Friday, May 21, 2010

The Police: Mont de Marsan Punk Festival 1977


If The Clash sued The Police for theft, this eleven-track bootleg of an appearance at The Mont de Marsan Punk Festival in May 1977, at which they both played, would be exhibit one for the prosecution. While The Clash were playing their epochal punk-reggae fusion, "White Man In Hammersmith Palais" The Police were still bashing out faux-punk like the incongruously-titled "Clouds in Venice".


(Note The bootleg's sound is much clearer than this 'footage'.)

So, while the early evidence might suggest a case of Police and Thieves, by 1978 The Police had surely laundered their share of any take and invested it in something altogether new.


Here's a little bit from The Police side and here's a some material from The Clash camp in regards to the Punk Festival in Mont de Marsan.



Mont de Marsan Punk Festival 1977 link is in the comments

Speaking of comments: Were The Police thieves?

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Posted by jeffen at 6:58 AM
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16 comments:

  1. jeffenMay 21, 2010 at 7:08 AM

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    PLEASE LEAVE US A COMMENT ABOUT THE EARLY POLICE.





    http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?inuy1tm2umt

    ReplyDelete
  2. Marky DreadMay 21, 2010 at 12:22 PM

    Very easy to bash The Police but I think it's just bullshit snobbery, they were a GREAT band. Thanks again Jeff.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Philippe from FranceMay 21, 2010 at 1:45 PM

    Thanks a lot ! Great sound !
    It was the last chance to hear Corsican ogre Henri Padovani with the Police before he joined the Electric Chairs.
    By the way it's "Mont-de-Marsan" and not "Marsan" (it's a bit like saying Rouge instead of Riviere-Rouge) !

    ReplyDelete
  4. MichaelMay 21, 2010 at 2:41 PM

    Cool- first time I've seen footage of Padavoni-era Police.

    ReplyDelete
  5. convertidoMay 21, 2010 at 7:11 PM

    I've never heard most of these songs so I am looking forward to it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMay 21, 2010 at 7:50 PM

    I love the song FALL OUT, which was a single.

    ReplyDelete
  7. ronMay 22, 2010 at 1:36 AM

    Cheers !!

    ReplyDelete
  8. jeffenMay 22, 2010 at 7:42 AM

    MArky
    I do think it's a bit of anti-succes snobbery - The Police were damn great.

    Phillipe
    "Corsican ogre" You have earned the right to be my copy editor with that witty description!

    I shall try to correct that error where I can.

    Michael
    That's why I couldn't pass on posting that video despite the terrible quality.

    Convertido
    Let us know what you think of those early songs.

    Anon
    I first heard "Fallout on this weirdly packaged (Mao-ist) compilation called "Propaganda". Good song.

    Ron
    Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  9. CliffMay 29, 2010 at 11:08 AM

    I never realized they had so much material developed that wasn't on the "complete discography" box set. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  10. jeffenMay 30, 2010 at 9:51 AM

    Cliff
    Yeah the box set hardly tells the whole story (like how they used to back American punk-glam girl, Cherry Vanilla).

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousJune 22, 2010 at 9:04 AM

    Never seen anything this early. thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousApril 26, 2011 at 8:02 PM

    never really liked the police,but their kickin' out some high energy punk rock n roll here,good stuff! thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousFebruary 22, 2012 at 11:51 AM

    Thanks for this bootleg.

    I saw The Police supporting Cherry Vanilla in 77, and playing their own set as one of the support bands. The other support was a local band, The Users, who were the highlight of the whole affair, as far as I was concerned. It was in a grubby gym at a boxing club, all very low-rent. There can't have been more than about 20 people there. I bought a copy of their first sincle from Henry the guitarist who wandered about with a cardboard box full of discs at the end of the gig. I guess that must have been 'Fall Out'.

    I didn't rate them, or Ms Vanilla very highly at the time, but The Users were great.

    I love your blog man!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. jeffenApril 27, 2012 at 9:55 AM

      Yeah The Users were goo - and I hope you kept that single it's worth a pretty penny these days I'd guess.

      Delete
  14. landais19November 3, 2012 at 3:51 PM

    The Mont de Marsan punk festival happened on 5/6 august as written on the poster not on may 1977 as written on the Police Cd cover !!!
    I was there !!!

    ReplyDelete

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