The Big Four: The Police
The three piece British and American band The Police became one of the most important new acts to arrive at the tail end of the UK Punk explosion, they had a massive influence on the eighties alternative music scene, which featured a hybrid of Reggae, world music, and jazz sophistication, all three members had prior jazz, fusion or pop backgrounds and were able to capitalize on a shifting British music scene. Composed of bassist, singer Sting, guitarist Andy Summers, and drummer Stewart Copeland, they had the benefit of Stewart’s brother Miles having management experience and being the cofounder of IRS records in 1979, yet nepotism wouldn’t have saved them if they didn’t have the musical talent to prove what they could do. The success of The Police helped Miles Copeland to convince A&M Records Jerry Moss to finance that record label.
Miles wasn’t initially involved with the formation of The Police, Stewart was the drive that formed the band, a man who played and recorded with Curved Air, Stewart found Sting in a local jazz band. They initially recruited Henry Padovani on guitar, they even released their first single “Fall Out” on the independent label Illegal Records – another Miles Copeland venture – but it did nothing. Several side projects lead to Stewart and Sting meeting veteran Andy Summers, there was undeniable chemistry between the three of them and Henry was soon dropped from the band Through Sting’s writing the band evolved quickly, Copeland initially had written songs to get the project started, but most were quickly replaced with Sting’s songs. That first album, Outlandos ‘D Amour felt like the biproduct of their club days, in spite of having three durable singles, “Roxanne, So Lonely” and “Can’t Stand Losing You”, if feels a little self-conscious with the Punk efforts, while it’s an outstanding album, the band would expand shortly into material suited for larger venues, and that would define the New Wave sound. The first album was produced by the band, but Engineer Nigel Gray would become a key player shortly.
Reggatta De Blanc
The second album, produced by Nigel Gray, was a real evolution for the trio. Sting’s writing had already come into fruition, Copeland wrote three songs, Stweart co wrote another with Sting, and the three of them co-wrote two songs, but Sting was the primary lyric writer. The band’s Reggae influences were a means to an end, they weren’t really a Reggae band, in the same way they weren’t really a punk band. The title translated into ‘White Reggae’. But the hybrid aspect that always elevated the band was the jazz structure influence, Andy and Sting had a deep understanding of the jazz idiom, it allowed a more ambient feel for the tracks that featured Andy’s echo delay effects, or Stewart’s echo delay effects on various tracks. While the band focused on relationship songs, Sting was starting to look outside of himself. Copeland’s drumming style used world music influences he would accent on different patterns - and not just depend on 4/4 - but the one drop beat which is common with Reggae. Sting’s bass work seemed simplistic but was founded on fusion elements.
Much of this is self-evident on the first track and massive single “Message In A Bottle”, a very relatable song where one’s feelings of loneliness is universal. Summer’s jazz voicings would expand the palate of new wave and alternative rock music. The instrumental “Reggatta De Blanc” moves quickly with three sections and a vocal improvisation. Stewart plays with delays, while Andy’s chorus effects and ambience gives a statement of purpose. Co-written by Copeland, “It’s Alright For You” features some wild slide guitar work from Andy. “Bring On The Night” might be one of Sting’s other finest early compositions, and Andy’s layered cordial work keeps the verses interesting, a poetic number about disillusionment. With “Deathwish” Stewart’s expansive drums eases into a Bo Diddley beat, that shifts into a regular 4/4 beat. A light sounding number about self-destruction.
The second half tells you we are no longer in the smaller venue days. Between the drums and Andy’s guitar “Walking On The Moon” feels epic and expansive. That G7sus4 chord completely opened up players to new territories, lyrically there’s a whimsy and curiosity to the song. That added synth pad hints to what is to come. “On Any Other Day” is a typical sardonic Copeland number with a punk ethos and a self-pity the feels satirical, and the subject probably deserved his plight. Sting’s “The Bed’s Too Big Without You” has a full Reggae accent with some self reflective admission that the narrator did this to himself. Sting’s instincts to be poetic gave the songs something distinct. Copeland’s “Contact” might be one of his more adventurous pieces, and allows for some real freedom for Andy. Stweart’s “Does Everyone Stare” has some great odd piano work, and Sting delivers the satirical lyrics well. The closer has a vibrant punk feel with “No Time This Time”, a critique about the fast pace, and it does stick the landing as far as a final statement.
Zenyatta Mondatta
The Police’s third album, again produced by Nigel Gray, was more cohesive and accessible than the prior release. If the prior album had the compromise of Copeland’s writing presence – probably due to band politics - Sting was given more free reign to bring in the material. Manager Miles Copeland had the uncanny knack to spot the potential singles. Not only for the Police, but other IRS records acts, and Sting had sown oats with his songs charting. Copeland wrote two songs, Summer’s offered one, and Sting brought in the rest. The use of synthesizers was more present, as well as Andy’s dalliance with guitar synths, but Sting really was broadening his thinking with the lyrics, this album took the Reggae, global elements with the jazz flavors, pop sheen and took it all as far as it could go. Copeland explained that the album title meant nothing, just invented words. The common complaint is that the album feels the most even or safe. But it also may be their most accessible.
With the opener, and big single “Don’t Stand So Close To Me”, it evolves from a slow burn with the drone to the infectious guitar of Andy, and moody synths. Sting used to be a teacher and so the idea of a taboo teacher and student dalliance makes for gripping stuff. “Driven To Tears” and “When The World Is Coming Down, You Make The Best of What’s Still Around” could have acted as a third and forth single, or double A side, both dealt with the media and public apathy, “Dirven’s” groove has a Motown influence. “Coming Down’s” groove is no less infectious. “Canary In The Coalmine” keeps the pace up with the same energy and a ska accent. The more moody tempo of “Voices Inside My Head” and it’s chant mirrors several things from Reggatta, and Copeland is able to have a lot of freedom with the number. Stewart’s “Bombs Away” is probably one of his most accessible numbers while retaining that sardonic wit. The synth organ drives the number, but Andy’s middle eastern guitar solo really brings it home, thus building with a layer of guitars.
Sting’s “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” was the other single and a witty view about simplicity, and a critique about over intellectualizing. Andy’s instrumental “Behind My Camel” may be a little simplistic, Sting refused to play bass on it and Stewart just offers a basic beat, but the keyboards have interesting layers. Sting’s “Man In A Suitcase” is probably one of the purer Reggae numbers on here, a comment on a traveling salesman, or business employee who has no home. Sting would later rerecord “Shadows In The Rain” and this is probably the most outside number on the album, aside from piano, there sound like a violin edge’s through at times. Andy’s guitar work manages to be very outside again. Copeland’s “The Other Way Of Stopping” sounds like a keyboard number that was transposed to guitar and bass, and all for the better of it. A good closer for the album.
This is the last album where Copeland was given much improvisational room, Stewart never plays the same thing twice, and due to his diminished role with co-writing, there were bound to be problems and tensions with the final two albums, but Sting would bring the band to greater heights soon enough, however much that is debatable.
Ghost In The Machine
Sting had paid attention by the third album to the outside world, but by the forth, he was looking outside and within in a broader sense. Of course, it’s well known that Sting had a academic background and was a teacher in his pre band days, He had already cited Vladimir Nabokov with “Don’t Stand”, he was about to cite Arthur Koestler for the title of the next album. But the album would add more tension, Stweart’s role as a player would be more limited, and even Andy Summers would be frustrated by the focus on Sting’s songs. This would also be the first album with producer Hugh Padgham, whom was already working with Genesis and the solo album for Phil Collins. Hugh would bring a more sonic polish to the proceedings. Copeland would co-write one song with Sting and bring in another, Andy would bring in one song, but the band was already feeling less democratic. Sting seemed to be using the band as a showcase for his songs, and yet, the album might be their best and greatest achievement The album featured many more synthesizer parts, and Sting even played all of the horn parts, a trade off the expanded the album, but perhaps at a cost.
You can hear it with the opening track “Spirits In The Material World”, with it’s jagged synth, complex bass, and playful, yet disciplined drumming. The extra synths practically replace Andy’s guitar fills. The lyrics are pretty dark, and but raises the issue of our spirituality. There was even a hint of Sting’s saxophone. The second track would be their biggest single and a radio staple: “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, a song he had written years before and kept in his back pocket, and it was Miles Copeland who convinced him to use. The demo was recorded in France with keyboardist Jean Roussel, the band used it, overdubbed and tied it together. “Magic” had been covered by Shawn Colvin, Ra, David Bryce, Ali Campbell, Michael Musso, Catherine Porter, The Shadows, Kyle Eastwood, The Flying Pickets, and sampled by De la Soul, Black Eyed Peas and Christopher Manias. “Invisible Sun” was a slow burn, the other single, it was built on a dark mood, Yet a number with a lifting quality in the chorus due to Andy’s guitar. A song and comment about an occupied police state. “Hungry For You (J’aurais toujours faim de toi)” manages some French lyrics, and Sting’s horn section, and layers of Summer’s guitar and a possible synth. There’s a slightly manic quality to “Demolition Man” with several guitars and more horns. Grace Jonce would soon record the number, it probably should have been one of the singles.
Side two opens up with no less interesting material. A guitar stab opens “Too Much Information”, a driving number with more Sting horns, a comment about media saturation, right at the start of the bludgeoning computer age. Again, the concerns from Koestler were creeping through. The co-written Copeland number, “Rehumanize Yourself” has Stewart’s idiosyncratic sensibility. A keyboard drives it, while Andy’s guitar weaves around it. “One World (Not Three)” sounds like something Bob Marley could have written. A pleasantly defiant number about unity. Andy’s “Omegaman” has a strange opening with some of his most accessible verses. Ambient keyboards set up the mood for Sting’s “Secret Journey” before Andy’s guitar anchors it, and Stewart dances around the rhythm, a track that seems to characterizes a Buddhist sojourn. Stewart’s “Darkness” has a keyboard opening and work that may remind some of Tony Banks, more of Copeland’s sardonic lyrics are masked with depression. Interesting closer to the album.
The album is sonically impressive, and Sting does manage to expand the format of the band, some consider this a prelude to what was to come, and other’s consider it their best album. But the story doesn’t end there. Sting’s interest with acting lead to a co-starring role in Brimstone and Treacle in 1982, the soundtrack featured standards performed by Sting such as “Spread A Little Happiness”. It also featured three Police numbers. “How Stupid Mr. Bates, I Burn For You,” and “A Kind Of Loving”, yet no one knew the end was near.
Synchronicity
Sting’s marriage to Frances Tomelty was falling apart and he was on the way to courting Trudie Styler, the end of that relationship, complicated with having two children, prompted the writing of half of the material that would appear on Synchronicity, but there were two other related sources that would shape the songs. The seminal figure, psychologist Carl Jung, and another work from Arthur Koestler’s The Roots of Coincidence, and Jung’s Synchronicity itself; would be the others, Sting was looking further within, as well as questions about God and out own self-destructive nature. Hugh Padgham came back to produce - in spite of the growing tensions within the band - Padgham would solider on with the project. Andy Summers wrote one piece, and Stewart Copeland wrote another, but Sting was the central guide for the material. In hindsight, the second half feels like a template for Sting’s future solo career. Of course, the album would hit mega status with at least four or five hit singles. This was the time where acts were expected to release albums where nearly every track could be a single, Michael Jackson had already set the template with Thriller. But this tour de force would come at a cost.
A keyboard sequencer sets the tone with “Synchronicity I”, Andy adds coloring, while Stewart brings the urgency, Sting’s layered vocals had reached a new height, and this would mirror his vocals with the upcoming solo work. The African rhythms of “Walking In Your Footsteps” played by several in the band and Sting’s pan flute gives the track it’s unusual flavor. Sting’s “O My God” has some of the best bass work, a little more of a free drum sound from Copeland, Trevor Horn provides the horn solo filled with Arabic and free jazz improvisation, a mediation directed at the flaws of the deity. Andy’s “Mother” has a Captain Beefheart quality with sitar coupled with a Russian drudge tempo. Stewart’s “Miss Gradenko” is probably the most accessible number with some vibrant cordial guitar work and playful lead from Andy. The side one closer had become a huge single and unescapable number, “Synchronicity II” has great interplay between Andy and Sting, and a venomous vocal from the leader.
Side two opens with their most known iconic number, Spirits had debuted the first of their two classics, this album debuted the other classic “Every Breath You Take”, s stalker number under the guise of a love song, the structure of it could have easily had been a country song, but Andy’s chord inversions, and patterns give it that necessary creamy tension. The synths and piano give it a majestic quality while Sting and Copeland keep it direct. Artists who have covered the song include UB40, Big Daddy, Everclear, Ian McShane, Juliana Hatfield, Dolly Parton and Violent Femmes. The other single “King Of Pain” opens simply with piano and xylophone before the full band comes in, Andy and Stewart manage to give it an extra lift, basically another perennial classic. The forth single “Wrapped Around Your Finger” with it’s detuned bell had the fitting tone, a philosophical and bitter number, while having some stateful classical guitar and some nice contrasts towards the end. The ambient “Tea In The Sahara” with it’s simple rhythm and strange oboe from Sting, manages to be anchored from Andy’s guitar. It was inspired by Paul Bowles book The Sheltering Sky, on vinyl it made a cryptic ending, but the final track “Murder By Numbers” reconnected their free form spirit and jazz origins, Stewart’s drumming is excellent and Andy’s voicings lures the listener with Sting’s dark, ironic lyrics, all of which brings the album home.
The album has become such a part of a cultural vernacular on par with The Beatles Abbey Road, or Led Zeppelin IV that it now seems to be taken for granted, but the band would never have been able to top it. Near the end of the Synchronicity tour and at Madison Square Garden, the bend decided not to continue.
The legacy of The Police is significant Starting with Talking Heads, The Cars, and Elvis Costello, Men At Work, Wang Chung, Rush, The Pretenders, Squeeze, and modern acts like The Expendables, Goyte, Maroon 5, The Nanos, and Warhol’s Theory. They created a fusion of various styles that managed to feel direct and accessible. In spite of skepticism from their peers, the bands feel and Sting intelligent lyrics pointed to new directions and made you think and question the world around you. While the ethos may have been different from other Punk bands, their aim was consistent. Post Police Andy put out a number of interesting solo projects including collaborations with Robert Fripp. Stewart Copeland is renowned as a soundtrack composer, and co-founder for bands like Animal Logic, and Oysterhead. Sting’s solo career was able to recruit some of the best jazz and rock players into a varied catalog.
But for a brief period, there was an undeniable chemistry with the band, even with all of the arguments, they pulled the best out of each other.
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