Concerts for The People of Kampuchea

[Atlantic SD2-7005]

There are two ways to approach a review of this album:

1) The Humanitarian Angle.

Until 1970, Kampuchea (then called Cambodia) was a peaceful backwater in the turbulence of Southeast Asia. In that year, thanks to the efforts of Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon, Kampuchea was dragged into war.

The results were disastrous. The Khmer Rouge took power and instituted one of the cruelest political regimes in history. Whole cities of people were forced into the countryside, anyone who had the slightest taint of anything foreign about them was executed. Imagine your strangest, sickest, most perverse dreams of total and absolute power; they could hardly rate with the everyday madness that was the way of life in Kampuchea.

That regime was ousted in another bloody war. Kampuchea is now a puppet state of Vietnam. Its main export is refugees, innocent victims of geo-political struggles of which they have no true understanding. All they know is starvation disease and death.

Many agencies and organizations have tried to solve the problems of the refugees, but as always, there is .so much that needs to be done. This problem came to the attention of Paul McCartney, who contacted UN Secretary General Waldheim.

Soon, the cream of British rock was called. Four shows were set for late December, 1979. A live album and film were planned. To sanctify the righteousness of the cause, the people's band, The Clash, were enlisted. The proceeds from the enterprise would go into a fund for the Kampuchean people.

For this reason alone, the album is worth acquiring. In the self-centered, mercenary world of the music business, a cut-throat existence if there ever was one, it is rare when people use the enormous influence and financial power of rock n' roll to raise funds and educate people, to do something altruistic.

The Kampucheans need whatever cut of the deal they end up getting. For that very important reason, I urge you to buy this album.

"But," I hear you ask, "is it worth the money?" That brings us to:

2) The Consumer Angle

Look upon this album as The History of British Rock. Two generations of musicians, several different philosophies of rock n' roll, combined on a two-record set. The roster of performers is outstanding: The Who, Pretenders, Elvis Costello, Rockpile, Queen; The Clash, Ian Dury, The Specials, Paul McCartney and Wings, and the cherry on top of the sundae - Rockestra, fronted by McCartney and containing a good number of the above-mentioned folks.

The performances are better than expected. The Who manage to make "Baba O'Riley" sound as fresh a cry of survival as it did 10 years ago. The Pretenders' three cuts stand out for their sheer power and drive. It's always a pleasure to hear McCartney do his Little Richard act. On this set, it's "Lucille", backed by a thunderous Rockestra. I wish I could have been there to see that one. But it's "Armagideon Time", the one selection from the Clash that combines the message with the music. Over a slow, reggae beat, Joe Strummer, in an angry young man's voice sings "A lot of people won't get no supper tonight''. The horror of Kampuchean existence is brought home. You're both in your conscience and in your body. I've called The Clash "danceable propaganda" in the past. Many have misinterpreted that. The prime goal of propaganda is to spread a message. Since time immemorial, music has rallied men to any number of causes.

So there you have it. You can sooth your conscience or sooth your body. Buy it, you come out a winner both ways.

- Allen Rabinowitz