Singer and bassist seeks to bring something new to each release of this type and works with instrumentalists who improvise a lot on stage
Ask the audience at a concert and get proof: it is common for people to try to hear live performances similar to the studio version of the songs. Sting thinks differently: for the ex-The Policewhat is played on stage must be as different as possible from what was originally recorded.
In 1999, the vocalist and bassist gave a long interview to billboard (via Far Out Magazine). At the time, he was asked about his first live album, Bring On the Night (1986), which features very different versions of tracks from his solo career and also from The Police.
The best example of this is the song “We Work the Black Seam”which gained a total reinterpretation in relation to the original, from the album The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985). Sting explained:
You’re right, and I don’t see the point in releasing a live album that will just be a copy of what has already been recorded. I think the original recorded version of a song is merely the basis, the starting point for an exploration. It’s not a souvenir from the past.”
The musician guaranteed that he will never release a live album in which the songs are performed exactly the same as the studio versions. He completed:
If I do another live album, again I will just use the songs as a framework, because that’s the kind of musicians I use: people who like to improvise and can find new creative territory on another musical continent.”
Sting’s live albums
Bring On the Night (1986) was the first release recorded live by Sting already as a solo artist, although he also presents material from The Police. Already in Acoustic Live in Newcastle (1991), no songs from the old band: the tracklist is short, with 4 solo tracks and a cover of “Ain’t No Sunshine”from Bill Withers.
In …All This Time (2001), the Englishman once again mixed solo songs with songs from the trio that made him famous. The Journey and the Labyrinth (2007) is the result of collaboration with the Bosnian Edin Karamazov. Already Live in Berlin (2010) features a presentation by the musician with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. The artist’s most recent live is Live at the Olympia Paris (2017).
With the The Police, Sting appears in Live! (1995), which features shows recorded between 1979 and 1983, in addition to Certifiable: Live in Buenos Aires (2008), recorded in the Argentine capital during the reunion tour. Around the World (2022) follows a documentary of the same title and also focuses on the band’s early years.
Collaborated: André Luiz Fernandes.
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
