The Clash were a great rock and roll “punk” band, with the “London Calling” album firmly placing them on the map and the sprawling masterwork “Sandinista” being their “Physical Graffiti”. My then girlfriend, now wife of 35 years (as of yesterday’s anniversary), skipped classes at Queens College to stand on a long line in midtown Manhattan outside of the former casino then clothing store Bond’s to purchase tickets for The Clash’s residency slated for New York City in June, 1981. The Clash, with Joe Strummer and Mick Jones leading the charge, were explosive, in your face, with a few catchy pop songs thrown into the mix for good measure. Bond’s turned out to be a moment in time as the vast venue was ultimately shut down supposedly due to a lack of adequate fire exits. A show at Bonds was more than just a concert;, it was an event, a “happening” and a place that you wanted to experience at least once. I believe the only other musical “group”, for lack of a better term, that I saw perform there was Plasmatics where I briefly met Joey Ramone just before Wendy O. Williams hit the stage, chain saw and all. Rock and Roll still had a degree of danger and spontaneity in 1981 and almost anything was possible. Long live rock and roll!

Clampdown

Rock on!

GQ