As I was looking for video clips to add to my article about music on TV in the years before MTV (part 1 and part 2), I found a bunch of interesting stuff. Saturday Night Live does not allow clips to be posted to YouTube, but back in the spring of 1980 ABC launched its own late-night sketch comedy show with musical guests. It was called Fridays and it ran for only a couple of years, but some of the music performances are available online.
The Clash made their American television debut on Fridays on April 25, 1980. They performed four songs, all from their double album London Calling, which was released in the US in January of '80. The first two songs were "London Calling" and "Train in Vain."
Later in the show the band returned for two more songs, "The Guns of Brixton" and Clampdown."
I think it's really cool to be able to see these performances from this stage of the band's career, as London Calling is regarded by many (myself included) as their masterpiece.
(Look for more clips from Fridays in the weeks ahead...)
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