The Police Redeemed
by John R. Kasich
Last year, I went to see The Police when they came to Columbus. I could not have been more disappointed with the show. They looked uninterested — like three solo acts who weren’t willing to play together. On top of it, they didn’t let Sting play any of his hit songs. When someone pays a lot of money to see a show, you expect them to put some effort into entertaining you. I drove home, hoping that the band just had an off night.
I decided to give them another chance. Recently I caught The Police in Argentina while watching Palladia (I know I’ve blogged about Palladia before, and I’ll do it again. It’s an absolutely fantastic way to enjoy music.) They still didn’t play any of Sting’s greatest hits, but the band was tight and energetic. I suppose it’s easy to get jazzed when you’re playing in front of Argentinians, but the point is they showed they still had it. If they swing through Columbus again, I may have to line up for tickets again.
John can be reached at Recharge Ohio, Twitter, or Facebook.
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39 Comments
Actually, I think I'd be pretty annoyed if I went to a Police show and they gave any significant time to any of the members post-Police work. Just as I wouldn't want a Beatles reunion show in some alternate universe to have much of the Wings or Plastic Ono Band material. If I wanted to hear Band on the Run live, I'd go to a Wings show.
Of course, it doesn't help that I've had a great dislike for Gordon Sumner's solo career.
I'd have to agree with epobirs. I love the police, but stings overproduced pretentious solo stuff jus doesn't cut it for me. One of the best things about the police's music is the reggae beat, which is not in any of sting's solo efforts.
I feel Gordan Sumner should stick with the tantric sex …and leave well enough alone with the music. The high point of his career was "Dune"
My bad…Gordon
Awww, no love for Sting's post-Police career? I always liked his stuff– but then, I never claimed to have any taste.
I'm a huge fan of the police, I've had all their albums on tape, vinyl, cd and now computer, but their live performing days are past. Plus, it was pretty obvious they can't stand each other. I think they only got together to milk us for a few more dollars.
Still, I'm glad to hear one of the better Republican (former) Congressman has taste in music!!
I can't imagine what Nancy Pelosi listens to? Let's see, Bad Company? No, she just keeps it. Cheap Trick? No, that's just her political style. Dire Straits? No, that's just the result of her politics. Men at Work? Hardly. New Order? Getting closer. Hmmm. I know, Milli Vanilli.
I would have to say I would much rather see their early stuff, instead of Sting's later stuff. Of course, I remember it best from seeing it all live in 1981. Dang, I'm old!
is there such a thing as as Sting's greatest hits? He has prodeced the most treacle of any (relatively) gifted artist I've ever seen… Andy Summers, however has done very nice work as has Stewart Copeland. The only reason they are together is Sting's lifestyle (tantric sex is quite costly) is very rive' gauche…
I always thought that everything they made sounded like everything else they made. Ooooh–listen to that haunting sound. "I'll Be Watching You" was catchy pop music, the rest was just boring and a little dissonant. Then Sting went off on his own. And it got worse. Throw in some non-English lyrics so the rubes will think you're an intellectual. For haunting sounds, I'll stick to Steely Dan (even though their lyrics made no damn sense at all). For non-English lyrics, I'll take a salsa band over Sting's fractured French any day. And the relatively unknown Matt Keeslar was a better Faed (SciFi remake of "Dune").
Look, I like Sting's music just as much as the next guy but Johnny baby, this was a "POLICE'' concert, not a Sting concert! Next time, go see "STING'' in concert by himself…
Hey, Andrew: I got into the legal profession (followed by labor relations) knowing that in those professions I wouldn't look ridiculous plying my trade at age 65. Lawyers and execs don't get old, they "mature." That cannot be said about rock performers. You're absolutely right about Sting and The Police. But the same applies to The Stones, David Bowie, and my all-time favorites The Eagles. Watching these guys try to gum their way across a stage is just too much. Didn't agree with you about The Police, early, late or nearly-defunct. But wouldn't it be boring if we all liked the same bands?
Back in the early 80's I was in several "Police-ish" bands. Absolutely love the reggae-pop fusion stuff and wrote several songs in that style myself. For those who don't like Sting's post-constabulary work, I'd respectfully disagree. He hired absolutely top flight sidemen, many of whom were stars in their own right in the field of jazz and jazz fusion, and Sting really is a gifted writer, if inconsistent. In fact, one of the greatest live shows I've ever seen in my life was Sting at the Palladium in NYC at a private affair I was invited to (The tickets were printed on aluminum keychains that you could keep as souvenirs!) back in '87 or '88. His band was just AMAZINGLY tight and he was in fine voice that night. I was literally leaning against the stage a couple of feet from him, in awe, of course.
His first two solo albums did go multi-platinum, you know.
Yes, as a huge Police fan, myself, I think Sting successfully helped to create a niche for his style and build a mainstream appeal for rock that seamlessly incorporated jazz and fusion elements. I met his son once backstage at another band's concert. He quite strongly stated that he never listened to his dad's music. I took it to mean both Police and solo work. Strangely, I had practically the identical conversation some months later with Yusef Lateef jr. Quite puzzling, but, then again, I guess not.
Yeah, John, you went to see the Police,not a Sting show.
And I have to agree with the pro Police crowd. Way better than anything Sting did. Yeah, he had groovy cats playing with him, but that bored me. It couldn't mask his pedestrian song writing.
I saw them in New Orleans last summer. They were excellent. Stewart Copeland looked like he was having fun and I thoroughly enjoyed the show.
The opening band was called Fiction Plane (Sting's son). Maybe I misunderstood, but I think that the lyrics of one of their songs was "F_ _ _ youself and F_ _ _ your cigarettes." Lame.
I like the Police and Sting, so I'll speak up in favor of both. I saw Sting in concert with Lyle Lovett in Chicago years ago. Such a strange pair and yet it was an excellent concert. I didn't know much about Lyle at the time (I went to see Sting) but now I'm a fan of both.
But as much as I enjoy the Police, they should stay broken up. They clearly hate each other and just sucks all the joy right out of their music.
Variety is the spice of life, couldn't agree more. Sadly, too many of these bands just can't do it anymore, but they keep trying. Who am I to tell them to stop, but it's hard to watch. Love Bowie, by the way, I saw him in Denver in 1990something, 2 1/2 hours of his greatest hits — awesome show.
Was he in "Dune"? Man that was a Sominex pill of a flick.
I saw him at Redrocks in Denver, great show, but I really liked his police days better. Bring on the Night, Bed's Too Big, Message in a Bottle, those are hard to top…. (turns stereo up)….
Message in a Bottle. Best Police song ever. They went downhill from there, IMO.
http://the100mostannoyingthings.blogspot.com/
I think the Police are right to hate each other. Has there ever been a more idiotic sentiment expressed out loud than "I hope the Russians love their children too"? Why don't we give them the benefit of the doubt, Gordo? You sanctimonious sack of… of… …sanctimony. This was his steaming contribution to the mid-eighties, "The Day After", "Reagan's going to blow us all up", little girl Samantha Something visits Moscow, Silver Spoons nuclear meltdown dream sequence, "lets all be firends because they're just like us" pukefest that afflicted my early adolesence.
I always love "The Who" but whenever I see them perform on TV I cringe a little. Roger Daltrey still does alright, but he can't do the scream like he did in the old days.
He did hold up pretty well. I guess I didn't mention The Who because "My Generation" is, well, my generation and it cuts too close to home. And I didn't hold up as well as Daltrey.
Barely too young to catch the Synchronicity tour when it rolled through Cleveland way back when, there was no way I would have been disappointed with the show I caught at Dodgers Stadium a couple years ago. Fortunately, I was right and I didn't experience or sense any of the tension I know the band has in spades. Different arrangements to start the songs, Stewart Copeland pounding away like the drum king he is, Sting and Summers at least looking like they were having fun. Of course, the second they hit the stage, I felt 13 again and it didn't matter what they were doing.
Dave Grohl convinced me he's a mega-rock star, too, when he pulled a Buddy Guy during the Foo Fighters blistering opening set, playing the guitar while walking through the outfield before jumping atop the lighting rig by third base, jamming away the whole time.
Agree with the rest of you that Sting's solo work should not be in a Police show. However, ripping on Sting's song writing ability is beyond the pale. Listen to a song like '7 Days', and you are hearing pure poetry of the highest order. Sting's song writing is top notch, and to call it pedestrian only displays your ignorance, and I doubt you've listened to much of it.
Some how I'm not surprised Kasich is hot for the Police. Debbie Harry better look out.
Ahh this is awesome. I so am back in high school with this. Some of the best videos, visually were the ones the Police made. Makes me glad I downloaded a bunch of their stuff on the old IPOD.
Of course musical taste is subjective, so everyone's opinion is (theoretically) valid. But if Sting expresses a left wing sentiment- then bring on the hate. Reminds me of a certain liberal mindset that I thought we "right thinkers " abhorred.
I saw a few clips from the Stooges reunion a couple years ago. They looked older but they didn't look like a 'let's-get-the-band-back-together-and-make-some-dough' nostalgia-fest (not that there is much nostalgia for the Stooges anyway). I was actually very impressed that they really seemed to have their hearts in it.
Unfortunately, Ron Asheton passed away recently. Anyway, I thought they bucked the trend a bit.
I saw them last summer in Toronto, having missed their Police Picnic day-long festivals in the early 80s. They were the only one of my favorite bands I never got to see live so I jumped at the chance. The band was great, they did almost 2/12 hours when they could have phoned it in, and Stewart Copeland showed that he is a master percussionist and the real engine of the band.
I had a chance to see them a few months later and passed, having enjoyed the show so thoroughly after a 20+ year wait, I wanted to keep that memory intact. I really like Sting's solo stuff but it doesn't belong in a Police concert.
I like Motorhead.
Yep – I love and listen to these guys as if it's still the early 80's……I saw them when I was younger on their Syncronicity Tour (sp) in Berlin – front row! awesome show – although I did get a Turkish teenage girls hairy arm pit in my face once. So watch yourself when they say "Put your hands up!"….but I digress…..
Based on Stings political stuff – I just lump them into bands that are BNC or ANC……many great bands started going down hill right after the first Live Aid……
oh, by the way:
BNC = Before News Conferences
ANC = After News Conferences
Unfortunately I listened to a ton. It's not my style that's all.
Getting your panties in a bunch and calling me ignorant is pretty weak , by the way.
If you want to get in to a full on debate about music and music only I'll be glad to take you on and clean your clock.
I don't care about liberal sentiment. I care about good songs and I think Sting's solo stuff is just plain pretentious.
I wonder if Stewart Copeland would write for Big Hollywood?
OMG, I saw them in Miami and then again at the end of the tour in West Palm Beach, freakin amazing both times. Some of the best musicians put on Earth, and they DID act like they were enjoying each other…maybe they just didnt like Ohio? LOL "Demolition Man" live was one of the hottest pieces of music I have ever heard played.
I saw them when they came to St. Louis during there big reunion tour. They were awesome. I don't like Sting's solo stuff, but his songwriting is frequently amazing. They're a band that I think is talented enough to sep. from the politics. Synchronicity I&II, Roxanne, Message in a Bottle, So Lonely, Can't Stand Losing You, King of Pain…amazing bits of songwriting.
I went to a Moody Blues Concert once (many years ago).
All they did was jam like a garage band and did a handful of tunes from "Nights in White Satan."
Very disappointing.
But I am going to see Elton John and Billy Joel in concert- and "Rocket Man" and "Piano Man" NEVER disappoint !
I happen to like some of his single work, and I would think they'd at least do a montage of post-Police work to show where they went. Still, I see their point as well.
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