by Philip on 14 Dec 2006 15:16
Hey, all of you, let me go further with my point of view. Let put it into chapters:
1 - About the definition of MUSIC
Music is 2 things : it’s an art + a business. Somme times it’s more artistic, but more and more, it’s a pastiche of art, a sort of hand work, with lot of cliché, stereotypes, nothing really interesting, rather intelligent, for our brains or ears. If you consider that some music is even put in supermarkets and elevators, to force the consumer to buy more… to forget about time… Some music is like a legal soft drug, having influence on us as subjects from the big world of marketing.
Of course even the cds you can buy (why do you buy them if you can get the songs for free or not much on internet?) are more pieces of plastic the big majors want us to buy, than music = something immaterial, something about feelings.
2 - If you understand what I mean, then you must consider the police:
They are both : art + business.
2.1 – Business
The myth of the 3 blond heads was created and exploited, because fitting with the attempt of the public at that time. A lot of people did a lot of money thru the success of Police. They where a big enterprise with many people around them. A sort of machine. Cash machine. To me, it is sure that even Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers, and Miles Copeland, urn much more money that they could ever have expected without the Police. Of course, Sting too, even if he proved he can still hold his business by a second successful career, wouldn’t have get it so big in such a short time without the same Stew, Andrew and Miles… but, probably, he could have get it anyway, another slower way.
If the Police reunite, it would be about business, first of all. Even if they just play old stuff, even if they play it wrong, even if they play false… At the point they are, they would sold out and have a lot of good critics… Even if every real fan leaves… they would find an audience. An Audience of people brought together by the marketing, promotion and business around the mythic band “po, po, police, the Beatles of the 80’s who left at the top, are back…the real true police you’ve always dreamt about...”
For this reason, I am afraid, if they don’t find a proper way to manage it, it would be very decadent… compared to what it what in the early 80’s. Such as the rolling stones, are. A big fat business : they play the same old rock and roll, their are people who want to hear that, but what does it bring to our ears, now, today in 2006, almost 2007? They are zombies. I would always prefer to look at an old dvd of them, than to go to a big stadium.
2.1.a - And, it’s a shame that sting.com is charged. It should be free.
2.1.b – For instance, consider the move Star Wars from Lucas. He took 20 years to do the second trilogy. But even if the first trilogy was such better than the new one, it became something big, with lot of people going to see the films 3, 4 , 5 or 6 times each! They liked it for other reasons that the first ones could make dream. Even bad, they had success.
Becose music is business, it’s probably better that the police doesn’t reunite. But at the same time, it is more, it’s about art…
2.2 – Art
2.2.a - Music is of course not only money. Even if our generation definitively became the generation of ‘pop idols’, ‘big brother’, etc... even if charisma seams more important than talent. More, even if charisma is now considerate as a talent, and music technique is no more relevant. Even if we have all this computers… music still has something deeper.
And Sting, Stewart and Andy have talent. There face, what they eat, what time they go to bed, what’s the colour of the shoes they where… is absolutely not important. Important is that each of them has a positive impact of the music the other play. Perhaps it’s difficult for them on a personal point. But in matter of music, there is this really fascinating “chemistry”. They are inspired and motivated, when they work together. Even if there are tensions, even if they are too old to fistfight now, even if it’s hard for them, THEY CAN BRING A LOT OF SOUNDS TO OUR EARS !
2.2.b – ARTISTICALLY, it’s a fact that Sting brought much more to the police than Stewart Andy and Miles together. Stewart gave energy and motivation, Andy technique and sophistication, Miles opportunities and a sure image. Sting did most of the composition. Artistically, he was directing. When Sting left Police stopped. If Andy had left, he would have been replaced. The same for Stewart. Yes, regarding to point 2.1 it wouldn’t have been the police anymore. But, artistically, Sting could have change the band members and go one with the same kind of music. Even in a 3 piece. Remember from Ghost in the Machine one, the blond faces aren’t distinctive anymore on the jacket. The music Sting did during the police was more than contributing to 1/3 of what the 3 of them where producing. Never forget, he has composing, writing the lyrics, playing the bass and singing. Not less. By reinterpreting some of the material of that period with other artists (for instance Mr Sting and the Blue Turtles), in other genres (Lute music) he showed to the world it was him the builder of the songs. With all respect : Sting, you’re a big genius for sure.
2.2.c - BUT TODAY, Sting started a retrospective on himself with Brocken Music. Andy did the same with 1 Train Later, Stewart with The Police Inside Out, and all this dis-arrangements.
Sting even did a tour to sell his book, and played Police material (Bella, I am not sure it rocks so much ! ) in a very decadent way for many of us… to the point the very surprising lute album was a fantastic idea to start on something new. I think THE BROCKEN MUSIC TOUR, was, artistically, absolutely AUTO-DESTRUCTIVE !
Now, it’s time to call Stewart and Andy back, to work on something positive, because, as they proved, and is almost accepted by every one now :
- Sting is the boss, no discussion,
- Stewart is energy and motivation,
- Andy is technique and sophistication
And there is no need of Miles anymore (sorry, but, with all respect, i think things are different now). There is no need at all to sell Jaguar vehicles, as there is no need to have very pretty blond faces.
Come on Sting, please.
3. What they could do now
Why not playing the repertoire of Bach ? They can start now and play, even by sitting on chares until they are over 90 years old. They can bring so much to our ears, in any kind of artistic collaborating. What about playing in baroque places (read the topic by Giovanni : Sting performing in dome).
-
Thanks for reading. Sorry for my English.