Listen to The Clash Perform “Janie Jones” and “London’s Burning” on Their First U.S. Tour in 1979
On Feb. 13, 1979, The Clash performed songs from their first two records.
Photo: Getty Images
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In early 1979, a raging and politicized force came tumbling across the ocean to America: English punk upstarts The Clash, with two albums under their belt, embarked on their first United States jaunt, the “Pearl Harbor ‘79” Tour. This performance from Feb. 13,1979, recorded at the Agora Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio, showcases The Clash as they approached their prime, mere months before the release of London Calling. Having emerged from the streets and schools of London just a few years before, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones and Co. put their strained relationship with law enforcement and the city itself right up front on songs like “London’s Burning,” “White Riot” and “Tommy Gun.” Wrestling against the nihilism of London’s other cresting punk group, the Sex Pistols, The Clash were determined to establish a separate and defining identity through their explicitly political lyrics and diverse sound.
