The Clash. Joe Strummer at the head of the table before with the band’s ‘rider’ spread. [Somewhere] on the White Riot’ tour, 1977.

Although I can’t remember, nor discover, in which venue this photograph was taken, what I do remember vividly was this: musicians end the night after a gig very hungry in towns where restaurants are shut and there is nowhere to eat. This is why ‘the rider’ clause in band contracts with venue promoters became essential. In ‘the rider’ clause bands would specify what should be in their dressing room after the show for them to eat. Usually with The Clash in the early days, this amounted to cans of bear and packets of biscuits. On the night I took this photograph, the band left the dressing room to perform, only to return after their set, to be utterly astonished. There, in the middle of their dressing room, a huge table had been set up laden with what was a veritable banquet! Joe sat at the top of the table very much King of the Road. Just in the picture is Paul, grinning with hungry delight, as he puts his guitar down on the table, now the only space in the room.

From one of the two split sets of the limited edition box 'THE CLASH. A RELEVANT REBELLION'