The Call Up Promo Video

[WestwayKid]

Just watched this last night. Had not seen it in a long, long time. A very "interesting" look for the group. Topper looks like he just exited a Spitfire. Paul looks like a stylized South American guerrilla fighter (though as one YouTube comment said, he "looks effortlessly cool"). Mick looks to be some sort of crazy Wild West figure (I think)? Is that a cheetah print serape? Joe might be the most conventional looking of the 4. He does appear to have a vintage military headset around his neck. Topper appears to be appear to be playing inside some sort of bunker...though on closer inspection it looks like the frame (minus the canvas cover) from the back of troop transport truck.

If I'm not mistaken, it was filmed in a warehouse owned by Chris Farlowe - who collects military gear and equipment?

[matedog]

Certainly not their best single, video, or look.

[Low Down Low]

Although I think its a hugely inferior song I do think something like Police on my Back would have made more sense as a single. Otherwise Call Up is Clash top 20 material for me, maybe even pushing top 10. Wonder how Paul feels mock playing to another guy's bass line though!

[Heston]

Although I think its a hugely inferior song I do think something like Police on my Back would have made more sense as a single. Otherwise Call Up is Clash top 20 material for me, maybe even pushing top 10. Wonder how Paul feels mock playing to another guy's bass line though!

I think Paul played on the Call Up.

[white man]

Another case of the promo poster being better than the record

[Low Down Low]

Although I think its a hugely inferior song I do think something like Police on my Back would have made more sense as a single. Otherwise Call Up is Clash top 20 material for me, maybe even pushing top 10. Wonder how Paul feels mock playing to another guy's bass line though!

I think Paul played on the Call Up.

Ah ok, stand corrected. Always had it down as a Watt Roy production for some reason.

[Flex]

I actually rank the A-side of this single quite highly (and love that promo piece). The video is a bit, uh, dated.

[Heston]

Really like the song but never a single in a million years. I actually quite like the video.

[Silent Majority]

Woulda made more sense around the Falklands, but the Clash couldn't have known that

[Flex]

Woulda made more sense around the Falklands, but the Clash couldn't have known that

Or could they have?!?!

[WestwayKid]

The YouTube comment: "Paul is effortlessly cool" kind of made the whole viewing experience for me!

Wikipedia (not that you can trust Wikipedia) has Norman Watt-Roy listed as playing bass on that track.

I trust you guys over Wikipedia, however!

[TeddyB Not Logged In]

Wasn't it Chris Farlowe’s costume collection they picked through?

[JohnS]

Wasn't it Chris Farlowe’s costume collection they picked through?

I thought it was an entire military collection owned by Chris Farlowe - vehicles, uniforms and equipment. If you google him he was trading in medals and stuff back in the 60s even when he was active as a singer.
And the cover shot for Sandinista - with Mick in the GI helmet - was taken in an alleyway nearby, I recall.
For a band that loved dressing up, they must have thought their Christmases had come early on that video shoot

[WestwayKid]

Wasn't it Chris Farlowe’s costume collection they picked through?

I thought it was an entire military collection owned by Chris Farlowe - vehicles, uniforms and equipment. If you google him he was trading in medals and stuff back in the 60s even when he was active as a singer.
And the cover shot for Sandinista - with Mick in the GI helmet - was taken in an alleyway nearby, I recall.
For a band that loved dressing up, they must have thought their Christmases had come early on that video shoot

Sounds like Farlowe had/has a pretty decent military collection (just Googled it). Makes it a little more interesting if you think they just got to pick through his stuff and figure out what they wanted to wear.

[matedog]

Wasn't it Chris Farlowe’s costume collection they picked through?

I thought it was an entire military collection owned by Chris Farlowe - vehicles, uniforms and equipment. If you google him he was trading in medals and stuff back in the 60s even when he was active as a singer.
And the cover shot for Sandinista - with Mick in the GI helmet - was taken in an alleyway nearby, I recall.
For a band that loved dressing up, they must have thought their Christmases had come early on that video shoot

Album cover was shot near St Pancras/King's Cross train stations on Camley st. underpass. Here's a streetview of the location: