Police drummer rips band's "lame" concert

[jefferson_dem]

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/01/04/the_police_wideweb__470x313,0.jpg

Police drummer rips band's "lame" concert
Fri Jun 1, 2007 7:09AM EDT
By Dean Goodman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The singer in the Police jumps like a "petulant pansy," the drummer is making a "complete hash," and who knows what the guitarist is doing?

Notes from a bitter critic? Actually, it's a disarmingly frank concert review from the aforementioned drummer of the newly reunited rock trio.

A philosophical Stewart Copeland unleashed his vitriol in a posting on his Web site on Thursday, a day after the band played its second show in Vancouver, the Canadian city where it began its first world tour in more than 20 years on Monday.

"This is unbelievably lame," Copeland wrote of Wednesday's show at the GM Place arena. "We are the mighty Police and we are totally at sea."

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http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USN2247412520070601

[johnnie]

1. I never understood their "legend" status

They were ok, but I never understood what made them stand out above 100s of other rock bands from that era.

[asthmaticeog]

2. I never understand what makes ANY band stand out like that, apart from the obvious ones...

...but yeah, like for example in Southern boogie-rock, why does Skynyrd endure and not Blackfoot, who I think were WAY better?

But I think the rock math on the Police goes something like the durability of "Roxanne," + the unfuckwithable coolness of Ghost in the Machine + the monster success of Synchronicity = the Police stand out. Similar math applies to the Cars, who were also kinda just an OK band to my way of thinking.

As always, your mileage may vary. :)

[johnnie]

3. I guess I can understand your math here

There is no doubt that the guys in The Police are pretty good at what they do (hell, Andy Summers even played with Eric Burdon in the 60s), but they didn't seem to really stand out as anything too fantastic in my opinion. They just seemed like a lot of other bands in those days, but as you point out, they succeeded pretty well in what they did. I guess I just didn't pay attention.

The Cars first album was pretty cool in its own way. When I first heard it on the radio, it was pretty different than what was playing on the radio in those days, so I appreciated that. After that album, I lost interest. From what I have heard, they were terrible as a live band.

[bbernardini]

4. The Cars as a live band...

I have a few live recordings of The Cars from their heyday, and the performances are quite good. The New Cars are equally spectacular. I suspect it's all because of the spectacular stylings of Elliot Easton. My hero Todd Rundgren being in the band doesn't hurt, either. :)

[johnnie]

7. To be fair, i never heard them or saw them live

So I will take your word on it :) Yeah, Easton is a fantastic guitar player. I did hear their new stuff and I liked it, Rundgren was a perfect fit I would say.

[KurtNYC]

12. a rhythm driven power trio with no lead guitar

I can't name another band that did that. It is just rhythm and Sting's vocals.

Copeland's solo stuff is pretty good, Sting is hit and miss for me but very well produced and Summers is kind of the boring "other guy"

[Zavulon]

13. Neither did I, and

I'm not even willing to concede that they were okay. I always thought their music sucked.

[johnnie]

14. Well, I can't say their music sucked

It just seemed to be average to me. As I've said, I don't think they were bad, I just don't understand what puts them above a lot of other bands that were making music back then.

[DS1]

5. What a dick

:)

[Nickster]

6. I'm nervous about seeing them in July. I was worried that their ages might

have caught up with them and it would be a sad shell of their former selves. They're in their 60s which doesn't really help the jumping around pseudo-punk thing that they had in the early 80s.

[bbernardini]

11. I wouldn't be concerned...

Yesterday I listened to a recording of Monday night's show. While it was still a little rough around the edges, they're going to be SMOKING come July.

[Nickster]

15. I got a recording of that last night, haven't had a chance to listen to it yet.

[Karenina]

8. Music is like ice skating

EVERYONE gets his butt bruised at one point or another.

[begin_within]

9. A so-so 1970s band that probably didn't rehearse enough - what do they expect?

[Debi]

10. Guess he wasn't getting enough attention?? This oughta do it n/t

[skygazer]

16. He might be able to get a job with Spinal Tap

Seems they're always looking for a drummer. :rofl: