Sting/The Police

Dudess

These guys are good examples of musicians it's not cool to like, when I doubt there's anyone who doesn't like at least one of their songs.
Even though he's a bit of a Bono lite, Gordon Sumner (Sting) has written and recorded some utterly quality songs. He's also a great lyricist and guitarist. That riff on Message in a Bottle is just awesome.

With The Police: Roxanne, Can't Stand Losing You, Don't Stand So Close To Me, Spirits In A Material World, Message In A Bottle, Everything She Does Is Magic, Wrapped Around Your Finger and the remarkable Invisible Sun (about NI and covered superbly by Therapy?). The slight reggae flavour to Walking On The Moon and So Lonely (or "Sue Lawley" ) works a treat too.
And though it's overplayed, Every Breath You Take is a fantastic, dark song.

Sting solo: The Russians (amazing track), Shape of My Heart (used to stunning effect in the closing credits of Leon), If You Love Somebody Set Them Free, Fields of Gold (just a beautiful number), Englishman in New York, Fragile, The Soul Cages. To be fair, the rest of his singles are cack.

stovelid

Have to agree. Also don't forget Stewart Copeland: one of the most influential drummers ever.

grumpytrousers

i'm in two minds about The Police. I find Stings 'screechy' voice to be a bit much at times. On the other hand, in their favour, there's the songs mentioned, Synchronicity Pt 2, King of Pain and the solo on EBYT. Who'da thunk one note played on a piano like that could work, huh; i think it's the 'oooohs' in the background that make it work so well.

as for his solo stuff, i only liked 'if i ever lose my faith' and 'when we dance'. I've yet to venture into the Lute playing territory

delbertgrady

Dudess wrote: »

He's also a great lyricist and guitarist. That riff on Message in a Bottle is just awesome.

I love The Police, but if you like their guitar riffs, it's Andy Summers you need to be praising. Also, his autobiography, One Train Later, is an exceptional rock memoir.
Copeland's documentary about life with The Police, Everyone Stares, is also superb. Well worth a look, even for casual fans.

damonjewel

Most of the songs you mention are on Outlandus D'amour and Regatta De Blanc, they are essential listening. After that it goes downhill. Don't like Stings solo stuff at all.

Dudess

delbertgrady wrote: »

if you like their guitar riffs, it's Andy Summers you need to be praising.

Ah... I stand corrected. It's just I saw Sting himself playing the Message In a Bottle riff live on some talk show and he was brilliant.

mike65

Oh dear Dudess Alan Partridge sums it up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oKDOIq3E3g

The Police were a great band that became an okay band cos Sting ended up turning them into his backing band (IMO). Stings solo stuff isn't worth turning the radio on for as a rule.

Mike

noby

I tend to agree with Mike. Some early Police stuff isn't too bad.

Dudess, that was an unfortunate mistake on MIAB, as the bass line is probably the simplest (yet effective) thing Sting has ever played. Andy Summers made that song.

Dudess

Sting did seem capable of playing the guitar well - going by that clip anyway.

mike65 wrote: »

The Police were a great band that became an okay band cos Sting ended up turning them into his backing band (IMO).

Yeah, the ego of that man seems utterly colossal.

noby

I don't doubt his guitar playing skills. Probably right up there with his lute playing.

KnifeWRENCH

"Every Breath You Take" seems to be universally loved. I've never liked it - the lyrics are good but I just don't like the music.
"Message In A Bottle" and "Roxanne" are ok, but they are both a bit too long.
Don't really like "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" or "Don't Stand So Close To Me" - don't hate them, just don't like them.
The only other song I know by them is "Can't Stand Losing You" and I do quite like that one.

So, based on the few songs I know by them, they're ok. But I wouldn't be rushing out to investigate their back catalogue.

Rented Mule

I actually prefer Stewart Copeland's songwriting to old Gordos.

ShawnRaven

I have much love for both. It does annoy me that when people discuss them, they don't bother pointing out examples of non released tracks that appeared on the albums, which is unfortunate. Especially from Ghost In The Machine as there are a lot of quality songs on that album, Sprits in The Material world isn't much of a classic. But Too Much Information, One World, and Demolition Man are great.

Speaking of Demolition Man, Sting's solo version of this he did for the movie of the same name is also worth checking out. The proper one, not the horrible remix that ended up on his first greatest hits compilation in 1994. And if you can get your hands on em, the Chicago sessions bootleg specifically for the best acoustic version of The Soul Cages out there.

ShawnRaven

noby wrote: »

Dudess, that was an unfortunate mistake on MIAB, as the bass line is probably the simplest (yet effective) thing Sting has ever played. Andy Summers made that song.

To Dudess' credit, Sting has no problems playing that riff. Didn't he do it at Live Aid?

Dudess

ShawnRaven wrote: »

It does annoy me that when people discuss them, they don't bother pointing out examples of non released tracks that appeared on the albums, which is unfortunate.

Yeah, should have made it clearer I'd only be acquainted with their singles...

bullpost

Grace Jones cover of Demolition Man is excellent - As is most everything else she did around that time.

noby

ShawnRaven wrote: »

To Dudess' credit, Sting has no problems playing that riff. Didn't he do it at Live Aid?

Firstly, I appear to have gotten my MIAB and EBYT mixed up, when talking about simple bass lines.

Secondly, as I have said I don't doubt his guitar playing skills. Flippent lute remark aside he seems a very capable musician on several instruments. The point was though, that Summers came up with these great riffs, and therefore deserves the credit.

Sorry, Dudess, for harking on about this.

mike65

OT Grace Jones does brilliant covers and has just released her first album in 20 years apparently it sounds as good as her classic Trevor Horn era.

Mike

MoominPapa

Starts about about 2mins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRflWy1_kt4

I loved to rap that fcukin lute round his head. Who does he think he is? Richie Blackmore??:mad:

stovelid

ShawnRaven wrote: »

I have much love for both. It does annoy me that when people discuss them, they don't bother pointing out examples of non released tracks that appeared on the albums, which is unfortunate..

+1

The best-of singles are consistently strong for me, but some of my favourite songs are less well know and just as strong:

Landlord
A sermon
Driven to Tears
Voices inside my head
Born in the 50s
Deathwish
Miss Gradenko
When the world is running down
Regatta De Blanc (track)
Synchronicity II

ShawnRaven

stovelid wrote: »

+1

The best-of singles are consistently strong for me, but some of my favourite songs are less well know and just as strong:

Landlord
A sermon
Driven to Tears
Voices inside my head
Born in the 50s
Deathwish
Miss Gradenko
When the world is running down
Regatta De Blanc (track)
Synchronicity II

YES!! I f*cking love that particular track. Especially when played live. Really got the crowd going. On the Synchronicity concert it's done during Can't Stand Losing You.

I can't remember if it was played in Croker last year though...

ShawnRaven

grumpytrousers wrote: »

as for his solo stuff, i only liked 'if i ever lose my faith' and 'when we dance'. I've yet to venture into the Lute playing territory

Get the Soul Cages, it was a fairly deep album. I believe he lost both his father at the time of recording it. In my honest opinion some of his best solo work was from that time period.

davylee

How do. i think the police were for the most part brill. Fantastic musicians deadly songs. their production is first class. When they broke up they were probably at their peak and one of the biggest bands in the world. Wise move i think. apparently they were never the same live. Not surprising. their songs were prob over produced to do as a 3 piece live but their records are the biz

ShawnRaven

davylee wrote: »

Wise move i think. apparently they were never the same live. Not surprising. their songs were prob over produced to do as a 3 piece live but their records are the biz

I'm gonna have to beg to differ there, i've seen several live boots from The Police and I honestly thought their sound was great for a three piece. Not that being a 3 piece has to hinder your sound. Take a good close look at Rush for an excellent example of that.

The reunion tour that took place last year, the songs were played differently intentionally to attempt to "freshen them up" after all, they were 25-30 year old songs, some of which they hadn't played in a very long time. I went to the gig in Croker, was about 10 rows from the front and had a f*cking blast.

ntlbell

i always thought the police were "cool" when did they become uncool?:mad:

ShawnRaven

ntlbell wrote: »

i always thought the police were "cool" when did they become uncool?:mad:

I missed the memo as well apparently...

davylee

ShawnRaven wrote: »

I'm gonna have to beg to differ there, i've seen several live boots from The Police and I honestly thought their sound was great for a three piece. Not that being a 3 piece has to hinder your sound. Take a good close look at Rush for an excellent example of that.

The reunion tour that took place last year, the songs were played differently intentionally to attempt to "freshen them up" after all, they were 25-30 year old songs, some of which they hadn't played in a very long time. I went to the gig in Croker, was about 10 rows from the front and had a f*cking blast.

fair enough i've never seen them live. You have me there. just going on reviews. i dont tink rush have as much production in there stuff as the police (thats why live they are similar enough to records) The pixies are a good example of real live band as they're live in the studio so they're live sound is always going to be straightforward and the songs will nearly idential

ShawnRaven

davylee wrote: »

fair enough i've never seen them live. You have me there. just going on reviews. i dont tink rush have as much production in there stuff as the police (thats why live they are similar enough to records) The pixies are a good example of real live band as they're live in the studio so they're live sound is always going to be straightforward and the songs will nearly idential

The first few Police albums didn't have a lot of production work involved. Synchronicity, yeah i'll give you that, but even Ghost In The Machine wasn't overdone. And even for Walking In Your Footsteps live on the Synchronicity, it sounded way better than the album version. If you can beg, borrow or steal a copy of the Synchronicity Concert, you'll see this for yourself.

There are bands i could pick apart where production hides their lack of ability to play live, The Cult (Astbury hasn't a note in his head live, sorry), Dido (same), and The Cranberries (an abortion of a concert) and even Madonna (worst Slane ever). I certainly wouldn't lump The Police into that category.

davylee

ShawnRaven wrote: »

The first few Police albums didn't have a lot of production work involved. Synchronicity, yeah i'll give you that, but even Ghost In The Machine wasn't overdone. And even for Walking In Your Footsteps live on the Synchronicity, it sounded way better than the album version. If you can beg, borrow or steal a copy of the Synchronicity Concert, you'll see this for yourself.

There are bands i could pick apart where production hides their lack of ability to play live, The Cult (Astbury hasn't a note in his head live, sorry), Dido (same), and The Cranberries (an abortion of a concert) and even Madonna (worst Slane ever). I certainly wouldn't lump The Police into that category.

dont quote me on this but it sounds to me there is huge work done on all instruments and vocals from what i have (outlandas damour and the greatest hits) which spans alot of their stuff.

ShawnRaven

Be more specific please?

Dudess

ntlbell wrote: »

i always thought the police were "cool" when did they become uncool?:mad:

ShawnRaven wrote: »

I missed the memo as well apparently...

Ah, Sting is considered "not cool to like", and thus, his old band has ended up in the same boat. Similar to Genesis/Phil Collins.
Not saying it's correct - I love songs by The Police, Sting, Genesis and even old Philo, just saying that's the stance the "cool" (and wanky) music press would take.