“Rude Boy” — of interest only

Press, 3 June 1982, Page 14

“Rude Boy” — of interest only

RUDE BOY at the Academy Cinema By David Swift “Rude Boy" is a satisfying film on only one count. It shows the ‘ British punk group. The Clash as they really were, live, during 1978. Otherwise, it is too long, and it is difficult to tell when it diverts from fact to fiction. The “Rude Boy" is Ray Gange, who was actually a friend of the band during that time, probably their peak. .Bored with his job in a Soho sex bookshop, he asks the singer, Joe Strummer, for a job as a roadie (equipment lugger) with The Clash. He is accepted, and relishes the chance to. get out of London, which he hates.

Going “on the road” has probably never been portrayed as accurately. The Clash, and Gange in particular, stumble their way through hotel rooms, hangovers, backstage booze-ups and the psychological grind of the lifestyle. There are some interesting moments from the band’s actual history. We see the

outcome of . the famous “pigeon shooting incident," where two of the band were convicted of shooting racing pigeons from a roof; an incident which almost caused an armed offenders alert in 1978.

Strummer and the guitarist. Mick Jones, are shown recording vocals for the second Clash album, “Give ’Em Enough rope,” and there is interesting footage from one of the famous Anti-Nazi League carnivals, in Victoria Park in London, in 1978.

Strummer emerges as the central figure from the band, but his cheap sloganeering, and disclaimers about becoming one of the rich “few," grates a bit at the start (he and the rest of The Clash have disowned the film). Gange tags along with the band from gig to gig, and although he is likeable at the start, he starts to irritate me, and The Clash, by the middle.

He turns into a hypocrite too. At the first Clash show, he is wearing a Bob Marley t-shirt. Near the end, he annoys Jones by suggesting that black kids shouldn’t Sing

“White Riot." I wonder what he is-doing now. Probably reflecting on the “old days" in a club somewhere in London. He even starts to reminisce to two young roadies, in the film. Journalist Caroline Coon, who used to give The Clash stunning -reviews in 1977, turned into their manager, and she is shown' on the arm of bassist Paul Simenon in many shots. Tfie concert scenes vary in quality, from horrible (Glasgow) to very good (London, especially versions of “Complete Control" and “White Man In Hammersmith Palais"). The warts come through in one scene, when Strummer forgets the words to “I'm So Bored With The U.5.A..” (I suspect he wishes he had never written it now). “Rude Boy" is interesting, but not much more than that. Music fans might like to note that the Sex Pistols film “The Great Rock ’n’ Roll Swindle," and New Zealand’s “Angel Mine," are showing again .at the Academy shortly.