BTW, courtesy of Babelfish and tweaked with my very old French skills (il y a 12 ans?) but with no access to a French dictionary at the moment.
Gert does a great job, but I suck. Apologies for mutilating Stewart's words and both the French and English languages.
I would appreciate if the more knowledgeable out there would please help fix the places where I am so obviously in Idaho.
Intro by Gert:
Stewart Copeland, he is the heart of The Police. Who decides at the end of 1976 all to release to create his own punk/rock band? [Quoi? "de tout lâcher pour créer"???] Him. Who decides that it will be a trio, in homage to the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and that it will be called The Police because of his fascination for a father founder of the CIA? Still him! Who discovers Sting, then a singer of jazz, and with the visionary idea proposes to him to play punk and to join his band? Always him. True mentor of the group, Stewart Copeland, virtuoso of the drums, "a mené le groupe à la baguette au propre comme au figuré" [HELP?], at least in the first years, the most difficult but the most decisive ones too. He did all, manager, press agent, designer, promoter, "tagueur" [tagger?], house of disc... [house of disc? record store?]
Then, there was "la prise de pouvoir" [HELP] of Sting, imposed by the undeniable quality of his compositions and by his natural charisma. The competition which resulted from this gave place to permanent battles and a healthy competition which made it possible to give rise to a discography "époustouflante" [???]. But playing dog (Stewart) and cat (Sting) for 7 years can end up being wearying. The marriage of convenience touches its end in 1984 and Sting, frightened with the idea of "replonger" [???] in this love/hate relationship, takes the "la poudre d’escampette" [???] during almost a quarter century, in spite of the revivals and pressures that come from "toute part" [???]
A fine strategist, Stewart Copeland, thanks to his recent film on the group, is the principal initiator of the successful return of The Police, about which everyone is talking right now. Exclusive meeting before the first concert in Vancouver.
Interview:
Gert: Your world 2007 tour, the first for 23 years, the thirtieth birthday of the group, do you remember the way in which it all started?
SC: It was with the autumn 1976, I was in Newcastle, a city of the north of England, with the progressive-rock group Curved Air, of which I had then been a part for two years. After the concert, a local journalist proposed to take us to a concert of Last Exit, a group “du coin” [on the corner???], which he particularly appreciated. So we went there but the conditions in this concert were deplorable. Initially scheduled in the theatre of the University of Newcastle, the group “avait dû se rabattre” [had had to fold themselves???] into a classroom without lighting. Somebody brought back desk lamps so that the public could see something! As for Last Exit, it was a kind of group of rather tedious jazz, playing titles “à rallonge” [???] of 15 minutes each, but I immediately noticed their bass player. He had something really special, “son aura rayonnait dans la pièce“ [his aura radiated in the part???], and the girls seemed magnetized by this guy with the youthful face. And his bass playing . . . He had an impressive technique and a very developed play. I said to myself "wow, what energy!"
At that time, I was already “lorgnais” [???]on the punk scene and I was immediately conquered by its wild energy. In the van which brought us back to London, the following day, I remember that the musicians of Curved Air “évertuaient” [???] themselves to criticize the performances of Last Exit and particularly that of its singer/bassist. Musicians are very jealous, especially when they meet somebody who exceeds them. “Cela m’a mis la puce à l’oreille.” [something about putting something to one’s ear?]
Some time later, when the idea to found my own group was “précisée,” I reconsidered this bass player from Newcastle, remembering that he had the advantage of also being a singer. If he agreed to join my band, “il ne me resterait plus alors” that I find a guitarist. So I called up Phil Sutcliffe, the journalist at the beginning of our meeting, but he refused to communicate his number to me. Having had wind of my projects, he did not want to risk, “de par mon fait” [on the part of my doing?], the dissolution of a group that he appreciated so much. In spite of his refusal, I “entêté “myself (I am rather an obstinate type) and “lorsque j’ai tenté de
le rappeler pour le convaincre,” I fell on his friend who, she, not being in the confidence, gave me the number without hesitating. C’est ainsi” that I could call Sting, “car c’était bien de lui dont il s’agissait.”
Much later, we spoke again of this anecdote with Phil Sutcliffe because we remained in contact. That gave to us the opportunity for a [“franche rigolade”? frank laugh?]
Gert: What did you say to Sting during that first phone call?
SC: From the start, I told him: "here, I’m calling you from London and I hold “à ce que tu saches” that this conversation does not relate to your group, but to you only. “Il y a-t-il la moindre chance pour que tu montes à Londres pour faire le grand saut ?” [Is there the least chance (or any chance) that you would come to London to take a great leap?] I very clearly remember that what he then responded to me: “Continue . . . "
So I gave him my sweet talk, explaining my desire to leave Curved Air, a group relatively known in England at the time, and of my project for a punk group, underlining my connections in the music industry (the brother of Stewart, Miles Copeland, future manager of The Police, already had a solid reputation in the trade). Sting concluded by telling me that he would arrive from London in three days! I remember that the date fell on a Thursday, it was the beginning of January 1977. While hanging up again I was pretty embarrassed because I had lied to him on one point: I had said to him that I already had a guitarist. He didn’t leave me much time to find one . . .
Gert: London was a decisive stage for any group wishing to succeed. Were you Sting’s only connection in the capital?
SC: No, Sting also knew Carol Wilson and her companion Mike Howlett (the bass player of Gong), which, later, allowed us to meet Andy Summers, our guitarist. Sting loves to say that the first time that he set foot in London, Carol Wilson who directed the section editions of Virgin (Virgin Publishing), signed a contract to him. In fact, Carol signed everyone, she held the rights of editions to all the punk groups, she was very “maline.” That did not cost him very much, I believe that she had to give to Sting nearly 150 pounds sterling . . . “Ils se sont d’ailleurs retrovés au tribunal par la suite.” [???]
Gert: It appears that before recruiting Sting, you failed to “tenter l’aventure” [???] with other musicians. Is that true?
SC: Indeed. This anecdote is little known. Not succeeding in obtaining the coordinates of Sting, I had come into contact with a group recently formed, The Rockets. I remember that they already had some songs and had their own material of the scene as well as a “fourgonnette” [???]. They had not found direction yet then when I exposed my concept to them they were “emballés” [???]. They said to me "cool, we are going to change our name to be called The Police". They was correct musicians, neither more nor less, and I was about to join them when I said to myself that I was still going to try to find the coordinates of this famous Sting. After our conversation, I thus suspended my decision to join The Rockets until our next meeting.
Gert: Speak to me about this famous meeting. It was exactly thirty years ago . . .
SC: The Thursday in question, Sting arrived. At that time, I lived in a superb duplex, located in Mayfair, a crested district of London. It was in fact a squat of luxury (cf the autobiography of Sting, "Broken Music"). In one of the large parts, on the floor, I had arranged a “salle de repetition” [rehearsal room?] with my drums, various instruments, and the amplifiers that someone had lent to me.
Obviously, Sting did not realize that I was squatting and the place made a strong impression, even if “n’en a rien laissé paraître.“ [it was nothing like it appeared?]. He thought that I had already succeeded. “Nous en avons pas mal reparlé lorsqu’il a appris la réalité de la situation.[“We did not speak badly about it when he had learned the reality of the situation.?] In any case, this was a decisive mistake, because Sting was persuaded that my connections would be useful to him. It was not the style of music that I had proposed to him, punk, that interested him, because he profoundly hated what he had heard heard. For him who did not like “alors que le jazz,,“ punk symbolized the Antichrist! Then, I convinced him to follow me to the punk clubs of the time, the Roxy, the Vortex, the Hope & Anchor and he started to appreciate the energy of these groups, the power which emerged from their music and the hysteria that it caused in the public. He understood that something was happening. He himself had already run up against the closed doors of the music industry on several occasions and he started to foresee, just like me, an opening which this new tendency conferred. Admittedly, it was for him a strange and wild universe, but he realized that “tout pouvait arriver car le punk était avide
de nouvelles têtes” [anyone could make it because punk was something about new heads?] That’s why Sting followed me then remained faithful to me because “soyons honnête” [to be honest?]“ he did not do it for the quality of the repertory that I proposed to him. Although he agreed to play them, the songs that I had written that constituted the original repertory of The Police were not really brilliant.
Gert: Did the first concerts come quickly?
SC: Yes. Once the repertory was assembled with the Corsican guitarist Henry Padovani, I succeeded in finding us quickly a tour as opening part of Cherry Vanilla, an ex-press agent of Bowie turned singer. Coming from New York with a guitarist and a keyboard, she was missing a rhythm section. Me and Sting thus joined the group in exchange de quoi elle nous a laissés assurer sa première partie, en plus d’un cachet modeste, mais providential”, of 15 pounds. Our first concert took place in Wales (cf: at the club Alexander's of Newport, March 1 1977). It lasted between 20 and 30 minutes.
Gert: Did these little-known beginnings leave you with good memories?
SC: “Cela apris bien du temps et il afa llu beaucoup d’étapes.” [???] We climbed the steps one by one. Each time we reached the top of one, we had the impression “d’être tout en haut” [of being all on top?]. When we had our first Saturday at the Marquee on the head of the poster [of the bill?] in 1977, we had the feeling of having pulled down the moon. We were “prenions” [caught? Reaching?] for the stars. Each progress seemed impossible to us to surpass and that is however what we did. With this philosophy, we were “prenions” [???] already for the masters of the world whereas we were nothing.
Gert: We have just evoked your beginnings, some words maintaining on after The Police. The occasions to see you together were rather rare after your separation. Before this triumphal tour, you for example played three titles at the time of the 2003 edition of the Rock 'n' roll Roll Hall Of Fame, a good memory?
SC: Yes, except that all this pseudo ceremony of establishment “ne vaut pas un clou à mes yeux“ [is not worth a nail in my eyes?]. This kind of honorary title passes completely over my head. Fortunately, Sting needed another trophy for his chimney and he wanted to take part in it. So I jumped on the occasion and I greatly appreciated remaking a part of The Police, even if it were only for fifteen minutes for which it was necessary to add two days of rehearsale. But the organizers of this trick are real “connards” [jerks?]. Each participant had the right to invite one guest and me who wanted to take along my children (Stewart has 7 of them), because they had never been able to see The Police, I have to pay 2,500 dollars per additional person! I would have preferred a thousand times to reform The Police at the cafe on the corner but as it was the only occasion to play with Sting for years, I was not going to be the difficult one.
Gert: Then that had been your first meeting again in 17 years . . .
SC: It did not seem to me that the marriage of Sting “remonte à aussi loin” [???]
Gert: Really?
SC: No, I’m kidding. We played only three songs and we were completely drunk!
Gert: You will set out again with them for a very awaited world tour. Speak to me about Sting and Andy Summers. What [kind of?] musicians are they?
SC: Sting one day declared to the press that he was not a true bass player. I said myself: "whore, but “mais qu’est ce qu’il raconte” [what can he say?]. I played with Stanley Clarke and Claypool who are incredible bass players, I play with the most famous “en permanence” [???]. Ok, some can play more quickly but he is without question the best bass player with whom I ever played. Not because of his technique but because of the feeling with which he plays and the places that he explores. I undoubtedly feel that also because we "grew" together, we found our marks and our “griffe” [???] while working together. As soon as I hear him on the bass, I want only one thing, to throw myself onto my instrument. His playing speaks to me. With Andy, he is very technical but can also create beautiful harmonies on our groove. “Le groove c’est bien, mais cela ne fait pas tout donc Andy nous complète bien.” [Help.] He is probably the most sophisticated of the three, the one who has studied his instrument the most.
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