The Police: A Forgotten Band?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Siegmund, Sep 14, 2018.

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  1. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    It's easy to forget that they were, briefly, the biggest band in the world in the early 80s. A very satisfactory (if rather brief) career trajectory concluded with the massive success of Synchronicity and the world tour that accompanied it.

    Sting's solo career has totally overshadowed his old band; and his bandmates seem to be forgotten men.

    The band seems to suffer from a lack of recognition among younger listeners, who have taken on other heritage acts but seem unaware (or uninterested) in this 'white reggae' trio....

    Tbh, I was never a huge fan and can remember disliking them fairly intensely when they were a current act. Their massive success, particularly in America, baffled me in the way that Dire Straits' massive success baffled other people.

    Props to them for originality and for fooling some people that they were punk band when they were far too old (and far too skilled on their instruments). 'White man's reggae' was a good idea but I think it was also a bit of a stylistic cul de sac. I'd say their split was perfect timing.
     
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  2. zither

    zither Lodger

    Location:
    UK
    One could argue that Sting's solo music is equally forgettable.
     
  3. clayton

    clayton Senior Member

    Location:
    minneapolis mn
    I saw them on their 1st American tour and was already a fan of their 1st album, they played a club in Minneapolis called the Longhorn (wagon wheel chandeliers etc.) which started life as a C & W bar. I never bothered to see them after they became huge figuring that nothing will top second row seats in a small club. You're right about them being too accomplished on their instruments to be considered punk.
     
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  4. englishbob

    englishbob has left the SH Forums...19/05/2023

    Location:
    Kent, England
    The Police where good at the time, however Sting has killed anything decent about them off for good from which they can never recover. See also Genesis and Phil

    Although Copeland is an exceptional drummer, one of the greats.
     
  5. BluesOvertookMe

    BluesOvertookMe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX, USA
    For a time in 1983, they were the biggest band in .. .well, I'd say the world, but that will offend someone, so I'll say the US, even though they are English (yes, I know Stewart was born in Virginia). What I liked about them was that all three members were very talented instrumentalists. Their songs that are the most Reggae in feel are the ones that have aged the worst for me.

    I have no doubt that the popularity of Sting's solo career has overshadowed the Police and that's why those that were not alive when they were current are not that aware of them, but they made some very good music. Sting's solo career was bland to me and outside of one song, I don't really care for any of it.
     
  6. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    Copeland is indeed a superb drummer. As a band, I think they were very skilled, though none of them were flashy.
     
  7. Black Magic Woman

    Black Magic Woman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chile
    If you look at The Police’s streaming numbers (almost 10 million monthly listeners), you’ll notice they are more popular than The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, The Who, etc.

    Sting solo career has 3,5 million listeners.
     
  8. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    I would describe Sting's music as 'low impact'. To be fair, it may be better than I realise - it just sounds too perfect to have on low in the background while you're doing something else. It certainly doesn't monopolise the attention.
     
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  9. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Don't think they're "forgotten" at all. Yes, it's been 10 years, but the reunion tour was an enormous success.

    Sting now mostly plays smaller venues, but it the Police reunited, they'd be back in arenas. Completely disagree that solo Sting has overshadowed Police - their albums/hits are much better remembered than his...
     
  10. ianuaditis

    ianuaditis Matthew 21:17

    Location:
    Long River Place
    Around the turn of the millennium they were quite popular among people I knew. A co-worker at the time who was still in high school and his circle of friends were into them.

    That kind of ska/'white reggae' stuff was big here in the late 90s, Sublime was very popular in my town (they had an album that sold 5 million+ copies in the USA,) so I'm not too surprised some of those kids found their way to the Police.
     
  11. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    But no-one seems to talk about them. They don't get many threads on this forum.
     
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  12. Black Magic Woman

    Black Magic Woman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chile
    This forum is hardly an indication of what’s popular. I mean this is the same place where Badfinger gets more threads than Tina Turner.
     
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  13. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    I wouldn't be surprised if some younger people, on hearing Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon or EBYT would say , 'That's Sting' not 'That's the Police'.
     
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  14. ianuaditis

    ianuaditis Matthew 21:17

    Location:
    Long River Place
    I'd say this is true for the USA, except maybe the 'brand new day' song, or Fields of Gold, most of Sting's solo catalog is not that well known.

    Puff Daddy also adapted 'Every Breath You Take,' for one of his first solo hits, so I'm sure that got some kids into the Police as well.
     
  15. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic Thread Starter

    Location:
    Britain, Europe
    True, but I find younger people don't have an awareness of them. They've heard of Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Bowie, the Sex Pistols but not the Police.
     
  16. Yost

    Yost “It’s only impossible until it’s not”

    In my home Police music is played every week. My wife and I like them both, and much to our surprise, our 16 years old son likes them too.

    They’re certainly not forgotten here!

    I like solo Sting too, but mostly Brand New Day and before. His latest album was nice too, so I attended his tour in last November. And liked it a lot.
     
  17. Spear and Magic Helmet

    Spear and Magic Helmet Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    What's that one song? I ask because I am in the same boat. I like one song only. It's "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You"
     
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  18. Black Magic Woman

    Black Magic Woman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chile
    Sex Pistols? People really believe they’re huge or something.

    Bowie, Zeppelin are far more recognizable names than Jim Morrison or even Jimi Hendrix today. Even Toto is. That doesn’t make them forgotten.
     
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  19. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    There's not a ton to prompt threads here. They have a very limited catalog and they've not had notable reissues any time recently.

    How many threads do we get for the band's contemporaries? This place leans hard on 60s/70s rockers, and "New Wave" doesn't receive nearly as much attention...
     
  20. 2trackmind

    2trackmind Forum Resident

    Location:
    MA
    Interesting. I am the opposite. I find that anything after Zenyatta Mondatta to have aged the worst. Especially the Synchronicity material. I think it's the production that makes me feel this way.
     
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  21. ianuaditis

    ianuaditis Matthew 21:17

    Location:
    Long River Place
    I was going to joke that NWA's diss track probably didn't do them any favors. I have no idea what the kids are into these days, but 10-15 years ago it was definitely the Police were cool but not solo Sting.
     
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  22. SurrealCereal

    SurrealCereal Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    I don’t see The Police as being forgotten at all. They may not be the best-remembered band of the 80’s, but their songs are very well-known, and they are still something of a household name. I disagree with the notion of Sting’s solo work overshadowing The Police. If anything, it’s his solo work that has been forgotten. Maybe his celebrity status has made it so that the name “Sting” is more instantly recognizable than “The Police,” but as far as the music goes, The Police are far from forgotten.
     
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  23. BluesOvertookMe

    BluesOvertookMe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX, USA

    Not a hit, I really like The Hounds of Winter actually.
     
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  24. Black Magic Woman

    Black Magic Woman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chile
    “Forgotten threads” are poorly disguised “I don’t like it” threads.
     
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  25. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    I think you radically overestimate how well-known Sting's solo career is with "younger people".

    The band's streaming #s got mentioned above - that's probably a better indication of what "younger people" think of the Police...

    I think you've started a thread based on your own anecdotals and not much is gonna change your mind... :shrug:
     
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