THE CLASH - WHITE RIOT

Released: March 18, 1977

Charted: UK: #38 

"White Riot" is a punk rock anthem by the English band The Clash, released as their debut single in March 1977 and featured on their self-titled debut album. Frontman Joe Strummer uses the song to advocate for young white people to join the fight against oppressive governments, drawing parallels to the activism of black communities. Strummer emphasized that the song did not promote violence and was not racially motivated.

"White Riot" was inspired by the Notting Hill riots in west London on August 30, 1976. The clashes erupted during the Notting Hill Carnival, a celebration of Caribbean culture, after police officers were attacked following the arrest of a pickpocket. The tensions escalated along racial lines, with black youths confronting white officers, although white youths were also involved. Clash members Joe Strummer, Paul Simonon, and their manager Bernie Rhodes were present at the event and witnessed the chaos, which influenced the creation of the song. As a testament to the event's impact, the band included a photo of the Notting Hill riots on the back cover of their debut album.

The single's cover photograph, taken by Caroline Coon on 5 November 1976 at the band's rehearsal studio in Camden Town, was inspired by real-life events where youths were subjected to random stop-and-search procedures by police in the streets. The original shot depicted Joe Strummer wearing a boiler suit with the phrase "Hate and War" on the back, but this was airbrushed for the released version, replaced with "1977."

The Clash's "White Riot" did spark controversy during their concerts, as some audience members, often political punks, would use it as an excuse to cause trouble. Whether or not to play the song became a source of tension within the band, particularly highlighted during a gig in 1979. Joe Strummer was determined to play "White Riot" as an encore, but Mick Jones vehemently disagreed, expressing his weariness with the song and desire to move past it. This disagreement escalated into a heated argument, resulting in Strummer punching Jones – the only known instance of physical violence between band members. During the encore, Jones appeared on stage with a bandage around his eye and nose, eventually abandoning his instrument midway through the song. Despite requests from promoters to avoid playing "White Riot" due to fears of venue damage, The Clash often defiantly performed it anyway, reflecting their rebellious nature.

The poignant moment when Clash members Mick Jones and Joe Strummer played "White Riot" together for the last time occurred in November 2002. Jones, present in the audience for one of Strummer's solo shows, joined him onstage. Despite Strummer's usual reluctance to play the song, he turned to Jones and said, "This one's in 'A', you know it." Tragically, Strummer passed away from a heart attack just a month later.