Doug: Below is the updated bracket for the Best Penciler of the Bronze Age voting. While some heavy-hitters have gone by the wayside, I don't think anyone can argue with the talent left on the board. This should be interesting!
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The Police? What's there to discuss?
They live inside of my head.
They come alive in my bed.
They're coming to arrest...
Sorry, my mistake, that's not the Police, that's the 'Dream Police'.
I'd say I was a fan of the Police more than a fanatic, but I like most of their music. I'd say 'Ghost In The Machine' was my favorite album. The song 'Synchronicity II' gave my friends & many a laugh back in '83, with is lyric about 'a humiliating kick in the crotch' (insert 'Beavis & Butthead' laugh here).
Sting is a very talented guy, his solo career has generally left me disappointed. I liked his first album, 'Dream Of The Blue Turtles', but it's production today just screams "Eighties!". But I recommend his recent (sort of) Christmas album 'On A Winter's Night'.
In the bracket,I have to go with Byrne & Buscema, since they penciled a lot more than Adams during the Bronze Age.
Well, so much for my prediction of the final four, as - rather surprisingly to me - both Perez and the younger Buscema fell out. Not that I have any criticisms of the guys who did make the cut: both Adams and Kane were iconic (and in Kane's case, prolific) Bronze Age artists.
I was a Police fan pretty much from the start - they appeared when my musical tastes began to form as a pre-teen, I had all of their albums (on cassette, naturally) and became a pretty big Sting fan once the band broke up and he went solo. Back then, I thought the Police would be one of those bands I would love until my dying day, but I have to admit, my enthusiasm for them has abated quite a bit. I still like a bunch of their songs, but weirdly enough, I find a lot of their music now sounds dated to me, more so than other favorites from that period of my life that I still enjoy now (the Doors or the Clash, just to name two random examples).
Love the Police, not very fond of Sting's solo stuff. 'nuff said.
By the way, curse you for facing off George Perez and Neal Adams in the quarterfinals! OK, I feel better now. I went with Adams and Byrne this round.
One of the most exciting bands around at the time, and one of my first concerts that I attended. They were better back in the day than on the last reunion tour, and from the performances that I watched, the guys have slowed down alot and didn't play with the same intensity. It just seemed like a money making tour. Anyway, here is one of their best performances. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk-lSAIHIbw
I like the Police, just OK. For me, they were kind of the best of the worst period for new music. Would they be categorized as "New Wave"? I remember once reading that someone said New Wave was a watered down, prettied up version of Punk Rock - a term evented by record labels to make punk more mainstream. I guess that could be a whole 'nother topic, huh?
As to brackets - I was pulling for a Perez-Byrne final. And yet, with Perez out, I don't know for sure that I would vote for Byrne over Buscema-Adams winner. Go figure. Lots of fun. Thanks guys!
Tom
One of my regrets, by the way, is being too young to go to a Police concert back then (late '70s/early '80s - completely uninterested in any reunion tours). I did see Sting twice: in 1987 and 1991. First concert was really fun, actually, while that second one was a bit, well, somber - kind of like the album he released that year (Soul Cages).
Anyway, Tony, thanks for that link. Personally, I like some of their older performances I've seen, like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy9aB4WrgqM
Somehow I think it would have been best to see them at that earlier phase when they were still playing smaller venues.
The Police were a great band, despite a rather limited lifespan and amount of material. Stewart Copeland might be my favorite drummer of all time - he can be a beast on his set but is also capable of very precise work. And I like that he beat up Sting.
Tom --
Regarding the brackets, it's funny how different match-ups change our opinions about the artists. Great point!
Doug
In actuality, thanks to a buddy in high school, he started weening me off just Beatles and some Stones and introduced me to Ska, Madness, and the Police, before they really hit it big. On a choir trip to Madison WI, he took me into some record/head shops and it was like I landed in Oz...
Today, I enjoy the hits and Sting's solo excursions.
I loved Sting's 'Blue Turtles' album, especially the ultra-cool Cold War 'Russians' track.. The whole album was very significant, but I took a liking to that particular track.
I was in my first band when the Police were still together, and we played some of their songs...Roxanne, So Lonely, Message in a Bottle...fun to play. Sting's solo album was a surprise in his change in sound, but good. When I hear Sting since then, he sounds musically explorative, but it doesn't grab me, kinda dull. Agree with Karen about Stewart Copeland's fantastic drumming, sharp sound.
I got an idea --
This weekend when I put up the championship round of the brackets, I'll post a 3rd-place poll in addition to the 1st/2nd place match-up. Tom's comment inspired me to wonder how today's polls might be different if the brackets were flip-flopped. So be looking for a consolation contest, too.
Doug
I was a big Police fan back in the day, and still keep many of their tunes on my phone. A carload of friends fro
Art school and I drove to Cleveland in 1982 to see them, along with opening act the Go-go's (who were loads of fun). That was a great show well worth a long, icy winter drive.
Ghost in the Machine would be my top pick; and agree with most of you on Sting's solo work (enjoyable, but more somber ). Blue Turtles was good, featuring the rather haunting "Children's Crusade". Sting's unique voice does seem ideally suited to his often-pensive repertoire .
As for the matchups, Had to go with the two Johns. Buscema and Byrne; B a B ( appropriate , eh?).
Good idea Doug. I'd like to see where the others end up.
Doug, I think the "consolation match" for the artist bracket is a great idea. I'm on board.
Many miles away, there's a shadow on the door/of a cottage on the shore/of a dark Scottish lake...
How's that for an image (maybe drawn by Bernie Wrightson)?
David from Wisconsin
Doug, glad to be so "inspiring".
Another quick Police take: I think one of my all-time favorite movie scenes is Eddie Murphy singing Roxanne at the top of his lungs while wearing headphones in prison in 48 Hours. Can't hear that song without thinking about that scene.
Tom
The Police would have been in my top five bands of my high school days. These days, while I still enjoy quite a few of their songs (and think Regatta de Blanc is up there with the best albums of all time), I just don't get the same feeling as I did once upon a time.
Synchronicity just isn't a very good record (despite being their most popular) and Ghost in the Machine is uneven.
I wrote about Regatta de Blanc for my defunct music blog back in 2009.
I was a fan of the Police during their heyday. I had all their recordings at one time. I remember reading somewhere during that time that they were a pretty volatile mix, so they actually lasted longer together than I thought. I was into reggae at the time, so I liked the reggae influences in their music, so I really liked their first three albums better than their last two.
I enjoyed Sting's first couple of solo releases, and their jazz leanings...really liked the band on the first one and the second one had some pretty good songs on it. Also liked Copeland's work with Stanley Clarke in Animal Logic.
I still recall the night a Fresno DJ, Ray Appleton, first played "Roxanne", touting the Police as the next big thing from England. And for Top 40 radio, "Roxanne" was pretty distinctive -- not quite punk but not quite late '70s pop/rock mainstream either. I liked them, and Ghost in the Machine was my favorite lp too (I really loved the song "Invisible Sun"), but I wasn't really as into them as, say, I had been into the Beatles, or would later get into groups like R.E.M. and the Cure, etc. One of those groups that comes along every so often, like say Creedence Clearwater Revival, has a fairly brief but significant run, releasing several great or at least very good albums, and then splits up.
A woman I hung out with a lot in the mid-80s was so smitten with Sting that she got me to sit through Dune twice -- admittedly I was smitten with her, but, well, that's fodder for a really sad song!
I don't have a lot to say about the last 4 artists--they are all great masters! But the word that comes to mind to describe the feeling I get from their art...
Buscema: physical
Adams: intellect
Kane: integrity
Byrne: pleasing
Tom, I second that 'Roxanne' moment and raise you the 80s SNL skit with Sting riding an elevator with Dana Carvey (I believe..), and Dana just screeeetches out 'Roxanne' right behind Sting's ear and gushes about being next to him..
I really wonder just how often that's ever been done to Sting in real life.
Synchronicity II.
'Nuff Said.
What else can be said about the Police? One of the greatest classic new wave bands, and also one of my personal favourites. I agree with what Tony said - their reunion tour was more a money making effort than a true reunion. From all accounts, the trio didn't really get along that well, especially Sting and Copeland. I guess the prospect of making millions of dollars caused them to put aside their differences at least for awhile!
I'm with Karen in regards to Copeland's drumming - Stewart Copeland is in my opinion one of the best drummers in the world! I remember he did the theme to the classic TV series the Equalizer, and when I heard it, I said, 'Hey! That's Copeland's distinctive staccato drumwork!'
Man, it must have been a real toughie to choose between George Perez and Neal Adams; that's like picking your favourite child! Tough luck also for Our Pal Sal Buscema, but I would also have voted for Gil 'Sugar' Kane too. Hmm, seems like Big John is the odds on pick going into the final round!
- Mike 'Doo doo doo da da da' from Trinidad & Tobago.
I myself have a healthy respect for the police. After all, they are the thin blue line that is the difference between order and chaos in this country. Sure, sometimes they may cross the line, but for the most part they do a fine job serving and protecting America's citizens. So, let's here it for the "boys in blue".
Secret Journey and Invisible Sun.
Karen, you're right. Anybody who punched out Sting deserves a medal...ditto for Roger Daltrey who punched out Pete Townsend, and superditto for Charlie Watts who once decked Mick Jagger.
By the way, when is somebody gonna get around to punching out Justin Bieber? Maybe if we all pooled our money and hired someone...
The Police produced more wretched ear worms than my meager brain can withstand. Their songs latch onto you and won't let go. That's not always a good thing.
Rip Off
"Wretched ear worms" provided me a word picture during my breakfast for which I cannot thank you enough, Rip.
Doug
When I saw the Police in 1983, it was at old Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. They were the headliners to an all day concert called "The Police Picnic". Also got to see The Fixx, James Brown (who got booed off the stage) and Simple Minds. I agree, their early performances were great. The youtube clip that I posted,aside from being a great version of King of Pain, I remember hearing that it was literally seconds before The Police came on stage, that nobody knew if the Police were going to play, Sting had to use Adam Clayton's bass (from U2), and that Sting and Andy were about ready to pound the crap out of each other. Or maybe it was Stewart and Sting...
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