dmccombe7 Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 Not been a huge fan of them but have always enjoyed anything i've heard. Always thought they were a very energetic band when they first appeared. Think the song-writing is pretty exceptional tho. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steantval Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 17 hours ago, Dad3353 said: This might throw another light on this bloke's talent and qualities... Oh no, bit like songs from the shows, I'll take The Police anytime over this. I love some of his solo stuff, the one recorded at the villa in Italy around the time of 9/11 has some superb musicianship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivansc Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 Liked what the band did but have been somewhat underwhelmed by Stings solo efforts, but he IS a great bass player and can write a good melody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 22 hours ago, Monkey Steve said: I always wondered if the singing was what dictated the simplicity/elegance of the bass lines - I know that I sometimes struggle to play some more intricate things if I'm singing. On balance however I tend to think that he just understands the dynamics of the songs, and that the bass line is there to provide the melody and the drive, not the fireworks. try playing and singing Driven To Tears. It took me a damn long time to do it and even now it's a challenge 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 He's a bit like a McCartney to me, great song writer and bass player and musician. From reading his biography I came to understand his ego a bit more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushbo Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 What he plays is always perfect for the song. Nothing flash. If all it requires is root notes, then that's all he plays. I rate him very highly. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@23 Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 On 01/12/2017 at 14:59, NJE said: I came to The Police and Sting through my dad who was a massive Sting fan. I had the 'very best of sting & the police' album when I was about 15 and his song writing and playing was a huge inspiration. As a young player I could grasp parts and play along to a lot of Police stuff fairly quickly, and it had plenty of energy. The more I listened to his solo songs and albums the more I appreciated his playing and song writing. I think he is hugely underrated as a player, he is a great example of playing for the song but when you listen carefully he has a great feel and note choice, and faced with the same song I doubt many of us would be as inventive and subtle as he is. Ha, I could have written that post! I still listen to my dad's old Police vinyl. Copeland was just incredible and Summer's use of sus chords, 9th/11th/13ths blew my mind and a kid learning guitar. Great band! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 I seem to be in the minority....I'm going to have to be controversial and go against the grain. I don't think he played anything that any other player wouldn't/couldn't have played. If anything, a lot of the stuff he played was quite naive in many ways, some might say "imitation Reggae" without the punch...I wasn't impressed at the time, not impressed with hindsight. If you look at his peers at the time, Tony "Gad" Robinson (Aswad) and Ronnie McQueen (Steel Pulse) who were both turning out punchy, kicking Bass lines, Sting sounds like George Harrison at a Jimi Hendrix gig. The Police were, in effect, a white Reggae band, I'm pretty sure that he doesn't feature on any list of Reggae Bass players. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 I learned to play the bass to Police/Sting stuff. Personally I think he's great and some of the stuff he sings and plays at the same time are murder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 2, 2017 Author Share Posted December 2, 2017 3 hours ago, TheGreek said: The Police were, in effect, a white Reggae band, I'm pretty sure that he doesn't feature on any list of Reggae Bass players. The Police were a what. . . . ? They use a Reggae rhythm or two in some of their arrangements but that doesn't make them a Reggae band. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 (edited) Errr...Reggatta de Blanc?? Edited December 2, 2017 by TheGreek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 (edited) 4 hours ago, TheGreek said: The Police were, in effect, a white Reggae band, I'm pretty sure that he doesn't feature on any list of Reggae Bass players. I never thought of them as anything other than a pop band, albeit one that I liked. At that time I was also listening to U-Roy, Burning Spear, Lee Scratch Perry, The Mighty Diamonds, King Tubby et al. Especially the dub mixes. So you can see why I didn't think of The Police as 'reggae'. Edited December 2, 2017 by discreet 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 42 minutes ago, TheGreek said: Errr...Reggatta de Blanc?? Yes, it translates as 'white boat race'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 11 minutes ago, discreet said: Yes, it translates as 'white boat race'. Nonsense! It means a white cotton fabric with white stripes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 9 minutes ago, BassTractor said: Nonsense! It means a white cotton fabric with white stripes. In which language? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Obviously with his experience, he is a well accomplished player. I've always thought that it does not matter how "technically" proficient any bassist or musician is. It's all about, what is right for the song. Love him or hate him, Sting consistently does what is right for the music he plays. Hats off to that man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 (edited) 58 minutes ago, discreet said: In which language? Hehe. Your language. Wiktionay taught me that regatta (the regular one with 1 'g' ) not only means boat races, but also striped cotton fabric. BTW, back then people did say the album title was a loose playing with the words "reggae by whites", but I've never seen any confirmation by a Police bandmember. I'd guess people just invented a likely interpretation in their heads, and spread it. As to Sting, I've always been impressed with his choice of notes and rhythms in the bass parts, as well as with the combination of his playing and his singing. Also, The Police to me are a prime example of what you can get out of a trio with just one guitar and one bass. Highly impressed - for four decades now. Edited December 3, 2017 by BassTractor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 I wonder why he plays with his thumb, damping the strings with his palm, all the time? It can be a good technique for certain types of basslines but can be limiting. He used to play with a pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Remember they started out very punky and then evolved. Their last album was nothing like the first and in the scheme of things, they weren't around that long. The B side to walking on the moon 'Visions of the night' still punky. I always thought Ghosts in the machine was their weakest but since doing the Police tribute (10 years now) I don't believe it is. Each album has some real gems on it 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisthebass Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 10 hours ago, chris_b said: The Police were a what. . . . ? They use a Reggae rhythm or two in some of their arrangements but that doesn't make them a Reggae band. Agreed - I remember when they first hit the scene, it was on the back of Punk but I'd class them more as a New Wave band more than anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Sting is one of my favourite artists of all time. Me and the guys I share a flat with have chosen Englishman in New York as our anthem for when the stars align and we all happen to be at home at the same time Love The Police with a passion too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 On 02/12/2017 at 22:32, TheGreek said: Errr...Reggatta de Blanc?? To be fair this is the only album of theirs where reggae is a more dominant influence. Little sign of it on the other four Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Just now, Barking Spiders said: To be fair this is the only album of theirs where reggae is a more dominant influence. Little sign of it on the other four There,s can't stand losing you, hole in my life, roxanne, from the first album which have that kind of thing on with the guitar parts but other than that, some of the other tracks are almost Ska, in feel, again only a couple though (Canary in a coal mine) New Wave/Post Punk is about right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Fun fact - my great grandmother and great aunt used to work in catering at Air Studios in Montserrat at the time The Police were doing a chunk of recording out there. That’s my claim to fame anyway! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 On 01/12/2017 at 22:40, kevin_lindsay said: He' a great bass player. It takes great ears (and great confidence) to play with so much space. Plus, he has the chips to play really busily if he wants to - after all, he first started out in the jazz rock outfit Last Exit. Anyhow, here' a live clip of a wonderful performance of "Wrapped Around Your Finger" during the Police's reunion your. Absolutely gorgeous. Thats 2 x 8x10s plus a pa system for a rig. Plus IEMs. Plus wedges. The man has balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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