Police / Hatfield 1979: BBC Transcription LP / 1CD + 1Bonus

Police / Hatfield 1979: BBC Transcription LP/ 1CD + 1 Bonus / Wardour
Live at Hatfield Polytechnic, Hatfield, UK 21st February 1979 plus Bonus DVDR “ROCK GOES TO COLLEGE 1979”

Play sample :

Click image to enlarge

THE POLICE made a shocking debut with “OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR”. The highest quality board in history of the sound board album that symbolizes that time is born! Of course, it will be released as a permanent preservation press CD.
Engraved on this work is “February 21, 1979, University of Hertfordshire”. It is a stereo sound board recording recorded at a special performance held for the prestigious BBC program “Rock Goes To College”. Speaking of “Rock Goes To College”, it was rebroadcast many times as a representative video of the time, and in 2002 it was also made into an official DVD. It is a symbol live that will be a big classic in the classic.
“This work is the audio dropout.” . . . No, then. In fact, this live will be broadcast not only on TV but also on the radio program “IN CONCERT”. It was longer than the TV version and sounded and mixed much better. This work is the ultimate product digitized directly from such a radio broadcast version of the transcription disc.
Before the quality that bothers me, first of all is the position of the show. Let’s take a look back at the activity summary at that time.

“OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR Tour”
・January 9-February 21: Europe #1 (24 performances) ← Coco
・ March 1-April 9: North America # 1 (30 performances) ← * BERKELEY 1979
・ April 12-25: Europe #2 (3 performances)
・ April 27-May 25: North America # 2 (23 performances) ← * CHICAGO 1979 etc.
・ May 31-June 24: Europe # 3 (22 performances) ← * PARADISO 1979 etc.
《Completion of “REGGATTA DE BLANC” in August》
《September 21: Single “Message In A Bottle” released》

“REGGATTA DE BLANC Tour”
・ August 17-September 23: Europe # 4 (17 performances)
・ September 27-December 1: North America # 3 (45 performances) ← * PALLADIUM 1979
・December 3-22: Europe #5 (15 performances) ← ※ HAMMERSMITH PALAIS 1979

This is THE POLICE in 1979. Two tours “OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR Tour” / “REGGATTA DE BLANC Tour” are mixed, and this work is the former. In our shop, we have introduced numerous press masterpieces such as “BERKELEY 1979 PRE-FM (Wardour-527)” and “CHICAGO 1979 PRE-FM (Wardour-512)”, but this work is the very early stage among them ” It is the record of Europe #1.
Well, the sound that conveys such a show can only be described in one word as “completely official”. At our shop, we have been supervised by a THE POLICE researcher overseas and have given you the best standard sound board, but the researcher also discovered the transcription disc that is the origin of this work. The lustrous and natural sound without a single needle is like an official high-quality CD such as “Mobile Fidelity” or “Nimbus Supercut”.
And even more vivid is the stereo mix. The audio of the “Rock Goes To College” broadcast version was also of official quality, but there was only a TV broadcast at that time and it was a mono mix. Not only the spread of sound, but also the fine nuances and dynamism are vivid as if it were another concert.
In addition to such an upgraded sound, this work has more songs than the TV broadcast version. Let’s organize the set here, including that side.

● Outlands Damour
・Can’t Stand Losing You/So Lonely/Hole in My Life/Truth Hits Everybody/Peanuts/Roxanne/Next to You/Can’t Stand Losing You (★)
●Others
・Fall Out／Message In A Bottle
*Note: “★” marks are songs that were cut in the TV broadcast version of “ROCK GOES TO COLLEGE”.

… and it looks like this. Since it is a special performance that is premised on broadcasting, it is a short set of about 46 minutes, but this is a full set. The TV broadcast version had a big denouement at “Next to You”, but this work has been completely recorded until the second time “Can not Stand Losing You” played in the encore. Also, surprisingly the point is “Message In A Bottle”, and in fact this day is the world premiere. You can enjoy the one and only live performance with the ultimate sound of the official masterpiece class.
The video is so famous that it tends to be overlooked, but the FM broadcast version of the stereo mix actually surpasses the quality of TV broadcasts. It is the best sound board ever reprinted from the super rare transcription. That is the symbolic live album of the early THE POLICE that boasts the same value as “OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR”. Please enjoy it fully with a press CD that will never lose its shine.

★ Stereo sound board recording of the performance of “February 21, 1979 University of Hertfordshire”. Although it is a special performance for the famous program “Rock Goes To College”, it is an FM broadcast version that is different from the monaural TV broadcast version. It is the ultimate product directly digitized from the transcription disc of “IN CONCERT”, and its sound is completely official grade … that’s all. You can enjoy the symbolic live of the debut era with a super sound like a high-quality CD of Mobile Fidelity or Nimbus Supercut.

(46:06)
01. Can’t Stand Losing You
02. So Lonely
03. Fall Out
04. Hole In My Life
05. Truth Hits Everybody
06. Message In A Bottle
07. Peanuts
08. Roxanne
09. Next To You
10. Can’t Stand Losing You (Reprise)

The Police – Rock Goes to College 1979(Bonus DVDR)
Live at Hatfield Polytechnic, Hatfield, UK 21st February 1979

1. Can’t Stand Losing You
2. So Lonely
3. Fall Out
4. Hole In My Life
5. Truth Hits Everybody
6. Message In A Bottle
7. Peanuts
8. Roxanne
9. Next To You

Wardour-534

—————–

Police / Rock Goes To College 1979 / 1DVDR / Non Label
Live at Hatfield Polytechnic, Hatfield, UK 21st February 1979 PRO-SHOT (BEST QUALITY)

Click Image To Enlarge

The main press CD is the masterpiece of the dawn era that has just debuted. That is a super important work that should be called along with “OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR”. As I mentioned in the commentary, the live itself is a special performance on the assumption that it will be broadcast on the TV program “Rock Goes To College”, and the professional shot video has become a classic standard. Therefore, we have decided to include a special bonus so that you can collect the highest peak version of the video version as well.
……That’s why this work contains the same “February 21, 1979 University of Hertfordshire” as the main press CD. It is the multi-camera pro shot. This program focuses on up-and-coming bands, and is held on the premise of broadcasting in a small venue such as a university auditorium. Tickets were sometimes distributed free of charge to the student union, making them a powerful ally for young musicians. And in 1979, THE POLICE at the time of his debut also appeared.
This work, which is a DVD version of such a program, is a superb image that can be called “completely official”. This does not have the makurakotoba “for 1979”. The stage lighting is the technology of the time, so it’s a little plain, but even as of 2022, the image quality and sound quality can be said to be “official grade!”
That should be true, this work is not recorded in 1979. It is a digital rebroadcast version that was played on “BBC FOUR” in 2007. Although it was 13 years ago, if the broadcasting is digital, the recording is also digital. The visual beauty of the station master is transferred to DVD without deterioration.
The stage depicted with such perfect quality could be described as “Outlands d’Amour with your own eyes”. In the “Rock Goes To College” version, the second “Can’t Stand Losing You” is not broadcast, so it is shorter than the main press CD, but still about 40 minutes. The set centered on 7 songs from “OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR” is exactly “moving Outlands D’AMOUR”.
And above all, the scenery and the performance itself are rare. After all, Sting was only 27 at the time. There is even a naive smell in the way he barks in work clothes, and his action that rides on the beat as if convulsing overflows and is full of unstoppable energy. This was also mentioned in the commentary of the main part, but “Message In A Bottle” of this work is the world premiere. You can witness it with a multi-camera pro shot video.

The main press CD is a historical live album comparable to “OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR”, but this work is also a video version that boasts the same value. The studio version “OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR”, the live album version “HATFIELD 1979 BBC: TRANSCRIPTION LP”, and the video version. It is no exaggeration to say that it is a decisive piece that is not an exaggeration to say “THE POLICE trilogy in the debut era”. Please fully experience this work with the highest quality version.

本編プレスCDは、デビュー間もない黎明時代の最高傑作。それこそ『OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR』と並び称されるべき超重要作品です。その解説でも触れましたが、ライヴ自体はTV番組“Rock Goes To College”での放送を前提とした特別公演であり、そのプロショット映像は定番中の大定番となってきました。そこで、映像篇の最高峰版も合わせてコレクトしていただけるよう、特別ボーナス付属が決定です。
……というわけで、本作に収められているのは本編プレスCDと同じ「1979年２月21日ハートフォードシャー大学」。そのマルチカメラ・プロショットです。この番組は新進気鋭のバンドに焦点を当てるもので、大学講堂などの小さい会場で放送前提で開催。チケットは学生組合に無料配布されることもあり、若いミュージシャン達にとって強力な味方となるものでした。そして、1979年にはデビュー当時のTHE POLICEも出演したわけです。
そんな番組をDVD化した本作は、まさに「完全オフィシャル級」と呼ぶに相応しい極上映像。これは「1979年にしては」の枕詞は付きません。ステージ照明こそ当時の技術なのでやや地味ではありますが、画質／音質とも2022年現在でも堂々「オフィシャル級！」と断言できるものなのです。
それもそのはず、本作は1979年当時の録画ではない。2007年に“BBC FOUR”で流されたデジタル再放送バージョンなのです。13年前とは言え、放送がデジタルなら録画もデジタル。局マスターの映像美を劣化なしでDVDに移し替えているのです。
そんなパーフェクト・クオリティで描かれるのは、「目で観るアウトランドス・ダムール」と言えそうなステージ。“Rock Goes To College”版では２回目の「Can’t Stand Losing You」が放送されていないので本編プレスCDよりは短いですが、それでも約40分。『OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR』からの７曲を軸としたセットはまさに「動くアウトランドス・ダムール」です。
そして、何より光景と演奏そのものがレア。何しろ、当時のスティングはまだ27歳。ツナギの作業服で吠える姿には青臭ささえ漂い、痙攣するようにビートに乗るアクションは溢れ出して止まらないエネルギーに充ち満ちている。これも本編の解説で触れましたが、本作の「Message In A Bottle」は、全世界初演。それをマルチカメラのプロショット映像で目撃できるわけです。

本編プレスCDは『OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR』にも匹敵する歴史的ライヴアルバムですが、本作もまた同等の価値を誇る映像篇です。スタジオ篇『OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR』とライヴアルバム篇の『HATFIELD 1979 BBC: TRANSCRIPTION LP』、そして映像篇の本作。「デビュー時代THE POLICEの３部作」と言っても過言ではない決定的な１枚。どうぞ、最高峰クオリティ版の本作で存分にご体験ください。

1. Can’t Stand Losing You
2. So Lonely
3. Fall Out
4. Hole In My Life
5. Truth Hits Everybody
6. Message In A Bottle
7. Peanuts
8. Roxanne
9. Next To You

PRO-SHOT COLOUR NTSC Approx.40min.