Bo Diddley talks about opening for The Clash

Bo Diddley talks about his experiences opening for the Clash on their 1979 US Tour. This interview took place in November 2002 at the Rock Nightclub in Maplewood, Minnesota.

[@5150zombie]

I love the clash. I love bo diddley. He's not talking about music, he's talking about hazards of the profession, and promoting his own style one sided. Give him some le-way on his own opinion, he was an originator who like alot of others, got little appreciation outside of musicians, got little money by the buisness side, and got some of the most harshest racism because of his time period. Aside from that, Music talks first and he was old and has earned the right to be cranky. I'm 26.

[@jcsolomon6470]

I ❤ Bo!I play guitar,and I Statred jamming to the Bo Diddley,Tune,and this dude I was playing for,has been playing Professionally,for 40 years,and still,gigging,and He Says,Oh Ya playing The Hand Jive,I said you Dont Know Bo!Ha!Take care,nah!Jcsx

[@Clump-0]

"Every generation has their own little bag of tricks" everyone stop fighting and listen to that.

[@Tralfaz666]

I saw Bo on that Clash tour and he was fantastic. He got an encore...

[@jondoeinfo]

I was at that show in Vancouver - AND at the sound check he refers to earlier that day. The Clash were no louder than any other rock n roll band of that period. Mick Jones and Joe Strummer only used one amp each if I recall - which is NOT a lot. Maybe Bo just wasn't used to modern music... Bo wasn't complaining at the sound check either, and I was sitting almost next to him.

[@TheHeater90]

"If you can play, all you need is one amp, your 'axe' and you.", very, VERY true words

[@trizius7615]

TheHeater90 Not at all cuz it depends the place where u're playing. Of course u need just 1 amp and 1 ax when u play on ur farm in the front of 5 people and a cow

[@colt49ers97]

@@trizius7615 false

[@zombywoof1015]

The 12,000 people in an arena would drawn out his one tiny amp. You'd have to ask the audience to make no noise during the songs and to limit the noise they make between them.

[@PBANDSNOW]

Its funny because Mick Jones (the Clash's guitar player) used to argue with friends about who was better, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. Then Joe Strummer tells him "Hey Mick, I asked Bo Diddley to open for us and he said yes" haha, lol

[@BillyBob-ec5ox]

The Clash should have been opening for Bo Diddley. Not the other way around. This is literally one of the guys that built Rock music

[@mynameisnobody5295]

There would be no Clash without the likes of Bo Diddly. If I had a time machine I would go seem Bo Diddley and the Clash on the same bill.

[@wimbledon5353]

Bo Diddley could be forgiven for this. He was treated harshly by Clash fans who had no idea who he was when he opened for them...

[@sammencia7945]

Wrong. We applauded him in WDC on Feb 15th 79.

[@dowmod]

I'm assuming he's talking about the PA because the Clash were minimalist on the backline.

[@ericblowtorch]

As for the volume question, Joe and Mick used smaller amps than Bo did, and they made sure Bo's sets were mixed as loudly and roof-shaking as theirs, if not louder.

[@1975480able]

Heard Bo In 1994 just outside Paris . Some Gig..

[@highpath4776]

that might have been the problem !

[@yetaca]

Bo was cool. He'd sleep with his guitar on the Clash's tour bus and wouldn't take the stage until he was paid in cash lol

[@electricleg207]

+yetaca Rumours insist he was actually paid more than The Clash who did`nt mind because everybody has `borrowed` from Bo (you`ve only got to listen to Hateful! )

[@stewartfenton7660]

I guess Bo picked up the cash idea from watching Chuck, I remember reading an interview where he was basically saying, "Man I need to be more like that." I think when the great reckoning comes, Bo will be judged to have got less than his fair share. A great, great, innovator, player, entertainer and person.

[@timburr4453]

that also comes from being a child of the great depression

[@song8777]

I passed out flyers for Bo Diddley shows. Have been a fan of The Clash, since around '81. I didn't know they played together. 🎸

[@mikefule330]

I saw Bo Diddley live at Rock City, Nottingham, UK some time around 1990 (give or take a couple of years?) and he was a great entertainer.

[@bowiggly7038]

Saw two CLASH shows in person and both were amped so loud you couldn't hear anything with clarity. Still love Diddley and the legacy of the Clash

[@bobbysands6923]

Saw The Clash, The Cramps, and Bo Diddely at the NYC Paladium in Feb 1979. I have also seen space shuttles take off. The Clash were louder. Great concert, unforgettable...but my ears were ringing for days afterward.

[@frankmorrow3701]

He's talking about the volume of the shows y'all and I totally agree with him as I saw him open for them in SF and he was great and could be heard so clearly and he was a great opening act for them! Then the "wall of noise" happened!! It was so fucking loud you couldn't discern one song from another and actually I thought that it was one of the worst shows that I've ever seen (and still do!) it was truly sad because as Bo said "they didn't need to be that loud" and even tho' I enjoyed it for their energy but the music sucked and I love the Clash!!! My ears were shot for days after that...

[@sammencia7945]

0:46 Clash started out with one amp, the axe, no money, and a studio in Canden Town.

[@midnite2sixman]

im pretty sure joe had a small music man amp and a shitty old telecaster

[@joegill1512]

He sounds like my Dad "Turn that stuff DOWN!"

[@markyncole]

Lawdy! Damn kids these days just play their music way too damn loud!

[@andygoldberger3775]

Was at the DC show at the Ontario Theater on this tour...(Same venue as the Worldwide Premiere of Rock and Roll High School but another posting I guess) Bo was great... had his own punk attitude. Clash…clashed loudly…very…we left midway thru. Saw them a few years later at the Smith Center and they were great.

[@DrJohnPollard]

"If you can play, all you need is one amp, your axe, and you. " Bo Diddley: The Master speaks.

[@johnnydinkis2]

His description of how awful it is to be at a Clash show is hilarious. "it was so loud the building shook"... um that sounds fucking awesome Bo, get with the times. It shame he would badmouth them as they, and especially Joe Strummer had a great deal of admiration and respect for Bo Diddley.

[@lamper2]

i think bo coulda done a great london calling

[@heyrubes007]

Bo seems to forget how loud he played at the Let the Good Times Roll concert ;)

[@ericblowtorch]

This is really sad. Poor Bo's memory just decayed in pieces. I had an even worse experience than this poor interviewer did when I met Bo just after Joe's passing, and I'll leave it at that. The Clash treated Bo with grace and respect, deferred to him as an originator, and really honored him (particularly by paying him four times what they paid themselves). I feel so bad that Bo couldn't keep those memories. www.morrisonhotelgallery.com/images/medium/R-324.jpg

[@sega62s]

Well, like you said, its all bout what the man remember, there are reasons for a stack of amp, it is to hear yourself onstage.....cause a drummer could be real noisy at times

[@robelicit]

ericblowtorch Yeah it seemed weird that he didn't put it all in context, makes me sad because like you said I thought they looked up to him like a hero and so he shouldn't have spoken about them as if they were some loud cheesy volume only type of act like say someone who really was only about volume such as cheezoid-Ted-Nugent.. yeah this was heartbreaking and downright annoying to me

[@edriant1916]

I saw Bo live on five different occasions, 1986-2004, in five different cities (one of them Chicago). On one memorable occasion they let me in early and I got to meet him, he autographed my ticket. It was a bit sad the last time, age had caught up with him and he didn't have the same energy as in the earlier shows.

[@Andynauga]

I saw the Clash 5 times and I don't recall more than a amp or two for each member..but it's irrelevant because in a large room or hall almost all the volume is going to come through the PA. The band hears themselves and each other in the monitor mix...when you see a wall of amps on stage most are just stage props

[@F10MTL]

Andynauga I'm pretty sure he was describing The Who rather than The Clash

[@jaytv777]

well..that's the last time we take HIM out on tour....:)

[@justrollin1210]

Both are awesome anyway

[@loudenkliehr3633]

I was at their first show in the States in '79 at the Berkeley CA Community Theater. Bo opened and was great. I don't recall The Clash having a great deal of equipment on stage at that time. And I don't recall Bo being any less loud than them. I do know that the following night at a benefit show in S.F. they started using a different equalizer than improved the clarity. Maybe that's what made the difference. But as far as them having big stacks of speakers and amps ala The Who, I don't recall that being the case.

[@Exakta66]

+Louden Kliehr I don't recall them being that loud either...didn't see them in '79, but saw them at Bonds three times in '81 and twice the following year when they opened for The Who...and I saw Bo that year in a small club...I guess he ain't a Clash fan...

[@loudenkliehr3633]

+Alan Jankowski Maybe Bo just remembered it differently than it actually was. There were 20+ years between when this interview occurred and that tour.

[@AJCzarkowski]

Although I wasn't around back then, from all the videos and photographs I've seen the Clash didn't do the stuff he's describing. It seems like they only used one or two small amps each, except for Paul's big old 8x10 bass amp. Interesting interview from Bo Diddley either way.

[@violetsky5202]

Maybe Bo was senile then. Lol

[@lagosz1]

He's absolutely right. If it's not a stadium you don't need to shake the whole building. It ruins the experience. Finding perfect levels for your surrounding is key.

[@PBANDSNOW]

@rp61wasinnocentok RI read the "Joe Strummer and the legend of THe Clash" and there are all these stories of Bo Diddley having a good time jumping around and shit, so i think time has warped his mind. xD

[@cocoygranada9403]

Never knew about him. I better take a seconth look at my CD From Here To Eternity.

[@dannyjones5432]

Bo Diddley almost saying shit was the best thing ever haha he caught himself tho! no swearing from Diddley no sir!

[@shaunigothictv1003]

Bo Didley is getting the amps mixed up with the P.A system. I was actually there that day with my Dad The Clash were audio tuned so loud that it was almost impossible to distinguish one song from the other. I remember my Dad turning to me and saying "Son, that just sounds like a wall of death". Unlike my Dad and Bo, I thought it was funny! I really enjoyed that concert. I heard so many people that day comment that the Amps and sound was crap. But guess what, they got it all mixed up too. It's not the Amps folks. It's the P.A system. Bo is absolutely correct on the volume issue. But who cares? As long as you enjoy yourself. It was one of my favourite concerts of all time.

[@universallanguage59]

The phrase "two worlds collide" seems appropriate here...Maybe both parties weren't certain about expectations. If memory serves, that was the only tour they did together. I believe they decided to have the English Beat later on, and the U.S. shows (West Texas and California) with Joe Ely were reportedly much more positive for all...

[@chrisgeorgegray]

What did Punk offer than volume? Are you actually serious?

[@rp61productions]

@PBANDSNOW He doesn't really know it but he's referring to the PA system, the Clash never had that much in the way of amps behind them. Anyaway, the dude sounds a bit jealous to me XD

[@EmptyQue]

The punk "attitude" was that music should come from the heart first, that music should be democratic and egalitarian, and passivity should avoided at all cost. Everybody used to do music, back before we all watched television. Punk wasn't a revolution; it was a reminder of something human that we lost.

[@jerk5959]

Lame.

[@RubenWarlock]

Punk attitude was a shitty lie.

[@punkisinthedetails1470]

Louder than Bo's

[@Onetinsoldier]

According to 'Passion is A Fashion: the Real Story of The Clash written by Pat Gilbert: 'The group (The Clash) loved Bo and he loved them back'. Bo about Topper Headon: 'You know, that is the only white boy who's ever played my rhythm without having to be shown how to do it'. Bo: 'Our music is entirely different, but it was a gas'.

[@undergroundwarrior70]

I saw that tour in 1979 at the Santa Monica Civic in Santa Monica, California. I was 23. Bo Diddley was fantastic playing his music on stage. And The Clash were also fantastic. But I do understand what Bo Diddley is saying about having all those amps on stage. Just way overdone to have that many for an indoor concert. The acoustics at the Santa Monica Civic were pretty bad. A couple of years later I saw The Psychedelic Furs there and it was so very loud that I had to go to the lobby so I could hear them better, but couldn't see them on stage.

[@Khultan]

LOL Love BD>!!! : )

[@richardsoffice9176]

Maybe Bo IS onto something, here. Many years ago, Pete Townsend had hearing damage, tinnitus, & was told by his doctor that if he wanted to maintain any hearing AT ALL , he`d have to cut out the loud volume. I can understand how loud volume is actually part of The Clash's anitestablishment, abrasive approach - to Society! We're all at least a little different. But really loud volume HAS been shown to cause an effect on the ability to hear. Including nuances, which is important to musicians. Subtlety.

[@johnmozzocco628]

He's talking about the Who. Please change this!

[@rexguy7823]

Posting a video with a guy saying the Clash was too loud? The Clash is the best band in the world

[@charliefreak21]

I think he is cool as hell. He says what he thinks, but then says, 'each generation has its own bag of tricks," thereby saying the Clash is a product of a different generation.

[@ineedscissors6176]

I figure if there was a punk band Bo would be down with it’d be the Cramps.

[@BicycleJoeTomasello]

I saw Bo with the Clash, Bo knows your Mama ha ha ha! Hey !Leroy! Bo Knows Your Mama, do you understand? Haw Haw Haw!

[@rp61productions]

@blazinbleezies The jealous remark was just a bit of humour, the clue was there by me laughing after the comment (XD) That's somebody laughing in jest. And I was agreeing with somebody else here who also said he was probably referring to the PA stystem, You can't deny Bo does come across in this clip like he can't really remember much, he talks about The Clash using wall to wall amps, well that's nonsense for a start, they weren't one of those awful American heavy metal bands like Van Halen.

[@gcf7175]

Haters gonna hate.

[@ericmalone3213]

This is some historical revisionism from Mr Diddley. Look at the Penny Smith and Bob Gruen Clash photo books. Mr Diddley had a great time touring with them. The Clash paid Mr Diddley up front in cash before every show. If Mr Diddley had had a problem with the volume, The Clash would have sorted it out for him. They were entirely accommodating. After touring with Mr Diddley, The Clash toured with Lee Dorsey, & Mikey Dread as opening acts. Mr Dorsey & Mr Dread never complained about the PA, & they had a great time as well.

[@johnpritchard5410]

the real thing...

[@trizius7615]

by all respect but Bo Diddley didn't know the difference between a Guitar Amp and PA's

[@perkydog4294]

This sucks, the clash treated bo with respect and looked up to him!

[@5150zombie]

Also, dude was a marine, he can say what the fuck he wants.

[@blueasblueis]

@Guy Man bo diddley cant really play? wow. I just saw your vid of piano over the cure playback. Sure thing glenn Gould! Long walk. Short pier. You.

[@ThiagodMoraes]

He ´s being missinterpret,i am sure hes talking about The Who not The Clash,check the facts coz The Who are fenomenal as band but were in that time super loud with heavy equip and sound.The Clash were never a band Bo was talking about, they liked each other

[@joshn938]

OPEN? Shit, the clash should have opened for HIM

[@carlancos2010]

Es su opinion, son otras generaciones, creo que tiene razon, amo a este señor y a The Clash, está perfecto que opine de lo que el sabe y quién le va a decir que está equivocado???

[@bittersweetriotpopinternat6719]

Bo is talking out of his arse here, but that's OK, he's allowed...

[@Khultan]

@rp61wasinnocentok How would you even know that Bo 'comes across as not remembering much'?!? How would you know that?!?

[@daveanderson718]

LOL!!!

[@mikegilbert3981]

He wouldn't have liked playing with motorhead they'll make your ears bleed

[@budagum]

What's wrong with sending your kids to public schools? Would you prefer they spend thousands of dollars on private schools?

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

LoL

[@budagum]

Ah, I was not aware. I'm from the US. I don't really see what's wrong about becoming successful from punk music though. I don't think it stands contrary to the message they send.

[@Geo-wc7jc]

The future is now, old man.

[@DragosBlackmilk]

now this is punk

[@markforde3103]

Not a fan of big PA's then Bo?,fair enough.

[@markforde3103]

The Clash put Bo on cause they were big, big fans and as usual it took a Brit act to wake up the US to the good stuff they ignored.

[@rickieingle101st]

what? really dude

[@zombywoof1015]

Welcome to punk rock old dude.

[@TheCapedWanderer]

"THAT DID NOT MAKE SENSE"

[@WillyMcCoy50]

Roger that Tango Foxtrot Kilo. I have acquired the source of the Worlds most ignorant posters. One squeeze, toggle some NAPE and forums websites will be rid of idiot postings ..... Can you REPEAT THAT Tango ?? Stand Down and let ignorance spawn freely ??? ............................ Roger & Out

[@VanHellsing12]

Wow, surprised he was not open minded about other musicians work.

[@rickieingle101st]

Its not stupid....you just cant handle it bo

[@monto39]

I'd trade 10 clash shows for 1 Bo Diddley. I have never seen or heard of him ever not putting on a hell of a show (+ the Clash are essentially reds anyways). '79 would have been London Calling - so seems odd they had such an arsenal. It was the era of the 135w Twin Reverb and 6 x 10" speakers in a single combo amp. Into the +1980 hair band era a lot of the "walls of Marshall stacks" were half made of empty cabs

[@Khultan]

@johnnydinkis2 Give the man a break. He's a rock n roll pioneer and a legend and influenced alot of musicians in the industry. The clash make blunders too that you can't see through because, mostly, you're not there but also because of your idolizing and hero worshiping. Even the Clash themselves have admitted to making stupendously lunatic, idiotic mistakes. Wake up.

[@evelskunny1]

one amp,no one would hear it lol he's pissed cause he cant really play lol

[@colt49ers97]

Nah you he play as great as Chuck Berry you on the other can't play for shit

[@danschreffler1280]

Bo Diddley WAS an originator but I was not impressed by his personality. I saw him once at the Vogue in Indianapolis. He came out drunk with a bandaged finger. Talked for 10 minutes about how it happened. Played for about 20 minutes and walked offstage for good. Literally the worst concert I ever saw.

[@tarrylrosier8443]

I wonder what promoter put that lineup together. OMG! Bo should have just got his money and left.

[@MrMartininuk]

SPOT ON BO......The Clash could afford too many amps.The song Bo Diddley has lasted almost sixty years.....Who were the Clash?

[@SeitenTaisei93]

Just one of the most important bands that have ever lived. Lots of respect for Bo, he is an absolute legend, but, in a different way, The Clash are legends aswell, considering that they changed the meaning of punk rock and many punk rock bands were formed inspired by their music and attitude, you can't say otherwise mate.

[@MrMartininuk]

***** First : we can agree Bo was a master....Love is Strange, Bo Diddley, Pretty Thing,Say Man,Cant judge a book, plus a dozen more classics......he wrote AND he had his own sound. But the Clash? True ...they changed the meaning of musical entertainment...if going out to get injured and spat upon can be considered entertainment.For me they were purely an angry social statement ,inaudible words and as much melody as the average football crowd produces.Do you really put the stereo headphones on and listen to their music? Each to his own taste......

[@SeitenTaisei93]

If you want to describe The Clash first of all i think you have to think about them in the time and place where they were born, since the beginning music has been the reflection of what surrounds it, they were born in England, roughly around when M.Tatcher became prime minister in England, people were angry and unhappy, and they were speaking for them, so obviously they had to sound angry and rough. Yeah, sure, Bo's music is way way better than The Clash's one in terms of melody, but all i'm saying is that you can't deny that they left a powerful message in music. And by the way, if you're someone who thinks that punk rock is just about getting injured and and spat upon this conversation is pointless, because it would mean that you probably never even tried to listen to it or understand it.

[@SeitenTaisei93]

Finally, i was waiting for someone who can't even write properly to call me a moron. Cheers mate :)

[@SeitenTaisei93]

Go on, i'm really interested in what you're saying.

[@JohnnyFriendly]

when it comes to bags of tricks i definitely prefer the ones used by Bo's generation. What did punk really have to offer other than volume? maybe that was the problem with future generations of musicians - too much opportunity (technology-wise)

[@acenturyofblackmusic1655]

bo diddley was real rock n roll. the clash were crap , the death of a culture.

[@JohnnyFriendly]

Punk was all about "attitude". Once you remove that, there was really nothing much there Punk's real contribution was an idea, namely that anyone can do it. But that's not exactly a musical contribution

[@jondoeinfo]

I was at that show in Vancouver - AND at the sound check he refers to earlier that day. The Clash were no louder than any other rock n roll band of that period. Mick Jones and Joe Strummer only used one amp each if I recall - which is NOT a lot. Maybe Bo just wasn't used to modern music... Bo wasn't complaining at the sound check either, and I was sitting almost next to him.