According to the book ''Alternative Rock: Third Ear'' (2000) by Dave Thompson, all three Copeland brothers were involved in the making of this film. All the acts featured were represented by Miles A. Copeland III's IRS management company and booked by Ian Copeland's FBI Booking agency, and with three songs, drummer Stewart Copeland's The Police are featured more than any other act in this film.
The bands Madness, Talking Heads and The Beat (aka ''The English Beat'') were invited to participate in the film but declined, according to producer Michael White in an article published in 'The Los Angeles Times' newspaper published on 2nd May 1982. The film's originally attached director Jonathan Demme later directed the Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense (1984).
The number of bands that participated in this concert movie was thirty-seven.
Several bands performed in the picture as part of a "package tour" arranged by Frontier Booking International (FBI) and International Record Syndicate (IRS). These organizations were headed by two brothers who were also creative consultants on the film - Ian Copeland and Miles A. Copeland III respectively.
The version of the film released as part of the Warner Archive DVD series omits the track ''Two Little Boy''s by Splodgenessabounds.