the Counterfeit Clash
above: In transit, in Belfast.
Background
The Counterfeit Clash are based in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. The band was formed with the sole intention of performing once and once only. It was Christmas 1996 and brothers George & John Coventry had been asked to form a band for a fund raising gig for Radio Clyde's "Cash For Kids" appeal.. As they were huge Clash fans, George (aka Poods) and John (aka Jude) used the invitation to form a Clash tribute act. They asked Rab McCahill & Johnny Leslie - two friends and fellow Clash fans - to complete the line up. When McCahill & Leslie accepted this invitation, the Counterfeit Clash was born and the band set about rehearsing a 45 minute Clash set.
The band's once only show was to be at the Commercial Inn, in Lennoxtown - 10 miles north of Glasgow. The gig also featured other aptly named 70's and 80's tribute acts such as the "The Rogue Pogues", "the Damned Jam", "The Jammed Damned", "Pants People", "The Wrangler Stranglers" and the "Smeg Pistols". The Counterfeit Clash topped the bill and by the time they took the stage, the crowd of some 150 people were well on their way down a drain piped, DM trodden, memory lane. The band stormed their way through their set as the crowd pogoed and sang along. By the end of the night, both the band and the crowd were blissfully caught up in a punk rock time warp. It was obvious that the concert had been a great success. In the collective hangover that followed however, the bands who had been flung together for the show, disbanded as quickly as they had formed.
Then came Christmas 1997 when the success of the Counterfeit Clash was fondly remembered and the band were asked to re-form for another "Cash for Kids" gig. This they did, much to the delight of those who had seen them the previous year. This time however, instead of just playing songs from the Clash, they took the opportunity to cover some of their favourite songs from the New Wave era of the late 70's & early 80's. It was a compulsive cocktail. Once again, the crowd were whipped up into a nostalgic frenzy, the like of which had not been seen or heard since......well about 1984, when the original Clash disbanded. It was obvious to the 4 Counterfeits that they had touched onto something which could get much bigger. They decided to take the show on the road and since that humble Christmas beginning, they have gone from strength to strength, creating the same mahem in venues across Scotland. Catch them it you dare.......
above: rab@ P-in-the-Park, Stirling
forthcoming gigs......previous gigs......what the papers say......what the fans say......set list......
background to the band........personnel.......tributes to Joe ....links
email: counterfeitclash@breathemail.net