Sting

[prof_nutbutter]

heylio,
what do you guys think of sting? actually im focusing on his work when he was still with The Police. i just love that band so much and most of his lines are just awesome, simple but awesome! my fav police lines are can't stand losing you, walking on the moon, roxanne and probably don't stand so close to me.
was he actually the first bassist who played with a pick on a fretless bass???
opinions please

[mr e]

can't stand losing you
bring on the night
on any other day
driven to tears
man in a suitcase
invisible sun
o my god
sync ii

[Adam Barkley]

Spirits in the Material World
Bed's To Big Without You
and many, many others

He is one of my all-time favorites; I love his tones and his lines. He is stands out without wanking endlessly, and that is probably the main reason I like his playing so much.

[corinpills]

Most times, his bass lines end up being one of the biggest hooks of the song. I think he was fantastic in the Police. His solo stuff is a bit too clever for me, but it sounds really good in supermarkets.

[James Hart]

I'm a big fan, past and present. I prefer the pre Synchronicity stuff... but I like most of his work.

[DaveBeny]

Originally Posted by prof_nutbutter

was he actually the first bassist who played with a pick on a fretless bass???

No. There were plenty before him: Rick Danko, Bill Wyman etc etc. There was a recent thread about fretless pick players.

[Philbiker]

Sting is one of the reasons I play bass today. I remember learning the whole album "Regatta De Blanc" on my first bass. Sure I played it terrible, but I could play it! I was in a rock band that was a core trio with various singers on and off, or me singing in the 80s (high school!) and we played "Regatta De Blanc" what a hoot. Eeyooo Eeyooo Eeyo-yo!

Spirints in the Material World!

[corinpills]

Originally Posted by Philbiker

Eeyooo Eeyooo Eeyo-yo!

Spirints in the Material World!

hey man, that was a lyric in the 80's. So was "Sha!" It was a simpler time.

[kobass]

Sting is the man! He's one of my influences. I saw him at the Orphuem in Boston back in March. He opened the show playing "Walking On The Moon" on DB! He kicked a**! His lines usually aren't too complex, but they always interesting. Oh yeah-he can groove like a mofo too!

[Mojo-Man]

Also great at singing and playing together.

[NV43345]

I am a fan of Police and his solo discs. I love Ten sumoners tails.
Favorites:solo stuff
If I ever lose my faith in you
Heavy clouds but no rain
Seven Days
Invisible sun
and from Police:
Walking on the moon
Syncronicity II
Every little thing she does

My sting Basses:

[Benjamin Strange]

Sting is one of my favorite bassists (which may come as a surprise to some of you). His basslines seem simple, but then when you try to sing over them... DAMN! Spirits in the Material World is absolutely insane. I don't see how he does it.

Odd, I can sing over a tapping bassline that I have which is in 17/8, yet I can't sing over Message In A Bottle. His grooves are just so slightly off from his singing that it's next to impossible for me.

[Steve Clark]

Big fan here as well. Saw him at Much Music in Toronto this year. That was a treat. Went to the Massey Hall show in the 7th row. Going to see him in our small town of London Ontario next year. Surprised he is coming. Its going to be two guitars, bass and drums. Sounds like a rock show.

[Philbiker]

Two more things that came to mind reading the comments here.....

Re: Singing and playing. From the first month I owned a crappy plywood short scale bass (wish I still had it), I sang and played. Part of the reason I'm actually pretty good at it is that I sang and played Police songs. In that high school trio I sang and played all the Police songs we covered, and that was a lot of them. Roxane, Walking on the Moon, Can't Stand Losing You, Message In A Bottle, De Doo Doo Doo De Da Da Da, we even played Be My Girl/Sally (you do dumb stuff in High School). I sang them all (and I even hit most of the notes pretty good - one night in particular my voice was in fantastic shape people couldn't believe my version of "Walking on the Moon"). Anyway, long story, but learning to sing and play by covering Police songs was a real challenge, but was really great for learning to sing and play for me.

Also, not only is Sting singing and playing "Spirits in the Material World" using two different Rhythms at the same time, which in itself is amazing; but also his fretless intonation is very accurate! There's some live videos of these guys and Sting just kills on the bass while he's singing.

[I-Love-Ratm]

He is such a brilliant singer!!I mean Incubus recently jammed a few Police oldies and Brandon couldn't hit alot of the notes that Sting belts out!

[Steve Clark]

And he can still nail the notes.

[De Teng]

Sting is the man indeed. +1

I've seen him once live (Rotterdam) and it was great. Nice musical pallette, very livingly performance, but a bit shallow guitarwork that time of Dominic Miller. I know the man can rock as hell, because I got this video live recording of 'Ten Summoners Tales Tour' (I still regret that I lend it to a friend of mine, I got it back damaged and unplayable) where he smokes out of his speakers during the solo of Synchronicity II, together with Davis Anxious on keyboards. Just Stunning.

I'm still thankfull to my mum who bought the Fields of Gold - Greatest Hits album. I instantly was hooked by the poppy style, and very intelligent work on it. Lots of songs which I dig big time.

When we dance (how beautifully composed)
Russians (politics in songs... I like it)
Moon over Bourbon Street...

Also the more heavy stuff of the Police. Landlord...etc...

A stunning talent, he is.

[johnvice]

Originally Posted by prof_nutbutter

most of his lines are just awesome, simple but awesome!

Bingo! When the Police broke, I was 16 years old and heavily influenced by the "excess is best" style of Entwistle and Squire. I was very taken aback As Sting's bass playing is;
1. simple
2. tastful
3. fits the songs perfectly

The elements of complexity in his playing (on the first two Police albums) were rhythmic and not melodic.

Does anyone know why in his Police days, Sting always seemed to be using a fretless live and a fretted on record ?

[Lyle Caldwell]

A lot of the recorded stuff is fretless. And a lot of the stuff on Ghost and Synchronicity is a fretted electric blended with an upright.

[mark beem]

I love his stuff as bassist and song writer.. I can appreciate all his material both with The Police and solo..