tonight - the Police
I should tell you why tonight's Police reunion thingy on the Grammy's is so important to me. You are probably reading this after it happened. Rumor is, they probably are doing 'Roxanne'. That would be a bummer, because they have so much better and complex music. Give me Synchronicity II, man. There will also likely be a tour that I can't afford to go to. You know, Clapton-like tickets (that means over $100 for even the shitty seats).
Still, though, I am very excited for tonight. See, back almost 25 years ago I was a 10 year old lad. My brother took me to a rock concert, and I was in 6th grade. Kudos to my mom, by the way, for allowing this. That show was the Police's Synchronicity tour, and what we all knew was also their farewell tour. The show was amazing, and you already know how amazing that cassette was.
That night changed my life. That night was the most fun and euphoric I had ever felt in my entire life. That night was when I realized that music was where it was at. I had suspicious, mind you... but now it was for sure. I was to turn my life over to rock, and that I did. The Thompson Twins and Madness opened up, both doing mini sets of hits. Remember 'Our House'? That is some good shit! I have that on my iPod, along with some of the hits from the Twins 'Into the Gap'. That was the cassette they were touring on, see.
I know Sting has become kinda lame, and a poster boy for 'adult contemporary'. You can't expect people to stay punk and angry forever, especially when they are rich. At least he isn't an asshole like Johnny 'Rotten' Lydon. That guy is such an asshole he makes Axl Rose look like... well... Sting. So take your shots in the press about how irrelevant the Police are, and selling out, and bla bla bla. Or, find your copy of 'Synchronicity' and give it a whirl. It is phenomenal, and nearly every song was a break away hit.
* one last thought on that cassette. I used to listen to it over and over and over again with my cousin Trey. We would play chess and just try and figure out the damn words to 'Every Breath You Take'. There wasn't an internet back then, see... so we had to actually listen to the words. There is a verse that we now know goes 'how my poor heart aches'. After hours of research, Trey and I finally figured out he must have been saying 'how my pool heart aches'. We didn't understand it, but we figured it was an English expression. Now, cut to that cool and stark video a couple of years later. Remember, it was all arty and black and white? There is a scene with a smoking ashtray... ON A POOL TABLE. ok, I just watched the video and there was no pool table. Funny how time clouds things. How my pool hall aches.
Still, though, I am very excited for tonight. See, back almost 25 years ago I was a 10 year old lad. My brother took me to a rock concert, and I was in 6th grade. Kudos to my mom, by the way, for allowing this. That show was the Police's Synchronicity tour, and what we all knew was also their farewell tour. The show was amazing, and you already know how amazing that cassette was.
That night changed my life. That night was the most fun and euphoric I had ever felt in my entire life. That night was when I realized that music was where it was at. I had suspicious, mind you... but now it was for sure. I was to turn my life over to rock, and that I did. The Thompson Twins and Madness opened up, both doing mini sets of hits. Remember 'Our House'? That is some good shit! I have that on my iPod, along with some of the hits from the Twins 'Into the Gap'. That was the cassette they were touring on, see.
I know Sting has become kinda lame, and a poster boy for 'adult contemporary'. You can't expect people to stay punk and angry forever, especially when they are rich. At least he isn't an asshole like Johnny 'Rotten' Lydon. That guy is such an asshole he makes Axl Rose look like... well... Sting. So take your shots in the press about how irrelevant the Police are, and selling out, and bla bla bla. Or, find your copy of 'Synchronicity' and give it a whirl. It is phenomenal, and nearly every song was a break away hit.
* one last thought on that cassette. I used to listen to it over and over and over again with my cousin Trey. We would play chess and just try and figure out the damn words to 'Every Breath You Take'. There wasn't an internet back then, see... so we had to actually listen to the words. There is a verse that we now know goes 'how my poor heart aches'. After hours of research, Trey and I finally figured out he must have been saying 'how my pool heart aches'. We didn't understand it, but we figured it was an English expression. Now, cut to that cool and stark video a couple of years later. Remember, it was all arty and black and white? There is a scene with a smoking ashtray... ON A POOL TABLE. ok, I just watched the video and there was no pool table. Funny how time clouds things. How my pool hall aches.
Comments
It was someone in the band's birthday, at the first set break when they went back stage a camera followed them displaying it all onstage so the fans could see. They went back and there was a huge birthday cake which the band proceeded to tear into and throw at each other.
It was my first concert that I went to on my own and was a big deal because we had to take a ferry over and stay overnight. I've seen many more since then but it was for me also a life changing experience.
Cheers
- John