"It is a joke that our trusted source on all things Sting is told to stand down. Not fair to us and StingUs! Universal has never really shown any dedication to Sting or Police fans. They are terrible! No special editions/limited releases etc.
Hopefully, Stingus can confirm/deny the below of what is apparently circulating in the tour industry and Universal Records California:
1) The Police will play Roxanne on the Grammys (no brainer, eh!)
2) The Police are rehearsing 30 songs to get back into the groove.
3) 4 out of the 30 songs are new. Sting authored all of them and reports are they are raw rock like Message and the earlier songs (no keyboards and the like).
4) The 4 songs will be offered initially as part of the box set or re-packaged greatest hits and then...months later for purchase on exclusivey online via Itunes.
5) The tour is 60 to 80 dates. In the US, ticket prices will start at $80.
6) The tour will have been taped for pay per view and DVD releases later in the year.
7) At least three DVDs will be sold: Around The World packaged with Police In The East, Gateshead 82 and Outlandos To Synchronicities (with several additional live versions of songs to be added.)
The Police will also market (via Itunes and other online sites) several live concerts from the vaults. (Missing tracks like Murder By Numbers, One World and Invisible Sun from the synchronicity tour will be added back to the online re-rerelease of The Police Live!)
9) No one knows for certain the "sound" for the tour. The three raw without keyboards and synths or back to the roots a la Outlandos and Regatta is widely talked about.
Additionally, the rumour is Sting only said yes because of the large sums of money involved with the tour. Otherwise, he was content to do talk shows with Stewart and Andy to promote the new box set, a one off concert for taping, and let the royalities from dvd and live concerts roll in.
Also, the other rumor is that Sting required in his contract:
(i) 50% of the total dollar sum that The Police (the three of them) were to receive upfront for the tour and,
(ii) the right to own the copyright to the new songs (...not the Police).
As stated rumours making the rounds. Only Stingus has the knowledge to verify."
