Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers ‘Vive La Revolution’ limited edition LP
Live 1977 at the PARIS BATACLAN, the final date of the Heartbreakers’ European year. The soundtrack to an unreleased film, recorded by Marc Zermati of Skydog Records.
The first time ever on vinyl! Limited edition of 1,500 worldwide in mustard vinyl for Record Store Day.
One year earlier, THE HEARTBREAKERS had arrived in London to join the Sex Pistols on the ‘Anarchy’ tour. They spent most of 1977 there, recording ‘L.A.M.F.’ and cementing their status as elder statesmen of the punk movement. This last date of their European tour was to be their very last as a band – until the reunions of course. Drummer Jerry Nolan had already jumped ship; his substitute is The Clash’s Terry Chimes. The gig was filmed for a movie that was never to be – this is the soundtrack recording.
LIMITED EDITION of 1,500 worldwide in mustard vinyl, for Record Store Day 2016. Plus A4 BATACLAN POSTER INSERT of the gig together with Marc Zermati’s recollections.
PARIS BATACLAN JEUDI 8 DECEMBRE 1977:
ALL BY MYSELF, LET GO, CAN’T KEEP MY COCK IN YOUR MOUTH, I LOVE YOU, TOO MUCH JUNKIE BIZNESS, LONDON BOYS, GREAT BIG KISS, BORN TO LOSE, ONE TRACK MIND, DO YOU LOVE ME, I WANNA BE LOVED, TAKE A CHANCE WITH ME, BABY TALK, CHINESE ROCKS. 14 tracks.
SKYDOG RECORDS Cat.No: SKY 2251 Code: 5013145825112
ALL SOLD OUT ON RECORD STORE DAY! You may be able to find indie shops still selling copies on Discogs.com
VIVE LA REVOLUTION
THE TELEPHONE IS RINGING, IT’S JOHNNY CALLING FROM THE HOLIDAY INN, PLACE DE LA REPUBLIQUE. I MEET HIM AT THE SOUNDCHECK AT THE BATACLAN, THEN WE WALK BACK TO THE HOTEL WHERE FRIENDS WILL DROP BY ALL AFTERNOON (THOUGH JOHNNY LIKE MOST WOULD RATHER SEE THEM ALL AFTER THE SHOW. WELL MOST OF THEM THAT IS.)
FREDDY HAUSSER IS THERE TOO. HE’S GONNA FILM WHAT WILL TURN OUT TO BE A FANTASTIC SHOW. HE ASKS ME TO TAKE CARE OF THE RECORDING, WHICH WILL BECOME THIS LP. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MOVIE? NOBODY KNOWS, AND IT’S A REAL SHAME. STRANGELY ENOUGH THE SAME HAD HAPPENNED WITH THE 1973 NEW YORK DOLLS PARIS RIOT FOOTAGES!
BERNARD THORRENT (R.I.P) WHO ALSO BOOKED MOST BANDS PLAYING THE GIBUS IS THE PROMOTER FOR THE NIGHT.
JOHNNY’S AT HIS BEST, JUST AS HE WAS 4 YEARS BEFORE WITH THE DOLLS, WHERE THE SHOW ENDED UP IN A RIOT. SAME PLACE, SAME HIGH ENERGY, SAME ULTIMATE NEW-YORK ROCK’N ROLL. IT’S THE HEARTBREAKERS FIRST TIME IN PARIS. JERRY NOLAN’S NOT THERE, HE’S HAD A TIFF WITH JOHNNY. PARIS WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THEIR REUNION TOUR IN 1984 TO SEE THE BAND’S FULL ORIGINAL LINE-UP AT THE GIBUS. FOR THE NITE, IT’S TERRY CHIMES ON DRUMS.
IT’S AN AMAZING SHOW, PARIS AND ITS CROWDS WILL NEVER FORGET.
IT’S DECEMBER 8TH 1977, IT’S ALSO THE LAST OF THE HEARTBREAKERS EUROPEAN TOUR. A SHOW THAT WILL STAY UNFORGETTABLE TO US ALL! WE WERE LIVING ON CHINESE ROCKS.
Marc Zermati, Skydog Records, November 2015.
