The Story Of The Punk Group's Rowdiest Show

As reported by Far Out magazine, the legendary gig took place on October 23, 1976, at London's Institute of Contemporary Art. Opening acts included fellow British punk bands Subway Sect and Snatch Sounds and Patti Smith, whose album "Radio Ethiopia" had just come out as a follow-up to her beloved 1975 debut "Horses," was in the audience, taking time out from her own tour, having played the Hammersmith Odeon earlier that night as well as the night before. The Clash was known for their wildly energetic shows that sent audiences into ecstatic frenzies and the crowd got even more riotous when Smith joined the Clash onstage to dance to their song "I'm So Bored With The U.S.A."

What followed would go down in history and contribute to the October 23 show becoming known as "a night of pure energy." Photographer Red Saunders was also in the audience and snapped two photos of Shane MacGowan, then of the band The Nipple Erectors and eventually the front person for the Celtic folk-punk sensation The Pogues, and Jane "Mad Jane" Crockford, who per Punk Globe had been a roommate of the Sex Pistols' Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious and would go on to play in the bands The Mo-dettes and The Bank of Dresden. In the photos, blood is pouring from McGowan's ear. Weeks later, the photos ran alongside an article by writer Barry Miles for the NME with the headline "CANNIBALISM AT CLASH GIG," implying Crockford had bit MacGowan's ear off. 

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunB9kHBvbm9jZLCius2imZqkmai6bq3TZpqlmaOdeqi1xmaroZ1dqMGwvthmpp9lpJ2ybrzUp6Jmn6KkwrG%2FjKumsJyZmsC1edKhprBn