The Clash ‘Capitol Radio’ EP

CBS Records, Catalogue Number CL1

45 RPM

Side One:    Listen (instrumental) interspersed and followed by band interview

Side Two:     Interview followed by Capitol Radio

Good copy of this scarce 7" that dates from 1977.  It's now almost 45 years old, but it plays fine.  There are some surface marks that should be visible on the photos, but that's all they are.

The cover is complete (no rips/tears or major blemishes).  Slightly discoloured and a couple of minor crumples, but very good considering its age.  Again, study the photos and feel free to ask any questions.

Here's an article I wrote about the disc for Record Collector magazine in 2004:

Ask any Clash collector to name their most prized discs and the NME ‘Capitol Radio’ 7” EP is sure to figure.

Released as a promotional device conceived (and paid for) by CBS, it was available ‘free’ to NME readers on a strictly limited basis in April1977.  It features the band (Joe Strummer, Mick Jones and, to a lesser extent, Paul Simonon) in alcohol and amphetamine sulphate fuelled conversation with a young Tony Parsons, as they ride the Circle Line tube on the London Underground.

You also got two new tunes.  The instrumental ‘Listen’ and ‘Capitol Radio’, Strummer’s diatribe against said radio station to the accompaniment of Jones’ choppy, ‘Who’ inspired, guitar riff.  Recorded at CBS on April 3rd,1977, both tracks were produced by Clash ‘soundman’ Micky Foote.

The interview snippets are taken from Parsons’ recordings on March 21stwhich went on to form the basis for his cover story feature in the April 2ndissue of NME.

Although poor quality, the taped extracts catch the band (and Parsons) at a seminal moment.  The release of the first album is imminent, the crowd of ‘76 is accusing them of ‘selling out’, and they’re being castigated as degenerate punks in the tabloid press.  It could go either way!

Listening all these years later, and bearing in mind the band’s well established anti-fascist credentials, what struck me most, was to hear both Strummer & Jones repeatedly refer to the owner of The Colosseum cinema in Harlesden as a ‘Paki’.  Although we may not always think so, it demonstrates times have actually moved forward in the intervening twenty-seven years.  Interestingly, these references were omitted from the printed version that appeared in NME.

Housed in a black and white picture sleeve, the front shows a shot of Jones and Strummer on the tube. The rear is blank, with the mysterious ‘picture withdrawn’ emblazoned across it.  Supposedly it ought to have carried Sebastian Conran’s infamous picture of ‘White Riot’ spray-painted (step forward J Strummer Esq.) across the ‘Capital Radio’ office frontage.  Unfortunately (so the story goes), those in the potential firing line (IPC Magazines and CBS) got an attack of cold feet and forbid its use.

To obtain a copy, you were simply required to purchase one of the initial 10,000 copies of the inaugural Clash LP, all of which contained red stickers on the inner sleeve.  Return one attached to the offer page in the April 9th issue of NME, and the disc would arrive gratis within 28 days.

Although 10,000 stickers were produced, there were no where near that number of singles made.  Consequently, getting hold of a copy has always been difficult.  The last one I saw on EBay sold for roughly £60.  Worth every penny!

Buyers beware:  Shortly following the release of ‘The Clash’, a Dutch produced bootleg version of the EP was also pressed.  Now a collector’s item in its own right, it should not be confused with the original.  It’s marked ‘Neat Records’, catalogue number ‘Gear 1’ and playing at 33 rpm, it’s clearly different.

A lot of traffic has flowed along the Westway since 1977, but the Capitol Radio EP provides an intriguing insight into a highly charged and exciting musical era.