Andy Summers is going on tour in a Police tribute band

[JiveTurkey]

What in the flying f**k We saw the real deal on their farewell tour. My pants were pooped. It just seems realllllllllllllly weird to me that a musician would go out in a tribute band based on his own group

[BroSlinger]

I feel bad for Andy.

For whatever reason, he didn't get songwriting credit for anything. (including his iconic every breath you take riff)

Didn't make a penny off of Puff Daddy's smash hit. Sting got everything, and isn't even in the sample.

sucks for Andy.

[JiveTurkey]

I feel bad for Andy.

For whatever reason, he didn't get songwriting credit for anything. (including his iconic every breath you take riff)

Didn't make a penny off of Puff Daddy's smash hit. Sting got everything, and isn't even in the sample.

sucks for Andy.

Yeah I adore the Police and Summers guitar work.

Funny yet sad story. A friend I worked with, saw Andy at a solo gig out in Cali in probably the mid-90s? It was right after that Santana garbage record with Rob Thomas and all those guest vocalists. My friend struck up a conversation with Andy wanting to talk about the Police and basically endured a Santana hate fest for like 20 minutes from Andy. Not sure if it was even explained why the hatred was there (other than Santana's success at the time) but he said it was an absolutely epic tirade

[TurboPablo]

Andy was stuck between the shitshow that was Sting and Stewart.

Dude is a monster player.

[JiveTurkey]

Andy was stuck between the shitshow that was Sting and Stewart.

Dude is a monster player.

They are all absolute beasts. Just stupidly powerful even though they weren't about the bombast at all. Stewart is in my top 5. Maybe even top 3 if I am being completely honest.

['63-Strat]

Eh, I *love* the police and sting, and love Andy's rhythm guitar work (other than some *atrocious* leads) on the police records. But when they did the reunion tour he tried to reinvent himself as a lead player and he's just not, IMO. He took long leads on many songs and frankly he's just not a very good lead player. Was definitely my least favorite aspect of the show.

[TurboPablo]

Andy was stuck between the shitshow that was Sting and Stewart.

Dude is a monster player.

They are all absolute beasts. Just stupidly powerful even though they weren't about the bombast at all. Stewart is in my top 5. Maybe even top 3 if I am being completely honest.

The drums on "Ghosts In The Machine" are the best I've ever heard.

[JiveTurkey]

Eh, I *love* the police and sting, and love Andy's rhythm guitar work (other than some *atrocious* leads) on the police records. But when they did the reunion tour he tried to reinvent himself as a lead player and he's just not, IMO. He took long leads on many songs and frankly he's just not a very good lead player. Was definitely my least favorite aspect of the show.

Agreed for the most part. His lead work was never anything I gravitated towards. If I wanted textural with great lead playing; I just fired up some Lifeson instead.

The reunion was maybe a rose colored glasses kind of thing for me as I had wanted to see them forever but couldn't. The liberties the Police took live with fifteen backing vocalists and all sorts of extra instrumentation never really sat with me as I knew they could do it (and do it well) as a three piece. IIRC; they were pretty stripped down when we saw them in 2008 and they sounded great. Sting doesn't need the $ so he doesn't care to ever do it again I am sure.

[JiveTurkey]

Andy was stuck between the shitshow that was Sting and Stewart.

Dude is a monster player.

They are all absolute beasts. Just stupidly powerful even though they weren't about the bombast at all. Stewart is in my top 5. Maybe even top 3 if I am being completely honest.

The drums on "Ghosts In The Machine" are the best I've ever heard.

I love all the instrument tones on all their albums. Total fanboy. The "punk" tinged material on the debut is awesome as is the slick pop stuff of Synchronicity.

[TurboPablo]

Synchronicity was widely regarded as Stings first solo album. It's just that nobody told that to Andy and Stewart.

I honestly believe that Stewart should have hit Sting harder and way more often.


"Regatta De Blanc" is probably my favorite.

[JiveTurkey]

Synchronicity was widely regarded as Stings first solo album. It's just that nobody told that to Andy and Stewart.

I honestly believe that Stewart should have hit Sting harder and way more often.


"Regatta De Blanc" is probably my favorite.

Love it. Beds Too Big, title track, Bring On the Night, No Time at All...

I have it on double (10"?) vinyl as well as this picture disc

[TurboPablo]

Funny thing is, their B-Sides were consistently better than the A-Side hits.

"Shadows In The Rain" off of Zenyata is one of my all time faves.

[JiveTurkey]

^Oh yes. Some of the obscure tracks are the best imo. Canary in a Coalmine and Man in a Suitcase are two of my faves off Zenyatta.

[itchyfingers]

Outlandos de Amor is my favorite, but I don't hate a single Police song.

Imagine the two dudes who get to have Andy Summers in their tribute band! How stoked are they right now? I'd gladly take a back seat if Johnny Marr wants to join my tribute band, so Johnny, if you're reading this...



We played a gig with Andy Rourke, the Smiths bassist. He was DJ'ing, we were reliving his teenage years, lol. Super nice guy, had very nice things to say.

[JiveTurkey]

Outlandos de Amor is my favorite, but I don't hate a single Police song.

Imagine the two dudes who get to have Andy Summers in their tribute band! How stoked are they right now? I'd gladly take a back seat if Johnny Marr wants to join my tribute band, so Johnny, if you're reading this...



We played a gig with Andy Rourke, the Smiths bassist. He was DJ'ing, we were reliving his teenage years, lol. Super nice guy, had very nice things to say.

1. So Lonely and Can't Stand Losing You are two of my faves
2. Mother is one of the few Police songs I can say truly sucks. Which it looks like I was right in thinking it was a Summers song I need to go back and give a relisten to comment further

['63-Strat]

Outlandos de Amor is my favorite, but I don't hate a single Police song.

Imagine the two dudes who get to have Andy Summers in their tribute band! How stoked are they right now? I'd gladly take a back seat if Johnny Marr wants to join my tribute band, so Johnny, if you're reading this...



We played a gig with Andy Rourke, the Smiths bassist. He was DJ'ing, we were reliving his teenage years, lol. Super nice guy, had very nice things to say.

1. So Lonely and Can't Stand Losing You are two of my faves
2. Mother is one of the few Police songs I can say truly sucks. I need to go back and give a relisten to comment further

Yep, "mother" I assume was intended to be funny but it just sucks

[TurboPablo]

Stuart was one of the reasons the Punk/Ska crossover happened. He basically invented the beats for it.

[itchyfingers]

Point taken on Mother, but there's some sick instrumental work outside of the annoying lyrics.

Plus, it fits so well in the placement of tracks on Synchronicity. We live in the age of shuffled iTunes playlists, but you have to remember that these guys were huge in the days of LPs where people listened to 20 minute batches of songs which usually ran in a theme.

I get together with some friends a few times a year for "scotch and vinyl night" - we drink different types of whiskey while raiding a library of albums and listen to a side at a time. The guy who owns the collection always talks about any time he or any of his roommates would get a new album, they'd all sit down and pass the jacket around, and listen to the whole thing start to finish.

[Ry Manchu]

Love it. Beds Too Big, title track, Bring On the Night, No Time at All...

I have it on double (10"?) vinyl as well as this picture disc

One of my favorite Police songs.

[Ry Manchu]

Andy was stuck between the shitshow that was Sting and Stewart.

Dude is a monster player.

They are all absolute beasts. Just stupidly powerful even though they weren't about the bombast at all. Stewart is in my top 5. Maybe even top 3 if I am being completely honest.

The drums on "Ghosts In The Machine" are the best I've ever heard.

I agree, the symbols and toms on Ghost in the Machine may be the high water mark in history.