09 May 2007

 

Dragged into rock

YouTube has some videos of The Police at a small concert they played at L.A.'s Whisky A-Go-Go in February to announce their upcoming tour, which starts this month here in Vancouver:

As a musician, I can watch them and see that the band is kind of a mess—they're winging it, forgetting lyrics and chords, yelling out changes to each other onstage. It's brilliant. And if you look closely, you can watch repeatedly (especially here) as Sting mellows things down, and then Andy Summers and particularly Stewart Copeland drag him back into rocking the fuck out.

That's why they're a great band. Sting can write a hell of a song, but it takes the right drummer and guitar player to say, "Hey, Sting, quit with the car commercial music and TURN IT UP."

Copeland is always full-throttle, and always has been, but I'd forgotten what a monster guitarist Summers is. He plays the weirdest jazz-derived phrases and two-note bits and makes them sound like huge windmilling power chords. Plus he's 65 years old. Scary.

I look forward to seeing them, finally.

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# 9:31 PM

Comments:

I'm 31 and have loved the Police since I was about nine, about when "don't stand so close to me '86" came out. My husband put together this huge surprise and is sending me to a show in Tampa, a few-day-getaway. I can't can't wait.
# posted by Blogger Susan : 10 May, 2007 20:10
 
That is extremely cool. Even if "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" was perhaps the lamest release of their career. :)

You might enjoy this old article from The Onion, by the way.
# posted by Blogger Derek : 10 May, 2007 20:47
 
We've got tix for the July 3 show in MPLS.

I hope it rokks!
# posted by Blogger reetsyburger : 17 May, 2007 14:15
 
I had been a staunch 'no reunion tour' dude, never having seen them in their prime, but now there are rumours of an Ottawa show and I'm weakening...
# posted by Blogger Bob : 18 May, 2007 10:38
 
If Don't Stand So Close 86 is the lamest release, what's the best?
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 18 May, 2007 14:34
 
That depends what you like best about them. Personally, I'm still fond of "Message in a Bottle."
# posted by Blogger Derek : 18 May, 2007 18:28
 
the Police's best track ever is Driven to Tears - Summers searing (and rare) guitar, strong, socially-conscious yet still unpretentious lyrics and Copeland's impecable musicianship (uncanny really) make this the best Police track eva'.

Which night are you going DKM? Cosmo and Dingo are coming from Olympia and we are going Monday.

BTW, the last time The Police played in Vancouver, the Thompson Twins opened.
# posted by Blogger DaveO : 23 May, 2007 10:30
 
"Driven to Tears" is one of my favourites as well -- one of the earliest songs I tried to learn on the drums. And we'll be there on the 30th.
# posted by Blogger Derek : 23 May, 2007 11:22
 
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# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 09 July, 2007 09:13