Posts Tagged The Police
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February 20, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
Oysterhead in the Grand Pecking Order: A 20th Anniversary No One Will Celebrate?
Later this year The Grand Pecking Order the sole album by the short-lived group Oysterhead will turn 20. Will anyone be celebrating its birthday? I thought I’d get in early… It was a different world, 2001. Music existed online, sure. You could buy CDs from websites. You might get a 10-second preview of some of […]Archive
June 11, 2020 by Simon Sweetman
Poem: When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around
It’s funny how we change – almost imperceptibly. We don’t see it in ourselves, we have to at least pull over. Stop to look. And listen. And feel. 20 years ago or so I was driving to Wellington with one of my mates and one of his friends and the three of us were going […]Archive
January 7, 2020 by Simon Sweetman
Poem: The Sting of Jealousy
A lot of people really hate Sting. The thing is, they say, it’s about what he has to say more than it’s about how he plays. Though a lot of them don’t like his solo records, don’t listen – never did. I reckon it’s jealousy. Plain. Simple. Whatever rainforest-saving, self-serving trip he’s been on, whatever […]Archive
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