by Matteo Cruccu
The drummer introduces the project on the 1979-80 tour, reviving old rusts
There was a time when there were no pandemics and (almost) third world wars erecting barriers between places and cultures. And there was a time when there was a great band that loved shooting this free world: we’re talking about the two years 1979-80. And the police and “Around the World”, an extensive project including DVDs, CDs and so on, with unreleased material from the tour that took the group to the planet, from Hong Kong to Cairo, from Athens to Bombay. Without forgetting the two historical concerts in Milan and Reggio Emilia. Heroic season that tells us about Steve Copeland, the band’s quirky drummer (and considered one of the most valid of all time), friend-foe, as we shall see, of the other police totem, Sting, with poor Andy Summers, the guitarist. act as a warehouse. In July Copeland will be 70 and he loves our country very much, with various excursions into the past (he has worked with Max Gazzé and the Notte della Taranta) and into the future (a rock opera with Irene Grandi to which he wrote the music Has).
Why this Around the World project?
“Andy discovered this almost forgotten material. And we felt that it deserved a new life ».
You are very powerful in these images and in these sounds: What was the secret of a live machine like you?
“We were dependent on each other, everything made sense in relation to each other because there were only three of us. And when one filled the spaces, the other left them in a very fluid manner. Little but good, in short ».
The other strength was your non-classification: neither punk, nor reggae, nor rock, nor pop, but a bit of everything
“When we started in 1976/77 we really wanted to be punk, dogmatically punk. Then we discovered that Sting wasn’t a hoot, but an excellent singer. That I could improvise like a jazzman and so could Andy. And that maybe we were something else. And more”.
The weirdest place you’ve played?
“Bombay, nobody knew us. We played outdoors, people heard us in the street and filled the room incredibly. A unique magic ».
And then Italy: rock didn’t have it easy back then
“I perfectly remember the police posts and the people who didn’t want to pay the ticket, it was a scary place for musicians. Unbelievable, because then it became one of the most beautiful places to play, between squares and castles ».
You were very young, but not very inclined towards the clichés of womanizing and toxic rock. But was Sting practicing the famous five hours of tantric sex back then?
“But go, he would never have had the time between one tour bus and the other”
Seriously, why didn’t the magic continue?
“At some point we had different ideas about music: Sting was obsessed with perfectionism, I had a more anarchic view of the job and the combination just didn’t work anymore.”
And you tried again 14 years ago, but it was unique
“During rehearsals we had arguments like before, then at the concert everything passed, in the evening we were friends over a glass of wine. Then back down at 9am on the new tests to fight like crazy. Because Sting and I get along very well as long as we don’t talk about music.”
Is that why you rule out future reunions?
‘Yes, the police carry them around my way, with orchestral scores. That way I don’t have to argue with anyone.”
May 23, 2022 (Modification May 23, 2022 | 07:12)
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