A question for The Police trivia experts

[Johnny2000]

Hi, I'm a new member and this is my first post on this board, so I hope the question has not been asked before.

My question for the Police experts is regarding the live version of ‘Message In A Bottle’ from the B-side of the UK 12” of Wrapped Around Your Finger.

I have always thought it’s such a great live recording, you can hear that there were a few over-dubs with Sting adding vocals and Andy has added his guitar harmony to the main guitar riff, but as far as live recordings go it’s sonically great sounding, (on a technical note, for me the recent ‘Certifiable: Live in Buenos Aires’ sounds so over-compressed it sucks the life out of the sound of the drums & bass).

What I want to know is where and when was this live version recorded? (1980? 1979?) and at what gig?

The fact that it was obviously worked on in a studio I’m surprised there are no other live tracks released from the same gig… I can’t believe they only mixed and worked on ‘Message In A Bottle’. Other live tracks like 'Man In A Suitcase (Live)' from the gatefold 7” of Every Breath You Take don’t have the same recording quality at all… just compare the sound of the drums.

So does anyone know any other details? Is there a bootleg out there of the whole gig? …. Somewhere out there sitting at the back of some studio store room is probably a ton of great live Police tracks mixed and ready to go. I’ve never really understood why they do not become available (at the very least) as downloads. The live album released in 1995 with the 2 concerts never really did it for me, partly because I had already worn out my VHS of the Synchronicity Concert 10 years before, and I felt I had better bootleg gigs from 1979.

I’m looking forward to reading the replies from the experts on this board… which I believe there are a few.

Johnny

[ladyhawke]

hello johnny200 i am new a little to but we make people like family here. i dont know your question but sound interesting lol

[TheEqualizer]

Welcome Johnny!

I think I knew the answer to this at some time, but I can no longer recall the answer. I am fairly sure it is not from 79 or 80 but I can be waay wrong. I checked the Police wiki, but I did not see the answer there.

Your best chance is for Deitmar to see this question. He'll know.

[Johnny2000]

I’ve searched the internet for information on the recording, and I’ve come up with nothing. It’s always puzzled me why other tracks from the gig were never released. Plus, as there are 1000’s of Police live bootlegs out there these days I’m surprised the full gig has never shown up…. Or maybe it has?

[Dietmar]

we've had this question before and I don't have a solution for it
I once thought I'd heard the exact same version (minus overdubs) on some live recording
but I couldn't find it when I searched for it
sounds like early 1980 to my ears
I might find the time to narrow it down by listening to some boots from that time...
Dietmar

[exit0]

I seem to remember that some thought it was from the Miami 11/79 gig, but I haven't A/B'd them to confirm that. Personally I think it may be from a different gig around that time, but I really don't know. I was hearing it on the radio in 1980, so it has to be from the 79/80 tour time.

[exit0]

Sorry, October 26, 1979. That's what I get for trusting my memory.

[TheEqualizer]

Hmm. Miami 79? I think I have that show somewhere. Not on my iPod here at work. If this is the show I am thinking about, its one of the few boots that I have where No Time This Time is played. I'll have to search my hard drives.

[sockii]

I'll leave it to the Bootmasters to sort out this one...but welcome, Johnny2000!

[ltwoman]

Welcome, Johnny2000!

[English-lion]

welcome Johnny

[Johnny2000]

Thank you all for the warm welcome !!

It looks like I might actually get the answer regarding which gig its from .... there really are experts on here !!

There seemed to be a lot of FM radio broadcasts around 1979/1980, so i might be able to find the whole gig in decent quality.

[Schmaffy]

Hey, hey Johnny. Won't you come out and play? (first thing I thought of)

Good question. Welcome!

[kmart]

Johnny2000,

Sounds like you know what you are talking about...that immediately puts you out of my league!!!

Hello and welcome to another Police Fan....

So tell us...How did you become a fan?

[Johnny2000]

Kmart in answer to your question, I became a fan back in 1980, and then a few years later at 12 years old the first gig I ever went to was the Synchronicity concert… for a 12 year old kid who was learning to play the guitar it was pretty mind blowing to say the least. What followed was probably an unhealthy obsession that resulted in the purchase of many live bootleg cassettes and videos. In the last 10-15 years Sting has kind of lost me musically, but the old Police tracks still remain on heavy rotation.

Are most people here fans from the first time around?