How did you become

[Marshmallow Jones 1]

Similar ride as a few others here. I had always like the drums since I was a little kid, I used to tap my hands on everything. In 83 or so I was a frehsman in high school when MTV got popular. I used to love to watch the drummers whenever they were shown, Van Halen's 'Jump' was a big favorite with Alex's huge kit. Funny enough, I distinctly remember seeing the 'Wrapped Around your Finger' with a friend of mine who also liked the drums and we thought the close up in that video of Stew hitting both the splash cymbals (just before the chorus) was kind of dicky, like 'look at this guy trying to look cool playing kid's cymbals' (ahh to be young and ignorant).

For some reason I have always thought the sound of an open, sizzling hi hat is about the best sound on the planet. So around 86 or 87 when I started listening more to the Police, I got stuck on the chorus of "So Lonely' with that open hi hat part and probably played that song 30 million times. After that I bought just about everything Stewart put out, I got the Equaliser tape, the Klark Kent tape (both since lost), and lsitened to it all. At the end of the day I have to admit my favorite material of his is what he did with the Police, especially the drumming on the last 3 albums. Now that I'm a bit older with some disposible income, I've managed to set up my own drum kit and find (predicatably) that it's not too dissimilar from the one the Man Himself played in the 80s, as playing along to the Police albums is a favorite past time (someday I'll post a picture). Just wish I could find an opportunity to get in a part time band(I do work for a living after all)! If anyone's looking for a drummer in the northern NYC suburbs, let me know!!

[georgygirl]

I wonder what are the newbies stories about this topic???

[TheEqualizer]

I love it when old posts get resurrected.

Anyway, I was in jr high when Synchronicity took the world by storm. I grew up in Wisconsin, and the show in Milwaukee was on the tail end of the US tour. Thus, by the time I went to see them, all the videos from that album had been released. I was particularly struck by Stewart's playing in Wrapped Around Your Finger. I think that was the first time that I ever really closely watched a drummer play before. When I saw the Police live, I actually really only knee Synchronicity and the major singles (every little thing, roxanne, de do do do, don't stand). After I saw the show, I immediately went out and go the rest of their tapes and have been hooked since. I then really got into the Equalizer and that really cemented by love for Copeland's music. I think I got Rumblefish not long after and then began seeking essentially everything I could find pertaining to Stewart (got the Texas Chainsaw Massacre II sountrack on LP, the Out of Bounds LP, etc.)

Cutting to the chase, I was a casual fan until I saw them live, which started this deep addiction to Stewart's music that I enjoy having today.

[irishrose1969]

Well, hearing Roxanne early on started it for me. I loved the song. Then later on seeing pictures of the guys in magazines and videos. I saw Stewart and that was it for me. I have been addicted to him ever since. Watching videos, wallpapering the whole bedroom with Stewart pics and police pics. Family having a custom made T Shirt for me with his pic on it one Christmas. Will never forget that one. Hmm. La La La girlie giggles.
My recent purchase...Vater sticks...of course cuz his name is on them. I am not as die hard as some of you...but in my right...I am hardcore fan..a lifelong fan.

Forever a Stewart Copeland Fan.....my hero. Huggs n kisses to u. You Rock Stewart. Thank you for everything. You are an amazing talent. Take care and have fun. You are incredible.

Now if I could just get my wish...and meet him darn it. some of you so lucky. That is my ultimate dream.

Hope you all are having fun at the shows...the guys are so awesome. Be safe.

[pt1171]

I got into The Police when one of my more outlaw-ish friends gave me a copy of Zenyatta Mondatta for my birthday. I was probably a few years to young to be receiving rock records as birthday presents. My mother sure didn't like it very much. She even screened it before letting me have it. But after finding no evdence of deviltry or any hidden sinister messages she reluctantly allowed me to have the record. And over the years she actually came to like the band. I think she preferred the Police posters I'd put up on my bedroom walls to the OZZY posters or those Led Zep and other "fuzzy" black posters sold at Spencer's Gifts.

So anyway, The Police were my very first favorite rock band, and Stewart was, of course, my favorite drummer. And I became obsessed with his monster drum hit, and used to draw it, or try to, on my paper-sack school textbook covers.

[visions]

I fell in love with Stewart when I first saw the Police in the 1979 - 1980's.

Who was Sting? here was this gorgeous American who just rocked my world. I love his attitude and look on life and i still think he is gorgeous.

Brilliant, talent and formed the Police who give me peace in this crazy world today.

This is a dream come true. I never saw the Police a live I hope to see them in Australia even if for some reason that doesn't happen they have given back my passion, and have given so much pleasure to me and so many other. That is a great gift to give the world and they don't take that for granted.

Stewart you have so much to be proud and nothing to prove to anyone!

Love you for ever Jan!

[Divemistress of the Dark]

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I honestly don't remember a time when I wasn't at least somewhat aware of both The Police and its individual members. I have an older sibling that had me listening to good stuff early on and I think I still have the beat-up cassette copy he made me of "Outlandos" when I was still in primary school.

Which is why I'm willing to go to such lengths to see 'em again, I guess...they've just always been there in the background as a standard to which many subsequent artists have been compared.

As far as Stewart individually, I'd have to say I always found him to be the more interesting personality, as based on interviews from back in the day. After the band broke up, I always followed his soundtrack work and kept up on what he was doing. A friend made me a dub of the Klark Kent record in 1985 or so, which I always had around as well. However, my current level of mania didn't take root until I saw Oysterhead at Bonnaroo in 2006 and was blown away.

[sandy]

like Divemistress, i had an older brother who was the one who introduced me to the Police-after i heard Roxanne, i was hooked! i had seen the album cover and automatically my eyes went to Stewart-thought he was so cute-we did not have MTV when it first came out, but would catch their videos and catch interviews when i went to friends houses, and always thought that Stewart was so witty and such a smart ass, and loved the way he played the drums.(also loved the shorts and tube socks!)- - after they broke up, tried to keep up with what he did, but alas, life happened to me and lost touch for awhile and really did not know that this site existed until i saw the remarks he made on their performance and it had a link to this site, and have to say that it has sparked my obsession with him again! thanks alot Stewart! something i won't forget 'cause i've gotten the chance to meet some really nice people here and who are just as crazy 'bout you as i am.(sorry, don't want to sound crazy or nothing, but that's how i feel!)

[Rhianntp]

For me it was the early days of MTV and how great radio was back then...I became aware of the Police by hearing tunes from Ghost in the Machine alot on the radio and then later seeing them on MTV... as I got older and i would listen to the songs more closely I couldnt halp but notice how the drums from these songs had so much more power and meaning to them than others... I fell in love with that sound..... and that sound is Stewart's spirit

[Jennythenipper]

As a kid, I got hooked on Don't Stand So Close to Me. I loved Sting, was totally obsessed with him, but I remember looking at the albums and their were a lot of interesting songs penned by this Copeland fellow. Then I started watching the live things I could get ahold of (Synchronicity tour concerts mostly) and I just loved his energy and personality. Also his humor and his short shorts and tube socks. I love them all, but over the years Stewart has gradually grown to be afave. Then Everyone Stares came out and I fell in love all over again. It was Police 24/7 as it bloody well should be!

[jeffdaweasel]

I actually had recently discussed this topic on another forum.

My very first significant experience with the Police that I remember: I was in 8th grade, it was fall 1981, and my friend's mom had picked us up from the intermediate school to take us home. She drove a red Ford Granada, and it had an FM radio, which was a pretty cool deal in 1981 still.

I had a crush on a girl at the time. I don't remember which girl, but I was into her. And this brand new song came on the radio... "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic". And I was transfixed! It's strange, because I was into bands like Aerosmith and AC/DC at the time. The basic poppy style of the music wasn't something you'd think I'd enjoy then.

So, that evening, I asked my parents for the album, and they got it for me. They were cool. Still are.

Interestingly, I found that while I started out listening only to "Every Little Thing", I quickly got deeper into other parts of the album. I remember loving "Invisible Sun", "Omegaman", "SITMW" and "One World (Not Three)".

GitM was the first Police record of many that would suck me in like that, insidiously. I next got Outlandos. Then Regatta and Zenyatta at the same time. By the following year when I started high school, I could play every note and sing every lyric to every Police tune in the catalog.

By the time Synchronicity came out when I was a sophomore, I was already in that mode of being snarky because suddenly everyone was getting into this band I'd loved for years. But I remained a fan. And today, 26 years after becoming aware of them, a fan I remain.

[Rusty James]

High school in the early 80's. An awkward time for most teens going down that road. I was taking drum lessons after school once a week and would return home to my less than stellar, rental drum kit to practice what I had picked up on that week. I was instantly drawn to The Police because of the awesome sound of the drums and the master behind them. Ghost In The Machine had come and gone and Synchronicity was coming. All through high school I listened to the boys on my gigantic Sony Walkman (cd players were not there yet) and I had just got a copy of The Rhythmatist on vinyl. Ah the 80's!

[dontboxmein]

I was about 7-8 can't remember, but anyway I lived next door to an African man. And he would always play his African drum outside at this point I had been playing drums for about a year. He was a soccer player in his country and he would also practice that sport in his back yard. Well one day in his boom box was playing "Bring On The Night" my instinct picked up on the groove rather quickly. I went out and bought The only two albums they had out. Outlandos and Regatta ...I went to work on The Copeland Rhythms right away. I always dug world rhythms.

With in about three years I could play all The Police stuff note for note...then I started developing my own style and niche. The funny thing I had no idea who Manu Katche was...I was playing like that before I even new him. Then I started African Drumming for the next 10 yrs or so. I thought to myself I learned Middle Eastern Rhythms now it is time for African Rhythms. And I put those influences also in my style of playing.


But I did not stop there...Klark Kent really impressed me...so I too started learning all kinds of instruments and started singing. So now I compose, write, sing and drum...which of course drumming will always be my favorite of all of it...however I do enjoy song writing. I am working on my first album right now and my producer is going nuts over the thing. He's says this could be "The New Police" only time will tell. Sting/Peter Gabriel/Andy Partridge...have really inspired me as a musician as well, but
once agian if it weren't for Stew I would not be the musician I am today Thanks Stew!!!!!!

[Divemistress of the Dark]

[quote]My very first significant experience with the Police that I remember: I was in 8th grade, it was fall 1981, and my friend's mom had picked us up from the intermediate school to take us home. She drove a red Ford Granada, and it had an FM radio, which was a pretty cool deal in 1981 still.

I had a crush on a girl at the time. I don't remember which girl, but I was into her. And this brand new song came on the radio... "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic". And I was transfixed! It's strange, because I was into bands like Aerosmith and AC/DC at the time. The basic poppy style of the music wasn't something you'd think I'd enjoy then.
[/quote]

I have a similar story. I was eleven years old, riding in the back of my brother's brown 1979 Trans Am. I can vividly remember hearing De Do Do Do come on the radio...to the point that I can tell you what I was wearing and specifically which intersection where we were stopped.

Since I usually have a memory like a steel sieve, this is a rarity. I didn't know what that song was, but I decided pretty quickly I was going to find out. I don't think I actually had a stereo of my own at the time, and I had to lobby pretty hard to get to use my brother's...but I did have a bike, ten dollars a week allowance and a nearby Sound Warehouse.

[DirtyMartini]

I honestly have no idea. The Police have been on the radio for nearly all of my conscious memory. It seems that way, at least.

(And which is funny because it sounds like I'm the opposite of Dive -- I usually notice and remember the ridiculous details that no one else does. But in this case, they just always were.)