Posts Tagged The Police
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October 18, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
RNZ Feature: The “Worst” Songs by The “Best” Bands
I’m usually on RNZ once a month to have a chat about some new albums. But now and then I present features on the show too. Last year I had nearly an hour to explore the music of George Harrison. I followed that up with a chat about Ringo Starr and played some of his best Beatles drum bits […]Archive
August 14, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Stubs: #206 – Sting & Peter Gabriel, Seattle, USA, 2016
Last year we were in America – it was the best holiday, and I saw some great gigs. I turned 40 when we were over there – the trip, all of it, everything – was my present. A gift to and from all of us, really. A family vacation – an amazing one. Disneyland, a […]Archive
December 8, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 600
The Police, Every Breath You Take – The Singles (1986) I have this thing where a pang of nostalgia sometimes hits when I see a key compilation from my childhood. That was the case when I walked into the record store last week and saw this offering by The Police. My bro had the CD, […]Archive
December 6, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
My Date With Fergie: The Time I Was Summoned to Interview The Duchess
I got the phone call the day before the gig. Could I interview Fergie from The Black Eyed Peas? Sure. Why not? Interviews are a fascinating process. The person doesn’t really want to talk to you. You hardly ever get to talk to someone you would really like to. Why wouldn’t I go for it? […]Archive
November 26, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
Lyrics By Sting: The Worst
Someone once sent me a link to a story that announced the worst rock’n’roll lyricist of all time to be Sting. I thought that was quite funny, and quite possibly true. The man born Gordon Sumner has had a hard time from the music press for 30 years. Often deservedly. Sometimes not. But it’s fair […]Archive
November 16, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
Sting: 57th & 9th
Sting 57th & 9th A&M Within a day or so of seeing a pretty incredible Sting (and Peter Gabriel) show I read the news that Sting was set to release a rock album; his first in over a decade. I was ready to sign up. Years of that fruit with a lute and bloody orchestral […]Archive
November 8, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
Drummers You Just Can’t Beat: # 14 – Vinnie Colaiuta
I first met him (in a musical sense) with the Sting album Ten Summoner’s Tales. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing – the sharp cymbal sound, the crisp snare; the fact that Colaiuta had his head around 5/4 and 7/4 time signatures – playing in 7/8 here on St Augustine In Hell. I think […]Archive
November 2, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
A Bustle In Your Hedgerow: Good Songs With Terrible Lyrics
I was talking to preachy-preach about kissy-kiss. Actually I wasn’t. Because I don’t even know what that means. Good ole Frank Black/Black Francis – his Pixies work showed off several fascinations with UFOs and drugs and it’s great music. But a lot of the lyrics don’t stand up to scrutiny. Lyrics do not have to […]Archive
July 22, 2016 by Simon Sweetman
Gig Review: Sting & Peter Gabriel (July 21, Seattle)
Sting & Peter Gabriel: Rock Paper Scissors Key Arena, Seattle; WA Thursday, July 21 Billed as Rock Paper Scissors – this show wasn’t quite like when Sting shared the road with Paul Simon recently. For those gigs it was a bunch of mini-sets, with some get-togethers too. But this was a super-band, two sets of […]Archive
June 10, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 878
Klark Kent, Klark Kent (1980) The Klark Kent pseudonym is for the (solo) work of Stewart Copeland. He made this record when he was still in The Police but obvious had a hankering to record himself on other instruments (he plays everything here, one-man-bands it in a McCartney II kinda way) and, presumably, was keen […]Archive
December 23, 2014 by Simon Sweetman