@David: Stewart and Andy seem to still be going on creatively. Can I say that for
Sting? hmmm.... Yes, in a way I can. However, I'm not sure it's the kind of creativity that really moves me as much as it used to.... or does it? For the unbelievers, I ask that you at least consider that Sting just doesn't have the right atmosphere or backing in which to plant his lyrics. That was why I hated Sacred Love. The SONGS were neat, the lyrics seemed pretty good, actually, but the techno-crud just slaughtered my emotional connection to it.
I like Sacred Love more than a lot of fans seem to, but I have to agree that it feels neutered and unadventurous as a whole. When I look at the songs that I most like on that album, it's the ones that have the least mannered, most passionate sound - and where you can hear Sting using a good musician playing a real instrument to great effect. I loved the sitar on The Book of My Life, and the guitars on This War. Inside no doubt had more mixing and samples going on in the background than I would notice, but it worked because of the intense vocal build towards the end. And Send Your Love had that flamenco guitar to balance the more artificial stuff. Whereas I'd not care much if I never heard the rest again... So, with all the music and interesting beats and styles available for FREE
over the internet now, I really feel as though the Police could fire back up in a HUGE way! For instance, I listened to a turkish dance tune on Chicago Public Radio the other night, and was blown away at how out there it was, while stll retaining a danceable style. There's a song called Vittrad by Garmarna that's played only with traditionally ancient Celtic instruments, and it builds passionately to an almost heavy metal-like frenzy of ululations and clashing sounds. Tinariwen with their middle-eastern pop combined with Creedence Clearwater guitars. Persian, Cambodian, African, Celtic, psychedelic folk-rock techno, Neo Funk, Mongolian throat singing... come on guys! Creative, out-there, wild music is an IN thing! It hypnotizes people now more than ever! Big Label Music is OUT, the time for embracing Different, Thoughtful, and Engaging music is here, *right where The Police BELONG*, and it gets out to bazillions of people with the touch of a button! Oh, and those people are willing to pay for a good experience, too. Funny how that works, where it's not necessary to squeeze fans for every last penny.
Exactly; this is the kind of thing that frustrates me. There's a whole lot more going on musically in the world than we get to hear in mainstream rock, and at their best all three guys have been good at incorporating cleverness with passion and doing stuff that is different, but not in a gimmicky way. Angeline