A trip down memory lane for @Sting as he and fellow Geordie Brian Johnson take a tour of the site of The Police's first ever gig in the USA: CBGB, now a John Varvatos store.
I was actually at the Police’s first show at CBGB. I had heard Roxanne on the Jukebox there and loved it. I’m not sure how many people were in the audience, but it was not packed. I remember waiting for them to get there - they were late- and I opened the front door and their van had pulled up and I held the door open as they came in. There was no back stage entrance. The show was really good though the only one who blew me away was Stewart Copeland. He was great! After the show, I was sitting on the cable box by the mixing board and Sting & Andy came out and sat at the bar directly across from me and Stewart sat down next to me on the box and they talked about the show. Alas, I said nothing... a few months later they came back to New York and sold out the Bottom Line, which was much bigger. Less than a year later (I think) they sold out Shea Stadium. That first show was the only time I saw them. While I had thought that the show I saw was their first in the US, I didn’t know for sure until I saw Andy Summers’ documentary where he confirmed it. A very nice memory!
@@SMITH-lw3rv thanks for the clarification. It was a long time ago and obviously I don’t have those subsequent dates right. I didn’t attend either of those other shows. That first one was the only time I saw the Police.
Sting has said the best gig the Police ever played was on their first tour in Rochester NY..... 5 people in the club.....he has said that hundreds of people have told him they were there.....Sting always calls bullshit on them and says he remembers the 5 people in the audience that night....I had been to Rochester in the 1980 s it was a real shit hole back then....
Have never really understood people who aren't nostalgic. No one should live in the past, but the warm feelings of moments lost in time are part of the human experience in my book.
@@rubicon-oh9km Sting is much more sentimental than he puts off. His lyrics and older interviews paint a different picture of him than he projects now days. Kinda sad.
@@sunerustrup3494 I imagine you've heard him say that (though correct me if I'm wrong). And that would be the difference. You'll never hear that from Sting since it would entail his admitting to it.
I think what people are not understanding about Sting is when the Police played there in ‘77, he and Andy Summers were driven straight from the airport after arriving on a cheap Laker Airways flight. (Copeland had already arrived on an earlier flight to see his father.) The small bare-bones van tour was a last-ditch attempt to save the band. (They later played to exactly seven people in one upstate New York club. Lucky for the trio, they decided to perform as if they were playing a sold-out arena. One of the seven people in the audience was a radio DJ who liked them and started to play their music.) They had no money. Sting, already a father, went to a neighborhood diner for coffee after the CBGB show. When the waitress tried to serve his re-fill, Sting tried to stop her, saying he had no money for a second cup. The woman had to explain that in America, the second cup is free. When you see Sting in the video and he appears brooding and contemplating more than he normally does (it’s not an act. Ask Copeland), he’s probably re-living the moment from ‘77 and amazed at his current circumstances that allow him to purchase every item in that shop.
I had the honor to play at CBGB’s once. It was an audition to get on the artist roster for the Bottom Line (now gone as well). I passed the audition and then had the honor to play the Bottom Line several times. Both venues has some sort of magic vibe. Something very cool about standing on such legendary stages. RIP
I love Brian many people I've known have met brian and he is what you see very humble guy you can have a pint of beer with him and he sit and talk about cars. He is family man very genuine guy I could listen to brian all day and night. Hes one of these guys who isnt ungrateful or needy or just full of ego or anything like that he is himself very quiet very humble and great great happy interesting guy to be around unlike some famous artists rock stars. I would love to sit and chat with brian johnson. He has never took fame or fortune seriously or it's not gone to his head. What you see in brian is what you get. A true Gentleman and Geordie his family should be very proud of him he has done a lot for charity behind closed doors
Brian would be great to hang out with and talk about the past and relive the magic of the last 4-5 decades with fondness & joy, and Sting, not at all...still a grumpy bastard. Wouldn't have a pint with him.
Sting is seen at first he says something sincere that they were gentrified anyway since he left the police and then they always came back roughly angry. as if not wanting to remember the past ... sting's is recognized with the police ... he only lists some interesting songs ... but make him want more wave hahahaha
What a life Brian Johnson has had. Lead singer with ACDC and all that gave him.Now travelling down memory lane with his friends who happen to be the cream of rock'n'roll.Comes across as a real nice guy whose living the dream!
BRIAN: "Kinda sad innit?" STING: "Oh, I dunno I'm not really nostalgic." (When just minutes before he was rhapsodizing about the feel of dropping a needle on vinyl).
Some of the people I saw live at CBGBs were The Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, I saw Bowie hanging out there, Billy Idol, Iggy, The Sex Pistols, Madonna who was there with this painter that became huge and other great legends. I missed Sting's performance there.
I think, when he said that, he was probably thinking of the old band and the times they performed in there. It seems that for Sting, the Police wasn't really his thing. Not so much an objective as a step he had to take - a means to an end. You can kinda tell that by how different his own music was once he went solo.
@@antonystringfellow5152 Yeah I'm sure he is nostalgic, just not for human beings. He treated his band poorly. His double standards have long been well documented ( www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-481865/Superstar-hypocrite-Meet-Sting-master-contradictions.html )
It was such a great bar. I was there one night with my brother and we were about the only English speaking people as it was all Japanese punk bands. You had to go downstairs to go to the bathroom and there were no doors and the woman all had to walk past the men’s room to get to the ladies room. My brother almost pissed himself because he wouldn’t use them. You would have to be a mad man to take a sh!t at CBGB’s.
most of those Brian chats with are of the Manor born. They can not hide their class. Literally in the Peerage. It's like these people are unimpressed...Brian only sang on Back in Black delivering the goods. His vocals & lyrics amazing.
Seems a little unnecessarily harsh? At least John V kept it largely intact could’ve been a a Gap or a Starbucks As for Sting he seems genuinely entrance by the place. Live and let live...
@@fortsonre : can't agree with you. From what I've read, and heard, Sting has talent. Unfortunately he doesn't have the charisma of a Brian Johnson. Or a Freddie Mercury. He comes across as a pretentious artist who suffers from bouts of self-entitlement.
@@TimGuitarcouk : apparently he's a jerk. That maybe explains why he was constantly fighting with other members of the band, The Police. Their fights are legendary.
I grew up going to Cbgb. It was heartbreaking to see such an amazing place close- minus that bathroom! Glad to see that John has respected the legacy as much as possible. I will have to pop in there one day.
CBGB's was a place I played, worked and partied. It was a scary trip to get there in the early 80's but I enjoyed the journey. When you got on stage there really was an energy there. Thousands of bands and the vibrations were absorbed into the cheap plywood, I beams, black paint and stickers. New York changed in so many ways. I miss CBGB's and Hilly, but it will always be a part of my New York.
We are geordie's great people never for get their route s .Dave s Geordie living South Africa the boys from my home town . Sting a bit more refined Brian still one of the boys and fitting vynil roofs on cars .Memories of sting on the old grey whistle test and Brian at the Headworth working man's club in jarrow .Keep rocking boys.
I live in L.E.S. FOR 30 YEARS AND STILL TODAY . I WENT TO CBGB MANY TIME BACK IN THE MID N LATE 80S ,MANY GREAT BANDS HAS COME AND PLAYED THEIR BEST PERFORMANCE. LIKE POLICE AND MANY MORE . I DRIVE BY ALMOST EVERYDAY AND SEE IT . GREAT MEMORIES. LONG LIVE THE "CBGB"
When he introduces himself "Hello Sting" hahaha The funny thing is that they are both Geordies and I bet Brian Johnson wants to give him a slap and say "you're the son of a milkman from Newcastle, knock off that posh accent and Sting shite around me." By the way, if you put "a Geordie" into Google the first thing that appears is a picture of Brian Johnson.
I had played CB’s approx 150 times.. recorded for the label and was close friends with The K. Family.. Was in the club when the Police loaded in for first gig.. Sting standing next to the mixing board full length black leather jacket.. collar up.. very punk mod! My band mate was cutting lemons at the bar and we were “hey! that’s that Roxanne dude!” They never did a soundcheck?? I came back later for the show.. Hey Brian, you do know that ACDC played there as well?? My band The Rudies ( TheRudies_NYC ) have many CBGB posters from back in the day! and I have many cool stories having shared the stage with all the breakout bands including The Blitz Benefit ( the punk woodstock lol! ) Great times!
@@kickbiker7920 I started playing CB’s late 76 early 77? and although I have many cool stories of my involvement with the club, CBGB opened in 73, in the 3 or 4 short years before I came along the iconic bands that we associate with the club: Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads etc etc .. had already been signed and for the most part moved on. Those first years were important! I would leave any blogging to someone who was there for that period and I know a few that fit the bill..
@@MarkCharlesLamendola You're part of the musical history of that era, at the very least, your contribution should be part of any podcast/blog etc (if you were prepared to add it) As you stated - Those first years were (and are) important! Anecdotes etc are so important to be recorded for posterity. What you COULD think of doing is, if you dig into your memory banks and put into some sort of structure anecdotes/names etc recorded via audio as well as some sort of written record. At least you'll have it prepared as research if someone comes along to write about CBGB's, then you could push for a co-writing credit or at least a fee for your first-hand information. When you move 'upstairs' (like we all will ... allegedly) it would be sad if you take your memories with you ...
@@kickbiker7920 Yes, I do get it! I was part of the interview process with the production team for the CBGB Movie made several years back.. had my name in the credits lol! Sad ending for that producer/director and the young gal killed in the process of their next film!!
@@MarkCharlesLamendola Wow! That's ANOTHER story worth hearing. What REALLY p155es me off is when they interview people about a particular subject - music for instance, they'll be asking a 20 something girl or guy what their impressions were on music back in the 1970's for instance. Idiotic talking heads. People in general want to hear from people who were there during the era that's been discussed so they are able to give their own snapshot contribution.
Wow. Had no idea. Guess it was saved from total destruction. Played there in 1995. Members of the staff enjoyed the show so much they invited us to an after hours bar the size of a living room. Incredible times!
Both grew up a couple of miles from each other on the River Tyne in the suburbs of Newcastle Brian October 5th 1947, Dunston Gordon October 2nd 1951, Wallsend Yet to me their dialects sound much different.
I used to work on the East Village, and I walked by CBGB and the giant graffiti of Joey Ramone on Bowery Street all the time. I never took it for granted, it was always a good part of my day
Got to see a NYC Hardcore matinee there one afternoon In 1988. Then one more time seeing my friends hard rock band a couple of years later. I still have an original shirt from the club.
I’m 55 now I remember my senior year of high school taking the Staten Island ferry with my friends and going to sundays hard core Matinee at CBGBs nothing to this day matches that energy
