The Police tour opening night. Times review

The reviewer was not exactly overwhelmed! Perhaps they'll have shaken out the cobwebs by the time they reach these shores!

I had my doubts about the value for money of this when I saw the tv performance for the award a few mths back.. Dare I say it..Im beginning to wonder if my tkts should wing there way to ebay..

One smart-arse self-regarding reviewer writes and suddenly the Police are crap.....jeeez.

I'm not even particularly fond of them but this wreaks of a commentator on the make.

Someone should do us a favour and arrest them. They were sh*te over 20 years ago when they broke up, so it's hard to see what can have improved now that they've reformed.

It's astonishing how low people will stoop to make money.

Ah the freshness and vitality of the early songs.

It's gonna be difficult to re-create that youthful (not that Mr Sumner was THAT youthful even back then) power and energy, but it was great stuff - and a tight powerful sound from a trio.

'Regatta de Blanc' is brimming with spontaneous fun and boogie factor.

I think the good stuff has stood the test of time. Whether they can re-create it live now, is another matter.

John.

Never been a big fan myself, but my wife was/is and so we're off to Cardiff - I just hope they've got into the swing of it by then!

Gary

Andy Summers (a.k.a Somers) was guitarist in Zoot Money's Big Roll Band (1964-67), Dantalion's Chariot (1967-68), Soft Machine (very briefly in 1968) and The New Animals (1968-69) - his high point for me was the Dantalion's Chariot single The Madman Running Through The Fields which he wrote with George Bruno (Zoot) Money. Don't think he did anything of note after the 60s - sorry but the Police (were they a white reggae band?) weren't really my cup of cocoa. I wish he'd reformed Dantalion's Chariot instead.

Zoot Money: Keyboards, Vocals
Andy Somers: Guitar
Colin Allen: Drums
Pat Donaldson: Bass Guitar

I saw them at The Nashville; it'd be a let down to see them in a stadium.

The way its talked about they will probably have split up again by the time they get to the UK

I wonder what the Girls Aloud re-union tour will be like when they are in their mid-fifties? I won't be going.

quote:

Someone should do us a favour and arrest them. They were sh*te over 20 years ago when they broke up, so it's hard to see what can have improved now that they've reformed.

No they are not,you just don't like them. I am not a particular fan, but why do people have to "speak" for very one else and declare certain artistes Phil Collins, Police ELP etc shit.
There are plenty of "forum flaunted acts" I think are rubbish but tend to say it's the other guys problem not mine.

Howard

BTW would the Police arrest them?

Howard,
good point well put.

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:

I am not a particular fan, but why do people have to "speak" for very one else and declare certain artistes Phil Collins, Police ELP etc shit.

Howard - I've never said a word against ELP - in fact I think they are one of the very best bands of the 70s. I can't understand how anybody could dislike them. They are great musicians, have a sense of humour and are really nice guys. I have most of the records and play them regularly.

I'm not a fan of the Police and have none of their records, but Andy Summers wrote Madman Running Through The Fields - which I do have - so I'll always hold him in high regard.

BTW PC is always having a go at people who are much nicer than him - please see here - he seems to get angry when somebody expresses what many of us think.

ATB Rotf

ROTF
My comments were not aimed at you, G55s comments prompted my post.
Your musical tastes are sound as you seem to like a lot of the same music as I. You also seem to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of music (prog like at least).
At the end of the day don't listen to music you don't like but don't tell every one else it's crap. Not at all helpful when trying to expand ones musical horizons.

Howard

Hi Howard

I'm usually quite considerate - opinionated, but considerate. There are just a few people who make me cringe every time I hear them. You know somebody you always switch off as soon as possible. I used quite like Genesis (although not in the top league with Soft Machine, Caravan, Pink Floyd, ELP, Focus or Atomic Rooster for this listener). However, when Peter Gabriel left I felt it wrong for the band to continue under the same name - it just seemed like the Alice Cooper Group continuing without Alice (Vince). I still think Trespass is the best album Genesis ever made, but the subsequent albums are not bad at all until we get Trick of the Tail - possibly the worst prog-rock record I've ever heard. Now I know some will dispute that, which is fine - it's all opinion.

I always find it strange that many documentaries on punk-rock seem to start by having a go at Pink Floyd and ELP - I, of course as a fan of both, think they chose the wrong targets. It is true there was a lot of dross around in the mid-70s, but PF and ELP were certainly not the culprits. After punk came the 80s and there was even more dross, but something great emerged from it.

However, you are right and it is better to be positive than negative and so hopefully my comment Andy Summer wrote one of the greatest singles ever made is a positive note.



The Madman Running Through The Fields/The Sun Came Bursting Through My Cloud (1967) - Columbia DB 8260.

Did the Police ever do a version of this - I've read on the Internet that they did, but I've certainly never heard it.

ATB Rotf

I always liked the moving and poignant re-worded version of "Everything She Does is Magic" for Spitting Image I don't think it was ever released a single.

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
, but why do people have to "speak" for very one else and declare certain artistes Phil Collins, Police ELP etc shit.

Well Phil Collins IS shit..

I quite some of the Police's recorded stuff (Regatta de Blanc was actually the first record I ever got....I was 6) but apparently, and I can't corroborate this, they were never a very good live band anyway. So I can see why people are sceptical about them now.

Ryan

That should be "I quite liked"

That should be "Phil Collins is shit NOW". His Brand X stuff was quite super duper , but he had hair then, and plenty of it!!

Brand X were great, but I still had to pretend that they had a different drummer, Bill Bruford?