The Tooth of Crime, a rock-drama written during the four years Sam Shepard lived in London, was originally performed at the Open Space, London, on July 17, 1972. The play depicts a duel to the death between two rock stars from different generations battling for musical supremacy. The weapon of choice in this duel is not a gun, but rather a rap session in which each musician uses verbal incantations to pierce the mask and shatter the confidence of his opponent.