TBT: Sting vs.The Police
Sting was extremely autocratic, micromanaging every musical element. There is nothing wrong with being autocratic; It used to be called a Composer, who wrote everything down, that was later tweaked by the conductor.
Typically band members bristle at taking directions, even if it is in the form of sheet music. After all, the whole point of R&R was an abnegation of rules. Ultimately what you want is everyone to be listening, not playing all the time; You want the players to have their own creative space. But without occasionally checking in to hear what it sounds like, the music or ideas can't be cohesive.
In retrospect, Sting got what he wanted from his own band that he never got from the Police, yet when he did Police songs as a solo artist, they never sounded as good. This has to do with the dichotomy between a band with one primary writer, and one as a bandleader/composer. Both Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers made amazing contributions: Copeland's skill was the turning of the beat around and changing the overall feel with strategic backbeats (Like in Demolition Man). Andy Summers added ambience and atmosphere and hints of jazz, something at the root of Sting's work (that and sea chanteys). Demolition Man sounds terrible with jazz harmony, even though it is modal. (Sting was big on modes, namely Dorian and Lydian, Mixolydian).
Having not listened to Nothing Like the Sun and Soul Cages for a decade, I must say the latter is pure brilliance, some of his best work, full of imagery of Newcastle and shipyards, the pop equivalent of a JMW Turner painting.
Typically band members bristle at taking directions, even if it is in the form of sheet music. After all, the whole point of R&R was an abnegation of rules. Ultimately what you want is everyone to be listening, not playing all the time; You want the players to have their own creative space. But without occasionally checking in to hear what it sounds like, the music or ideas can't be cohesive.
In retrospect, Sting got what he wanted from his own band that he never got from the Police, yet when he did Police songs as a solo artist, they never sounded as good. This has to do with the dichotomy between a band with one primary writer, and one as a bandleader/composer. Both Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers made amazing contributions: Copeland's skill was the turning of the beat around and changing the overall feel with strategic backbeats (Like in Demolition Man). Andy Summers added ambience and atmosphere and hints of jazz, something at the root of Sting's work (that and sea chanteys). Demolition Man sounds terrible with jazz harmony, even though it is modal. (Sting was big on modes, namely Dorian and Lydian, Mixolydian).
Having not listened to Nothing Like the Sun and Soul Cages for a decade, I must say the latter is pure brilliance, some of his best work, full of imagery of Newcastle and shipyards, the pop equivalent of a JMW Turner painting.
