Back on this day 25 years ago...........SATURDAY NOVEMBER 19th 1977
1977
 DATE INDEX
DECEMBER
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  University, Leeds
'This Is The Modern World' 45 is currently residing at number 36 in the UK charts and the bands current 'Modern World' tour, was less exhaustive than their previous mammoth outings, however all good things have a nasty habit of turning bleak. After playing the Leeds show tonight. The band came back to their hotel and were muted by the fact that the bar had closed. Instead The Jam, their entourage, and the entire Australian rugby team who were also staying there, sought service from a small, dumb waiter service hatch. Paul, on finally retrieving a round of drinks, had them accidentally knocked over by an older gentleman in the queue. Which proved unfortunate for the miscreant, as Paul picked up a glass and lashed out at him. The result was a minor cut to the forehead. Even more unfortunate for Paul, was the victim turned out to be the Australian rugby team's manager!
Twenty two frighteningly huge rugby players promptly decided they wanted to kill anybody remotely connected with The Jam. The message had gone back that a bunch of limey punk rockers had bottled their head honcho, and they were out for blood. Bruce, Rick and Paul found themselves on a desperate chase through hotel corridors. 'All I can remember about that' winces Bruce 'is getting cornered. You know the archetypal long and narrow hotel corridors, and I couldn't find my room in the panic, and I was trapped. I don't know how many of these rugby players there were, it must have been ten to one. They kicked seven shades of shit out of me. I had cracked ribs, the lot, and was bandaged up for the rest of the tour'.
Even when the police arrived, it seemed for one moment that they would be unable to protect the band. They were, after all, only half the size of the assembled rugby toughs. Unable to guarantee their safety, the Motorbike Police escorted the group in the early hours of the morning to another hotel, the Dragonara. It wasn't very salubrious, but it was safe. Paul was actually arrested for his part in the
incident, spending the night in a police cell. He received a sizeable fine and was bound over to keep the peace. It is generally accepted that the night's events were the reason The Jam never toured in Australia: Paul was convinced that as soon as he stepped off the plane his friends from the rugby team would be there waiting for him.
  While the Sex Pistols banned album 'Never Mind The Bollocks Heres The Sex Pistols' resides precariously at the top of the UK album charts, they are off on more promotional jaunts to Glasgow and Virgin records, Radio Clyde, then a drive to Edinburgh and Radio Forth. Finally a drive down to
Newcastle upon Tyne and a visit to Metro Radio at midnight.
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