Who was the first guitarist for The Police?
Most people cherish The Police lineup that comprised Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland, which is understandable. Not only did these three form the band’s consistent and long-standing lineup, but they also worked together on coveted albums like Ghost in the Machine and Synchronicity, with their signature blend of reggae and rock making them one of the most influential entities in history.
In hindsight, it’s easy to claim that the Police’s rise to fame was benchmarked by 1978’s ‘Roxanne’, but this was the result of a long and uncompromising ambition that spanned over a year, beginning with the moment Sting met Copeland in 1976. At the time, Sting was performing in a jazz-rock band called Last Exit, but things changed when he relocated from Newcastle to London in January of the following year.
Upon his arrival, he contacted Copeland and asked if he would like a jam session together. Of course, Copeland agreed, suddenly energised and excited about the next chapter following the split of his previous band, Curved Air. With the punk rock movement in full swing, Copeland sought something to give him a greater sense of belonging, like he was a part of the hype, not observing on the sidelines.
He saw a worthy partner in Sting the moment they started playing together. At the time, he wanted a new band that would rise and adapt to the times, rivalling many of the bigger names in the business by adhering to popular tropes without being too stale. Sting wasn’t as excited or even convinced at this juncture, but Copeland did have some sway when he dangled the prospect of commercial success in front of his nose, so he decided he wanted in.
Who was the first The Police guitarist?
Instead of charging forward as a duo, the pair recruited guitarist Henry Padovani and they performed a series of gigs in bars and pubs before releasing their debut single ‘Fall Out’. They continued to attempt to make waves as a trio for a little while, that is, until dynamics began to pivot when Sting and Copeland performed a one-off with Stronium 90 and met Andy Summers.
Summers had already gained quite a sturdy reputation at the time and was quickly becoming one of the industry’s most sought-after figures. Sting, in particular, grew captivated with Summer’s capabilities, which was especially refreshing considering that he was also frustrated with Padovani’s contributions, feeling as though they were restricting the band’s sound.
A little while after their first performance, Sting approached Summers about officially joining The Police, and he accepted on the condition that they fire Padovani. Sting refused, and Summers joined anyway. The band continued with all four members until Summers was pushed to revisit his earlier condition, urging the band to reconsider the power of a trio and dismiss Padovani from the team.
At this point, they agreed, and Padovani left the band, leaving the lineup of those who would be associated with the band until the end. According to Copeland, this was the best decision they could have made, as it simultaneously felt like a weight off their shoulders and the step they needed to take to make it to the big time.
As he later explained: “One by one, Sting’s songs had started coming in, and when Andy joined, it opened up new numbers of Sting’s we could do, so the material started to get a lot more interesting and Sting started to take a lot more interest in the group.”
