contains the Clash’s first five U.S. releases—The Clash, Give ‘Em Enough Rope, London Calling, Sandinista!, and Combat Rock—three discs of rarities and outtakes, a DVD with videos, live material, and previously unseen footage by Julien Temple and Don Letts, and lots of other fun trinkets and doodads.)

Anyway, while they were in New York, they paid a visit to The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder. If you’re into the Clash and you haven’t seen this, you are in for a treat.

During the interview, Joe Strummer keeps fooling around with a cute teddy bear, but, very much in the manner of an impatient fusspot dad, no-nonsense Tom keeps taking it away from him. The band decide to affix stickers all over Tom’s body and then Joe puts a “Have a Nice Day!” plastic bag over his head. Then they debate the ins and outs of squatting. I’m making it sound silly, but somehow all this happens and they also manage to answer Tom’s questions about vacant youth and so forth with a good mixture of seriousness and silliness, and it all happens in under nine minutes.

After the commercial the Clash entertains the crowd with vital performances of “The Magnificent Seven” and “This Is Radio Clash.” While the band is doing “This Is Radio Clash,” Futura 2000 is seen spray-painting text all over the back wall and there’s generally an undercurrent of controlled mayhem throughout.

This is must-see stuff.

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The Clash - Interview with Tom Synder 1981

Don’t neglect the performances of “The Magnificent Seven” and “This Is Radio Clash” after the jump….