Some interesting words of candor from The Big Man . . .

[DirtyMartini]

(although I guess they're always interesting words of candor, aren't they? Anyway . . . )

Midori (THANK YOU, MIDORI!) just posted a link to an interview with SC, in which The Big Man hits on quite a few issues that have been discussed recently. Some parts that I think might be of particular interest:


Q: Was it just a coincidence, the band getting back together just as the film comes out?

SC: Aaah . . . it is coincidence, but I think one led to the other. It wasn't part of a big scheme, but it woke up Universal, who've been sitting on our catalog all these years but they haven't really been exploiting it, because they have a new brand name called Sting, and the artist doesn't want to hear the "P-word" all that much. And it's perfectly understandable why, he's focused on building a new career, and that other one is competition for him. You know, Eric Clapton had that with Cream, McCartney has that with The Beatles. But 20 years later, the record company has noticed the positive reaction to the film, and that, I think, is partly what got Sting's mind going.

The funny part is just like how my little project escaped and became this monster, the same thing's happened to Sting and Andy. They thought they could open the door a crack, and we'd just go play some shows, it'd be fun, make some people happy -- next thing we know, there goes another year of our lives (with the world tour).


Q: Isn't it a little daunting to spend a year of your life on the road at your age?

SC: Sure, a little bit, because now I have a life. I have friends outside the band, I have family, a career. But I'm really buzzed right now because the rehearsals have been going so well. At first, it was like, Sting-world, and it felt like Andy and I were the poor relations being hired back on. But that didn't last too long. Once we played the Grammys, and saw the response, we could see it wasn't anyone doing Andy and I a favor.


Q: What's your approach to the music now? To try and sound like you did before, or to let it grow?

SC: Well, a combination. And the tension we have in the band is, "What should we keep, and what should we change?" Sting is the big change-agent, because he's been playing these songs for 20 years, and he wants to do something different with them. I'm ready to do something different, but I don't want to calculate it, I just want to feel it. He wants to rehearse for three months and hone every bar. I don't -- I wanna rehearse for two days and just go out and play.


Q: I remember seeing The Police live and hearing a 10-minute version of "Message In A Bottle" . . .

SC: Yeah, we used to improvise a lot. Shoot from the hip. All our albums, we'd hear a song for the first time in the morning and it was recorded by the evening. The backing track, anyway. Then Andy and Sting would spend ages on guitar and vocal overdubs. But this time 'round it started out as a real arrangement thing, so one of the things we've been struggling over is, I don't want to know if it's 16 bars or 24 bars -- I'll hit the change when it feels like it's right, and it'll be different every night. Because I've been playing with this jam band, Oysterhead, and I've been explaining this ethos to Sting, and he's beginning to get it. Sort of we go back and forth.


Q: That's funny. Because I remember fanzines calling The Police the "punk Grateful Dead," 'cos when you started you only had nine or 10 songs, and would stretch them out to a 90-minute set.

SC: That's good, I never heard that, actually! But Sting has been working with professionals, and they don't do that. They look to the boss for specific direction. It's his responsibility to tell them what to play, every bar. And when we first got back together, he was in that role, of telling us what to play, every bar. And I was going, "Shut the f**k up and play your bass! We'll figure it out. I never think about what I'm playing. I don't listen to myself, I listen to you, and whatever you play, I'll follow." This is something we're working out. We have our screaming matches, but with a twinkle in the eye.

[Divemistress of the Dark]

...And Stewart pulls no punches.

I had been sort of worried the marketing weasels would muzzle him. But as usual, our man is perdurable...

Good job, SC. ("Poor relations"! I *died* laughing...) Meanwhile:

[quote]And it's perfectly understandable why, he's focused on building a new career, and that other one is competition for him. You know, Eric Clapton had that with Cream, McCartney has that with The Beatles. [/quote]

I think Stew is pretty generous to discuss things this way. I suppose it's required, in order for him to get along with Sting at all...but this interview reveals yet again Stew's amazing talent at being refreshingly cynical, and yet disarmingly ingenous, at the same time...

[BongoBoy]

I think it's great.

I for one am very exited to hear new arrangements and fresh vibes. They are different men now, the songs will always sound good because they are good songs period.

I really like the way they are working it out and finding a middleground. Lots of us here are in or were in a band so it's really easy to relate to.

The only thing I really hope is that they still"jam" on stage...that to me is their signature...not the arrangements...jam it out Baby!!!

Can't wait to hear the new "One World"!!!

Yahooooooooooooooooooooooooooo !

[tonydrums]

[quote]"Shut the f**k up and play your bass!"[/quote]

Wise words indeed. You rock Stewart.

[Wait and See]

How did this go unnoticed until now? (Thanks Midori)

[blueseattle]

God Im psyched for July... and I cannot wait til we can start talking about set lists and such.

Stewart, you're the best!

[blueboy]

This is awesome news!

There would be nothing more depressing than The Police reuniting without the "Tension". The give and take between the different personalities is what makes it all work.

I was getting a bit worried that Sting was taking the "School teacher" role and saying "come on guys...I know what I'm talking about because I've been doing it for the last 20 years....so let's not argue this OK."

As long as each of them can step back and accept the "compromise" for what it is....which really is something better than any of them individually could do...we will all win in the end!

[dontboxmein]

Yeah Stewart put Sting in his place...don't let him tell you how to play. Your drums were the infectious part of the band...without you it would have sucked!!!!!

[jedsoon]

Yes!! I tend to play the same way, except for us its very back and forth. Sometimes i lead sometimes i follow, but hardly do i ever put the restriction of forethought on myself. If i thought about it too much i probably wouldn't be able to play!

I'm still not putting any expectations on whatever they turn out. I just want to be there to appreciate it!

[Mrs. Gradenko]

[quote]SC: Sure, a little bit, because now I have a life. I have friends outside the band, I have family, a career. But I'm really buzzed right now because the rehearsals have been going so well. At first, it was like, Sting-world, and it felt like Andy and I were the poor relations being hired back on. But that didn't last too long. Once we played the Grammys, and saw the response, we could see it wasn't anyone doing Andy and I a favor. [/quote]
How could he have felt like that? Stewart and Andy gave it that Police sound, without them most of it was just Sting's solo.... nothing near as good.

[jedsoon]

I suspect because being mostly a film composer for the last 20 years has never really put him in the spotlight. To the masses, Sting is the only one who stayed active musically. Most of us here are cut from a different cloth, but in the pop world 98% of the attention is on the singer. And while we know Stewart's a (great!) singer, he's not known as one in a more general sense. He will kick our asses this summer, tho!

[ghostinthepolice]

'We have our screaming matches, but with a twinkle in the eye'.

I love this three guys!!!!!!!!!

[DirtyMartini]

[quote="jedsoon"]To the masses, Sting is the only one who stayed active musically. Most of us here are cut from a different cloth, but in the pop world 98% of the attention is on the singer. [/quote]

I remember an article in which Andy mentioned how he would go to a particular restaurant frequently and got familiar with some of the staff. But that after the Grammy performance, suddenly everyone was weird and asking for autographs and such. Up until that point, he was just a regular customer. Now he was That Guy.

It sounds like those first few weeks together were a bit . . . unbalanced in dynamic. Plus, after so many years of performing for much more specific crowds and in much more specific genres, I can imagine that Andy and Stewart (yes, despite the colossus that is his ego ) might have been nervous about whether or not they would still be accepted by the masses in a Big Name Rock Star-type way. Understandable. (Although the phrase "I told you so" comes to mind a little bit.)


Such a great interview. Thanks again to Midori for finding it.

[georgygirl]

I think that Stewart couldn´t imagine how deep many fans love his work with and without The Police...

[jedsoon]

Yeah, he's reached a whole new generation he's probably not even aware of. A great many young people have played those Spyro games and are fans whether they know it or not. I played some for a friend's little sister and she recognized it instantly, even being able to name what game it was from. I love seeing them occasionally pop into the board, since it represents a whole new group of Stew fans he's won over... totally outside the Police. There's even at least one Spyro forum where Stewart's tunes get discussed regularly.