the Police, the band

[7/4]

October 8, 2007

Police Guitarist Says New Album Possible

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 9:49 a.m. ET

DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) -- Will the curtain close again on The Police when their reunion tour ends? Andy Summers says the fractious trio could have a new album in them.

''It's sort of like living with the elephant in the room. I would see it as a challenge, to make an absolutely brilliant pop album at this stage of our career, and that would be something quite remarkable,'' Summers, 64, said.

The Police broke up in 1984 following five albums and a relationship-wrecking world tour. Their hits include ''Roxanne'' and ''Every Breath You Take.''

Since then, frontman Sting, 56, has sustained solo stardom. Guitarist Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland, 55, have pursued their own, much more low-key recording projects.

They reunited for a 30th-anniversary world tour that began in May and is scheduled to run into next year.

Summers said the trio has yet to discuss in any detail the prospect of recording a new album together. But he said the tour had sharpened their group skills -- and, four months into the reunion, creating something new together would make sense.

The Police performed a sold-out concert Saturday in Dublin's 82,000-seat Croke Park that received praise from critics and the largely 30-something crowd alike.

Summers -- whose percussive guitar style is an important part of The Police's sound-fusing pop, punk, jazz and reggae -- said the tour is a full-time workout.

''Right now it is just the tour and holding everything together, mentally, physically and musically. The tour and the traveling and the playing and the tension you have to keep to do it every night is all-devouring,'' he said. ''It is just too much.''

Summers spoke to reporters in a central Dublin park, where he was signing copies of ''I'll Be Watching You: Inside The Police 1980-1983,'' his personal photographic record of the band's glory years. Last year he published his autobiography, ''One Train Later: A Memoir.''

[Alexander]

I was hoping they'd do this!

[7/4]

Me too. I think it could work.

[Guest Bill Barton]

I'm glad that you clarified "the band" .

This could be interesting...

[7/4]

I'm glad that you clarified "the band" .

This could be interesting...

Earlier I added this to a political thread titled the Police. It took me a few min to realize what I did.

[catesta]

Isn't Sting just talking his way through the songs now, or did I watch some off performances?

[Guest Bill Barton]

I'm glad that you clarified "the band" .

This could be interesting...

Earlier I added this to a political thread titled the Police. It took me a few min to realize what I did.

Isn't Sting just talking his way through the songs now, or did I watch some off performances?

I haven't heard any of the recent performances, but personally I wouldn't care, as Copeland and Summers are the *real* stars in my book. An interesting parallel is Cream. Clapton became a megastar, but Baker and Bruce (especially the stuff with Kip Hanrahan) produced the more provocative music post-dissolve.

[mikeweil]

Summers needs some money .....

They're a nice band, but a little overrated, I think - If I compare them to Cream.

[7/4]

Summers needs some money .....

They're a nice band, but a little overrated, I think - If I compare them to Cream.

Not enough guitar solos?

[Elissa]

I like Stewart Copeland (Aaron too), but never much cared for Sting. In fact Sting was the cause of my breaking up with my first boyfriend, a DJ. Chris loved both Sting and the Police, but I always considered Sting a wanking poseur and phenomenal bore. Course, Chris also thought Bauhaus had written all those tunes they'd in fact covered from Brian Eno...anyway, I'd never admit the slightest fondness for Sting (1984 was it?) and that seemed to be the final nail in the coffin of our romance. Ah well.

Edited October 9, 2007 by Elis

[catesta]

Summers needs some money .....

They're a nice band, but a little overrated, I think - If I compare them to Cream.

Yeah, I never really got into them.

[mikeweil]

Summers needs some money .....

They're a nice band, but a little overrated, I think - If I compare them to Cream.

Not enough guitar solos?

On the contrary ... but to be fair, times were quite different.

[7/4]

You know I'm joking... :rsmile:

[AndrewHill]

I saw them back in July and by and large it was a good show. The emphasis was on the songs, as they had no stage show per se. And I enjoyed wathcing Copeland/Summers more than Sting. I don't recall Sting "talking" through his songs, but he did sound just like he did on the records.

[Kari S]

I haven't heard any of the recent performances, but personally I wouldn't care, as Copeland and Summers are the *real* stars in my book.

Well, if it wasn't for Sting and his songwriting, those two would be nowhere. In fact, they pretty much were, before this reunion.

I still have a hard time believing that Andy Summers is 64, though.

[Guest Bill Barton]

I haven't heard any of the recent performances, but personally I wouldn't care, as Copeland and Summers are the *real* stars in my book.

Well, if it wasn't for Sting and his songwriting, those two would be nowhere. In fact, they pretty much were, before this reunion.

I still have a hard time believing that Andy Summers is 64, though.

You may have a point in terms of commercial success but I'd suggest listening to Kip Hanrahan's recordings with Bruce if you think the latter was "nowhere" artistically in the interim.

[7/4]

I haven't heard any of the recent performances, but personally I wouldn't care, as Copeland and Summers are the *real* stars in my book.

Well, if it wasn't for Sting and his songwriting, those two would be nowhere. In fact, they pretty much were, before this reunion.

I still have a hard time believing that Andy Summers is 64, though.

You may have a point in terms of commercial success but I'd suggest listening to Kip Hanrahan's recordings with Bruce if you think the latter was "nowhere" artistically in the interim.

I think Kari is only talking about the Police.

as for Jack Bruce...I like those recordings with Robin Trower. Too bad there isn't more than two albums.

[Guest Bill Barton]

I haven't heard any of the recent performances, but personally I wouldn't care, as Copeland and Summers are the *real* stars in my book.

Well, if it wasn't for Sting and his songwriting, those two would be nowhere. In fact, they pretty much were, before this reunion.

I still have a hard time believing that Andy Summers is 64, though.

You may have a point in terms of commercial success but I'd suggest listening to Kip Hanrahan's recordings with Bruce if you think the latter was "nowhere" artistically in the interim.

I think Kari is only talking about the Police.

as for Jack Bruce...I like those recordings with Robin Trower. Too bad there isn't more than two albums.

Oops... Right you are. Duh! Not only did I mix my band analogies I mixed my bass players (now there's an odd couple for you). Guess I should have had another cup of coffee before I wrote that post.

[7/4]

'tiz OK, no big deal.

[7/4]

May 6, 2008

The Police say their final concert will take place in NYC

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 2:04 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Police, who reunited for a 30th-anniversary world tour last year, say their final concert will take place this summer in New York City.

Frontman Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland made the announcement Tuesday at a news conference with Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The Police say they have a special connection with the Big Apple. They say in a statement: ''We kicked off our very first American tour at CBGB's in 1978, and this summer, 30 years later, our journey will come full circle as we play our final show here in New York City.''

The concert date and venue will be announced later. Proceeds will go toward arts programming for public television.

The band split up in 1984.

[WorldB3]

I'm glad that you clarified "the band" .

This could be interesting...

Earlier I added this to a political thread titled the Police. It took me a few min to realize what I did.

Reminds me of that quote I read from Bill Wyman of the Stones after a concert in Philly in the early 80's and being pissed off that it was Sting, Stewart and Andy visiting them backstage after flushing all of their drugs down the toilet after their manager said "Hey guys, the Police are here" instead of the actual Police.

Edited May 6, 2008 by WorldB3

[Shrdlu]

I've always liked Mr Sting - he has a feel to his voice that only the top singers have. Check him out with Gil Evans!

Stewart Copeland is a musical genius, and I don't think his Police recordings give much of an idea of just how talented the guy is. His scores for "The Equalizer" are where it's at. Those just blow me away. I was delighted to find an ultra rare CD of some of those in a used CD store in Huntsville, Alabama, of all places. I wish they would do what they have just done with Gary McFarland's "13" movie score, and put out a CD of all the music bites from the TV series.

[7/4]

Stewart Copeland, Into the Classical Arena, in the Spirit of a Jam Band

[Shrdlu]

That's good! "little formal training" for Stewart. That's why he sounds so original. It reminds me of a remark a fellow musician made about Gary McFarland: "He didn't know enough to copy anyone else." (Not an exact quote, but that's the strength of it.)

Unlike many Westerners, who worship it as a god, I have no respect for many aspects of the education system. The older I get, the more contempt I have for it. (And I was a university math professor for 20 years, lol.)

[BruceH]

I'm glad that you clarified "the band" .

This could be interesting...

Earlier I added this to a political thread titled the Police. It took me a few min to realize what I did.

Isn't Sting just talking his way through the songs now, or did I watch some off performances?

I haven't heard any of the recent performances, but personally I wouldn't care, as Copeland and Summers are the *real* stars in my book. An interesting parallel is Cream. Clapton became a megastar, but Baker and Bruce (especially the stuff with Kip Hanrahan) produced the more provocative music post-dissolve.

There is a parallel in that both Sting and Clapton were fairly lame singers.

As for a new Police album...be still my heart. They might do better to just release a new single. The kids don't "do" albums these days, and the Police always struck me as a good singles band but not very good at programming an album.