I was listening to the police today and I ended up putting this song on repeat for a little over an hour.



I feel like people recognize them as a great band but I'm not sure they get the respect they are due.

I know that they came along at the end of the classic rock era and before the modern rock era. At a time when bands were talking about sweet sugar and cherry pops, wearing bandanas, tights and hair that touched the ceiling, I think I much more prefer the style of The Police.

Question:
What say you? Do you feel The Police get the recognition they deserve?

Choices:
Nah, Overrated!
I think they get their rightful accolades.
People just don't understand the awesomeness of this band!

 

Synchronicity II is a favorite track, but their early punk work is awesome.

Don't want no dead end job,
Don't wanna be no number!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SigJacket,

I voted #2. I think The Police definitely earned their place, but I think their weak spot is that they were a singles-oriented band, Sting even admitted this. They just didn't have that knockout album like Back in Black. Synchronicity comes close though, really good record. I think they were a much better band than U2 and REM. The Police broke up at their absolute peak, not many bands do that.

I still think Stewart Copeland was/is one of the best drummers in the world.

I saw them on their 30 year reunion tour. I'd say that show would be in my top five.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:
I still think Stewart Copeland was/is one of the best drummers in the world.

Agreed. The things he does with the high-hat all while doing three other things always amaze me.

I think they get their just due.
Saw them in the early eighties ~ I remember the AWESOME BASS sitting up close.
I recently watched sort of a Documentary on Amazon Prime that Andy Summers (great guitarist btw) produced which was interesting.
I don't think any of them are complaining on how everything turned out.

Their first four records were the first I ever bought. I can most likely sing every track (not that anyone would want to hear it, but I could do it )

quote:

Originally posted by DonDraper:
I can most likely sing every track (not that anyone would want to hear it, but I could do it )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaz8A9Bu-pA

They are an amazing band that people have had a very difficult time defining and labeling, which I think leads to people ignoring, forgetting, or shying away from just because they don't fit into a neat little group. Are they punk? Pop? Rock? Reggae? New wave? etc.

Stewart Copeland is a god amongst men. He is at once extremely influential yet so very difficult to imitate. Easily one of my top 5 drummers.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
Stewart Copeland is a god amongst men. He is at once extremely influential yet so very difficult to imitate.

And yet Sting didn't think so. This was the main personality problem in the band, the constant friction between the two guys, and I always thought Copeland as the most talented out of the three guys. He is a drummer, a multi-instrumentalist, could read, write, and compose everything from rock songs to symphonies.

I once read that Copeland quit playing drums for years, partly because Sting kept telling him what a piece of shit drummer he was.

I've never much card for their music. Just too, well, something, I don't know, too poppy, too white, too English, doesn't "jam" enough, I'm not sure, just not "cool" enough, I guess.

But I recognize their talent.

Instead, however, I like a few of Sting's solo tracks over the years, and I like the band / project Oysterhead with Copeland on the drums, Claypool on Bass, and Trey from Phish (who I'm otherwise ambivalent at best regarding) on guitar. Copeland can jam, for sure.

quote:

Originally posted by goose5:
I saw them on their 30 year reunion tour. I'd say that show would be in my top five.

saw them on that tour, with the wife, she thoroughly enjoyed (as did I)

they played slower that I expected, but I guess it is just the age showing, or my faulty memory

I also saw them for the Ghost in the Machine tour (GOGO's opened) at W&M hall,and it was absolutely fantastic,

I've always liked their music, and thought that the biggest problem with the band was that Sting's head got too big in the mid to late '80s. He was on tv, in movies, in style magazines, always being interviewed, etc. I just kind of think it got him thinking he was the cat's ass, and owned the band. I liked The Police better than Sting's solo stuff. The early albums had a sense of humor and absurdity that kind of fits Rock and Roll better than preening sentimentality, seriousness and angst of Sting's later stuff.

I've always kind of liked listening to his interviews, however. He's smart, funny, and I don't recall him coming off as arrogant.

I think it's kind of too bad they didn't keep making music as the trio that they started as, developing the hip, funky and irreverent tone that they so perfected.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
Stewart Copeland is a god amongst men. He is at once extremely influential yet so very difficult to imitate.

And yet Sting didn't think so. This was the main personality problem in the band, the constant friction between the two guys, and I always thought Copeland as the most talented out of the three guys. He is a drummer, a multi-instrumentalist, could read, write, and compose everything from rock songs to symphonies.

I once read that Copeland quit playing drums for years, partly because Sting kept telling him what a piece of shit drummer he was.

I recall reading somewhere that they actually got in a few fistfights over it as well, after shows

"...and the other ones are complete bullshit."

I liked the Police better before Sting spun off into the paycho-babble.

I agree with mr kablammo. The Police get plenty of airplay and accolades during their time.

It was only when Sting went solo and started churning out bad music that I thought he was just coasting on his reputation.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:
I still think Stewart Copeland was/is one of the best drummers in the world.

Copeland put out a pretty good album as "Klark Kent" (with some funny liner notes to boot).




Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqJUQqLHP5M

I never got to see the Police in concert but am a fan, got to see Sting in concert 10-11 years ago and it was pretty damn amazing.

I remember reading a story about this nightclub we used to go to in Poughkeepsie, NY when was at the CIA culinary school from 1995-1997. The place was called “The Chance” but apparently in 1978 was called “Sal’s Last Chance Saloon” and on Thanksgiving Eve 1978 this young, unknown British band played there for an audience of THREE WHOLE PEOPLE (Thanksgiving eve and a snowstorm going on, no one was out that night). Turns out it was The Police!

^^^^^^^

Right when they came out with their first record, they played Madame Wongs in L.A. Chinatown, a tiny punk club, and I couldn't see them that night because I had no cash. My friends said it was packed, but it held perhaps 100 people. Back in those days, they drove their own van and schlepped their own gear. Would have been fun to see them in such a small place.

From what I've read all of them were jerks to each other. I mean, yes, Sting got the attention and developed a huge ego. But they were all culpable to a certain extent.

Sting's solo music was much more jazzy-fusion oriented. A lot of it is brilliant and he surrounds himself with fantastic musicians (Vinny Colaiuta.) But it isn't the same at all as The Police.