Fundraising is a major part of running a charity. The more entertaining the event, the less people calculate how much they’re donating. If the show is really good, you almost forget their was a charity involved. The Secret Policeman Balls were a series of concerts featuring major rock acts and comics in support of Amnesty International. The organization works to free political prisoners around the world. While the concerts were started by John Cleese of Monty Python, The Secret Policeman Rocks focuses on the best the musical performances from benefits held from 1970-87.
Sting’s “Roxanne” kinda signaled that the man was going to be a solo act in the near future. He didn’t need the other two members of the Police to keep an audience thrilled. He returns later to give us “Message in a Bottle.” Two ex-Yardbirds share the stage with Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton burning up “Further Up the Road” and “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers.” The two Rock Hall of Fame guitarists are on top of their games as they trade licks. Pete Townsend was the first major rock star to contribute to the benefits. He arrives without The Who to unleash “Pinball Wizard” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again” on an acoustic guitar. Pete was the major reasons the original concert album sold so well.
Kate Bush fills the stage with her band including Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour on lead guitar. There’s a lot of hairspray and smoke on the stage. Gilmour returns for “On the Turning Away” which was considered a Pink Floyd song. “Imagine” presents another superstar duet with Nashville legend Chet Atkins and Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler doing an acoustic version of the John Lennon tune. Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics goes a little arty with “Amnesty.” This theme isn’t readily singable by protesters attempting to get someone out of jail.
Phil Collins gets complete stripped down to a piano and acoustic guitar on “In The Air Tonight.” This is pretty much the last credible moment in the career of Phil Collins before he became an MTV idiot, starred in Buster and turned every song into a feel bad guilt trip. He’s completely on an emotional edge as he admits his betrayal. For youngsters who why Phil Collins matters, here’s the proof. Bob Geldof’s “I Don’t Like Mondays” strips down his song about a person who went nuts and killed classmates. The Boomtown Rats punk classic is an odd choice since this is about a person who belongs behind bars. Geldof pulls it off so you don’t think about such big issues at the time. Peter Gabriel’s “Biko” is more fitting since it’s about Stephen Biko, the South African anti-apartheid activist that was killed by the police in 1977. The song merges music and event’s message. This is also from a time when Gabriel had great hair. Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released” is the finale sing-along from the show with Sting, Eric Clapton and Bob Geldof.
In case you want the comedy, Shout! Factory has also released The Secret Policeman’s Balls, a 3-DVD set of the early benefits. The Secret Policeman Rocks is perfect for people who just want the great performances from the early benefits. These just aren’t run of the mill performances like when the stars hit the talk show circuit to promote their latest album. The rawness of Sting, Townshend and Phil Collins isn’t matched even by their later solo work.
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The quality of the transfers seems to vary with the show. The early footage has a little futz on the frame. The later show was shot on video for a TV special so it lacks the texture. The audio is 2.0 stereo. The sound levels are just right for quite a few special performances.
The Secret Policeman’s Private Files (80:00) shows that the performers promote Amnesty International while on tour. They just don’t show up for the gig and forget the charity. There’s vintage interviews with Sting, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend and Peter Gabriel.
The Secret Policeman Rocks is a brilliant collection of charity performances of several major rock acts. Sting steps out as a solo act. Phil Collins gives his last great performance. Clapton and Beck remind us why they’re considered the cream of British guitarists. The bonus feature with the artists talking about Amnesty International reminds viewers why this charity is still necessary in the 21st Century. This is one of those music DVDs that you can just hit play and not worry about the chapter forward button. It’s a perfect compilation record with video.
Shout! Factory presents The Secret Policeman Rocks. Starring: Sting, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend and Peter Gabriel. Running time: 60 minutes. Rating: Not Rated. Released on DVD: Sept. 29, 2009. Available at Amazon.com
