Bernard Rhodes: Difference between revisions
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Bernard Rhodes is the former manager of English (punk) rock’n’roll band The Clash. He previously collaborated with Malcolm McLaren managing the early Sex Pistols, and was responsible for introducing John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) to the band. He also managed Subway Sect, Dexys Midnight Runners, and The Specials during the early stages of their careers. The intro to The Specials’ debut single ‘Gangsters’ begins with “Bernie Rhodes knows, don’t argue!”{{#tag:ref|In a television interview, [[Joe Strummer]] of The Clash said, after drawing the camera to Rhodes sleeping against a wall, "He invented punk...it was obviously too much for him", referring ironically to a statement of Rhodes himself. The scene and the statement are featured in the documentary ''[[Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten]]''.|group="n"}} |
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==Management== |
==Management== |
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Rhodes claims he was responsible for spotting [[John Lydon]] (aka Johnny Rotten) in the [[Kings Road]] and recommended that he audition as singer for the Sex Pistols in McLaren and Westwood's shop [[SEX (boutique)|SEX]]. |
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Biography and career |
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After his offer to co-manage the Sex Pistols was rejected, Rhodes was instrumental in The Clash's formation in 1976. His acceptance from [[Columbia Records|CBS Records]] of an overly onerous and poorly financed record contract on behalf of the group caused tensions, and he was replaced in 1978 by the journalist and [[Release (agency)|Release]] founder [[Caroline Coon]]. In turn Coon was replaced by management company Blackhill and, in 1981, Rhodes was brought back in and managed The Clash until their break-up in 1986, having been instrumental in manipulating the departure of principal songwriter and musical overseer [[Mick Jones (The Clash)|Mick Jones]].{{Sfn|Gilbert|2005}}{{Sfn|Topping|2004}}{{Sfn|Gray|2005}}{{Sfn|Westway 2001}} |
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Bernard Rhodes – call him ‘Bernie’ at your peril - was raised in Stepney, east London during the latter part of World War II, and is of Russo-Jewish descent. He says he never knew his father (August ‘Cecil’ Rhodes), and owing to his mother Millie (Rotman) unable to make ends he was placed into care at the Jewish Orphanage in Norwood in south London where he remained until he was 15. |
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On leaving he became a youthful habitué of the Soho street scene, later a regular at the 2is Coffee Bar in Old Compton Street where Britain’s rock’n’roll pioneers Cliff Richard and Tommy Steele had first started, then at the legendary Mod club, the Scene, in Ham Yard, Piccadilly. His mother was a finisher for several bespoke tailors including Huntsman and Hawes & Curtis in Dover Street, Piccadilly. One of her apprentices was John Pearse, the future founder of the renowned King’s Road psychedelic fashion emporium Granny Takes A Trip. Bernard and Pearse began sharing a maisonette flat at 68 Hamilton Terrace in St. John’s Wood, which thanks to Mick Jagger having one of his mistresses ensconced in the flat above, the whole building soon became a hangout for a colourful coterie of flower-powering misfits such as Donovan, the Who, the Small Faces, and the soon-to-be-famous ‘Bopping Elf’, Marc Bolan. Another frequent visitor was future Led Zeppelin road manager Richard Cole. |
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Bernard later rented a stall on Antiquarius Antiques Market on the King’s Road selling amongst other things, second-hand leather jackets and reggae records. He acquired a second-hand printing machine and began designing his own range of radical T-shirts such as the ‘You’re Gonna Wake Up One Morning And Know What Side Of The Bed You’ve Been Lying On’. During this time he became re-acquainted with his previous friend Malcolm McLaren and his business partner/girlfriend Vivienne Westwood, who were operating out of SEX at 430 King’s Road. Finding they shared a similar philosophy, Bernard and Malcolm went into business together collaborating on a range of risqué T-shirts which were then sold in SEX. |
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Management |
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Rhodes also managed [[Subway Sect]], [[Dexys Midnight Runners]] and [[The Specials]] in 1979, shortly after these bands formed. The intro to The Specials' version of [[Gangsters]] begins with "Bernie Rhodes knows, don't argue!" |
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By 1975, SEX had become something of a hangout for a bunch of teenage miscreants from which the Sex Pistols would emerge. Despite Malcolm McLaren’s claims to the contrary, it was in fact Bernard who took the group under his wing while they honed their craft while McLaren was in New York looking after the New York Dolls. It was he who approached the future Johnny Rotten, having spotted the green-haired youth making a nuisance of himself on the King’s Road, and invited him to try out as the band’s singer. Bernard had assumed that Malcolm would offer him a joint-managerial role with the Sex Pistols as a reward for his time and effort. And it was only when the offer failed to materialise that he went away and put a rival group together, The Clash. |
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The Clash |
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Along with The Damned and the Sex Pistols, The Clash were at the vanguard of the London punk scene thanks to Bernard having secured them a £100,000 recording contract with CBS. However, as The Clash’s career took off Bernard began to lose interest and instead turned his attentions to other bands within his Camden Lock stable: Subway Sect, The Specials, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, and The Black Arabs. Though Bernard and The Clash parted company in December 1978, he was invited back to oversee their affairs in 1981, and was at the helm during their most successful period in terms of record sales with the single ‘Rock The Casbah’ and the parent album, Combat Rock, both cracking the US Top 10. The album would also reach #2 on the UK album chart. Aside from managing The Clash during this period Bernard also managed Jo Boxers, who enjoyed mainstream success on both sides of the Atlantic with their second single ‘Just Got Lucky’ in 1983. |
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While Bernard has often been used as the scapegoat for Mick Jones’ departure from the Clash in September 1983, and for the woeful over-production on the band’s last studio album, Cut The Crap, released in November 1985, he couldn’t have operated without the collusion of original members Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon. Bernard had always viewed The Clash as an idea more than a group. |
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==''Cut the Crap''== |
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{{main|Cut the Crap}} |
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According to guitarist [[Vince White]], the working title of the [[The Clash|Clash]]'s last studio album, released in 1985, was ''Out of Control''; the title was changed to ''[[Cut the Crap]]'' by Rhodes shortly before its release without consulting the band. Rhodes also produced the record, using the alias of Jose Unidos (presumably to suggest Joe Strummer was the producer). He is credited, together with [[Joe Strummer]], for co-writing all the tracks of that album.{{Sfn|Gilbert|2005}}{{Sfn|Topping|2004}}{{Sfn|Gray|2005}} |
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==St Martin's incident== |
==St Martin's incident== |
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In May 2007 Rhodes caused controversy at London's [[Central St Martins|St Martins College]], when he was accused of saying "if you want to sort out crime in London, sort out the niggers in Peckham", causing the event to be terminated early. Rhodes claims he may have been "taken out of context", and that his words were misconstrued. Citing that the Press have created a "mythological, fictional, bastardized" account of what really happened at the St. Martin's incident.<ref>{{cite news|title=Clash manager's racist outburst a reminder not to get rose-tinted about punk|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2007/may/07/clashmanagersracistoutburst|accessdate=6 May 2012|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 May 2007}}</ref> Soon after, Rhodes defended himself, saying: "in America, everyone I worked with who was Afro-American, that's what they called themselves" Though actually only Referring to the Term "Afro American" in that interview as well. No Video or Recording of the St. Martin's incident is actually known to exist, or any reliable testimonies from any witnesses from the incident.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bernard Rhodes speaks|newspaper=Mojo|date=July 2007|page=18}}</ref> |
In May 2007 Rhodes caused controversy at London's [[Central St Martins|St Martins College]], when he was accused of saying "if you want to sort out crime in London, sort out the niggers in Peckham", causing the event to be terminated early. Rhodes claims he may have been "taken out of context", and that his words were misconstrued. Citing that the Press have created a "mythological, fictional, bastardized" account of what really happened at the St. Martin's incident.<ref>{{cite news|title=Clash manager's racist outburst a reminder not to get rose-tinted about punk|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2007/may/07/clashmanagersracistoutburst|accessdate=6 May 2012|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 May 2007}}</ref> Soon after, Rhodes defended himself, saying: "in America, everyone I worked with who was Afro-American, that's what they called themselves" Though actually only Referring to the Term "Afro American" in that interview as well. No Video or Recording of the St. Martin's incident is actually known to exist, or any reliable testimonies from any witnesses from the incident.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bernard Rhodes speaks|newspaper=Mojo|date=July 2007|page=18}}</ref> |
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In April 2010, Bernard also caused controversy by turning up at Malcolm McLaren’s funeral service uninvited where he proceeded to heckle Vivienne Westwood for ‘being part of the Establishment’, before bounding up onto the platform beside Malcolm’s coffin to deliver his own eulogy. ‘If we’re not careful we’re going to turn McLaren into a saint. And McLaren was no saint.’ |
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==Present Day== |
==Present Day== |
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To date, Bernard Rhodes remains an enigmatic, Social Activist/Theorist and Humanitarian. In addition to his commentary on Social and Political Awareness from his |
To date, Bernard Rhodes remains an enigmatic, Social Activist/Theorist and Humanitarian. In addition to his commentary on Social and Political Awareness from his website, www.bernardrhodes.com, he has taken part and has raised awareness to a number of causes (Most recently supporting an opening at the Jewish Museum in London, January 2012). A Documentary is currently in the works about his Life and Work. No Release date has been scheduled. |
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A lasting by-product of Bernard’s Rehearsals Rehearsals/Lucky 8 studio acknowledged as the launch-pad for The Clash and several other exciting bands, is that the studio hangout inadvertently created a fertile environment for an internationally known Camden Market to begin; enjoying a marketing policy of ‘Go look at the freaky punks in Camden.’ |
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<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bernardrhodes.com/ |title=BernardRhodes.com |accessdate=05 June 2012}}</ref> |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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Revision as of 14:49, 6 November 2012
Bernie Rhodes | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Bernard Rhodes |
| Occupation(s) | Record producer, manager, songwriter |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Website | bernardrhodes |
Bernard Rhodes is the former manager of English (punk) rock’n’roll band The Clash. He previously collaborated with Malcolm McLaren managing the early Sex Pistols, and was responsible for introducing John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) to the band. He also managed Subway Sect, Dexys Midnight Runners, and The Specials during the early stages of their careers. The intro to The Specials’ debut single ‘Gangsters’ begins with “Bernie Rhodes knows, don’t argue!”[n 1]
Management
[Rhodes]'s had a load of influence — especially at the start. He put the group together. And he also put us on the right track — mainly about song content.
Biography and career Bernard Rhodes – call him ‘Bernie’ at your peril - was raised in Stepney, east London during the latter part of World War II, and is of Russo-Jewish descent. He says he never knew his father (August ‘Cecil’ Rhodes), and owing to his mother Millie (Rotman) unable to make ends he was placed into care at the Jewish Orphanage in Norwood in south London where he remained until he was 15. On leaving he became a youthful habitué of the Soho street scene, later a regular at the 2is Coffee Bar in Old Compton Street where Britain’s rock’n’roll pioneers Cliff Richard and Tommy Steele had first started, then at the legendary Mod club, the Scene, in Ham Yard, Piccadilly. His mother was a finisher for several bespoke tailors including Huntsman and Hawes & Curtis in Dover Street, Piccadilly. One of her apprentices was John Pearse, the future founder of the renowned King’s Road psychedelic fashion emporium Granny Takes A Trip. Bernard and Pearse began sharing a maisonette flat at 68 Hamilton Terrace in St. John’s Wood, which thanks to Mick Jagger having one of his mistresses ensconced in the flat above, the whole building soon became a hangout for a colourful coterie of flower-powering misfits such as Donovan, the Who, the Small Faces, and the soon-to-be-famous ‘Bopping Elf’, Marc Bolan. Another frequent visitor was future Led Zeppelin road manager Richard Cole. Bernard later rented a stall on Antiquarius Antiques Market on the King’s Road selling amongst other things, second-hand leather jackets and reggae records. He acquired a second-hand printing machine and began designing his own range of radical T-shirts such as the ‘You’re Gonna Wake Up One Morning And Know What Side Of The Bed You’ve Been Lying On’. During this time he became re-acquainted with his previous friend Malcolm McLaren and his business partner/girlfriend Vivienne Westwood, who were operating out of SEX at 430 King’s Road. Finding they shared a similar philosophy, Bernard and Malcolm went into business together collaborating on a range of risqué T-shirts which were then sold in SEX.
Management By 1975, SEX had become something of a hangout for a bunch of teenage miscreants from which the Sex Pistols would emerge. Despite Malcolm McLaren’s claims to the contrary, it was in fact Bernard who took the group under his wing while they honed their craft while McLaren was in New York looking after the New York Dolls. It was he who approached the future Johnny Rotten, having spotted the green-haired youth making a nuisance of himself on the King’s Road, and invited him to try out as the band’s singer. Bernard had assumed that Malcolm would offer him a joint-managerial role with the Sex Pistols as a reward for his time and effort. And it was only when the offer failed to materialise that he went away and put a rival group together, The Clash.
The Clash Along with The Damned and the Sex Pistols, The Clash were at the vanguard of the London punk scene thanks to Bernard having secured them a £100,000 recording contract with CBS. However, as The Clash’s career took off Bernard began to lose interest and instead turned his attentions to other bands within his Camden Lock stable: Subway Sect, The Specials, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, and The Black Arabs. Though Bernard and The Clash parted company in December 1978, he was invited back to oversee their affairs in 1981, and was at the helm during their most successful period in terms of record sales with the single ‘Rock The Casbah’ and the parent album, Combat Rock, both cracking the US Top 10. The album would also reach #2 on the UK album chart. Aside from managing The Clash during this period Bernard also managed Jo Boxers, who enjoyed mainstream success on both sides of the Atlantic with their second single ‘Just Got Lucky’ in 1983. While Bernard has often been used as the scapegoat for Mick Jones’ departure from the Clash in September 1983, and for the woeful over-production on the band’s last studio album, Cut The Crap, released in November 1985, he couldn’t have operated without the collusion of original members Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon. Bernard had always viewed The Clash as an idea more than a group.
St Martin's incident
In May 2007 Rhodes caused controversy at London's St Martins College, when he was accused of saying "if you want to sort out crime in London, sort out the niggers in Peckham", causing the event to be terminated early. Rhodes claims he may have been "taken out of context", and that his words were misconstrued. Citing that the Press have created a "mythological, fictional, bastardized" account of what really happened at the St. Martin's incident.[2] Soon after, Rhodes defended himself, saying: "in America, everyone I worked with who was Afro-American, that's what they called themselves" Though actually only Referring to the Term "Afro American" in that interview as well. No Video or Recording of the St. Martin's incident is actually known to exist, or any reliable testimonies from any witnesses from the incident.[3] In April 2010, Bernard also caused controversy by turning up at Malcolm McLaren’s funeral service uninvited where he proceeded to heckle Vivienne Westwood for ‘being part of the Establishment’, before bounding up onto the platform beside Malcolm’s coffin to deliver his own eulogy. ‘If we’re not careful we’re going to turn McLaren into a saint. And McLaren was no saint.’
Present Day
To date, Bernard Rhodes remains an enigmatic, Social Activist/Theorist and Humanitarian. In addition to his commentary on Social and Political Awareness from his website, www.bernardrhodes.com, he has taken part and has raised awareness to a number of causes (Most recently supporting an opening at the Jewish Museum in London, January 2012). A Documentary is currently in the works about his Life and Work. No Release date has been scheduled. A lasting by-product of Bernard’s Rehearsals Rehearsals/Lucky 8 studio acknowledged as the launch-pad for The Clash and several other exciting bands, is that the studio hangout inadvertently created a fertile environment for an internationally known Camden Market to begin; enjoying a marketing policy of ‘Go look at the freaky punks in Camden.’ [4]
Notes
- ^ In a television interview, Joe Strummer of The Clash said, after drawing the camera to Rhodes sleeping against a wall, "He invented punk...it was obviously too much for him", referring ironically to a statement of Rhodes himself. The scene and the statement are featured in the documentary Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten.
References
- ^ Coon 1977.
- ^ "Clash manager's racist outburst a reminder not to get rose-tinted about punk". The Guardian. 7 May 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ^ "Bernard Rhodes speaks". Mojo. July 2007. p. 18.
- ^ "BernardRhodes.com". Retrieved 05 June 2012.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help)
Sources
- Books
- Coon, Caroline (1977). 1988: The New Wave Punk Rock Explosion. London: Hawthorn. ISBN 0-8015-6129-9. OCLC 79262599. Retrieved 2011-09-19.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Gilbert, Pat (2005) [2004]. Passion Is a Fashion: The Real Story of The Clash (4th edition ed.). London: Aurum Press. ISBN 1-84513-113-4. OCLC 61177239.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help);|edition=has extra text (help); Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Gray, Marcus (2005) [1995]. The Clash: Return of the Last Gang in Town (5th revised edition ed.). London: Helter Skelter. ISBN 1-905139-10-1. OCLC 60668626.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help);|edition=has extra text (help); Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Topping, Keith (2004) [2003]. The Complete Clash (2nd ed. ed.). Richmond: Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 1-903111-70-6. OCLC 63129186.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help);|edition=has extra text (help); Invalid|ref=harv(help)
- Films and documentaries
- Letts Don; Rick Elgood, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Topper Headon, Terry Chimes, The Clash (2001). The Clash: Westway to the World (DVD). New York, NY: Sony Music Entertainment; Dorismo; Uptown Films. ISBN 0-7389-0082-6. OCLC 49798077.
{{cite AV media}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help)
- Web
- "UNLIMITED / CMU Daily 04.05.07". CMU Daily - on the inside. CMU Music Network. 2007-05-04. Retrieved 2007-12-04.
Further reading
- Salewicz, Chris (2006). [[Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer]]. New York: Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-571-21178-4. OCLC 76794852.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help); URL–wikilink conflict (help)
