FEATURE:
On the Stage with David Gilmour
IN THIS PHOTO: Kate Bush performing Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) at The Secret Policeman's Third Ball in 1987 at the London Palladium
What Kate Bush Did For Amnesty International
___________
THIS is sort of…
a sister piece to the one I wrote regarding Bush’s involvement in the charity single, Let It Be. That was released in 1987 for Ferry Aid (Bush was among a number of artists who sang on The Beatles cover). On the unofficial 7” single, What Katie Did For Amnesty International, we hear Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) and Let It Be. I was keen to look at Bush’s participation in The Secret Policeman’s Ball in 1987 - where she performed Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) alongside David Gilmour. It was a star-jammed night raising money and awareness for Amnesty International and the work they do. Prior to coming to Bush’s involvement in 1987, here is some information as to The Secret Policeman’s Ball:
“The Secret Policeman's Ball is a series of benefit shows staged initially in the United Kingdom to raise funds for the human rights organisation Amnesty International. The shows started in 1976 featuring popular British comedians but later included leading musicians and actors. The Secret Policeman's Ball shows are credited by many prominent entertainers with having galvanised them to become involved with Amnesty and other social and political causes in succeeding years.
Co-founded by Monty Python member John Cleese, campaigner Peter Luff (Assistant Director Amnesty International 1974–1978), and entertainment industry executive Martin Lewis, there have been four distinct eras of the Amnesty benefit shows. The shows of the first era (1976–1981), featuring five members of Monty Python and newcomers such as Rowan Atkinson, yielded films, television specials, home-videos, and albums that have since been widely seen and heard internationally. The three subsequent eras (1987–1989, 1991–2001 and 2006 onwards) have primarily featured locally popular British performers – and spin-off products have been released mainly in the UK.
In March 2012, The Secret Policeman's Ball took place in the United States for the first time. The one-night show at New York's Radio City Music Hall on 4 March was part of Amnesty's 50th anniversary commemorations”.
I want to stay in 1987 because, as I said when discussing Ferry Aid, the couple of years following the release of Hounds of Love in 1985 was surprisingly busy! It would take Bush until 1989 to release The Sensual World…though she was keeping busy enough. Among the activities of 1986/1987 was a duet with Peter Gabriel on Don’t Give Up from his album, So (Gabriel also appeared at The Secret Policeman’s Third Ball performing Biko). On 4th, 5th and 6th April, 1986, Bush performed live for Comic Relief, singing Do Bears... ? This was a comedic duet with comedian Rowan Atkinson. She also performed a solo piano version of Breathing (from 1980’s Never for Ever). The performances were filmed for a special edition of the BBC programme Omnibus, which was broadcast on 25th April, 1986. I may write about that – complete a sort of ‘charity trilogy’! Bush was very busy regarding charity work in 1986 and 1987! For those who say that she disappeared/faded away between Hounds of Love and The Sensual World should consider the fact that she was pretty visible and out in the world! Kate was photographed cutting her 30th birthday (on 30th July, 1988) cake at Blazers Boutique where she was raising money for Aids. The Kate Bush Encyclopaedia provides details regarding Bush’s role in The Secret Policeman's Third Ball:
“The Secret Policeman's Ball is the name informally used for the long-running series of benefit shows staged initially in the United Kingdom to raise funds for the human rights organisation Amnesty International. The shows started in 1976 featuring popular British comedians but later included leading musicians and actors. The first two balls took place in 1976 ('A poke in the eye') and 1977 ('The Mermaid Frolics'). The name 'The Secret Policeman's Ball' was first used in 1979, then 'The Secret Policeman's Other Ball' followed in 1981.
Following the success of these shows, there was a substantial increase in the number of benefit shows and charity projects in the UK in the early to mid-1980s – for a wide variety of causes. Many of the shows were modelled on the format of the Secret Policeman's Ball shows. By 1982, Amnesty had lost the services of two key staff members, Peter Luff and Peter Walker, who had guided the first 4 benefit shows. Amnesty responded by taking a break from staging new benefit shows for six years. When it restarted the Secret Policeman's series in 1987 it scaled back from producing theatrical movies of its shows to making them into TV and home video specials.
The Secret Policeman's Third Ball took place at The London Palladium over four consecutive nights 26–29 March 1987. The show's format was retooled in an effort to take advantage of the growing number of rock musicians supporting Amnesty. Instead of it being primarily a comedy show with a few musical cameos, the event made a point of giving equal emphasis to comedy and music. The show's four nights were divided up into two nights of comedy and two nights of music.
Most of the comedic performers in the 1987 show were talents familiar primarily just to British audiences. This made the film of the show far less appealing to overseas audiences. Comedic performers included: Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie, Mel Smith & Griff Rhys Jones, Dawn French & Jennifer Saunders, Ruby Wax, Hale and Pace, Lenny Henry, Rory Bremner, Robbie Coltrane, Ben Elton and the Spitting Image puppets.
The line-up of musicians included several who were already veterans of earlier Amnesty benefits in the UK and/or USA: Bob Geldof, Peter Gabriel, Jackson Browne and Lou Reed. Other performers included Mark Knopfler, Joan Armatrading, Chet Atkins, World Party and Duran Duran. Kate Bush appeared on stage together with David Gilmour to perform a live version of her hit single Running Up That Hill.
Two more editions of the Secret Policeman's Ball followed in 1988 and 1989. The phenomenon returned in 2006, 2008 and 2012”.
I wonder whether The Secret Policeman's Ball will return. It seems like there is an opportunity to raise funds for a charity like Amnesty International – at a time when human rights and liberties are being denied and destroyed in countries like Afghanistan. One of the highlights of Kate Bush’s Amnesty appearance was her performing Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) alongside her mentor and friend, David Gilmour. A man that is credited with discovering her – he at least got her a major record deal and brought her music to the wider world -, the two performed one of Bush’s best song together about fifteen years or so since Bush and Gilmour came into each other’s world. Bush, a fan of Gilmour’s band, Pink Floyd, would have loved sharing the stage with him. Likewise, he would have been proud to play with Bush. Gilmour would go on to play guitar on Love and Anger and Rocket’s Tail on The Sensual World. I do love the fact that there is this whole charity side to Kate Bush that has run for some years (she made two Amnesty International appeals in 1990). Even though she has given her time, work and support to charities through the years, the fact that The Secret Policeman's Third Ball is so full of musical highlights means it is one that people will remember. Seeing Kate Bush smile and radiate from the stage shows the world…
WHAT it meant to her.