Why I lost a bit of respect for Sting (Rick Beato Interview)

[bassdrummer]

…The Police were playing in Stockton, a Central California town a few hours drive from the Bay Area…

Home of Gallien-Krueger!

 

[frankie5string]

I met Sting and Trudy in Toronto in the old Four Seasons Hotel years ago and they were cordial and pleasant.
Both of them had disarmingly warm smiles and were very easy to talk to. They were off to do a bit of shopping in Yorkville as I was coming in to play the ballroom.

Apparently they are good parents. Their kids have all done relatively well.

 

[ElectroVibe]

Then why were the Police records so much greater than his solo ones?

 

[kittyboy]

What do you expect from a guy who named himself a verb?

Named himself after a magic sword!

 

[Cloudspine]

I don't get the hate for Beato.
I'm incredibly grateful for all his lessons. His channel has dramatically improved my understanding and my ability to appreciate the music I'm hearing, let alone my playing.
His interviews are top notch. He puts a great deal of effort and research into the conversations.
It's been fun to watch his channel and popularity grow but I suppose that haters come along with success.

Regarding Sting, I actually met him in the Hamptons in 1985ish. I was 15. I played harmonica and he sung.
He was very kind and supportive and encouraging. Gave me a tour shirt. He's cool in my book.
I didn't get any negative vibe from him in the Beato interview either.

Most of the people complaining about him seem to be know-it-alls in their own right and there's probably a significant scoop of jealousy there.

I agree with you and think the guy is educational, harmless, and creative. We share some mutual acquaintances as we are from the same place.

 

[Mechanical]

My only point was that their diva-hood does not affect how much I enjoy/respect their art. I don't care about their politics or religion either. I don't care if they donate to charities or fight for causes I believe in. I separate the art from the human as much as possible.

I have fond memories of going to Buffett concerts. My favorite crazy uncle was into him. And he got much of the whole family involved. My friends wanted to tailgate with our family. The music was fun. Buffett tells great stories. I have it from a source I trust that Mr. Buffett rides around in limos checking on his real estate holdings in Manhattan way more than he does anything tropical these days. He's a very shrewd (fight to the death) business man. And I don't care.

As long as he puts on a flowery shirt and sings me my cheesy good-times-and-great memories songs, I don't care one bit if he goes home to a penthouse in NYC and laughs all the way to the bank. I don't care if his fans make him roll his eyes these days. I'm smiling at the show.

It's funny. I do my best to separate the politics/religion from musicians as well. Some of my favorite musicians are absolute loony tunes, IMO. The problem I have is that you can have stupid talented folks like Victor Wooten and he's a mensch. Nathan East can not be a nicer person. Billy Sheehan is friendly and warm. It's not their great musicianship that makes them good people. They just are good people who happen to play music really well.

The other side is that some musicians are just difficult people and the first one that comes to mind is Neil Peart. (Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, et al.) Sting just happens to be another one.

 

[Mechanical]

Sting has earned the right to be a jackass. I have no issue with his ego.

Opposite. With great fame, comes great responsibility.

 

[40Hz]

Also in other Rick Beato videos Rick goes on and on about how Sting uses this mode or that mode and the brilliant music theory employed by Sting, then in the interview with Sting you get the impression from Sting himself he really wrote the music more intuitively and the songs were not derived from an extensive contemplation of music theory.

What's the big deal about that?

Theory is useful when you want to analyze something after the fact.

But you don't play theory. I doubt anybody ever did.

 

[Cloudspine]

What's the big deal about that?

Theory is useful when you want to analyze something after the fact.

But you don't play theory. I doubt anybody ever did.

Yes, and in many of Rick's videos, he says exactly this....they are playing what they feel and what they think sounds good.

 

[Topkat13]

Gosh…now what do we do?

 

[Toddbass65]

I think the Tony Franklins of the world make up a bit for the Stings of the world….to a point.
If there's a nicer bassist than Tony I'd love to hear about it!Tony posts great videos all the time and is very friendly and interactive with friends. He often replies back to my comments and PMs me with a personal note or thanks for following him. Class act……and unbelievably talented musician!
I doubt Sting gives a damn about that kind of thing…..
But I do enjoy the Police!

 

[Space Pickle]

No Sting, no Edge, no Slash. We'd be left with Johnny Paycheck and Eddie Money.

Edge, Slash, and Sting should be a new supergroup

But running around in a diaper in Dune was alright? ;-)

running around in a diaper in Dune was more than alright and i will not be hearing any different

 

[Space Pickle]

Then why were the Police records so much greater than his solo ones?

Well that's a matter of opinion.

IMO the best album Sting ever made was Ten Summoner's Tales, and the best individual tune he ever wrote was Fortress Around Your Heart.

 

[FenderBassist]

At the end of the day, humans may disappoint you with their personal foibles. Which is why I tend to focus on what they create rather than what shortcomings they have.

This is often very true for me with actors/actresses and their roles.

 

[Govner22]

When I was at a dentist appointment I met a hygienist who had both Sting and his wife as patients. I was surprised to hear she thought Sting was really nice and his wife not as much. I wonder if when Sting senses he's around someone who isn't a big fan he chills out a bit? Another of life's mysteries for me.

 

[bassdog]

I'm sure it's intuitively, but just because he may not be able to name modes doesn't mean anything to me. Rick calls them out because he's a freak like that. I love his interviews. If he takes a bit more credit than he deserves, whatever. When I hear a Police song I think of the band, not Sting so much.

Saying Sting can't name modes?

 

[Richard Lindsey]

On a side note, Sting didn't seem all that egotistical -- e.g. a true egomaniac wouldn't let a sideman talk at length during an interview. It seems more like some people expect Sting to have a massive ego, and let that color their interpretation of the interview.

I had a similar impression. He's clearly confident of the value of his work, but that's not the same thing as being an egomaniac, and in that interview he didn't come off as one, to me at least. He came off more as a person without false modesty. Egomania is undoubtedly annoying, but so is false modesty.

 

[Mastermold]

Sting has earned the right to be a jackass. I have no issue with his ego.

Where I come from, jackasses get popped in the mouth. I have no idea whether or not Sting is, but God help the man if he acts that way to the wrong person.

 

[Space Pickle]

Saying Sting can't name modes?

he needs only one mode...the stingian mode

 

[Nuage420]

Where I come from, jackasses get popped in the mouth. I have no idea whether or not Sting is, but God help the man if he acts that way to the wrong person.

Yall don't take kindly to those who don't take kindly round there huh....