The guitar genius of Stew

[THX1138]

Yes he is the Messiah of the drum kit.

But what of his guitar? Simple, catchy, pop? Maybe so. But engaging, fun and simple doesn't mean it isn't genius.

I had the good fortune of an older brother who exposed me to good music. In my formative years (80s) he exposed me to many bands but The Police were his fave. One day circa 1987, he brought home an album and left it in his car, and the outer edge was warped so bad that the needle caught air on the first ~2 tracks on either side. This album was Klark Kent, I took it from him and for about 10 years only dreamed of hearing Away from Home, Guerilla and My Old School... I asked about the album in record stores on occasion, gave up and one day asked in what must have been about 1999. The computer found the CD Re-Release (with NEW TRACKS!) and I promptly ordered it. It was later lost in a car crash and an email to Stewart's old email address got a copy... but that's another story and that's my story hehe.

here it is...


But this music, Klark Kent or Klerk Kunt, drove a mean guitar on the top of familiar drums. And what of those Police songs that I played the most from the collection? Yeah, they were largely Stewart's.

And you know what? It's not just guitar, drums and kazoo, or typewriters... The bass on My Old School is just as fun as the guitar.

But it is those driving catchy riffs, the clean guitar (the man does not rely on distortion or effects to get his point across), the use of the guitar and drums together as rythmic devices that expose one facet of the guitar genuis of Stew.



End of crappy essay. So who else loves his guitar or plays his songs on the guitar like I? I'm thinking of building up some tablature. I'd love to find some like-minded individuals to share tablature with. Heck I'd LOVE for Stewart to talk about how he feels about this topic, what position pickup he uses, what kind of amps, how he gets that clean but agressive tone.... But of course, I'll gladly accept enthusiasts pursuing this endeavor.

[Popcorn Blizzard]

Toward the end of '85, I had obtained all 5 Police albums. I remember being in a B. Dalton's bookstore one evening (at the mall), and I found myself perusing a comprehesive biography of the Police. Toward the back, it had a discography with all these side projects I had never heard of. I went totally bug-eyed when I read about Stewart's Klark Kent release.

Wasting no time, I hot-footed it upstairs to the Carousel music store and urgently fingered through the K's. My heart sank, as I didn't find it. A clerk who I knew from school approached and asked what I was looking for, so I mentioned how I just learned Stewart Copeland of the Police had a solo album called Klark Kent. He ushered me over to the C's, went through them, and presented me with the treasure I had been seeking.

Of course the elation continued, as I got home and gave it a spin. I'd like to write more here, but I'm about to start work on the overnight shift. Thanks THX1138 for reminding me of 'grandelinquent' times.

[Guest]

Stewart Copeland of the Police had a solo album called Klark Kent. He ushered me over to the C's, went through them, and presented me with the treasure I had been seeking.

LOL, I guess they figured most people would think it was Clark Cent?

I've always wondered though, why did he do the KK thing? Why didn't he do it as Stewart Copeland?

[Mrs. Gradenko]

Yeah umm once again I didn't log in.

[THX1138]

Popcorn: Right on! That's what I'm talking about!

These little stories I think point out a couple of things: 1. We're serious Stewart fans or we wouldn't be here. 2. We're serious Stewart fans or simple events 10, 15+ years ago wouldn't be so clear. 3. Music is very important to most humans.

Funny, not surprising, they had KK in the C section. And it should be noted that it is Klark Kent but the album notes, or biography, reference Klerk Kunt and the label on the album (pan up and look at photo) says Klerk Kant.

Two other notables: Observant fans will note that Don't Care is the first song on side one. So why wasn't it mentioned in the longed-for dept.? I longed to hear this but did a couple of years later upon possessing the IRS label's compilation CD "We Must Be Nuts" (or something like that), I got Don't Care.

Digressing a bit: anyone remember "120 Minutes" on MTV? The theme song was Theme for a Kinentic Ritual. The opening of the show showed an olive being dunked into a martini, as I recall. It was alternative music and a really really great show (yes insert violins, but back when MTV was music and good music at that!).

[Mrs. Gradenko]

or biography, reference Klerk Kunt and the label on the album (pan up and look at photo) says Klerk Kant.

I wouldn't be suprised if Stewart did the Kant one, but in a biography it really said Kunt? That's the best! If Stewart had acess, he's probably did that one too.

[THX1138]

Ms. Gradenko,

There is a review somewhere, the origin of which I cannot recall, which indicates that the album was released in secrecy at first with no one knowing who KK was. It may have been a rolling stone interview or I could be way off; I just don't recall where I read it. I'm not sure if the review was another joke, like the KK album notes, or not.

But if it was real, perhaps it was to see if the work would stand on its own? But the release was 78 and how big were The Police in 78? Maybe it is just Stewart being silly? Heck, maybe a contract prevented him from using his name in other work?

Anyone know this answer?

[georgygirl]

This quote sounds true and logical.

maybe a contract prevented him from using his name in other work?

But it cut off all the magic I thought before, about all the mystery that could have surrounded Klark Kent nick...



***Hope many people can understand what I mean

[Kim]

THX1138:

The cd was an IRS 10th Anniversary compilation called These People Are Nuts. I bought it for Nothing Achieving, one of the BEST punk songs ever, thank you very much Uncle Ian!

Theme for Kinetic Ritual was the theme song for the IRS show the Cutting Edge Happy Hour on MTV, the brainchild of our other uncle, Miles.

Have a Copeland Day!

[THX1138]

Ah Cutting Edge Happy Hour, thanks for the correction. That olive falling into the martini glass image is in my mind but I had confused it with another show.

[jedsoon]

ah, klark kent. hugely influential on me musically, as well as other ways.

i had read of this project in a book i had on the police, but had never really turned up anything on it. can't really remember how avidly i sought it out, since this predated by a year or so my uncovering any serious resources for collecting OOP vinyl. this was right before my stew fandom had blown up full fashion, just a short time after i had gotten the rhythmatist, equalizer, and wall street. was still more of a police fan than a stew fan. i would have to say it was klark kent that sent me swerving in the other direction.

anyway, in 1989 a saw a flyer for a local band that was preparing to put on a show, and its drummer's name was listed as klark kent. the funny thing is, he LOOKED like the "real" klark kent, with his dark wavy hair and glasses! i asked around, and it turned out his real name was perry, he was an RA living several floors up in the very same building as me. within 24 hours i had paid him a visit and expressed my extreme burgeoning fandom. turns out he actually owned the KK disc and was willing to loan it to me so i could make a copy. i let him borrow wall street, since he didn't have it.

i was immediately blown away. it was proof positive that stew could play just about any instrument you put in front of him. i saw the songs on the album as telling a story, about a kid who grows up and moves out, finds the world isn't the bed of roses he believed it to be from his sheltered perspective, and by the end of the album has had enough and is "ready to
go home." i identified strongly with it.

i really loved the mysterious aspect of the release, how you weren't supposed to know who he really was. his name or unmasked likeness appeared nowhere in the packaging.

ironically, perry didn't have any enthusiasm for wall street. he thought it sounded too much like equalizer! he couldn't have paid it a higher compliment, IMO!

within a few years i got into collecting OOP vinyl. i actually got the ep twice, once in a die-cut sleeve with a green disc. i also bought the japanese release on cd. i collected all the b-sides by acquiring the 45's and then bought it all again when it was rereleased domesically in '95.

klark kent is a huge inspiration behind the title character in the movie i'm working on right now, although he draws heavily from other sources as well!

[Guest]

The KLARK KENT alter ego wasn't really much of a mystery at all.

The first single DON'T CARE was released in summer 1978 first on Kryptone records and then immediately afterwards on A&M. That Stewart Copeland was KLARK KENT was published in UK papers in August 1978.

The 10 inch album was released in June 1980 when Stewart was already known as KLARK KENT for about two years.

Dietmar

[georgygirl]

Maybe for you Dietmar the Klark Kent alter ego as you said, was not a mystery at all. I see you know to much information about this work, but was not the same for me.

Just think about, you lived in Europe, I lived in Mexico. In that time there was not internet available. Maybe in England is common to see information about Stewart, but is not the same here. We speak Spanish, not English.

I remembered that I know about Klark Kent on the 83-84. I interviewed a man who had a band named 'Botellita de Jérez. He is Sergio Arau, a man that recently made a movie called 'One day without Mexicans. We were young in that time, and he get a car-crash after the main interview, so he called me to go to interview him again but in the hospital.

I went there with my camera to make the interview about the crash, and was there when he told me about Klark Kent album.
I remebered he said he got it in Tepito in Mexico DF, but told me is from another artist. But I remembered that he advice me to get it, because he know that I am a rock-lady, and the music is really cool.

I have been looking to get this work, but never can find it. Then a man, (my now exhusband) told me if I want something from him, because he will travel to the border, and I said, -ok, get me the Klark Kent album; of course I was thinking that it was impossible for him, but my suprise was that he got it for me, not the album, but the Klark Kent tape...

When I was hearing, I tought it was not the music man Sergio Arau told me, it sounds more like the drummer from Police...

I did a research in some books and papers, and was really him, but the mystery for me was...,

-why he didn't siGn it as Stewart Copeland, just Klark Kent?

This atitude had many influence in my life. It crossed my existence
I saw many magic in this behavior.


Ok maybe as you said Dietmar was not a mystery for you, but for me it was a mystery...

Anyway, since then, no matter the pragmatic reasons of the nick, I see many magic in my life because Stewart Copeland's works especially in music, and those began since Klark Kent tape...

[tigress]

I guess I always figured Stewart took on the Klark Kent persona because he wore those thick, dark glasses just like the comic book Clark Kent did. Maybe he fancies himself Superman.

[georgygirl]

At first I thought Superman was just a comic that I used to read in my childhood and teenage, but since I was 20 years and became an adult I found this band called "The Police", and some years after that I discovered who really is Superman in a material way - 1983

He acts for good to every people and My life is so cool since then, for all the pleasure I got hearing the music he (SC) made.

An absolute true for me is, that He is Superman from Kryptone into Klark Kent disguise ...