The clip that proved The Police’s comeback was doomed: “You c*nt!”
The Police, a beloved band with a unique sound who have never struggled to sell records, reunited in 2007 and 2008 for one last run. The tour seemed to go well, but the band have no intention of ever doing it again. When Sting was asked if he would ever consider another reunion with his former bandmates, he suggested that doing it once was enough.
“When the Police reunited, it had been long enough, and it was the right time to do it. And I’m taking credit for that because that was my decision,” he said, “Doing it again would just be gratuitous and that won’t happen. But we did it, and everyone was happy that mum and dad got back together again and had one last fling.”
It’s not just Sting who has ruled out the possibility of future reunions, however. Stewart Copeland said a similar thing when he was asked, drawing a line under The Police and confirming that the band will more than likely never play with one another again. It begs the question: If the reunion went well, why?
Granted, I can appreciate the idea of artistic integrity and the notion that you sometimes need to leave the past in the past in a bid to progress. However, if you are enjoying your reunion, why would you completely rule out the idea of another? Integrity? What does integrity have to do with it? If you like it and the fans like it, play!
Well, while The Police may have gotten through those shows, it looks as though they might not have actually enjoyed the tour. The first clue is in the fact that they don’t want to do it again, and the second is based on this clip, which shows the band seemingly having a heated argument before the shows have even begun.
Copeland has always been an exciting drummer, and so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he is always keen to try new things. He does this with a drum fill during rehearsals, but rather than have the desired effect, it sends the other band members out of time. Copeland stands by his decision to try the complex drum fill, as he yells at Sting.
“That’s gunna be on the fucking cover of modern drummer magazine,” he says, “It’s gunna be fucking devoted to that drum fill you cunt!” Sting doesn’t react much to the comment and instead laughs before adding, “It’s amazing you can play that drum full in nine beats.” Copeland brings the argument to an end when he says, “Get lost! Just because it’s a little confusing for the fucking bass playing element!”
There are other suggestions that the band didn’t enjoy the tour as well. For instance, when Sting was asked why it was the best time for the reunion, he said that it was because he felt guilty for his fellow band members, essentially saying that he was the reason they were successful, and he wanted to throw them a bone.
All in all, while the clip may only be 40 seconds long, it clearly represents the fact that the band’s reunion was never going to be a lasting thing, and they were doomed for that to be their last time performing together on a full-blown tour.
