Texas Tour '83

[matedog]

I'd still love to see this press conference. I've read about it so many times, but I still don't really understand what was such an issue. Bernie demanded $500K to charity at the last minute?

[GotGameGreggy]

I'd still love to see this press conference. I've read about it so many times, but I still don't really understand what was such an issue. Bernie demanded $500K to charity at the last minute?

From what I've read, seven hours before they were supposed to go onstage (while "Men At Work" were playing), The Clash held a press conference at which they said they would not perform that evening unless Steve Wozniak donated $100,000 to help impoverished Latino youth of Los Angeles. Joe was also upset when he found out the tickets for the event were being sold at $25, when the group was assured the tickets would be $17. Wozniak eventually coughed up in the region of $32,000 to give to charity and The Clash finally took the stage. But immediately prior to the show, there was another press conference that was set up by Bernie. Author Chris Salewicz does a great job of describing this event in his biography on Joe Strummer: "Immediately prior to the show there was another moment of drama. 'Bernie set up another press conference that he wanted us to do by the side of the stage immediately before we went on to play the gig,' said Mick. 'He wanted to get all the other acts to give some of their money. Joe was furious at doing this a minute before we were due onstage. He went out and turned his back on all the press, stood with his arms folded. So Kosmo grabbed Bernie out to speak. Bernie held the press conference and Joe stood with his back to them, wouldn’t say a thing, completely disgusted.'"

[YoungParisians]

Just found two articles on the US Festival that refer to The Clash press conference. This is from Billboard which was/is an industry-first trade journal that doesnt eat their own. So if theyre being critical of Wozniak/US Fest then it was probably a bigger shitshow than reported (although no doubt every rock fest is a shitshow). These articles paint a good picture of that day and don't necessarily portray the Clash in a bad light.

I always placed this date as the day things went vertical for The Clash - off-stage fights, Joe lashing out at the crowd, the hypocrisy of "Clash Not For Sale" banner, Joe disgusted with Bernine, criticism from peers (I think Chrissie Hynde and U2 made some snipes at The Clash during their own sets), etc. Everything that took place that day was the atmosphere that clouded the rest of that summer.

Billboard, 11-JUNE-1983
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[ohsoso]

hey + just wanted to say thanks for posting these articles on this board. i really enjoy reading up on this.

[YoungParisians]

hey + just wanted to say thanks for posting these articles on this board. i really enjoy reading up on this.

Yeah, glad your digging them. It's cool to see how the Clash were perceived in 'real time'.

[Low Down Low]

Just found two articles on the US Festival that refer to The Clash press conference. This is from Billboard which was/is an industry-first trade journal that doesnt eat their own. So if theyre being critical of Wozniak/US Fest then it was probably a bigger shitshow than reported (although no doubt every rock fest is a shitshow). These articles paint a good picture of that day and don't necessarily portray the Clash in a bad light.

I always placed this date as the day things went vertical for The Clash - off-stage fights, Joe lashing out at the crowd, the hypocrisy of "Clash Not For Sale" banner, Joe disgusted with Bernine, criticism from peers (I think Chrissie Hynde and U2 made some snipes at The Clash during their own sets), etc. Everything that took place that day was the atmosphere that clouded the rest of that summer.

Billboard, 11-JUNE-1983
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.
1983-06-11-Billboard-Page-0032.jpg
1983-06-11-Billboard-Page-0033.jpg

The Pretenders did Money (that's all i want) as part of their set. Not sure was that a dig at the organisers or the Clash. Or maybe both? Bono, the little doofus, made a big spiel about how U2 were an Irish band, not to be lumped in with those US hating rabble rousers from across the pond.

And loving all these pieces too. Really puts you back in the heart of it all.

[white man]

Just found two articles on the US Festival that refer to The Clash press conference. This is from Billboard which was/is an industry-first trade journal that doesnt eat their own. So if theyre being critical of Wozniak/US Fest then it was probably a bigger shitshow than reported (although no doubt every rock fest is a shitshow). These articles paint a good picture of that day and don't necessarily portray the Clash in a bad light.

I always placed this date as the day things went vertical for The Clash - off-stage fights, Joe lashing out at the crowd, the hypocrisy of "Clash Not For Sale" banner, Joe disgusted with Bernine, criticism from peers (I think Chrissie Hynde and U2 made some snipes at The Clash during their own sets), etc. Everything that took place that day was the atmosphere that clouded the rest of that summer.

Billboard, 11-JUNE-1983
.
.
1983-06-11-Billboard-Page-0032.jpg
1983-06-11-Billboard-Page-0033.jpg

The Pretenders did Money (that's all i want) as part of their set. Not sure was that a dig at the organisers or the Clash. Or maybe both? Bono, the little doofus, made a big spiel about how U2 were an Irish band, not to be lumped in with those US hating rabble rousers from across the pond.

And loving all these pieces too. Really puts you back in the heart of it all.

To be fair, he did that at almost every gig they did for the first few years and certainly pulled it out of the bag for festivals such as this. I also doubt whether he would have called out The Clash, who he held in very high regard.

[Low Down Low]

Just found two articles on the US Festival that refer to The Clash press conference. This is from Billboard which was/is an industry-first trade journal that doesnt eat their own. So if theyre being critical of Wozniak/US Fest then it was probably a bigger shitshow than reported (although no doubt every rock fest is a shitshow). These articles paint a good picture of that day and don't necessarily portray the Clash in a bad light.

I always placed this date as the day things went vertical for The Clash - off-stage fights, Joe lashing out at the crowd, the hypocrisy of "Clash Not For Sale" banner, Joe disgusted with Bernine, criticism from peers (I think Chrissie Hynde and U2 made some snipes at The Clash during their own sets), etc. Everything that took place that day was the atmosphere that clouded the rest of that summer.

Billboard, 11-JUNE-1983
.
.
1983-06-11-Billboard-Page-0032.jpg
1983-06-11-Billboard-Page-0033.jpg

The Pretenders did Money (that's all i want) as part of their set. Not sure was that a dig at the organisers or the Clash. Or maybe both? Bono, the little doofus, made a big spiel about how U2 were an Irish band, not to be lumped in with those US hating rabble rousers from across the pond.

And loving all these pieces too. Really puts you back in the heart of it all.

To be fair, he did that at almost every gig they did for the first few years and certainly pulled it out of the bag for festivals such as this. I also doubt whether he would have called out The Clash, who he held in very high regard.

Fair point WM, bono definitely was a huge Clash fan, think he still lists the Clash in Trinity in 78 as among his best ever gigs, but from what i've read, they seemed quite keen to distance themselves on this occasion. Think they even asked to switch days so as not to be on same bill as the Clash? Maybe there was another valid reason for it though, it's a while since i read up on it tbf.