New Album Rumours? - Guitar World Article

[Mister Gradenko]

Here's an interesting item from Guitar World. Looks like Andy keeps revealing the band's future bit by bit...

"Police guitarist Andy Summers has told Guitar World that the recently reunited group began writing new songs while in rehearsal for their current world tour. And apparently, the songs were complete enough for the group to consider performing them live onstage.
However, says Summers, “we were actually instructed not to do new material on the tour. People don’t want it. When you do a so-called reunion tour, what people essentially want to hear is the hits.”
Still, the guitarist tells Guitar World not to rule out an album of new Police material “next year or something.” It would be the first new album from the group — which includes bassist Sting and drummer Stewart Copeland — since their 1983 studio swan song, Synchronicity.
Meanwhile, Summers is releasing a collaborative album with classical guitarist Benjamin Verdery titled First You Build a Cloud, which will be available as a download in the States and on Real Artist records in Europe. He has also just released his third photography book, I’ll Be Watching You: Inside the Police 1980–83, a deluxe coffee table volume published by Taschen."


What do you think? Is he referring to the acoustic / unplugged cd perhaps?

[Mercury Rising]

This confirms my post about Sting writing new songs while in Vancouver. He was trying out new material while in his hotel room and ran to Andy's room to get his input. How amazing a new album would be!!!
I am currently reading Andy's autobiography "One Train Later" - an excellent book, beautifully written, with a wealth of music history and anecdotes - highly recommended!

[blueboy]

A new album would be fantastic....but something is bothering me about all these little "hints"....

Andy is the only one saying anything!

Either he is unable to keep a secret....or someone forgot to send him the "no new material" memo when he was in Idaho.

I'm still hopeful for an album of new songs, but I'd settle for studio versions of the new arrangements, which are really starting to grow on me.

[hollo]

especially don't stand so close to me which is a great reworking of a classic song. I'm loving it.

[Three over Four]

[quote]someone forgot to send him the "no new material" memo when he was in Idaho.[/quote]

HILARIOUS!!

BTW, I-84 through central Idaho is the most boring drive ever....it makes one feel like this planet is not at all overcrowded!

[New Zealand Promoter]

With regard to rerecording songs (and, incidentally, reworking them for a live show)... an old adage may be worth remembering:

"if it ain't broke, why fix it?"

What will still sound classic in 20 years? The original or a reworking? Why bother? Surely they have some creative bones left which don't require them to ride on the coat tails of past glory just to make another record? Ridiculous. I'd rather hear them record new songs rather than screw with the classics. Not one of their reworkings (ie 'De do do do', 'truth 83', 'don't stand') stands up to the originals. Why try fixing what isn't broken?

Interesting that Andy is quoted as using the word "instructed" as in "instructed" not to play new material.

The band needed someone to tell them this? Or they simply considered it and took on board someones "Instructions" ? I think that's rubbish. Why would they take "instructions" ? The inclusion of one or two new songs would not have lost them a single ticket sale. What a stupid idea. He's either misquoted or something weird happened.

The Police, Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, "instructed" what to play?

Come on, man. What a crock of shit.

[Wait and See]

Maybe, seeing the reaction, they realized people might be interested in this whole Police thing after all and expanded their plans for the future...maybe they originally intended to throw a couple of tracks on the new compilation, but then began thinking about a whole album.

There is a short bit of music at the end of one of the recent rehearsal videos (Tour Rehearsals Part 5) on the official site that sounded very much like it could have been something new. Could also have been random noodling off of "Every Little Thing...", but it caught my ear.

[blueboy]

[quote]"if it ain't broke, why fix it?" [/quote]

Exactly! Just like Punk music man. I mean what is wrong with good old balls to the wall three chord PUNK? Why the hell would anybody start playing reggae and tango crap all over it...and trying to make it all artsy and stuff with sophisticated melodies and sh*t?

"if it ain't broke, why fix it?"



Ok, seriously, I think you need to cut the people who "actually make the music that goes on to become classic" a bit of a break. I don't always like everything Sting does, but you can't box that kind of a creative person in by telling them they can't change one of their own creations! That is partly what led to them breaking up in the first place.

If you listen to the fan club show a few times, you will see that there is some really excellent music going on in those new arrangements. There are a ton of great ideas that could lead to a new direction for some new material. But if (for whatever reason) no new songs are written, then I would love to at least hear a good studio version of these arrangements.

The sooner people start to realize that the "angry young Sting" isn't coming back, the sooner they will be able to appreciate what he's doing "TODAY" with The Police. Personally, I could do without some of the overly Sting influenced stuff, but it still sounds a hell of a lot better when he does what he does... in The Police...rather than solo. And even Stingified Police is infinitely better than what is on the radio today.

Not every reworked song hits the mark, but there is some VERY cool stuff going on in quite a few of them.

[Three over Four]

<<<<The Police, Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, "instructed" what to play?

Come on, man. What a crock of shit.>>>>

Yeah, that'd be like telling the Police that the reworking of their songs doesn't work, or that Sting needs to use a pick to bring out more clarity.

[georgygirl]

fear to risk?

[Philip]

[quote]
“we were actually instructed not to do new material on the tour. People don’t want it. When you do a so-called reunion tour, what people essentially want to hear is the hits.”
[qoute]

What is this bullshit? Who will arrest the police if you do new material? And call it differently as a “reunion – tour”, call it “a come back” or “life goes on” maybe…

I can’t believe te “legendary” Andy said something like this or is the complete story only about “legend”. We know now (we grew up in the laps of time) legends doesn’t exist.

[PhilippeC]

[quote="Wait and See"]There is a short bit of music at the end of one of the recent rehearsal videos (Tour Rehearsals Part 5) on the official site that sounded very much like it could have been something new. Could also have been random noodling off of "Every Little Thing...", but it caught my ear.[/quote]

YES, I noticed it too... And I'm sure we're not alone! A teaser or an alternative end for "Every little thing..."?

Concerning the 'instruction' Andy would have talked about (not playing new songs), I cannot believe a single word and it is absolutely non sense! Because except fans, who knows "Walking in your footsteps", "Murder by numbers"... or even "Truth hits everybody" for example? The major part of the audience only knows the hits, that's all. I can hardly believe everyone at the gig was able to recognize ALL the songs they played... It is also strongly possible some people in the audience thought "Walking in your footsteps" or "Next to you" were NEW songs! LOL

[Laz]

In the video, it's basically the ending to Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic that I keep wishing they would play on stage (although I will concede that the crowd in Vegas the other night was enjoying the song with their normal live ending quite alot.)

Laz

[Wait and See]

You're probably right...it was a re-working of the fade-out on the record.

When Andy says "instructed", he's obviously using a bit of "rhetorical flourish". The record label, publicists, concert promoters, whoever, probably suggested they do it that way. If they originally intended to put out a couple of songs and then started leaning toward a new album, you'd want to save those new songs for the album, and a potential tour to follow. I'm sure Andy's comments were based on some degree of fact--but they are probably preliminary plans, and he let the cat out of the bag. Counting your chickens before they hatch, etc...if it gets out, then all of a sudden there is more pressure on the process, and maybe even less interest in the reunion tour if people know there will be something more coming down the road.

[george]

Wait and See,

Exactly my thoughts :

What would make the tickets sell out even faster ? Announcing that the reunion would be the end, that it was all only for a year, etc. So if this w<as the truth then Sting would already have said it..

I think that They haven't decided what to do yet. Enjoy the tour then see. They obviously have recorded/demoed a few songs already.

Maybe they'll add them to the MTV unplugged show. Maybe they'll release a whole album...who knows...

The serious question is would a new Police Album be a hit ? Would it bring in lots of Money ?