Sting(k)

I just read an article about Sting that was published on October 19 over at the Globe and Mail (whatever that is). It was an interview and sort of review of his new album (which you can bet I won't be buying but I might listen to it on iTunes or Amazon). You can read the article here. After I finished reading it, I realized I'd never said much about Stewart's book, "Strange Things Happen." The article reminded me because it quoted some of the things Stewart says about Sting (for one, he called him a "fucking toad").

I've never been a fan of Sting, who, in spite of his amazing looks and body, has always managed to turn me off. I like his voice, I like the songs he wrote for the Police, but he doesn't interest me that much. He's just not my guy. Who is my guy? Well. I think perhaps the answer to that question goes without saying, no?

Anyway, I was thinking about the things Stewart says about Sting in his book, and most of them are highly complimentary, but of course what gets quoted in interviews and articles are the comments that are less than sweet. I don't have the book handy right now so I won't be quoting anything but I do recall that he wrote something about Sting's musical "genius." He was talking about how incredibly annoying it was when Sting would tell him, in exact words, how he should be playing the drums. I just wrote something the other day on my other blog about how I feel when somebody tells me how to drive. I do not drive nearly as well as Stewart plays the drums. I can imagine the massive irritation that would cause, especially for someone as talented and in possession of as healthy an ego as Stewart is (or, I don't know, maybe the ego is supposed to protect you from moments like this?). But then he went on to say that musically, Sting probably does have the goods to tell him what to do and that's where I got pissed off. I like it better when Stewart isn't being all generous and shit.

(Not that it really matters what I think, though.)

Also in the article about Sting, the author says Sting believes that while most bands are democracies, his opinion is that bands require a driver, and he is that driver. I've never been in a band (darnit) but I can only imagine that if I were talented and creative enough to have been accepted into one, that once installed as a member, to then have it be required that I should just shut up and do what I'm told... I think that would rankle. Unless that was my choice, to sit back and play what's put in front of me (hi, Stewart! Write me something!), if I were Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, I'd have a problem with that. To all those people who like to tell me, as if I really care, that "Stewart Copeland is the one who broke up the Police," I say, well, I don't think so. I think Sting's massive need for domination broke up the Police.

Anyway, I have stuff to do today, believe it or not, and daydreaming about Stewart Copeland is best accomplished elsewhere.

Note: I've been listening to snippets of Sting's new album all morning. Right now playing is a 30 second clip of "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming." Patty and I have played a million versions of this at various Christmas and flutes events: it's her favorite carol, but it had to grow on me. The clip stops right when Sting apparently begins to speak. I don't know, it seems very well done, and he seems to be using a much, much lower vocal register than usual, which is actually quite nice... I suspect we'll be hearing this at the neighborhood Christmas party at the neighbor's house this year. Right after all the Celine Dione albums.