Did Sting really appreciate Stewart and Andy?

[blueboy]

I know I really need to get a life rather than think about things like this, but with all the new stuff coming out like Stewart's movie and Andy's book, this question kept popping into my mind.

The real reason I am wondering this though, is that I am an aspiring songwriter, and I think the subject of having other people's input on a songwriter's work is important. I recently heard Sting's Last Exit demos, as well as the Ghost in the Machine demos, and it was very apparent that there was some good stuff there, but it wasn't quite right. I started to wonder just how much of an impact Stewart and Andy had in turning Sting's "good" stuff, into "great" stuff.

After listening to the Last Exit demos, it struck me just how much of his current solo work sounds like Last Exit, but with more expensive musicians. A lot of the stuff I don't like about Sting's current material is very present in this demo (as well as a lot of the stuff that I do like).

On the other hand, after listening to the Ghost demos, it blew me away how he created the blueprint for much of the album...especially Every Little Thing. Even though I have read all the stories about Sting coming in with fully produced demos, and that it started to cause friction, it was really interesting to actually hear them. At the same time, I can't understand where some of the really cheesy songs came from, and why he would even bring them in for the band to consider, as they sounded really amateurish to me.

I'm sure Stewart and Andy must have said "that really sucks", and there's no way that is going on the album because it has nothing to do with the Police! Another thing I found interesting is that a lot of the demos that did make it onto the album sounded "poppier" than the finished album...almost like an extension of Zenyatta, rather than the big, dark sound of the final Ghost album.

I guess what I'm saying is that maybe the tension that forced a "compromise" is what produced a "great" result, and that a songwriter should be willing to accept that compromise (to a certain degree) in an effort to better themselves. From a songwriter's perspective, that has to be an incredibly difficult thing to do, especially if there are other issues such as power struggles, jealousy and money involved.

That is why I really wonder if Sting ever truly appreciated Stewart and Andy's contributions to the success of his music, or did his ego keep him from seeing it?

I just wish that The Police could have worked things out, and continued to produce amazing music. I'm still a major Sting fan, but a lot of his most recent stuff just doesn't do it for me. It's not that it just doesn't appeal to me...I don't think it is of the same musical "quality" as much of his earlier work, and doesn't have the same "timeless" appeal of many of his Police hits. Of course I am in no way qualified to pass judgment on Sting's work, but this is my personal opinion.

This got me thinking...

Sting always likes to re-interpret his compositions, and both Andy and Stewart have made comments that they would have liked to have played on some of his better solo songs (or something to that effect)...

So...

Wouldn't it be amazing if The Police got together again, and instead of working on new material, they re-recorded Sting's best solo material in The Police style!

This wouldn't involve compromise, as Sting has already done them the way he wanted to do them, and he would be able to take them in a different direction. The songs would also be proven hits, so they wouldn't have to worry about new material being compared to previous police songs, and possibly not living up to expectations. Sting wanted to do this with the Police catalog in '86...so why not do it now with his solo material? It would be something very unique, and would be a win win situation for all involved!

Not to mention that they would sell a BILLION albums!!!

I just wanted to throw the idea out there in the hopes that Stewart may read it, or someone might read it and whisper the idea in Sting's ear...



Ok...I've just woken up from my dream...

But I've still got a smile on my face just thinking about it!

JL

[Philip]

jl, that 's a good question [rigolez pas, je le pense!]

i don’t know who sting appreciates or not. it’s not by reading the papers that we will know more. but, i am glad you are with me. i thought i was the only person in 2006, still thinking they could work together. i am optimistic and sure it will happen in a way or another. today you put your daydream, tonight you will dream about this:

imagine a middle-age ensemble with sting on some kind of bass-lute, andy on some soprano-lute and stewart some other forgotten instrument… imagine…

…and yes you’re right, with one hand stew would play and with the other he would paint the scene, from within the ensemble.

[Mrs. Gradenko]

I'm sure more then it shows.

[georgygirl]

Sting could be an egocentric person, but I think he really like and appreciate Stewart and Andy.

And about your idea blueboy:

[quote]Wouldn't it be amazing if The Police got together again, and instead of working on new material, they re-recorded Sting's best solo material in The Police style!

[/quote]

In my personal opinion I say:

-Aghhhhhhhhhhh Nooooooo, no no, no; that idea, sounds patetic!



Maybe it will be good that the members will play together again one day, but just to recreate The Police songs.

[Mrs. Gradenko]

Yeah I just want to see them perform, but I want to choose the set list of coarse.

[georgygirl]

Ahhhhhhhh really Mrs. Gradenko, so tell us your list...

[Mrs. Gradenko]

How many do I get?

[Mary]

I also a smile on my face
30 years late why Police music is around? Why Stewart produced the dvd? Why Andy write a book? Why Sting still singing Roxanne? They really could do it together... keep dreaming. Mary

[Mrs. Gradenko]

They could do it, but they won't.

1) Roxanne
2) On Any Other Day
3) Bring On The Night
4) Does Everyone Stare
5) Don't Stand So Close To Me
6) Behind My Camel
7) Walking In Your Footsteps
Every Breath You Take
9) I Burn For You
10) Man In A Suitcase
11) King Of Pain
12) Fallout
13) Next To You
14) Peanuts
15) Deathwish

Oncore
16) Friends
17) Visions Of The Night
18) No Time This Time

[Hannaha]

Great choices Mrs. G

[Hannaha]

Oh wait... no 'Message In A Bottle'?????

[Mrs. Gradenko]

[quote="Hannaha"]Oh wait... no 'Message In A Bottle'?????[/quote]
I didn't forget it. I just didn't put it, lol.

[Hannaha]

*gasp*

[Al]

Why not?Don't you like it?

[blueboy]

By the way, just to be clear...I'm not suggesting that Sting didn't appreciate Stewart and Andy and their contributions to the success of The Police....I'm just referring specifically to the impact on the development and quality of his music and songwriting.

Did the compromises he made, actually make the songs better than if he had 100% control and Andy and Stewart were just hired help?

I believe that it was the tension between them, and the "compromise" that created that intangible quality that connected with a much larger audience. The music was more powerful as a result.

Someone posted this link recently to a Stewart interview, and this is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about:

http://www.metrofrance.com/fr/article/2 ... /index.xml

[quote][b]Looking back, is there anything you would’ve done differently?[/b]

As far as The Police, the main thing that I would’ve liked to have done differently is to have understood then what I understand now about the reasons for such conflict as there was, and that conflict was about creative expression and control in the band. And now I understand why Sting was such an asshole, and I think he understands why I was such an asshole. If I’d understood these things… It’s really simply. I explain it in one sentence in the film, which is that Sting had to make compromises. He would write music from top to bottom and then bring it to the band and had to compromise, whereas any composer worth his salt – which all of us were after three hit albums – we all knew how to construct a pop song. Neither Andy nor I has the gift that Sting has for that knack of a pop song, but we all knew how to do it and well knew how to figure the bass line against the guitar chord and the drum part – we all knew that. Sting, certainly.
So when he would write a song, he wouldn’t stop at just a couple of chord shapes and the bass line and a bit of the lyrics. He’d write it all the way and he’d bring it in with this pristine vision in his mind and he was already grumpy because he knew what was gonna happen – that we’d tear it to shreds. In my opinion, and I think in the opinion of the world, we had a positive effect on this material, but at the time, I thoroughly appreciate now at how annoying that must have been.

[b]Well, it’s normal that the bandmembers also contribute to the song, right?[/b]

That was my point of view and that was Andy’s point of view. That was our position. My regret is that I did not understand that better at the time. I also regret that when we shouting at each other, I should’ve prefaced every epithet with the clarification: “Sting, I fuckin’ love this song. I am totally in awe of your talent, but I have a contribution to make.” I never added that preface. “Fuck you, bastard, this is what I’m going to play!” But once again, even as we’re talking here, this sort of illuminates how the story of The Police is the story if how we fought all the time, and here we are talking about our struggles, whereas in fact the film shows in all the 50 hours of footage that we got along really well. We loved each other. All three of us, we were most happy in each other’s company. We felt secure when there was the three of us and no one else, actually including Kim Turner and a few others in our very tight family group. We were very, very close. As you can see when Sting looks into the camera when Andy’s goofing off. We loved each other, we were goofing off. We were each other’s security blankets.
That was the real atmosphere inside of our bubbles. Of course we fought as siblings do over issues that were real as we’ve discussed, but 99% of our time spent together was really cheerful.[/quote]

I wonder what would have happened if they could have worked things out and continued. Apparently Synchronicity almost didn't even happen, so there had to have been a lot of compromises made to get that album out.

I think maybe there is probably a lesson for a lot of bands and songwriters in there somewhere.

As far as my idea for having The Police re-interpret some of Sting's best solo material...I suggested it because I think that former members of The Police are not interested in being a "museum" band and getting back together to just re-hash their old hits again and again. They will never be as good as they were when those songs first came out. Sting would also probably want to save his best "new" material for himself, so I think that the likelyhood of new "Police" songs is very low.

Some of Sting's greatest solo songs (but Police-ified), are probably exactly what would have been Police songs if they had continued on, so it would be really cool to be able to hear what they would have done. It would let Sting re-interpret his songs once again and bring value to his back catalog. Most of his best songs were already hits, so there would be very little risk involved, and the expectations would be lower than a totally new Police album.

Do I think there is a snowballs chance in hell of it happening.....No!

But as I said...it was a very enjoyable thought, and would be a dream come true!