Why Sting Left the Police (2016) 

@William Taylor ba-dum-tss

Jokeman

Hahaha what a cokehead

Ha!

I see what you did there

Each member made The Police.

Not to mention that without Stewart, the band doesn't form at all. He put it together. He found Sting. and he and Sting eventually found Andy Summers.

I always liked Copeland’s songs best. Witty and thoughtful.

@@marksandoe4809 Copeland's Klark Kent album was decent, but Copeland can not sing.

Can’t forget Andy’s fairly unique guitar playing either. All three were great.

Yeeeeup!

More kitchy not jazzy. Do not call it jazzy.

Blue Oyster Cult was better. And so were the Ramones.

@@danielbrown3461 WTF does that have to do with Sting infusing jazz into his songs and how his solo career stacks up against his time in the Police? Weird random opinion to toss out, alright, good to know. /smh

@@danielbrown3461 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Sting didn't write the drums parts though. Just kind of annoys me.

Yes, he is.

Stewart

​@@TheAgentAssassin He did take more and more creative control towards the end. I think I remember Stewart saying that by the time they recorded Ghosts in the Machine, Sting planned everything, down to every last Hi-Hat hit and wanted his songs to be played exactly as written.

One of the best drummers out there

I've also heard that as people, they get along very well. It's only when the instruments get involved that it becomes "the thing"

Stewart

It's not truthful Stuart Copland and sting were at odds and at each other's throats

@@kennethpeller7411 Oh I'm so sorry...I forgot you knew him and you were always in the room with both of them.

@@ConglomerationCat and you were there to to witness that so sorry to say betcha weren't miss authority

Totally agree. Listening to thier stuff now the first 2 albums the guitar is way back in the mix it's drums and bass that you hear up front. I think it was a time when that was the case with a lot if production.

IS brilliant. Is.

Sting's solo stuff compared to the Police is mediocre, baby boomer drivel.

And more money

Agree. The tension within a group brings out a tested product. As a solo, sometimes you believe your own hype.

why not just say top 10 lol

@@natmanprime4295 Cause he didn't define the genre so the playfield is larger.

Second only to Neil Peart IMO.

@@squirrelattackspidyCopeland and Peart are different, but I think Copeland grooves harder

OK but Sting was the de facto leader.

@@corailgris No, there wasn’t one. You should listen to Stewart and Sting talk about it. It was creative tension and neither gave way, which caused the arguments. But they’re very close and speak freely about it.

​@@rkaylor5769 fair point, I was only referring to song-writing and singing.

Actually it was the other way around. Andy found Stewart and Sting. He insisted on joining his band. Funny story told by Stewart himself: 'Andy pulls me in a cafe and said: "You and that bassplayer got something. But you need me in the band and I accept." 😂😂😂

​@@peterhopqk Mike Howlett had a band called Strontium 90: he hired Stewart and Sting, he introduced them to Andy. That's how they met Andy - there are recordings of this band.

It may’ve been Stewart’s creation but Sting wrote most of the songs. So he was mostly responsible for the band’s success.

@@coolcat6303 steward wrote most of the songs in the beginning

That's really cool how you worded that, in truth 😊

Stewart formed The Police to capitalize on the punk movement that had captivated England. Sting (and the fact that an accomplished guitarist had joined the band) brought them into the mainstream.

​@@bryedeThe Police members were all in agreement that they wanted to use punk as a platform to achieve success. Stewart was more genuinely enthusiastic about punk, though he was obviously open to other musical tendencies. Andy dismissed it musically but admitted he liked " the energy" of punk in trying to do something new, and Sting's attitude toowards punk musically verged on the contemptuous though he said the good thing about punk is that it opened up the market to new bands with a different sound. So the Police's relationship to punk was a bit paradoxical: in many ways they were critical of it but at the same time they represented what the first wave of punk had been about in the first place, which was to do something totally fresh and different to what had dominated the music scene in the years before. Around 1979 the Police were seen as representative of the new mood punk had brought into the music scene and this contributed to their rise to prominence.

Cream said..."Hold my Beer Police." And then Rush said to both of them...Sit on the Bench.

And what did the Jimi Hendrix Experience say?@@danielbrown3461

Stewart Copeland the best of the three.

😂

Lol

his audience are mouth breathers; he speaks to their level.

@@peterg5383 He's a shock jock, not an interviewer.

He sure seem to love his own voice

He knows no other way.

It's irritating listening to him ask a question, and then as soon as they start talking, he talks over them.

And Robin chiming in trying to be funny and killing the room makes it worse.

I totally agree with you, alas sales figures said otherwise.

C'mon,stings wrote some out of this world songs solo, Englishman in New York,fields of gold,lose my faith in you,desert rose to name but a few

Ten Summoners Tales is a masterwork. I beg to differ, kind sir. I also adore both bands.

Sting wrote some masterful solo singles that wouldn't have worked with The Police: Russians, Be Still My Beating Heart, Fragile, All This Time, If I Ever Lose My Faith In You

wrong , his solo songs are a masterpiece and better than the songs he was making when he was in the band if you ask me

Will definitely check it out, thanks

With only three members I hope so

@@ARTPAINTING101 Andys guitar isnt distorted.

To be able to play bass and be lead singer is extremely hard, Sting has that gift though.

@Tabby 3 jazz musicians pretending to be punks

@@ObamaFromKenya Pretty much....

Mysteriously popular.

The greatest rock trio ever

Along with the fine young cannibals

It's amazing that every song The Police had was released in less than 5 years (November 1978 thru June 1983).

I thought that would be the Pat Metheny Group

Both have done other albums as well 👍

The Eagles were really talented as well as far as several members doing other projects.

If I recall, he heard it on the Flintstones.

Except originally it was Ga Goo Goo Goo, Ga Gaa Gaa Gaa.

@@liquidmagma Yes. I heard that too. Lady Gaga was a big influence when Sting was a toddler.

He's the Mozart of rockers...

What

How bold.

@@Labyrinth1010 *I already owned you yesterday.*

@@MattSingh1 *you owned nothing.*

And Peter Gabriel...

@@nectarinedreams7208 I think the point is Collins was able to be in both Genesis and have a solo career at the same time. Gabriel left the band to have a solo career.

Correct. Copeland was taken to see Sting playing in his local band "Last Exit" in Newcastle by a local music journalist. They were playing in an upstairs room in a small pub...........

That’s true. And Sting is the most talented of the three. That’s also true.

@@notanotherjamesmurphy5574not necessarily true, maybe he’s more talented when it comes to writing hits, but the others, especially Copeland are amazing and have very respectable careers

absolutely

=money

I love Andy. Very underrated guitarist. Had this dreamy kind of sound that was entirely his own creation (eg. think Regatta de Blanc)

I agree, Andy Summers's guitar filled a lot of acoustic space.

@@khuddle Was the Edge before Edge

@Stephane Bolduc yes, Bono. Even in his 60s, he’s still full of himself.

Think of all the artists with 1 word names for themselves. Madonna, Bono, Sting, Prince..... notice a pattern all ego maniacs

Maybe Billy Corgan.

@@Brinta3 he’s a 2 name artist 🤷🏻‍♂️

I also think Sting could afford to be a bit more gracious about the composing talents of Andy and Stewart. Stewart has had a significant composing career post Police and I believe Andy has done all sorts of projects too and also wrote songs for the Police as probably Copeland did too. At least Sting expresses good feelings and respect but could afford to give them more credit for their contributions to both the Police and what they have done after. Lots of ego swirling around.

And the most talented.

We as fans want to know more ....

Dream of the Blue Turtle or something else?

@@Dave-ti2ue Yes I was in the army and that album sticks in my mind

Saw him tour that album at Wembley, great concert, was about 7 rows from the stage

His solo albums are nothing special compared to The Police

@@mariozd971 They are different, as they should be, but I liked a lot of his solo stuff. I still think "Dream of the Blue Turtles" is a really good album.

Correct. He got Sting then went after Andy Summers. Stern was rubbing Stingo’s ego.

Correct... And I can't believe he did not make this clear... it's an important point

Or better yet, take The Police themselves lol. They evolved so much in the span of just five short years from Outlandos to Synchronicity, and they could've gone in a zillion different directions after that. I honestly think Sting is kinda bullshitting here and underselling how much tension and conflict there was in the band before they took their "hiatus".

When those things happen, bands breaking up, there are a million explanations of why that happened. I think dting was just saying whatever came to his mind to answer the question. But it's probably not true or even has to do with anything.

@@Christopher-md7tf I think he’s just being polite and not wanting to dredge up the past. The conflict between him and Stewart in particular, is legendary. Physical fights, etc

if the band change their sound then if should provide the same or greater quality of sound. Miles Davis in 50s is different then Miles Davis in 60s or 70s or 80s, however every change was good as the last one. Pink Floyd in 60s is different then 70s and 80s, however the quality is still good. The same story with Underworld, 80s pop, 90s and 2000s techno However, there are very few band that can make change and be successful transition and it is a huge risk.

I recall an Eddie Van Halen interview in which he said he was asked during the height of their popularity if he wanted to do a solo album. His response was "Why? I already wrote all the VH material."

Absolutely. Without Stewart and Andy, there would have been no Police or their unique sound. Without the Police, would Sting have had the solo career that he has?

@@fightersweep Good point 👍

They were. They won a Grammy for 'Behind My Camel' which Sting hated and wouldn't play on. He was an incredible song writer but it was more equal than he wants to admit.

it’s crazy how many Police fans are either in denial or genuinely don’t realize that Sting is the most talented and did the most in that band

Why aye, petal.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, Greece is a small theater? LMAO

Where did you hear that from ?

Summers was the incredible guitar that flowed over the insane and unique drumming sound of Copeland. Walking on the Moon is the perfect example, the prefect poly rhythm and HI hat of Copeland and the sparse and haunting guitar of Summers. Both Copeland and Summers were the real talent of the Police.

in an interview I found with Stuart, he basically said Sting brought in songs with all parts finished and they had no creative input, or ability to add their own flair. They had become hired backing musicians. And there was constant conflict in playing everything Stings way, stings beats stings tempo.

Oooh, I don't know about that. Perhaps The Police had a higher hit rate than his solo stuff, but he's produced some gems on his own. Moon over Bourbon Street is one of my faves.

Ten Summoners Tales superb solo album.

@@andrewpolasek5524 Amazing storytelling in that one. I love it.

Sting could make three times the money by himself.

@@moderateminneapolita I've listened to pretty much everything both Sting and the Police ever released. His solo stuff wasn't anywhere near as good as his Police songs. Having that band tension seems to bring out the best in a lot of songwriters.

@@daveb224 Stings solo music is stuff you would hear playing in Bed , Bath and Beyond

​@@litedawg lmao

@@daveb224 It just shows it wasn't just Sting behind the music. He may have written 90% of the hits but they didn't just go from his writing to the recording.

Definitely a great song.

Every Breath you Take has 1.2 billion views. What is your point?

And the equalizer TV series one of the best TV themes ever,and he did see no evil hear no evil

Sting is the better songwriter

I love The Police too and was sad they broke up but not all bands have ego issues -- look at my favorite band of all time, Rush.

If you listen to his answer then you'll understand. It's not rocket science.

@@jimhardiman3836 💰

It was about him wanting his songs to be played in a very particular fashion and not wanting anybody else's creative input.

@@Christopher-md7tf in an interview I found with Stuart, he basically said Sting brought in songs with all parts finished and they had no creative input, or ability to add their own flair. They had become hired backing musicians. And there was constant conflict in playing everything Stings way, stings beats stings tempo.

Beatles put out music for 5 years, 65 - 70....

@@doccthomas9842 Umm - 1965?? They had numerous hit singles and and even a hit movie from 1962-1964. They had already were huge in the US when they played the Ed Sullivan show in February of 1964.

Police had 5 albums in 5 years- from 1978 Outlandos D'Amor, 1979 Regatta De Blank 1980 Zenyatta Mondatta, 1981 Ghosts in the Machine and finally 1983 Syncronicity

@@mariozd971 Yep - November 1978 to June 1983.