Monday, April 09, 2007

the air of revolution

The Guardian recently explored the influence of The Clash in France.

The Théâtre Mogador - a magnificent music hall near Gare St-Lazare - squeezed in around 500 more than its official 2,000 capacity each night for the sold-out residency. The Clash - along with their large retinue and support acts the Beat and Wah! - stayed out in a tower block on the eastern banlieues of Paris. "There were too many of us to stay at a fancy hotel all week," says Jones. "So we were out in what looked like a rough estate in the suburbs. I remember hearing a lot of hip-hop and Arabic music that week. Generally, we spent a lot of time in France. We played proper tours there, not just one date in Paris, like most British bands did, but the whole country. They went mad for it. They love their rock'n'roll."