The Clash photographed on Royal Avenue in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on October 20, 1977. At a time when virtually every touring group avoided Northern Ireland due to The Troubles, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, and Topper Headon traveled to Belfast to play Ulster Hall. When the venue's insurers abruptly canceled the concert hours before showtime over safety fears, photographer Adrian Boot captured the band standing between a public bus and a heavily armored British military vehicle. The tension and frustration of that canceled night directly fueled the band's fierce political songwriting as they returned to London.
🎸 Following their self-titled 1977 debut, The Clash quickly branched out beyond three-chord punk, weaving reggae, rockabilly, dub, and funk into records like London Calling and Sandinista!. What is your favorite album from their catalog? 🎸 👇️