Sting

[Rolleyway Man]

Dusty recently made a comment about Sting on the Phil Collins thread and I was going to reply in that thread, but I ended up writing a bloody essay such is my love of Sting's music!  So I've posted it here.  If you are horrifically bored and have at least three hours to spare, please do read on.   

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Speaking as a huge Sting fan, it's difficult to say exactly what's going on with him right now, but I don't honestly believe that the various bits and pieces he's done over the past few years have been intended as gimmicks.  My theory is that he's suffering from a lengthy case of writer's block, which I think is self-inflicted.  Before he recorded the Brand New Day album, he met a bloke who goes by the name of Kipper.  This (in my opinion) was the beginning of the end of his years as a great songwriter. 

Kipper became his co-producer.  He uses far too much electronic production and the music became stale due to 'over-working'

[dustyvalentino]

Nice post. I was a big Sting fan in the early-mid 90s, saw him live in 97 or 98 I think, great show.

I personally thought he started losing his way around that time with the Desert Rose stuff.

Ten Summoner's Tales was indeed a great album, not sure how it holds up now though.

But hopefully he can get his mojo back soon.

[Rolleyway Man]

Nice post. I was a big Sting fan in the early-mid 90s, saw him live in 97 or 98 I think, great show.

I personally thought he started losing his way around that time with the Desert Rose stuff.

Ten Summoner's Tales was indeed a great album, not sure how it holds up now though.

But hopefully he can get his mojo back soon.

Desert Rose was on Brand New Day so yes, pretty much on the nose Dusty!  That said, Desert Rose was his last big hit to date so who are we to comment  .

Maybe I'm biased but I still think Ten Summoner's Tales holds up well today.  I'm pretty certain that you could record exactly the same album in exactly the same way now and it would still be just as effective.  Same goes for Mercury Falling. He still plays a lot of material from that period live and it still sounds fab with the recently reformed TST line-up.  A new album would go down a treat I'm sure!

Sounds like you saw him live on the Mercury Falling tour which was just before things started going astray and Mr Kipper turned up at Sting's doorstep in Italy.  Vinnie Colaiuta was still part of his regular line-up at that time.  He is a genious at playing in unusual time signatures.  'I Hung My Head' is a prime example...