The Police - Comeback?

[phatlizard]

German TV station just had it in their news (!!) - tour dates for The Police soon to be announced. Not sure how many times I heard that before - just never on the news. And there is also something on the sting.com forum - I can only read the headlines "Police reforming UK dates" - but can't read more as a non member.
If that thing isn't true I might have to find someone to beat up ... !

Anyone heard anything from a reliable source?

phaty

[Scottgun]

Well if the members of the Eagles and Pink Floyd can share a stage again without throwing equipment at each other, I guess anything is possible, but I just don't see Sting having any interest in this. I can't find anything about this on a (cursory I'll admit) net search.




Scott

[phatlizard]

Originally Posted by Scottgun

Well if the members of the Eagles and Pink Floyd can share a stage again without throwing equipment at each other, I guess anything is possible, but I just don't see Sting having any interest in this. I can't find anything about this on a (cursory I'll admit) net search.

Daily Mail in the UK says:

JAMES TAPPER, Mail on Sunday Last updated at 21:25pm on 30th December 2006


Sting is in talks to re-form The Police and tour with the group - 30 years after they were formed.

The band, who rank alongside The Rolling Stones and The Beatles among the greats of rock, are considering playing a series of dates in the UK next summer.

Consisting of Sting on bass and vocals, drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers, the group have been in discussions for months.

They became one of the biggest bands of the Eighties with hits including Walking On The Moon, Every Breath You Take, Don't Stand So Close To Me and Message In A Bottle.

News that they are re-forming will surprise fans as Sting, 55, has always resolutely opposed the move in the past.

Sources say rehearsals have been pencilled in to take place before Sting begins the February leg of his latest European tour and after Copeland has finished his stint as a judge in the BBC celebrity duet show Just The Two Of Us.

The record label, A&M, is believed to be planning a special anniversary release in June and the tour dates would coincide with that.

A source said: 'They were intending to announce it in January after all the tour dates had been finalised.

'They are speaking to venues about booking dates in May and June. Everyone who knows about it is incredibly excited because they were a legendary band.'

A spokeswoman for A&M confirmed discussions had taken place but denied there were any firm dates for concerts.

She said: 'Next year is the 30th anniversary of the release of Roxanne, the first Police single. It is our intention to mark the anniversary by doing something special with the band's catalogue of songs.

'Needless to say, everyone is hopeful the band will support our plans and while early discussions have taken place, nothing has been decided.'

Miles Copeland, the former manager of The Police and brother of Stewart, said: 'It's the 30th anniversary and there has been mention of this for some time, but I can't comment.'

Stewart formed The Police in 1977 with Sting. Miles recognised the power of their blend of pop, punk and reggae and got them a record deal when he heard Roxanne, the first of many worldwide hits.

[Christopher]

Cool. I hope they don't kill each other.

[wolfs]

+1, i love the police (not too crazy about most of sting's solo stuff, a couple of the early albums range from good to all right), but i can't imagine the tour going on for very long... they really don't get along creatively... cool if it would happen, but i really don't think they'll make it out of a rehearsal without tearing each other apart.

[Marley's Ghost]

I am excited.

You know, they say time heals all wounds , and I hope this is the case here. As was said before, If Waters and Gilmore can get on stage together after all the bad blood and lawsuits surrounding Floyd, anything is possible.

[phatlizard]

Well I don't see them in too much trouble on the creative site. Sting writes the songs the other two line up to be the background band - just like in the good old days ...
It is not that Stings ego would have grown any smaller in the last 23 years!

[Bass In Ya Face]

I'd crawl over broken glass to see those three play again

[Sounbwoy]

There was a video of Sting's b'dayparty I think it was and they were persuaded to play a song together. Even then, they really didn't get along and it was obvious that they didn't want to. Iirc, Sting said Summers was either playing out of tune or playing too fast. I'd love to see that tho. I'm still trying to find a video/DVD of the Synchronicity tour where he was playing that white bass. It was on HBO waaaaaaaay back in the day.

[Arthur U. Poon]

Originally Posted by Bass In Ya Face

I'd crawl over broken glass to see those three play again

+1000!

[SteveC]

I think andy and Stewart would be open to talks but Sting has said again and again he doesn't want to go back or re-live the past. He's all about his lute and stuff now.

If it happened, I'm sur eit would be a sell out - unless the tickets were some obscene price.

[Goannaman]

Originally Posted by SteveC

If it happened, I'm sur eit would be a sell out - unless the tickets were some obscene price.

If it happens, I'm sure the tickets will be at an obscene price, and it will still sell out.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Goannaman

If it happens, I'm sure the tickets will be at an obscene price, and it will still sell out.

+1, I think I would try to see them though. I really like the idea of the Police reforming, I think it would be great to see Stewart and and Andy get a really big payday.

[scottice]

Did the band have some famous outing? Why do they not like each other? (Besides the normal living and traveling for years together)

[Philbiker]

Originally Posted by Sounbwoy

I'm still trying to find a video/DVD of the Synchronicity tour where he was playing that white bass. It was on HBO waaaaaaaay back in the day.

Check amazon. It's readily available.

[Philbiker]

Originally Posted by scottice

Did the band have some famous outing? Why do they not like each other? (Besides the normal living and traveling for years together)

In addition to the "normal living and traveling for years together", they suffered from the Beatles Syndrome. All three of them are tremendous creative talents, not just players. Copeland has gone on to score TV shows, movies, commercials, etc. Summers has released a series of excellent jazz guitar albums (if you like jazz, pick some up they are great), and Sting just continued where he left off with the Police writing some of the best pop/rock in the business. Too much creative talent to keep the band together, as sooner or later the guys whose talents didn't favor pop/rock would invariably get tired of playing somebody else's songs, even as they realize how great they are (and Stu and Andy most definitely realized the full extent of Sting's pop/rock songwriting talent). It manifested itself in them being at each other's throats by the end of their career.

In the ensuing years, Sting has played as a sideman on a couple of tracks on some of Andy's brilliant albums. Playing stand-up bass and singing (a terriffic rendition of 'Round Midnight).

As opposed to a group like The Who where one guy, Townshend, handled 90% of the writing and everyone else was a very good player, The Police were a band where everyone could both write and play.

[scottice]

Originally Posted by Philbiker

As opposed to a group like The Who where one guy, Townshend, handled 90% of the writing and everyone else was a very good player, The Police were a band where everyone could both write and play.

Excellent! Thanks Phil.
And all along I thought Sting might have been like Billy Corgan. LOL

[Jazz Ad]

Great.
Another millionaire band reforming to please the happy few 40ers.
Expect $150 seats at ticketmaster.

[phatlizard]

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

Great.
Another millionaire band reforming to please the happy few 40ers.
Expect $150 seats at ticketmaster.

For some reason I couldn't care less ...

[acleex38]

Miles Copeland is Stuart's father, not brother.

The enmity between Sting and Stuart was legendary. The "**** You Sting" sign on the drum set on stage behind Sting's back is one of my favorite anecdotes.