Sting
Sting
Singer, songwriter, composer, bassist, guitarist, and record company executive
Throughout the 1980s Sting has been one of the most diverse and influential entertainers working in both the music and film industries. His recordings with the Police created a new genre that combined new-wave punk with reggae rhythms and intelligent lyrics while his successive solo albums bridged the gap between rock and jazz. All the while he has been honing his acting skills by appearing in over half a dozen feature films.
Sting’s career began as a semi-pro musician at the age of seventeen. In the traditional jazz clubs of his hometown of Newcastle, England, he learned to play the bass and read music while absorbing the somber dress and style associated with jazz. He performed in various bands at night while holding down a steady day job as a schoolteacher. Sting pointed out in Rolling Stone that while most musicians were into the rebellious attitude, he decided to go along with the system instead of fighting it. “I used it to go the hilt. So much so that I became a part of the system … somehow, I knew my day would come. I would play this game and go along with it for awhile.”
By age twenty he already had a wife and child but decided it was time to make a move and so went to London in hopes of becoming a full-time professional musician. He was soon discovered by Stewart Cope-land, a drummer searching the clubs for prospective band members. The two teamed up with a guitarist, who was quickly replaced by Andy Summers, and formed the Police during the punk movement in late 1976. Desperate for work, the three dyed their hair blonde for a part in a Wrigley chewing gum commercial and decided to leave it that way afterwards. They recorded a thrashing single, “Fall Out,” for Miles Cope-land’s (Stewart’s brother and band manager) Illegal Records label, eventually selling around 10, 000 copies. A & M signed the Police, the group gambling that they would become popular by insisting on higher royalties instead of a big advance.
Amazingly, they toured America before any record had even been released. It was strictly a low-budget affair with shoddy rented equipment and audiences that sometimes numbered less than ten. However, once their first single, “Roxanne,” was released, the Police became bigger than any of their contemporaries. They were categorized as New Wavers mainly because of the time and place they emerged from. But in reality, with the exception of Elvis Costello, they were much more sophisticated as musicians than bands like the Clash or the Sex Pistols (who complained that the Police just used the punk movement and never really shared the same vision).
A & M rushed to release their debut LP, Outlandos
For the Record…
Real name, Gordon Matthew Sumner; born October 2, 1951, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England; son of Ernest Matthew (a milkman) and Audrey (a hairdresser; maiden name, Cowell) Sumner; married Frances Eleanor Tomelty (an actress), May 1, 1976 (divorced, March, 1984); married Trudy Styler (an actress/model); children: Joseph, Katherine.
Employed as a schoolteacher in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, 1975–77; formed rock group the Police (with Stewart Copeland), 1976; singer, songwriter, and bass player in the Police, 1976–83; solo performer, 1985—. Actor in films, including Qudrophenia, 1980, The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball, 1982, Brimstone and Treacle, 1982, Dune, 1984, The Bride, 1985, Plenty, 1985, Julia and Julia, 1988, and Stormy Monday, 1988; started own record label, Pangaea, 1988.
Awards: Winner of five Grammy Awards with the Police and four Grammy Awards as a solo artist; (with the Police) named best new artist in Rolling Stone Critics’ Poll, 1979; has received numerous awards (as member of the Police and as solo artist) from down beat magazine’s readers’ and critics’ polls.
Addresses: Office— IRL, The Bugle House, 21 A Noel St., London W1, England; and, c/o Frontier Booking International, 1776 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
d’Amour (recorded for only $6, 000) as “Roxanne” reached number 32 on the charts in 1979 on the strength of Sting’s high-pitched, pleading vocals. “Sting sounds like a guy who’s just made sergeant and is looking to back up his new stripes,” wrote Tom Carson in Rolling Stone. Within a year their second album, Reggatta de Blanc, was out and tunes like “Message in a Bottle” (number 1 in eleven countries) and “Walking on the Moon” displayed the unique Police sound of poly-rhythms and lush chordal work. Zenyatta Mondatta, theirthird LP, entered the British charts at number 1 and stayed there for eight weeks, spawning two top-ten hits, “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” and “Don’t Stand So Close to Me.”
In 1980 they embarked on a Third World tour that included untypical rock venues like Nairobi, Bombay, Athens, Hong Kong, and Cairo. Afterwards, Sting (who wrote the majority of their tunes) began to go beyond the typical adolescent lyrics on the ensuing LP, Ghost in the Machine. “I’ve developed my songwriting away from the subjects of love, alienation, and devotion to a more political, socially aware viewpoint,” he stated in Guitar Player. The new outlook was evident especially on “Spirits in the Material World” which reached number 11 on the charts.
In various interviews Sting pointed out that the group knew it could succeed if they followed a plan that avoided all the pitfalls of previous failed rock groups. A shrewd business sense, in addition to exceptional talent, helps to explain their enormous popularity. “We’re ambitious,” Sting told James Henke in Rolling Stone. “We want to have power…. The opportunities presented themselves and we took ’em.” Unfortunately, the Police contained three enormous egos as well, which caused the group to collapse after their fifth album, Synchronicity, in 1983. They left on top, though, with a number 1 hit and Grammy award-winner, “Every Breath You Take.” In the midst of a divorce, Sting produced some of his most moving work on the LP and created a masterpiece with “King of Pain.”
Sting had been taking acting roles during the Police days, appearing as Ace Face in the Who’s Quadrophenia, amongst others, and continued to develop his craft after the breakup of the Police. In 1985 Sting released his debut solo LP, Dream of the Blue Turtles. Employing musicians Branford Marsalis, Darryl Jones, Kenny Kirkland, and Omar Hakim, he formed a fresh new sound that was neither rock nor jazz. Four singles made the top twenty: “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free,” “Love is the Seventh Wave,” “Fortress Around Your Heart,” and “Russians,” in which Sting questioned the world power-struggle that threatens everyone’s lives. The album’s recording process and tour were both filmed and a double-live LP, Bring on the Night, was issued a year later. In its liner notes Sting stated that Dream of the Blue Turtles, “to my horror and embarassment, was nominated for a Grammy in the Jazz category … the first time I’ve ever been relieved not to receive an award.”
… Nothing Like the Sun followed in 1987 with a similar formula. Sting scored again with his innovative rhythms and insightful lyrics on “History Will Teach Us Nothing,” “We’ll Be Together,” “Englishman in New York,” and a fine reworking of Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing,” featuring the late master, Gil Evans. Sting is one of a new breed of musicians who are trying to say and do something about world problems, like saving the tropical forests, while composing music that speaks strongly. “In the world … we have to say something, because it’s the only power we have,” he told David Fricke in Rolling Stone. “It’s not whether we succeed or not. We just have to do it.”
Selected discography
With the Police
Outlandos d’ Amour, A & M, 1979.
Regatta de Blanc, A & M, 1979.
Zenyatta Mondatta, A & M, 1980.
Ghost in the Machine, A & M, 1982.
Synchronicity, A & M, 1983.
The Singles; Every Breath You Take, A & M, 1986.
Solo LPs
Dream of the Blue Turtles, A & M, 1985.
Bring on the Night, A & M, 1986 (import only)
… Nothing Like the Sun, A & M, 1987.
Sources
down beat, December, 1983; May, 1984; August, 1984; December, 1984; May, 1985; November, 1986; December, 1987; December, 1988.
Guitar Player, September, 1982.
Guitar World, April, 1988; October, 1988.
Musician, September, 1987.
Rolling Stone, June 14, 1979; December 13, 1979; November 16, 1980; December 25, 1980; February 19, 1981; September 1, 1983; September 25, 1986; November 5, 1987.
—Calen D. Stone
Sting
Sting
Singer, songwriter, actor
Sting is one of the few musicians to experience huge success both as a member of a band and as a solo artist. His band, the Police, reached the highest possible peak in pop rock after the release of Synchronicity Synchronicity was number one on the charts for 17 consecutive weeks, and the band was selling out major venues on their world tour. However, one night before a concert at Shea Stadium, where they sold out 70,000 seats, the band members all looked at one another and realized that it would not get any better. The Police went out with a bang;Synchronicity inadvertently turned outto be their last album. Sting then embarked on a very successful solo career. He enjoyed the freedom of songwriting without having to achieve consensus, and the freedom to become an actor without having to adjust schedules.
Sting continues to produce quality music that resists classification. Sting is a star with substance, “the pop idol adults can admire,” according to Rolling Stone writer Anthony DeCurtis. His songwriting within the confinement of his former band proved insightfuland adventurous even while vaulting them to megastar status in the pop world. His risk-taking as a solo artist keeps Police fans interested while appealing to a new set of fans of jazz-inflected rock. Sting’s appeal goes well beyond his music, or the effective dramatic performances he has given on stage and screen. His dedicated work to preserve the Amazon’s vanishing rain forest makes him an inspirational figure for anyone concerned about the pressing environmental problems facing the world today.
Growing up in the bleak English industrial town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Sting—then known as Gordon Sumner—was primarily concerned with breaking free from the dead-end life that most of the people in town seemed resigned to living. Sting often made offensive comments about his family and his reasons for wanting to leave Newcastle. Making music was Sting’s uncertain ambition. He never had formal lessons, but by the age of 17 he was working semi-professionally in local jazz clubs, where he had learned from older players to play bass guitar and read music. Members of one of the jazz bands he joined back then gave him his nickname “Sting” one day when he wore a yellow and black striped sweater to one of their gigs. After he briefly attended Warwick University, he worked at odd jobs, like construction, until 1971 when he trained to be a schoolteacher. By day he was a mild mannered English teacher. By night, he played punk rock with a band he formed with three friends, called Last Exit. When he referred to this period of time, Sting once said that he had settled into a life that he could project thirty years down the road, and that terrified him. Even though he married Frances
For the Record…
Born Gordon Matthew Sumner, October 2, 1951, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England; son of Ernest Matthew (a milkman and small dairy owner) and Audrey (a homemaker; maiden name, Cowell) Sumner; married Frances Eleanor Tomelty (an actress), May 1, 1976 (divorced March 1984); two children with Tomelty: Joseph and Katherine; married Trudie Styler (actress and producer), August 22, 1992; four children with Styler.
School teacher in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1975-76; member of several jazz ensembles and band Last Exit, 1971-76; acquired nickname “Sting” from fellow musicians commenting on striped sweater, 1975; met Stewart Copeland and performed with the Police, 1976-83; “Roxanne” recorded, 1978; the Police recorded six albums before disbanding in 1983;Synchronicity, most successful of the six albums, stayed number one for 17 consecutive weeks, 1983; Sting teamed with Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland in first solo effort The Dream of the Blue Turtles, 1985; Bring on the Night documentary traces the making of The Dream of the Blue Turtles, 1985; Recorded seven solo albums, 1985-1996; acted on stage in The Threepenny Opera, 1989; appeared in numerous films including: Brimstone and Treacle, Dune, The Bride, Plenty, Julia and Julia, Stormy Monday, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Gentlemen Don’t Eat Poets, 1982-1997;
Awards: Winner of five Grammy Awards with the Police and four Grammy Awards as a solo artist; (with the Police) named best new artist in Rolling Stone Critics ’ Poll, 1979; received numerous awards, as a member of the Police and as a solo artist from DownBeat magazine ’s readers’ and critics’ polls.
Addresses: Office —Firstars, Bugle House 21A Noel St, London WIV 3PD, England; Firstars, 3520 Hayden Ave, Culver City, CA 90232-2413.
Tomelty in May of 1976 and their first child was born in October, Sting ran for the school exit by the end of the year.
Goodbye Dead End Job
Sting and his band, Last Exit, headed for London where he met with Stewart Copeland, a drummer who was combing the club scene for members of a new band. Doubting themselves, the members of Last Exit ran back to Newcastle. In 1976 Copeland, Sting, and Andy Summersperformed as the Police. It was the heyday of the punk/new wave movement. The Police were frequently called a new wave group, but their music was more complex than that of most in that genre. Sting contributed highly literate lyrics, and their music used polyrhythmic structures and lush chordal work to create a truly unique sound. Stewart Copeland’s brother owned a record label, Illegal Records. The Police recorded a single for him, called “Fall Out,” that sold about 10,000 copies and led to a contract with A & M Records.
Elated over signing with a major label, the band members decided that they had to conquer America immediately. Despite strenuous protests from A & M, they began planning a club tour of the States, where no one had heard of them and they had not released any music. “It was right in the middle of corporate rock and roll, where to tour in America you had to support Foreigner,” Sting recalled in Rolling Stone. “You’d go on as the doors opened, people would be eating popcorn or whatever and would hate you. Instead, we headlined every night— but sometimes to three people. We played to three people in Poughkeepsie, New York… It was a great show…. We did four or five encores for those three people.” That sort of energy and dedication saw them throughthe many rough moments of theirfirst American tour.
Proof of their success came with the release of the haunting single “Roxanne.” Suddenly, the Police was a bigger hitthan any of the already-established new wave groups. Sting wrote nearly every song the band performed and eventually recorded. In 1979, A & M rushed to release their debut LP, Outlandos d’Amour, which they recorded for a mere $6000. Reggatta De Blanc was released that same year, and Zenyatta Mondatta followed early in 1980. The three albums made them superstars. In 1980 they embarked on a tour that included many Third World venues. Sting credits that tour as really opening his world view. Shortly after the tour, he told Guitar Player, “I’ve developed my songwriting away from the subjects of love, alienation, and devotion to a more political, socially aware viewpoint.” The evolution was evident in the songs on the group’s fourth and fifth albums: Ghost in the Machine and Synchronicity
Sting often speaks of how the band’s greatest success came at a time of failure in his personal life. In 1982 his marriage with Frances Tomelty ended in divorce. The turmoil of that break-up was, in Sting’s words, “the worst thing that ever happened to me.” Synchronicity reflected the upheaval he incurred that year. The lyrics of songs like “King of Pain,” “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” and “Every Breath You Take” resonate with the anguish felt when love and intimacy result in legal bickering and jealousy. The songs “Synchronicity” and “Synchronicity II” were inspired by the psychotherapy Sting received during the divorce, which was based on the philosophies of Carl Jung. Sting and Frances remain friends; she lives down the road from Sting and his second wife, actress and producer Trudie Styler.
Going Solo
Copeland, Summers, and Sting stayed together through the rigors of their rise to the top, but by 1983, three large egos in one group created too much tension. “In our final year, it was very clear to me that for the sake of sanity, for the sake of dignity, we should end it,” Sting told DeCurtis. “We had the big song of the year, the big album of the year, the big tour of the year. We were it. We’d made it—everything we attem pted, we’d achieved to the power of ten.” The group disbanded at the height of its popularity. For Sting, there are no regrets. “I’m very proud of the legend of the Police—I think it’s intact. And I want to keep it intact. I’m very proud of the work we did, and I’m proud of my association with Andy and Stewart…. But it’s in the past. I don’t want to return to the Police for nostalgic reasons or for money. That would spoil it.”
Sting’s first priority after the breakup of the Police was to devote time to one of his longtime interests: acting. His first role had been that of the hypocritical rebel Ace Face in the Who’s 1980 rock film Quadrophenia. He appeared in The Secret Policeman’s Other Ballano Brimstone and Treacle in 1982. As time went on, Sting acquired bigger parts in more movies, including science fiction epic Dune: the Frankenstein remake The Bride: and the war drama Plenty, which starred Meryl Streep. He appeared on Broadway to mixed reviews in the role of Macheath in Bertolt Brecht’s Threepenny Opera. His best acting to date was in the 1989 Mike Figgis film Stormy Monday and the 1997 film Gentlemen Don’t Eat Poets, produced by his wife, Trudie Styler. Stormy Monday was set in Sting’s hometown of Newcastle, and Figgis created a character for Sting well suited to his dark, moody side. Gentlemen Don’t Eat Poets, based onthe Patrick McGrath novel, The Grotesque, inspired Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly to write that Sting is “one of the few rock stars who actually knows how to act.” His performances, according to DeCurtis of Rolling Stone, “attest to a range of talents that is increasingly rare in what often seems the increasingly one-dimensional world of pop culture.”
Sting released his first solo album in 1985. The Dream of the Blue Turtles combined Sting’s intelligent lyrics and the Police’s rhythmic sophistication with a fresh jazz sound. Backing Sting were jazz musicians Branford Marsalis, Darryl Jones, Kenny Kirkland, and Omar Hakim. A documentary was released in theaters in 1985 called Bring on the Night. The film traced the making of The Dream of the Blue Turtles and Sting’s first solo concert in Paris with his new band. One memorable scene included Miles Copeland, Sting’s manager, explaining why he would not pay the other musicians what Sting was paid for the concerttour. When the musicians asked him whatmoneywas on the table, Milesreplied, “It’snotyour table.” He explained to them that if one of them didn’t show up for the concert, the audience would not react; but if Sting didn’t show up, there was no concert. Sting was pleased with the album, but when it was nominated for a Grammy in the jazz category, he was “horrified and dismayed,” and relieved not to win.
Nothing Like the Sun, released in 1987, had a sound much like The Dream of the Blue Turtles and was equally popular. Sting dedicated the album to his mother, who died suddenly while he was recording it. Six months later, Sting’s father died. “I was told about it just before I went onstage in front of about 250,000 people in Rio for the first gig of the world tour,” Sting told Phil Sutcliffe of Usmagazine. “I had to do the show. I wanted to. In a way, it was a wake for my father. It was great—seething with energy. But I never cried for him.” He told DeCurtis, “I figured the modern way to cope with death is to ignore it, just work through it. It’s the modern thing to do—you go to work. Really, I think, it’s fear. You’re scared to actually deal with the enormity of what’s happened and you try to pretend it hasn’t happened. So I did that. I worked my butt off…. I just didn’t stop. I didn’t want to think about it.”
Sting paid a high price for his emotional denial. The once prolific writer found himself unable to write a word for three years. When at last he confronted this frightening block, he realized he was “going to have to write a record about death,” he told DeCurtis. “I didn’t really want to.” Once he sat down to do it, The Soul Cages poured forth in about two weeks. “It was quite painful, a bit overwhelming,” he told Sutcliffe. “But I’m glad I did it.” Sting dedicated The Soul Cages to his father, and he has said that the album has reconciled him with the family and background he once rejected so vehemently. “It’s the old ping-pong of wanting to escape and then having to go back and face it,” he commented. “Wanting to escape the idea of death, yet having to go back and face it. Wanting to escape where I came from, yet having to come back and face it…. My relationship with my father was complex, and it wasn’t resolved…. I think now, through some psychic working, it seemsto be resolved.”
Ten Summoner’s Tales, Sting’s follow-up album to The Soul Cages, was more upbeat. He recorded it on his farm in Wiltshire, England, where he lives with his wife Trudie Styler and their four children. “But less and less do I know what a hit record will be,” he told Rolling Stone. “I used to have a very clear idea. Now I’m not so sure. I like to think I’m less about rock and roll and more about songs. I think songwriting is atradition that’s older than rock and roll. I could live without rock and roll. I haven’t got this sort of religious reverie for rock and roll. I think it’s incredibly reactionary and boring.”
Mercury Falling was released in 1996, and Sting toured again to promote it. He actually “commuted” to his concerts with a private jet and two pilots on standby. His family would stay in one of three houses that were home-bases. He would fly out at night to a gig and come back to wake up in the morning with “my babies.” Christopher John Farley of Time magazine wrote, “Mercury Fallin. stands out as his most consistently entertaining effort. The lyrics are smart but not ostentatiously cerebral. The instrumental work of [Kenny] Kirkland, who performs on all the newtracks, and [Branford] Marsalis, who plays on two, adds shading and sophistication.”
Shadows in the Rain
Sting devotes a great deal of time and money to human rights and ecological causes. He explained to DeCurtis: “I’m still, in a sense, a believer in transcendent curesfor various problems…. But it’s getting a bit late, unfortunately. I feel that with certain issues, like the environment, for example, you have to be active. You can’t just sit there with your legs crossed and hope that the air is going to be fit to breathe tomorrow. I think we don’t have very long left, frankly.”
In trying to do his part for the environment, Sting focuses on the preservation of the Amazon rain forest, which is vital to the health of the earth’s atmosphere. To that end, he founded the Rain Forest Foundation. It originated in 1987, after he went deep into the jungle to meet with the natives there. He developed a close friendship with one of the chiefs, Raoni. The two traveled to Rio de Janiero to appeal to the government to stop the forest destruction. Then-president Jose Sarney promised that if Sting raised $1,000,000 to cover expenses, an areathe size of England—including Raoni’s homeland—would be demarcated as Xingo Park. Sting agreed to doso, generating much favorable publicity for Sarney. However, when Sting produced the money, Sarney refused to hold up his end of the deal. It was a painful lesson in politics for both Sting and the natives, and led to some criticism of the Rain Forest Foundation. Sting now directs part of the Rain Forest Foundation’s money into programs to educate and empower the natives in their rights and the workings of politics. He is also involved with Amnesty International, and has organized and performed in concerts to raise funds for that cause.
Sting learned another painful lesson in 1995. His longtime accountant, Keith Moore, was sentenced in London to six years in prison for embezzling $9.4 million from Sting’s account. He siphoned the money between 1988 and 1992. Sting’s bank reimbursed him $7.5 million that they transferred to Moore’s account without permission. “The person who did it shocked me,” Sting told Rolling Stone. “It made me look very seriously at the idea of wealth, and I came up with the conclusion that wealth isn’t about what you have in the bank. Your wealth is your friendships, family, health and happiness.”
Selected discography
With the Police; released by A & M
Outlandos d’Amou. (includes “Roxanne”), 1979.
Reggatta de Blanc, 1979.
Zenyatta Mondatta, 1980.
Ghost in the Machine, 1981.
Synchronicity (includes “King of Pain,” “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” “Every Breath You Take,” “Synchronicity,” and “Synchronicity II”), 1983.
Every Breath You Take-The Singles, 1986.
Message in a Box-The Complete Recordings of the Police (box compilation), 1993.
Solo releases
The Dream of the Blue Turtles, A & M, 1985.
Bring on the Night (live recording ), A & M, 1986.
Nothing Like the Sun, A & M, 1987.
Nada Como el Sol…, A & M, 1988.
The Soul Cages, A & M, 1991.
Ten Summoner’s Tales, A & M, 1993.
The Best of Sting-Fields of Gold, A & M, 1994.
Sting: All This Time (CD-ROM for Windows 95 or higher), Star wave, 1996.
Mercury Falling, A & M, 1996.
Other album appearances
Brimstone & Treacle (soundtrack), A & M, 1982.
Party, Party (soundtrack), 1982.
The Secret Policeman’s Other Bal. (soundtrack), 1982.
Money for Nothing (Dire Straits), 1988.
Peter and the Wolf, Deutsche Gramm, 1991.
Pavarotti & Friends, 1993.
The Three Musketeers (soundtrack), 1993.
Demolition Man (soundtrack), 1993.
Leaving Las Vegas (soundtrack), 1995.
Sabrina (soundtrack), 1995.
Sources
Periodicals
DownBeat, December 1983; May 1984; August 1984; December 1984; May 1985; November 1986; December 1987; December 1988.
Entertainment Weekly, August, 1996; March 21, 1997.
Guitar Player, September 1982.
Guitar World, April 1988; October 1988.
Musician, September 1987.
Rolling Stone, June 14, 1979; December 13, 1979; November 16, 1980; December 25, 1980; February 19, 1981; September 1, 1983; September 25, 1986; November 5, 1987; February 7, 1991; May 27, 1993.
Spin, May 1991.
Time, Apri. 1, 1996.
Us, May 16, 1991.
Additional information provided by The Message in a Box liner notes and additional material.
—Christine Morrison
Sting, 1951–
STING, 1951–
PERSONAL
Full name, Gordon Matthew Sumner; born October 2, 1951, in Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne, England; son of Ernest Matthew (a milkman and engineer) and Audrey (a hairdresser; maiden name, Cowell) Sumner; married Frances Eleanor Tomelty (an actress), May 1, 1976 (divorced, March, 1984); married Trudie Styler (a director, producer, actress, and model), August 22 (some sources cite August 20), 1992; children: (first marriage) Joseph (Joe), Fuschia Katherine (Kate); (second marriage) Brigette Michael (Mickey), Jake, Eliot Paulina (Coco), Giacomo Luke. Education: Attended the University of Warwick. Avocational Interests: Yoga.
Addresses:
Agent—Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212; Markham and Froggatt, Ltd., 4 Windmill St., London W1T 2HZ, England; Intellectual Property Group, 9200 Sunset Blvd., Suite 520, Los Angeles, CA 90069. Manager—KSM, Inc., 826 Broadway, Suite 411, New York, NY 10003. Publicist—Keith Sherman and Associates, 1776 Broadway, Suite 1200, New York, NY 10019.
Career:
Singer, bass player, songwriter, composer, and actor. Performer with Earthrise, the Phoenix Jazz Band (some sources cite the Phoenix Jazzmen), and the River City Jazz Band in the 1970s, with the Newcastle Big Band, 1972, and with Last Exit; the Police (musical group), singer, bass player, and songwriter, c. 1977–83; solo performer; Blue Turtles (jazz group), founder and performer; musician on other instruments; affiliated with Strontium Ninety (a rock band); appeared in commercials and print advertisements. English teacher at a school in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, 1975–77; Kaleidoscope Cameras, London, managing director, beginning 1982; worked as a musical performer on a cruise ship (with the Ronnie Pierson Trio), an income tax clerk, a construction worker, ditch digger, and a soccer coach. Rainforest Foundation International, cofounder, 1989, member of the board of trustees, beginning 1989, and concert performer; affiliated with other charities and fund–raising activities.
Member:
Performing Rights Society, Amnesty International.
Awards, Honors:
As a member of the Police, named best new artist, Rolling Stone, 1979; Grammy Award (with the Police), best rock instrumental performance, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, c. 1980; Grammy Award (with the Police), best rock instrumental performance, 1981, for "Behind My Camel"; Grammy Award (with the Police), best rock vocal performance by a duo or group, 1981, for "Don't Stand So Close to Me"; as a member of the Police, named best band, Rolling Stone, 1981; named best male singer, Rolling Stone, 1981; BRIT Award, best British rock group, 1982; Grammy Award (with the Police), best rock vocal performance by a duo or group, 1983, for Synchronicity; Grammy Award, best rock instrumental performance, 1983, for Brimstone and Treacle; Grammy awards, pop song of the year and best vocal performance by a duo or group, and best single, Rolling Stone, both 1983, and American Video Award, best group video, 1984, all with the Police, all for "Every Breath You Take"; BRIT Award, outstanding contribution to British music, 1985; Grammy Award (with Michael Apted), best long form music video, 1987, for Bring on the Night; Grammy Award, best pop vocal performance, male, 1987, for Bring on the Night; Grammy Award (with others), best performance music video, 1988, for The Prince's Trust All–Star Rock Concert; Readers' Poll awards, pop/rock musician of the year and best pop/rock group, Downbeat, 1989; Grammy Award, best rock song, 1991, for "The Soul Cages"; International Rock Award, video legend, 1991; honorary doctorate of music degree, University of Northumbria, 1992; Grammy Award, best pop vocal performance—male, 1993, for "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You"; Grammy Award nomination (with Eric Clapton and Michael Kamen), best song written specifically for a motion picture or for television, and MTV Movie Award nomination (with Eric Clapton), best movie song, both 1993, for "It's Probably Me," from Lethal Weapon 3; Grammy Award (with others), best music video long form, 1993, for Ten Summoner's Tales; MTV Movie Award nomination (with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart), best movie song, 1994, for "All for Love," from The Three Musketeers; honorary doctorate of music degree, Berklee College of Music, 1994; Grammy Award nomination (with others), 1995, for "Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy," A&E Stage; Sierra Award, best original song, Las Vegas Film Critics Society, 1998, and Golden Globe Award nomination (with Trevor Jones), best original song—motion picture, 1999, both for "The Mighty," from The Mighty; Grammy Award, best pop album, 2000, for Brand New Day; Grammy Award, best male pop performance, 2000, for "Brand New Day"; Phoenix Film Critics Society Award, best original song, and Sierra Award nomination, best song, both 2000, Academy Award nomination, best music—original song, Golden Globe Award nomination, best original song—motion picture, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best original song, International Press Academy, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award, best song, and Annie Award, outstanding individual achievement for a song in an animated production, International Animated Film Society, all 2001, and Grammy Award nomination, best song written for a motion picture, television, or other visual media, 2002, all with David Hartley, all for "My Funny Friend and Me," from The Emperor's New Groove; Grammy Award, best male pop vocal performance, 2001, for "She Walks This Earth (Soberana Rosa)"; Emmy Award, outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program, 2002, for Sting … All This Time; Golden Globe Award, best original song—motion picture, Academy Award nomination, best music—original song, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award nomination, best song, and World Soundtrack Award nomination, best original song written for a film, all 2002, for "Until," from Kate & Leopold; with the Police, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2003; named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, 2003; Grammy Award (with Mary J. Blige), best pop collaboration with vocals, 2004, for "Whenever I Say Your Name"; named person of the year, for music and charitable work, MusiCares, 2004; World Soundtrack Award (with Alison Krauss), best original song written for a film, Academy Award nomination, best music—original song, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best original song—motion picture, all 2004, and Grammy Award nomination, best song written for a motion picture, television or other visual media, 2005, all for "You Will Be My Ain True Love," from Cold Mountain; the Police were named one of the best rock and roll artists of all time by Rolling Stone; David Angell Humanitarian Award, American Screen-writers Association, c. 2005; other awards and designations as a member of the Police and as a solo artist.
CREDITS
Film Appearances:
Ace Face, Quadrophenia (also known as Quadrophenia: A Way of Life), Rhino Releasing/World Northal, 1979.
Just Like Eddie, Radio On, Unifilm, 1979.
(With the Police) Himself, Punk and Its Aftershocks (documentary; also known as British Rock and British Rock—Ready for the 80s), Stein Film, 1980.
Himself, The Secret Policeman's Other Ball, Miramax, 1981.
Himself, Urgh! A Music War (concert film), Lorimar, 1981.
Martin Taylor, Brimstone and Treacle, United Artists, 1982.
Feyd–Rautha, Dune, Universal, 1984.
Mick, Plenty, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1985.
Himself, Bring on the Night (concert film; also known as Sting: Bring on the Night), Samuel Goldwyn/A&M, 1985.
Victor Frankenstein, The Bride, Columbia, 1985.
Daniel Osler, Julia and Julia (also known as Giulia e Giulia), Cinecom International, 1987.
Finney, Stormy Monday, Atlantic Releasing, 1988.
Heroic officer, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (also known as Die Abenteuer des Baron von Muenchhausen), TriStar/Columbia, 1988.
Himself, Dance of Hope (documentary), First Run Features, c. 1989.
Himself, Resident Alien (documentary; also known as Resident Alien: Quentin Crisp in America), Greycat Films, 1991.
Himself, Branford Marsalis: The Music Tells You (documentary; also known as The Music Tells You), Pennebaker Associates, 1992.
Reader of Pablo Neruda's sonnet "Morning," Il Postino (also known as The Postman), Miramax, 1994.
Fledge, Gentlemen Don't Eat Poets (also known as Grave Indiscretion and The Grotesque), LIVE Entertainment/Ster–Kinekor Pictures, 1995.
J. D., Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (also known as Two Smoking Barrels), Gramercy Pictures, 1999.
Himself, The Filth and the Fury (documentary), Fine Line Features, 2000.
Himself, All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live! (documentary; also known as All Access and All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live! Presented by Certs), IMAX Corporation, 2001.
Himself, The Sweatbox (documentary), Buena Vista, 2002.
Himself, George Michael: A Different Story (documentary), Gorilla Entertainment, 2005.
Film Song Performer:
(With Eric Clapton and Michael Kamen) "It's Probably Me," Lethal Weapon 3, Warner Bros., 1992.
(With Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart) "All for Love," The Three Musketeers, Buena Vista, 1993.
"Demolition Man," Demolition Man, Warner Bros., 1993.
"The Secret Marriage," Four Weddings and a Funeral, Gramercy Pictures, 1994.
"Angel Eyes,""It's a Lonesome Town," and "My One and Only Love," Leaving Las Vegas, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1995.
"Moonlight," Sabrina, Paramount, 1995.
"This Was Never Meant To Be," Gentlemen Don't Eat Poets (also known as Grave Indiscretion and The Grotesque), LIVE Entertainment/Ster–Kinekor Pictures, 1995.
The Living Sea (documentary), MacGillivray Freeman Films, 1995.
Title song, The Mighty, Miramax, 1998.
"My Funny Friend and Me" and other songs, The Emperor's New Groove (animated), Buena Vista, 2000.
"A Thousand Years" and "When the World Is Running Down, You Can't Go Wrong," Red Planet (also known as Mars), Warner Bros., 2000.
Dolphins (short documentary film), MacGillivray Freeman Films, 2000.
Videoflashback (short film), kientopp production, 2000.
"Until," Kate & Leopold, Miramax, 2001.
(With Alison Krauss) "You Will Be My Ain True Love," Cold Mountain, Miramax, 2003.
Performer of songs that have been featured in other films, television broadcasts, stage productions, and video collections.
Television Appearances; Series:
Voice of Zarm, Captain Planet and the Planeteers (animated; also known as and Captain Planet's Mission to Save Earth), TBS and syndicated, 1990–92.
Television Appearances; Miniseries:
The North Face Expeditions, NBC, 1999–2000.
Himself, Unsere Besten—Wer ist der grosste Deutsche? (documentary), Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen, 2003.
Television Appearances; Movies:
Helith, Artemis 81, BBC, 1981.
Television Appearances; Specials:
Ligmalion (musical; also known as Ligmalion: A Musical for the 80s), [Great Britain], 1985.
Live Aid, BBC and other networks, 1985.
The Flintstones 25th Anniversary Celebration, 1986.
The Prince's Trust All–Star Rock Concert (also known as The Prince's Trust Rock Gala: 10th Birthday), HBO, 1986.
Rolling Stone Magazine's 20 Years of Rock 'n' Roll (documentary), ABC, 1987.
Top of the Pops: A Very Special Christmas, CBS, 1987.
Himself, Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute (also known as Freedomfest: Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday Celebration), Fox, 1988.
"Human Rights Now Tour," HBO World Stage, HBO, 1988.
Our Common Future, Arts and Entertainment and syndicated, 1989.
"Sting in Tokyo," HBO World Stage, HBO, 1989.
Late Night with David Letterman Eighth Anniversary Special, NBC, 1990.
Coca–Cola Pop Music "Backstage Pass to Summer," Fox, 1991.
Hard Rock Cafe New Year's Eve Special, CBS, 1991.
Spaceship Earth: Our Global Environment, The Disney Channel, 1991.
"Two Rooms: Tribute to Elton John and Bernie Taupin," ABC in Concert '91 (also known as ABC in Concert), ABC, 1991.
Himself, Sting at the Hollywood Bowl: A Birthday Celebration (also known as Sting at the Hollywood Bowl), The Disney Channel, 1992.
Rolling Stone 25: The MTV Special (documentary), MTV, 1992.
The 25th Montreux Music Festival, The Disney Channel, 1992.
Music in Movies '93, ABC, 1993.
Pavarotti and Friends, PBS, 1993.
"Sting: Summoner's Travels" (also known as "Sting: A Musical Voyage"), In the Spotlight, PBS, 1993.
Narrator, "Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy," A&E Stage, Arts and Entertainment, 1994.
Himself, The State's 43rd Annual Halloween Special, CBS, 1995.
Himself, Sting in Vietnam, 1996.
Sounds of Summer Preview '96, ABC, 1996.
Himself, An Audience with Elton John, Independent Television, 1997.
Himself, Music for Montserrat (also known as All–Star Concert for Motserrat), pay–per–view, 1997.
Independence Day Concert from the Glastonbury Festival, ABC, 1997.
Billy Idol, Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman, NBC, 1998.
Himself, Divas Live: An Honors Concert for VH1 Save the Children (also known as VH1 "Divas Live"), VH1, 1998.
Himself, The X–Files Movie Special (documentary), Fox, 1998.
Tony Bennett: An All–Star Tribute–Live by Request, Arts and Entertainment, 1998.
Billy Idol, Saturday Night Live: The Best of Chris Rock, NBC, 1999.
Performer of song "Brand New Day," Radio City Music Hall's Grand Re–Opening Gala, NBC, 1999.
Himself, Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Prime-time Special (also known as Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary), NBC, 1999.
NetAid, VH1, 1999.
NetAid: A Concert Special, TNT, 1999.
The Nobel Peace Concert 1999, Fox Family Channel, 1999.
Performer, VH1: Men Strike Back (also known as Men Strike Back), VH1, 2000.
Himself, The Beatles Revolution (documentary), ABC, 2000.
Himself, Stand and Be Counted (documentary), The Learning Channel, 2000.
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Special, VH1, 2000.
Himself, ABC 2002 (documentary; also known as 2002), ABC, 2001.
Himself, America: A Tribute to Heroes, multiple networks, 2001.
Himself, Being Mick (documentary), ABC, 2001.
Himself, Eric Clapton: Standing at the Crossroads (documentary), The Learning Channel, 2001.
Himself, From the Waist Down: Men, Women & Music (documentary), VH1, 2001.
Himself, Rock and Roll Moments: Super Star Artists and Groups (documentary), The Learning Channel, 2001.
Himself, Sting in Tuscany: All This Time (documentary), Arts and Entertainment, 2001.
Himself, Super Bowl XXXV, CBS, 2001.
Himself, VH1 News Special: Islamabad Rock City, VH1, 2001.
Guest performer, Pavarotti & Friends 2002 for Angola (also known as Pavarotti & Friends for Angola, from the Parco Novi Sad in Modena), 2002.
Performer, 2002 Olympic Winter Games (also known as XIX Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony), CBS, 2002.
Friday Night Super Bowl Bash, CBS, 2002.
Halftime performer, Super Bowl XXXVII, ABC, 2003.
Himself, Children in Need, BBC, 2003.
Himself, A Journey to "Cold Mountain" (documentary), 2003.
Himself, The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, CBS, 2003.
Himself, The Words and Music of "Cold Mountain," 2003.
Sting: Sacred Love (documentary), Arts and Entertainment, 2003.
Billy Idol, 101 Most Unforgettable SNL Moments, E! Entertainment Television, 2004.
Bob Geldof: Saint or Singer? (documentary), BBC, 2004.
Himself, All I Want: A Portrait of Rufus Wainwright, 2005.
MTV Asia Aid, MTV, 2005.
Himself, Live 8, multiple networks, 2005.
Appeared in other specials, including a concert broadcast on DirecTV.
Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:
MTV Video Music Awards 1985, MTV, 1985.
The 28th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1986.
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Show, CBS, 1987.
The 32nd Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1990.
The Third Annual International Rock Awards, ABC, 1991.
The 33rd Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1991.
The 1993 MTV Music Video Awards, MTV, 1993.
Himself, 41 edicion de los premios Ondas, 1994.
The 36th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1994.
The 1995 BRIT Awards, 1995.
The BRIT Awards '96, 1996.
Performer, The MTV Video Music Awards, MTV, 1997.
The 31st Annual Country Music Association Awards, CBS, 1997.
The 39th Grammy Awards, CBS, 1997.
Presenter, The 40th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1998.
The 1998 VH1 Fashion Awards, VH1, 1998.
Presenter, The 41st Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1999.
Himself, MTV Video Music Awards 2000 (also known as The 2000 MTV Video Music Awards), MTV, 2000.
The 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 2000.
Himself, My VH1 Music Awards, VH1, 2001.
Himself, The 73rd Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2001.
The 2001 Billboard Music Awards, Fox, 2001.
Performer, BRIT Awards 2002, Independent Television, 2002.
Performer, The 74th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2002.
Presenter, The 59th Annual Golden Globe Awards, NBC, 2002.
Presenter, The Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards 2002, Independent Television, 2002.
Himself, The Orange British Academy Film Awards, E! Entertainment Television, 2002.
Performer, The 2003 Billboard Music Awards, Fox, 2003.
Himself, 50 edicion de los premios Ondas, 2003.
Himself, MTV Europe Movie Awards 2003, MTV, 2003.
Performer, The 46th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 2004.
Performer and presenter, The 76th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2004.
Himself, BRIT Awards 2005, Independent Television and BBC America, 2005.
Television Appearances; Episodic:
(With the Police) Himself, Top of the Pops (also known as All New Top of the Pops and TOTP), BBC, 1979, 1981, 1983, 2002, 2003.
(With the Police) Himself, Aplauso, 1980.
(With the Police) Musikladen, 1980.
Himself, Late Night with David Letterman, NBC, 1982, 1985, 1991.
Himself, Soul Train, syndicated, 1987.
Musical guest, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's "Saturday Night," Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1987, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1999.
Himself, Programa piloto, 1988.
Himself, Famous Last Words, MTV, 1990.
Himself, Unplugged (also known as MTV's "Unplugged"), MTV, 1991.
Voice of himself, "Radio Bart," The Simpsons (animated), Fox, 1991.
Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's "Saturday Night," Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1991.
Himself, The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005.
Himself, "Muscle Chemicals," The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer, 1995.
Himself, "Punk," The History of Rock 'n' Roll Vol. 9 (documentary), syndicated, 1995.
Himself, "Sting" (documentary), The South Bank Show, Independent Television and Bravo, 1996.
Himself, "Where Is the Love?," The Larry Sanders Show, HBO, 1996.
Himself, Clive Anderson Talks Back, Channel 4 (England), 1996.
Himself, Lo mas plus (also known as Lo + plus), 1996.
Himself, TFI Friday, Channel 4, 1996.
Host, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's "Saturday Night," Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1997.
Himself, On Tour, PBS, 1997.
Himself, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1997.
Himself, Howard Stern, E! Entertainment Television, 1997, 2000.
Himself, "Sting: Behind the Music" (also known as "Sting"), Behind the Music (also known as BtM and VH1's "Behind the Music"), VH1, 1999.
Himself, Des O'Connor Tonight, Independent Television, 1999.
Himself, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, NBC, 1999.
Himself, Parkinson, BBC, 1999, 2003.
Himself, Dale's All Stars, BBC, 2000.
Himself, Good Morning Australia, Ten Network (Australia), 2000.
Himself, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, CBS, 2000.
Himself, Rove Live, Ten Network, 2000.
HermanSIC, multiple episodes in 2000.
Himself, "Cloudy Skies, Chance of Parade," Ally McBeal, Fox, 2001.
Himself, "Tangled Web," The Nightmare Room, The WB, 2001.
Himself, "Wetten, dass …? aus Boblingen," Wetten, dass …?, 2001.
Himself, CD:UK, Independent Television, 2001.
Himself, Mad TV, Fox, 2001.
Herself, Operacion triunfo, 2001.
Himself, Today (also known as NBC News Today and The Today Show), NBC, 2001.
Himself, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC, 2001, 2003.
Himself, Musikbutikken, 2002.
Himself, Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show (also known as Ellen and The Ellen DeGeneres Show), syndicated, 2003.
Himself, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, BBC, 2003.
Himself, God kveld Norge, 2003.
Himself, The Oprah Winfrey Show (also known as Oprah), syndicated, 2003.
Himself, Top of the Pops 2, BBC, 2003.
Himself, TROS TV Show, 2003.
Himself, "John Lennon's Jukebox," The South Bank Show, Independent Television and Bravo, 2004.
Himself, Anke Late Night, 2004.
Himself, Jeremy Vine Meets…, BBC, 2004.
Himself, McEnroe, CNBC, 2004.
Himself, Pepsi Smash, The WB, 2004.
Himself, Richard & Judy, Channel 4, 2004.
Himself, This Morning, Independent Television, 2004.
Himself, Tout le monde en parle, 2004.
On–Air with Ryan Seacrest, syndicated, 2004.
TV total, 2004.
Himself, Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC, 2005.
Appeared as himself, Movie Surfers (also known as Disney's "The Movie Surfers"), The Disney Channel; appeared as himself, Storytellers (also known as VH1 Storytellers), VH1.
Television Work; Specials:
Executive producer and music producer, Sting: Sacred Love (documentary), Arts and Entertainment, 2003.
Stage Appearances:
Macheath, Threepenny Opera (opera; also known as 3 Penny Opera), Lunt–Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1989.
Radio Appearances:
Himself, The Howard Stern Radio Show, 1997, 2000.
Appeared in other radio productions.
RECORDINGS
Albums:
Brimstone and Treacle (original soundtrack), A&M, 1982.
The Dream of the Blue Turtles, A&M, 1985.
Bring on the Night, A&M, 1986.
Nothing Like the Sun, A&M, 1987, five songs translated into Spanish and released as Nada como el sol…, A&M, 1988.
Live in Newcastle, Alex, 1991.
The Soul Cages (includes "The Soul Cages"), A&M, 1991.
Ten Summoner's Tales, A&M, 1993.
Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting, 1984–1994 (compilation), A&M, 1994.
Mercury Falling, A&M, 1996.
(With Strontium Ninety) Police Academy (recordings from 1970, Ark 21/Pangea, 1997.
Sting at the Movies (compilation), A&M, 1997.
The Very Best of Sting and the Police (compilation), A&M, 1997.
Brand New Day, A&M/Interscope, 1999.
Desert Rose, Interscope, 2000.
All This Time (song compilation), A&M, 2001.
Sacred Love, A&M, 2003.
Singles:
"I Burn for You," A&M, c. 1982.
"Spread a Little Happiness," A&M, 1982.
(With Band Aid) "Do They Know It's Christmas," 1984.
(With Dire Straits) "Money for Nothing," c. 1984.
"Fortress around Your Heart," A&M, 1985.
"If You Love Somebody Set Them Free," A&M, 1985.
"Love Is the Seventh Wave," A&M, 1985.
"Russians," A&M, 1985.
"Bring on the Night," 1986.
"Moon over Bourbon Street," 1986.
"Be Still My Beating Heart," A&M, 1987.
"Englishman in New York," A&M, 1987.
"Fragile," A&M, 1987.
"Gabriel's Message," 1987.
"They Dance Alone (Gueca solo)," A&M, 1987.
"We'll Be Together," A&M, 1987.
"All This Time," A&M, 1991.
"Mad about You," 1991.
"Muoio per te," 1991.
"The Soul Cages," 1991.
"Why Should I Cry for You?," A&M, 1991.
"Epilogue (Nothing 'bout Me)," 1992.
(With Eric Clapton) "It's Probably Me," 1992.
(With Bryan Adams) "All for Love," A&M, 1993.
"Demolition Man," A&M, 1993.
"Fields of Gold," A&M, 1993.
"If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," A&M, 1993.
"Love Is Stronger Than Justice," 1993.
"Seven Days," 1993.
"Shape of My Heart," 1993.
"Fortress," Angel, 1994.
(With Julio Iglesias) "Fragile," 1994.
"This Cowboy Song," Phantom, 1994.
"When We Dance," A&M, 1994.
"Moonlight," 1995.
(With Pato Banton) "Spirits in the Material World," MCA, 1995.
"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying," A&M, 1996.
"Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot," A&M, 1996.
"You Still Touch Me," A&M, 1996.
"Morning (Love Sonnet XXVII)," 1997.
(With Puff Daddy) "Roxanne '97: Puff Daddy Remix," A&M, 1997.
(With Ziggy Marley) "One World (Not Three)," c. 1997.
(With Toby Keith) "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying," 1998.
"Brand New Day," 1999.
"The Mighty," 1999.
"After the Rain Has Fallen," 2000.
"After the Rain Has Fallen (Part 2)," 2000.
(Featuring Cheb Mami) "Desert Rose," 2000.
"My Funny Friend and Me," 2000.
"Until," 2001.
(With Craig David) "Rise & Fall," 2003.
"Send Your Love," 2003.
(With Twista) "Stolen Car," 2004.
Recorded other singles.
Albums with the Police:
Outlandos d'Amour, A&M, 1978.
Regatta de Blanc, A&M, 1979.
Zenyatta Mondatta (includes "Behind My Camel"), A&M, 1980.
Ghost in the Machine, A&M, 1981.
Synchronicity, A&M, 1983.
Live! (also known as Police: Live!), A&M, 1985.
Every Breath You Take: The Singles (compilation), A&M, 1986.
Message in a Box: Complete Recordings (compilation; boxed set of four compact discs), A&M, 1993.
Every Breath You Take: The Classics (compilation), A&M, 1995.
The Very Best of Sting & the Police, A&M, 1997, Universal, 2002.
Singles with the Police:
"Born in the 50s," 1978.
"Bring on the Night," 1978.
"Can't Stand Losing You," 1978.
"Hole in My Life," 1978.
"Peanuts," 1978.
"Roxanne," 1978.
"So Lonely," 1978.
"Truth Hits Everybody," 1978.
"Fall Out," 1979.
"Landlord," 1979.
"Message in a Bottle," 1979.
"Walking on the Moon," 1979.
"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," 1980.
"Don't Stand So Close to Me," 1980.
"Voices inside My Head," 1980.
"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," 1981.
"Invisible Sun," 1981.
"Spirits in the Material World," 1981.
"When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around," 1981.
"Demolition Man," 1982.
"One World (Not Three)," 1982.
"Synchronicity II," 1982.
"Every Breath You Take," 1983.
"King of Pain," 1983.
"Wrapped around Your Finger," 1983.
"Don't Stand So Close to Me '86," 1986.
"Tea in the Sahara," 1998.
Recorded other singles with the Police.
Albums; Contributing Vocals:
Eberhard Schoener, Video Flashback, Harvest, 1979.
Eberhard Schoener, Video Magic, Harvest, 1981.
Phil Collins, Hello, I Must Be Going, Atlantic, 1982.
Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms, Warner Bros., 1985.
Phil Collins, No Jacket Required, Virgin, 1985.
Various artists, Tribute to Kurt Weill: Lost in the Stars, A&M, 1985.
Red Hot & Rio, Red Hot & Rio, Antilles/Verve, 1986.
Dire Straits, Money for Nothing, Warner Bros., 1988.
Kip Hanrahan, Tenderness, American Clave, 1990.
Vinx, Rooms in My Fatha's House, IRS Releasing, 1991.
Luciano Pavarotti and various artists, Pavarotti and Friends, Decca, 1993.
Plus from Us, Plus from Us, Realworld, 1993.
Julio Iglesias, Crazy, Columbia, 1994.
Tammy Wynette, Without Walls, Epic, 1994.
Chieftains, Long Black Veil, RCA, 1995.
Vanessa Williams, Sweetest Days, Mercury, 1995.
Tina Turner, Wildest Dreams, Virgin, 1996.
James Taylor, Hour Glass, Sony, 1997.
Joe Henderson, Porgy & Bess, PolyGram, 1997.
Various artists, Carnival: Rainforest Foundation Concert, RCA, 1997.
Various artists, "She Walks This Earth (Soberana Rosa)," A Love Affair—The Music of Ivan Lins, Telarc Records, 2000.
Various artists, Unity: The Official Athens 2004 Olympic Games Album, 2004.
Contributor to albums by other recording artists.
Albums; Bass Player:
Eberhard Schoener, Video Flashback, Harvest, 1979.
Eberhard Schoener, Video Magic, Harvest, 1981.
Andy Summers, Charming Snakes, Private Music, 1990.
Kip Hanrahan, Tenderness, American Clave, 1990.
Vinx, Rooms in My Fatha's House, IRS Releasing, 1991.
Vinnie Colaiuta, Vinnie Colaiuta, Stretch, 1994.
John McLaughlin, Promise, Verve, 1995.
Albums; Producer:
Various artists, Green Peace: Rainbow Warriors, Geffen, 1989.
Various artists, Very Special Christmas, A&M, 1989.
Vinx, Rooms in My Fatha's House, IRS Releasing, 1991.
Various artists, Four Weddings and a Funeral (soundtrack), PolyGram, 1994.
Various artists, The Truth about Cats and Dogs (soundtrack), A&M, 1996.
Albums; Sound Engineer:
Various artists, Tan–Yah Presents Mission, Tan–Yah Records, 1992.
Various artists, Mission, Tan–Yah Records, 1995.
Red Fox, Face the Fox, VP Records, 1996.
Videos:
(With the Police) Police: Around the World, PolyGram, 1981.
(With the Police) Synchronicity, PolyGram, 1983.
Do They Know It's Christmas (documentary), 1984.
(With the Police) Synchronicity Concert: The Police, IRS Releasing, 1985.
(With the Police) The Police: Every Breath You Take, PolyGram, 1986.
Nothing Like the Sun: The Videos, 1987.
(With Branford Marsalis) Steep, Sony Music Video, 1988.
Soul Cages Concert, PolyGram, 1991.
Soul Cages Videos, PolyGram, 1991.
Ten Summoner's Tales (compilation of music videos; also known as Sting: Ten Summoners Tales), A&M/PolyGram, 1993.
Performer, Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume I, 1994.
The Police: Outlandos to Synchronicities, PolyGram, 1995.
Sting: Fields of Gold, PolyGram, 1995.
I Want My MTV, MTV Home Video/Sony Music Video Enterprises, 1996.
Twentieth Century Blues: The Songs of Noel Coward (documentary), 1998.
Tina Turner: Celebrate Live 1999 (documentary; also known as Happy Birthday Tina!), 1999.
Himself, Sting: The Brand New Day Tour—Live from the Universal Amphitheatre (documentary), A&M, 2000.
Himself, Sting … All This Time (documentary), IMAX Corporation, 2001.
Himself, Chris Botti & Friends: Night Sessions Live in Concert (documentary), Columbia Music Video, 2002.
Host, Everest: The Mountain at the Millennium, Vol. 1 (short documentary film), North American Adventures, 2003.
Himself, Sting: Inside—The Songs of Sacred Love, Universal Music, 2003.
(With others) Nas, Nas: Video Anthology Vol. 1, Sony Music, 2004.
Videos; Art Director:
Ten Summoner's Tales (compilation of music videos; also known as Sting: Ten Summoners Tales), A&M/PolyGram, 1993.
Music Videos:
"I Burn for You," A&M, c. 1982.
"Spread a Little Happiness," A&M, 1982.
(With Band Aid) "Do They Know It's Christmas," 1984.
(With Dire Straits) "Money for Nothing" (version one), 1984.
"Fortress around Your Heart," A&M, 1985.
"If You Love Somebody Set Them Free," A&M, 1985.
"Love Is the Seventh Wave," A&M, 1985.
(With Dire Straits) "Money for Nothing" (version two), 1985.
"Russians," A&M, 1985.
"Bring on the Night," 1986.
"Moon over Bourbon Street," 1986.
"Be Still My Beating Heart," A&M, 1987.
"Englishman in New York," A&M, 1987.
"Fragile" (version one), A&M, 1987.
"Gabriel's Message," 1987.
"They Dance Alone (Gueca solo)," A&M, 1987.
"We'll Be Together," A&M, 1987.
"All This Time," A&M, 1991.
"Mad about You" (two versions), 1991.
"Muoio per te," 1991.
"The Soul Cages," 1991.
"Why Should I Cry for You?," A&M, 1991.
"Epilogue (Nothing 'bout Me)," 1992.
(With Eric Clapton) "It's Probably Me," 1992.
(With Bryan Adams) "All for Love," A&M, 1993.
"Demolition Man," A&M, 1993.
"Fields of Gold," A&M, 1993.
"If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" (two versions), A&M, 1993.
"Love Is Stronger Than Justice," 1993.
"Seven Days," 1993.
"Shape of My Heart," 1993.
"Fortress," Angel, 1994.
(With Julio Iglesias) "Fragile," 1994.
#x0022;This Cowboy Song," Phantom, 1994.
"When We Dance," A&M, 1994.
"Moonlight," 1995.
(With Pato Banton) "Spirits in the Material World," MCA, 1995.
"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying," A&M, 1996.
"Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot," A&M, 1996.
"You Still Touch Me," A&M, 1996.
"Morning (Love Sonnet XXVII)," 1997.
(With Puff Daddy) "Roxanne '97: Puff Daddy Remix," A&M, 1997.
(With Ziggy Marley) "One World (Not Three)," c. 1997.
(With Toby Keith) "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying," 1998.
"Brand New Day," 1999.
"The Mighty," 1999.
"After the Rain Has Fallen," 2000.
"After the Rain Has Fallen (Part 2)," 2000.
(Featuring Cheb Mami) "Desert Rose," 2000.
"My Funny Friend and Me," 2000.
"Fragile" (version two), A&M, 2001.
"Until," 2001.
(With Craig David) "Rise & Fall," 2003.
"Send Your Love," 2003.
(With Twista) "Stolen Car," 2004.
Music Videos with the Police:
"Born in the 50s," 1978.
"Bring on the Night," 1978.
"Can't Stand Losing You" (version one: Great Britain/liver version), 1978.
"Hole in My Life," 1978.
"Peanuts," 1978.
"Roxanne" (version one: United States/red background), 1978.
"Roxanne" (version two: Great Britain/live version), 1978.
"So Lonely," 1978.
"Truth Hits Everybody," 1978.
"Can't Stand Losing You" (version two: United States), 1979.
"Fall Out," 1979.
"Landlord," 1979.
"Message in a Bottle," 1979.
"Walking on the Moon," 1979.
"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," 1980.
"Don't Stand So Close to Me" (two versions), 1980.
"Voices inside My Head," 1980.
"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," 1981.
"Invisible Sun," 1981.
"Spirits in the Material World," 1981.
"When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around," 1981.
"Demolition Man," 1982.
"One World (Not Three)," 1982.
"Synchronicity II," 1982.
"Every Breath You Take," 1983.
"King of Pain" (version one: live in Montreal), 1983.
"Wrapped around Your Finger," 1983.
"Don't Stand So Close to Me '86," 1986.
"Can't Stand Losing You" (version three: live), 1995.
"King of Pain" (version two: live in Atlanta), 1998.
"Tea in the Sahara," 1998.
CD ROMs:
All This Time, 1995.
WRITINGS
Film Music; Scores:
Radio On, Unifilm, 1979.
Brimstone and Treacle, United Artists, 1982.
The Panama Deception (documentary), Empowerment Project, 1992.
The Living Sea (documentary), A&M, 1995.
Film Music; Songs:
(With Eric Clapton and Michael Kamen) "It's Probably Me," Lethal Weapon 3, Warner Bros., 1992.
(With Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart) "All for Love," The Three Musketeers, Buena Vista, 1993.
"Demolition Man," Demolition Man, Warner Bros., 1993.
"The Secret Marriage," Four Weddings and a Funeral, Gramercy Pictures, 1994.
"Angel Eyes,""It's a Lonesome Town," and "My One and Only Love," Leaving Las Vegas, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1995.
"Moonlight," Sabrina, Paramount, 1995.
"This Was Never Meant To Be," Gentlemen Don't Eat Poets (also known as Grave Indiscretion and The Grotesque), LIVE Entertainment/Ster–Kinekor Pictures, 1995.
The Living Sea (documentary), MacGillivray Freeman Films, 1995.
Title song, The Mighty, Miramax, 1998.
"My Funny Friend and Me" and other songs, The Emperor's New Groove (animated), Buena Vista, 2000.
"A Thousand Years" and "When the World Is Running Down, You Can't Go Wrong," Red Planet (also known as Mars), Warner Bros., 2000.
Dolphins (short documentary film), MacGillivray Freeman Films, 2000.
Videoflashback (short film), kientopp production, 2000.
"Until," Kate & Leopold, Miramax, 2001.
"You Will Be My Ain True Love," Cold Mountain, Miramax, 2003.
Sting's songs and music has been featured in other films, television broadcasts, stage productions, and video collections. Songwriter for the unfinished and unreleased film Kingdom of the Sun (animated; also known as Kingdom in the Sun), Buena Vista.
Albums:
Brimstone and Treacle (original soundtrack), A&M, 1982.
The Dream of the Blue Turtles, A&M, 1985.
Bring on the Night, A&M, 1986.
Nothing Like the Sun, A&M, 1987, five songs translated into Spanish and released as Nada como el sol…, A&M, 1988.
Live in Newcastle, Alex, 1991.
The Soul Cages (includes "The Soul Cages"), A&M, 1991.
Ten Summoner's Tales, A&M, 1993.
Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting, 1984–1994 (compilation), A&M, 1994.
Mercury Falling, A&M, 1996.
(With Strontium Ninety) Police Academy (recordings from 1970, Ark 21/Pangea, 1997.
Sting at the Movies (compilation), A&M, 1997.
The Very Best of Sting and the Police (compilation), A&M, 1997.
Brand New Day, A&M/Interscope, 1999.
Desert Rose, Interscope, 2000.
All This Time (song compilation), A&M, 2001.
Sacred Love, A&M, 2003.
Singles:
"I Burn for You," A&M, c. 1982.
"Spread a Little Happiness," A&M, 1982.
(With Band Aid) "Do They Know It's Christmas," 1984.
(With Dire Straits) "Money for Nothing," c. 1984.
"Fortress around Your Heart," A&M, 1985.
"If You Love Somebody Set Them Free," A&M, 1985.
"Love Is the Seventh Wave," A&M, 1985.
"Russians," A&M, 1985.
"Bring on the Night," 1986.
"Moon over Bourbon Street," 1986.
"Be Still My Beating Heart," A&M, 1987.
"Englishman in New York," A&M, 1987.
"Fragile," A&M, 1987.
"Gabriel's Message," 1987.
"They Dance Alone (Gueca solo)," A&M, 1987.
"We'll Be Together," A&M, 1987.
"All This Time," A&M, 1991.
"Mad about You," 1991.
"Muoio per te," 1991.
"The Soul Cages," 1991.
"Why Should I Cry for You?," A&M, 1991.
"Epilogue (Nothing 'bout Me)," 1992.
(With Eric Clapton) "It's Probably Me," 1992.
(With Bryan Adams) "All for Love," A&M, 1993.
"Demolition Man," A&M, 1993.
"Fields of Gold," A&M, 1993.
"If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," A&M, 1993.
"Love Is Stronger Than Justice," 1993.
"Seven Days," 1993.
"Shape of My Heart," 1993.
"Fortress," Angel, 1994.
(With Julio Iglesias) "Fragile," 1994.
"This Cowboy Song," Phantom, 1994.
"When We Dance," A&M, 1994.
"Moonlight," 1995.
(With Pato Banton) "Spirits in the Material World," MCA, 1995.
"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying," A&M, 1996.
"Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot," A&M, 1996.
"You Still Touch Me," A&M, 1996.
"Morning (Love Sonnet XXVII)," 1997.
(With Puff Daddy) "Roxanne '97: Puff Daddy Remix," A&M, 1997.
(With Ziggy Marley) "One World (Not Three)," c. 1997.
(With Toby Keith) "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying," 1998.
"Brand New Day," 1999.
"The Mighty," 1999.
"After the Rain Has Fallen," 2000.
"After the Rain Has Fallen (Part 2)," 2000.
(Featuring Cheb Mami) "Desert Rose," 2000.
"My Funny Friend and Me," 2000.
"Until," 2001.
(With Craig David) "Rise & Fall," 2003.
"Send Your Love," 2003.
(With Twista) "Stolen Car," 2004.
Albums with the Police:
Outlandos d'Amour, A&M, 1978.
Regatta de Blanc, A&M, 1979.
Zenyatta Mondatta (includes "Behind My Camel"), A&M, 1980.
Ghost in the Machine, A&M, 1981.
Synchronicity, A&M, 1983.
Live! (also known as Police: Live!), A&M, 1985.
Every Breath You Take: The Singles (compilation), A&M, 1986.
Message in a Box: Complete Recordings (compilation; boxed set of four compact discs), A&M, 1993.
Every Breath You Take: The Classics (compilation), A&M, 1995.
The Very Best of Sting & the Police, A&M, 1997, Universal, 2002.
Singles with the Police:
"Born in the 50s," 1978.
"Bring on the Night," 1978.
"Can't Stand Losing You," 1978.
"Hole in My Life," 1978.
"Peanuts," 1978.
"Roxanne," 1978.
"So Lonely," 1978.
"Truth Hits Everybody," 1978.
"Fall Out," 1979.
"Landlord," 1979.
"Message in a Bottle," 1979.
"Walking on the Moon," 1979.
"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," 1980.
"Don't Stand So Close to Me," 1980.
"Voices inside My Head," 1980.
"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," 1981.
"Invisible Sun," 1981.
"Spirits in the Material World," 1981.
"When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around," 1981.
"Demolition Man," 1982.
"One World (Not Three)," 1982.
"Synchronicity II," 1982.
"Every Breath You Take," 1983.
"King of Pain," 1983.
"Wrapped around Your Finger," 1983.
"Don't Stand So Close to Me '86," 1986.
"Tea in the Sahara," 1998.
Recorded other singles with the Police.
Album Song Contributor:
"Gabriel's Message," A Very Special Christmas, A&M, 1989.
"Love Is the Seventh Wave," Green Peace: Rainbow Warriors, Geffen, 1989.
"Cushie Butterfield," For Our Children, Disney, 1991.
Luciano Pavarotti and various artists, Pavarotti and Friends, Decca, 1993.
Jimi Hendrix, "The Wind Cries Mary," In from the Storm: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix, BMG, 1995.
(With the Police) Regatta Mondatta: The Police Reggae Tribute, Pangea/Ark 21, 1997.
(With the Police) Regatta Mondatta, Vol. 2: Police Reggae Tribute, Ark 21, 1998.
Various artists, Unity: The Official Athens 2004 Olympic Games Album, 2004.
Contributor to albums by other recording artists.
Video Music:
(With the Police) Police: Around the World, PolyGram, 1981.
(With the Police) Synchronicity, PolyGram, 1983.
(With the Police) Synchronicity Concert: The Police, IRS Releasing, 1985.
(With the Police) The Police: Every Breath You Take, PolyGram, 1986.
Nothing Like the Sun: The Videos, 1987.
(With Branford Marsalis) Steep, Sony Music Video, 1988.
Soul Cages Concert, PolyGram, 1991.
Soul Cages Videos, PolyGram, 1991.
Ten Summoner's Tales (compilation of music videos; also known as Sting: Ten Summoners Tales), A&M/PolyGram, 1993.
(With others) Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume I, 1994.
The Police: Outlandos to Synchronicities, PolyGram, 1995.
Sting: Fields of Gold, PolyGram, 1995.
Himself, Sting: The Brand New Day Tour—Live from the Universal Amphitheatre (documentary), A&M, 2000.
Himself, Sting … All This Time (documentary), IMAX Corporation, 2001.
Himself, Sting: Inside—The Songs of Sacred Love, Universal Music, 2003.
(With others) Nas, Nas: Video Anthology Vol. 1, Sony Music, 2004.
Nonfiction:
(With Jean–Pierre Dutilleux) Jungle Stories: The Fight for the Amazon, Barrien & Jenkins, 1989, St. Martin's, 1996.
Broken Music (autobiography; also known as Sting: Broken Music), Bantam/Dell, 2003.
Poetry:
Shape of My Heart: Poem by Sting; Art by Picasso, edited by Linda Sunshine, Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1998.
Juvenile:
Rock Steady: A Story of Noah's Ark, illustrated by Hugh Whyte, HarperCollins, 2001.
ADAPTATIONS
Ten of Sting's songs were adapted by Darryl Way for performance by the London Symphony Orchestra, released as Fortress: The London Symphony Orchestra Performs the Music of Sting, Capitol, 1995.
OTHER SOURCES
Books:
Clarkson, Wensley, Sting: the Secret Life of Gordon Sumner, Blake, 1996, Thunder's Mouth, 1999.
Cohen, Barney, Sting: Every Breath He Takes, Berkley Publishing, 1984.
Contemporary Literary Criticism, Volume 26, Gale, 1983.
Contemporary Musicians, Gale, Volume 2, 1990, Volume 20, 1997, Volume 41, 2003.
Sanford, Christopher, Sting: Demolition Man, Carroll & Graf, 1998.
Sellers, Robert, Sting: A Biography, Omnibus Press, 1988.
Sutcliffe, Phil and Hugh Fielder, L'historia bandido, Proteus, 1981.
Toler, John and Miles, The Police: A Visual Documentary, Omnibus Press, 1981.
Periodicals:
Architectural Digest, January, 1996, p. 56.
Billboard, September 18, 1991, p. 1.
Brandweek, December 6, 1999, p. 10.
Details, February, 1994, p. 114.
Entertainment Weekly, August 9, 1996, p. 30; November 7, 2003, p. 72.
Esquire, September, 1999, p. 103.
Harper's Bazaar, February, 2002, pp. 112–14.
Hello!, November 13, 2001, pp. 4–12.
Interview, July, 1996, p. 90; August, 2003, pp. 134–35.
New Media Age, June 7, 2001, p. 64.
Newsweek, September 30, 1985, p. 68.
New Yorker, December 24, 1984, p. 74.
Parade, August 10, 2003, pp. 4–6.
People Weekly, November 20, 1989, p. 77; October 6, 2003, p. 47; November 24, 2003, p. 49; December 1, 2003, p. 116; December 15, 2003, p. 87.
Rolling Stone, November 5, 1987, pp. 297–98.
Spin, July, 1985.
TV Guide, September 27, 2003, p. 18.
US Weekly, October 2, 2000, p. 12.
Electronic:
Sting, http://www.sting.com, August 9, 2005.
Sting
Sting
Singer, songwriter
Accolades Continued with Brand New Day
Sting is one of the few musicians to experience huge success both as a member of a band and as a solo artist. His band, the Police, reached the highest possible peak in pop rock after the release of Synchronicity, which turned out to be their last album. Sting continues to produce quality music that resists classification and has earned a reputation as a star with substance, “the pop idol adults can admire,” according to Rolling Stone writer Anthony DeCurtis. His songwriting within the confinement of his former band proved insightful and adventurous even while vaulting them to megastar status in the pop world. His risk-taking as a solo artist keeps Police fans interested while appealing to a new set of fans of jazz-inflected rock. Sting’s appeal goes well beyond his music, or the effective dramatic performances he has given onstage and screen. His dedicated work to preserve the Brazilian Amazon’s vanishing rain forest makes him an inspirational figure for anyone concerned about the pressing environmental problems facing the world today.
Growing up in the bleak English industrial town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Sting—then known by his given name, Gordon Sumner—was primarily concerned with breaking free from the dead-end life that most of the people in town seemed resigned to living. Making music was Sting’s uncertain ambition. He never had formal lessons, but by the age of 17 he was working semi-professionally in local jazz clubs, where he had learned from older players to play bass guitar and read music. Members of one of the jazz bands he joined back then gave him his nickname “Sting” one day when he wore a yellow and black striped sweater to one of their gigs. After he briefly attended Warwick University, he worked at odd jobs, like construction, until 1971 when he trained to be a schoolteacher. By day he was a mild mannered English teacher. By night, he played punk rock with a band he formed with three friends, called Last Exit. When he referred to this period of time, Sting once said that he had settled into a life that he could project 30 years down the road, and that terrified him. Even though he married Frances Tomelty in May of 1976 and their first child was born in October, Sting ran for the school exit by the end of the year.
Good-Bye Dead-End Job
Sting and his band, Last Exit, headed for London where he met with Stewart Copeland, a drummer who was combing the club scene for members of a new band. Doubting themselves, the members of Last Exit ran back to Newcastle. In 1976 Copeland, Sting, and Andy Summers performed as the Police. It was the heyday of the punk/New Wave movement. The Police were frequently called a New Wave group, but their music was more complex than that of most in that genre. Sting contributed highly literate lyrics, and their music used polyrhythmic structures and lush chordal work to create a truly unique sound. Stewart Cope-land’s brother owned a record label, Illegal Records.
For the Record…
Born Gordon Matthew Sumner on October 2, 1951, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England; son of Ernest Matthew (a milkman and small dairy owner) and Audrey (a homemaker; maiden name, Cowell) Sumner; married Frances Eleanor Tomelty (an actress), 1976; divorced, 1982; married Trudie Styler (actress and producer), 1992; children: (with Tomelty) Joseph, Katherine; four children with Tomelty)Joseph,
School teacher in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1975-76; member of several jazz ensembles and band Last Exit, 1971-76; acquired nickname “Sting” from fellow musicians commenting on striped sweater, 1975; met Stewart Copeland, performed with the Police, 1976-83; “Roxanne” recorded, 1978; the Police recorded five albums before disbanding in 1983; released first solo effort, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, 1985; recorded six solo albums, 1985-99; acted onstage in The Threepenny Opera, 1989; has appeared in numerous films.
Awards: With the Police: Five Grammy Awards, two BRIT Awards, Best New Artist in Rolling Stone Critics’ Poll, 1979, induction, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 2003; as solo artist: Arab American Institute Foundation (AAI), Spirit of Humanity Award, 2001; BRIT Awards, Best British Male Solo Artist, 1994, Best British Album, 1998, Outstanding Contribution to British Music, 2002; Emmy Award, Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program, 2002; Golden Globe, Best Original Song, 2001; Grammy Awards, Best Rock Instrumental Performance, Song of the Year, 1983, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, 1987, Best Rock Song, 1991, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, 1993, Pop Vocal Album, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, 1999, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, 2000; Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement, 2002; induction, Songwriters Hall of Fame, 2002; received numerous awards as a member of the Police and as a solo artist from Down Beat magazine’s readers’ and critics’ polls.
Addresses: Record Company —A&M/Interscope Records, 2220 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404, website: http://www.amrecords.com. Website —Sting Official website: http://www.sting.com.
The Police recorded a single for him, called “Fall Out,” that sold about 10,000 copies and led to a contract with A&M Records.
Elated over signing with a major label, the band members decided that they had to conquer America immediately. Despite strenuous protests from A&M, they began planning a club tour of the States, where no one had heard of them and they had not released any music. Proof of their success came with the release of the haunting single “Roxanne.” Suddenly, the Police were a bigger hit than any of the already-established New Wave groups. Sting wrote nearly every song the band performed and eventually recorded. In 1979, A&M rushed to release their debut LP, Outlandos d’Amour, which they recorded for a mere $6,000. Reg-gatta De Blanc was released that same year, and Zenyatta Mondatta followed early in 1980. The three albums made them superstars. In 1980 they embarked on a tour that included many Third World venues. Sting credits that tour as really opening his world view. Shortly after the tour, he told Guitar Player, “I’ve developed my songwriting away from the subjects of love, alienation, and devotion to a more political, socially aware viewpoint.” The evolution was evident in the songs on the group’s fourth and fifth albums: Ghost in the Machine and Synchronicity.
Sting often speaks of how the band’s greatest success came at a time of failure in his personal life. In 1982 his marriage with Frances Tomelty ended in divorce. The turmoil of that break-up was, in Sting’s words, “the worst thing that ever happened to me.” Synchronicity reflected the upheaval he incurred that year. The lyrics of songs like “King of Pain,” “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” and “Every Breath You Take” resonate with the anguish felt when love and intimacy result in legal bickering and jealousy. The songs “Synchronicity” and “Synchronicity II” were inspired by the psychotherapy Sting received during the divorce, which was based on the philosophies of Carl Jung.
Going Solo
Copeland, Summers, and Sting stayed together through the rigors of their rise to the top, but by 1983, three large egos in one group created too much tension. “In our final year, it was very clear to me that for the sake of sanity, for the sake of dignity, we should end it,” Sting told DeCurtis. “We had the big song of the year, the big album of the year, the big tour of the year. We were it. We’d made it—everything we attempted, we’d achieved to the power of ten.” The group disbanded at the height of its popularity.
Sting’s first priority after the break up of the Police was to devote time to one of his longtime interests: acting. His first role had been that of the hypocritical rebel Ace Face in the Who’s 1980 rock film Quadrophenia. He appeared in The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball and Brimstone and Treacle in 1982. As time went on, Sting acquired bigger parts in more movies, including science fiction epic Dune; the Frankenstein remake The Bride; and the war drama Plenty, which starred Meryl Streep. He appeared on Broadway to mixed reviews in the role of Macheath in Bertolt Brecht’s Threepenny Opera. His best acting to date was in the 1989 Mike Figgis film Stormy Monday, and the 1997 film Gentlemen Don’t Eat Poets, produced by his second wife, Trudie Styler. Stormy Monday was set in Sting’s hometown of Newcastle, and Figgis created a character for Sting well suited to his dark, moody side.
Sting released his first solo album in 1985. The Dream of the Blue Turtles combined Sting’s intelligent lyrics and the Police’s rhythmic sophistication with a fresh jazz sound. He was pleased with the album, but when it was nominated for a Grammy in the jazz category, he was “horrified and dismayed,” and relieved not to win. Backing Sting were jazz musicians Branford Marsalis, Darryl Jones, Kenny Kirkland, and Omar Hakim. A documentary about the formation of the group called Bring on the Night was released in 1985.
… Nothing Like the Sun, released in 1987, had a sound much like The Dream of the Blue Turtles and was equally popular. Sting dedicated the album to his mother, who died suddenly while he was recording it. Six months later, Sting’s father died. “I was told about it just before I went onstage in front of about 250,000 people in Rio for the first gig of the world tour,” Sting told Phil Sutcliffe of Us magazine. “I had to do the show. I wanted to. In a way, it was a wake for my father. It was great—seething with energy. But I never cried for him.”
Sting paid a high price for his emotional denial. The once prolific writer found himself unable to write a word for three years. When at last he confronted this frightening block, he realized he was “going to have to write a record about death,” he told DeCurtis. “I didn’t really want to.” Once he sat down to do it, The Soul Cages poured forth in about two weeks. “It was quite painful, a bit overwhelming,” he told Sutcliffe. “But I’m glad I did it.” Sting dedicated The Soul Cages to his father, and he has said that the album has reconciled him with the family and background he once rejected so vehemently.
Ten Summoner’s Tales, Sting’s follow-up album to The Soul Cages, was more upbeat. “But less and less do I know what a hit record will be,” he told Rolling Stone. “I used to have a very clear idea. Now I’m not so sure. I like to think I’m less about rock and roll and more about songs. I think songwriting is a tradition that’s older than rock and roll. I could live without rock and roll. I haven’t got this sort of religious reverie for rock and roll. I think it’s incredibly reactionary and boring.”
Mercury Falling was released in 1996, and Sting toured again to promote it. Christopher John Farley of Time magazine wrote, “Mercury Falling stands out as his most consistently entertaining effort. The lyrics are smart but not ostentatiously cerebral. The instrumental work of [Kenny] Kirkland, who performs on all the new tracks, and [Branford] Marsalis, who plays on two, adds shading and sophistication.”
Shadows in the Rain
In trying to do his part for the environment, Sting focuses on the preservation of the Amazon rain forest, which is vital to the health of the earth’s atmosphere. To that end, he founded the Rainforest Foundation. It originated in 1987, after he went deep into the jungle to meet with the natives there. He developed a close friendship with one of the chiefs, Raoni. The two traveled to Rio de Janiero to appeal to the government to stop the forest destruction. Then-president Jose Sar-ney promised that if Sting raised $1,000,000 to cover expenses, an area the size of England—including Raoni’s homeland—would be demarcated as Xingo Park. Sting agreed to do so, generating much favorable publicity for Sarney. However, when Sting produced the money, Sarney refused to hold up his end of the deal. It was a painful lesson in politics for both Sting and the natives, and led to some criticism of the Rainforest Foundation. Sting now directs part of the Rainforest Foundation’s money into programs to educate and empower the natives in their rights and the workings of politics. He is also involved with Amnesty International and has organized and performed in concerts to raise funds for that cause.
Sting learned another painful lesson in 1995. His longtime accountant, Keith Moore, was sentenced in London to six years in prison for embezzling $9.4 million from Sting’s account. He siphoned the money between 1988 and 1992. Sting’s bank reimbursed him $7.5 million that they transferred to Moore’s account without permission. “The person who did it shocked me,” Sting told Rolling Stone. “It made me look very seriously at the idea of wealth, and I came up with the conclusion that wealth isn’t about what you have in the bank. Your wealth is your friendships, family, health and happiness.”
Accolades Continued with Brand New Day
In 1999, Sting released his sixth studio album, Brand New Day, and embarked on an 80-city tour to support it. The album was propelled to eight-times platinum sales—Sting’s best-selling album—and Grammy wins for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance by the title track and the song “Desert Rose,” which features French-Algerian vocalist Cheb Marni and the album’s “most impressive, pathfinding track,” according to Timothy White in Billboard. Andrew Hammond of the Middle East called the song “a symbolic meeting of east and west….” The track also won Sting the Arab American Institute Foundation (AAI) Spirit of Humanity Award in 2001.
…All This Time, a live album recorded at Sting’s home in Italy on September 11, 2001, was intended as a “thank you” performance of a number of Sting and Police hits for fans, but instead became an impromptu tribute to those lost in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. Instead of webcasting the entire concert as planned, Sting and his band decided that it would be appropriate to broadcast only one song, “Fragile.” “We will sing this song for those who lost their lives,” Sting said to the crowd of 200, according to his website.
In addition to producing studio and live albums, Sting signed a deal in 2002 with Simon & Schuster U.K. to write his memoirs, due out in 2004. He performed at Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego, California, in January of 2003 and reunited with Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland for a performance marking the induction of the Police into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2003. “I am very proud of the legacy of the Police. We were a damn good band and it still holds up. And it’s an honor to be voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and to be recognized by one’s peers,” Sting was quoted in a Firstars Artist Management statement at the NY Rock website.
Selected discography
Solo
The Dream of the Blue Turtles, A&M, 1985.
Bring on the Night (live), A&M, 1986.
… Nothing Like the Sun, A&M, 1987.
Nada Corno el Sol…, A&M, 1988.
The Soul Cages, A&M, 1991.
Ten Summoner’s Tales, A&M, 1993.
The Best of Sting-Fields of Gold, A&M, 1994.
Mercury Falling, A&M, 1996.
Brand New Day, A&M, 1999.
…All This Time (live), A&M, 2001.
With the Police
Outlandos d’Amour, A&M, 1979.
Reggatta Mondatta, A&M, 1979.
Ghost in the Machine, A&M, 1981.
Synchronicity, A&M, 1983.
Every Breath You Take-The Singles, A&M, 1986.
Message in a Box-The Complete Recordings of the Police (box compilation), A&M, 1993.
The Very Best of Sting & the Police, Universal, 2002.
Appears on
Brimstone & Treacle (soundtrack), A&M, 1982.
The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball (soundtrack), Rhino, 1982.
Brothers in Arms (Dire Straits), Warner Bros., 1988.
Peter and the Wolf, Deutsche Grammophon, 1991.
Pavarotti & Friends, London, 1993.
The Three Musketeers (soundtrack), Hollywood, 1993.
Demolition Man (soundtrack), Varese Sarabande, 1993.
Leaving Las Vegas (soundtrack), Ark 21, 1995.
Sabrina (soundtrack), A&M, 1995.
Truth About Cats & Dogs (soundtrack), A&M, 1995.
(Contributor) Carnival, RCA, 1997.
Gentlemen Don’t Eat Poets (soundtrack), Ark 21, 1997.
The Thomas Crown Affair, Ark 21, 1999.
Dolphins (soundtrack), Ark 21, 2000.
The Emperor’s New Groove (soundtrack), Disney, 2000.
Red Planet (soundtrack), Ark 21, 2000.
(Contributor) Cinema Italiano, Decca, 2002.
Kate & Leopold (soundtrack), Milan, 2002.
Sources
Periodicals
Billboard, September 18, 1999.
Bookseller, March 1, 2002, p. 33.
Brandweek, August 9, 1999.
Down Beat, December 1983; May 1984; August 1984; December 1984; May 1985; November 1986; December 1987; December 1988.
Entertainment Weekly, August, 1996; March 21, 1997.
Guitar Player, September 1982.
Guitar World, April 1988; October 1988.
Middle East, June 2001, p. 44.
Musician, September 1987.
Rolling Stone, June 14, 1979; December 13, 1979; November 16, 1980; December 25, 1980; February 19, 1981; September 1, 1983; September 25, 1986; November 5, 1987; February 7, 1991; May 27, 1993.
Spin, May 1991.
Time, April 1, 1996.
Us, May 16, 1991.
Online
“Sting,” All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com (February 18, 2003).
“Sting,” Internet Movie Database, http://www.imdb.com (February 25, 2003).
Sting Official Website, http://www.sting.com (February 25, 2003).
“World Beat: Statement Concerning the Police Reuniting to Perform,” NY Rock, http://www.nyrock.com/worldbeat/11_2002/111302a.asp (February 25, 2003).
Additional information provided by The Message in a Box liner notes and additional material.
—Christine Morrison
Sting
STING
Born: Gordon Matthew Sumner; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, 2 October 1951
Genre: Rock
Best-selling album since 1990: Brand New Day (1999)
Hit songs since 1990: "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," "Brand New Day"
Singer/songwriter/actor Sting was the singer, bassist, and primary creative force for the supertrio the Police prior to going solo in 1984. He transcended the band's initial punk rock leanings with infusions of jazz and reggae and attained megasuccess as a solo artist by building on that style. Forging out a solo career has also allowed Sting to focus on his acting aspirations, and he has made several noteworthy stage and film forays. Additionally, he stays active in human rights and environmental causes.
Police in a Sting Operation
Gordon Sumner earned the nickname Sting from an older jazz musician after the seventeen-year-old Sumner came to a club gig dressed in a bumble bee-styled yellow and black striped sweater. Sting grew up in the industrial town of Newcastle, England, and he used his disdain for both the town and his immediate family as motivation for a better life. A self-taught musician, he first gained professional musical experience by playing bass guitar in local jazz clubs. In 1971 he attended Warwick University and studied education. After graduation, Sting taught high school English, while also playing in a punk band called Last Exit. In 1976 he left teaching and ventured to London where he grouped with drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers to form a jazz- and reggae-informed "new wave" band called the Police.
Sting gained notoriety when his high, glass-clear vocals rang out in their first hit, "Roxanne," which he wrote. His aching vocalization of the name "Roxanne"—the first word of the song—is definable as one of rock music's signature moments. The Police's debut album, Outlandos d'Amour (1979) (which contains "Roxanne"), and their subsequent four albums propelled the band into super-stardom. At the very height of their success, Sting and his two Police band mates decided to go separate ways. With Sting singing and writing most of the material, the Police scored five Grammy Awards and a multitude of hits including the smash single, "Every Breath You Take." Each member of the group had already begun solo ventures by the time the Police played their last concert in 1986, a benefit for Amnesty International. In 2003 the trio finally regrouped when they performed at the band's induction ceremony into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In the seventeen years between those gigs, Sting's solo career had blossomed, far surpassing the other two members of the Police.
A Beeline for Solo Stardom
Sting's first album as a solo artist was Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) and it produced three hits: "If You Love Someone Set Them Free," "Fortress around Your Heart," and "Russians." The album features the talents of prominent New York jazz players, saxophonist Branford Marsalis, keyboardist Kenny Kirkland, and Omar Hakim on drums, and the material is a more erudite augmentation of the musical direction that the Police were heading. Sting recorded three more albums in the 1980s before slowing down at the decade's end to mourn his parents who had died within six months of each other. Earlier in his career, Sting had publicly chastised his family—much to the detriment of his relationship with them. Consequently, his unresolved feelings after the death of his parents, particularly with his father, triggered a severe case of writer's block that lasted nearly three years. His album The Soul Cages (1991) was a breakout from that dark period and he dedicated the album to his father. Sting's next album, Ten Summoner's Tales (1993), marked a return to his penchant for complex time signatures and jazz-oriented rock. It contains the hit, "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You."
By this time, Sting's raspy tenor had become not only one of the leading voices of pop/rock, but also a voice for political and environmental issues, which many of his songs reflect. He and his wife, film director Trudi Styler, initiated the Rainforest Foundation in 1989 and raised money for the organization—which is committed to preserving the Brazilian rain forests—by hosting an annual star-filled concert in New York City. The 2002 concert at Carnegie Hall featured Elton John, James Taylor, Jeff Beck, Patti LaBelle, and many others. Sting and his wife dedicated the event to Herman Sandler, the other co-chair, who perished in his office at the World Trade Center in the previous year's terrorist attacks on September 11.
Spot Light: All This Time
Extraordinary circumstances surrounded Sting's first live album in fifteen years, All This Time (2001). Instead of recording from a concert venue, as is usually the case, Sting opted for an intimate setting in his Tuscany home among an invited audience of about 200 close friends and family. Sting and his band rehearsed for eight days in preparation. The album, a compilation of songs from Sting's twenty-five-year recording career, was set, not only for audio recording, but also to receive a live international webcast. The event was scheduled for the evening of September 11, 2001. That morning, as cameras and sound equipment were being set up, news that the United States had suffered a devastating terrorist attack reached the band and crew. After hours of angst and deliberation, it was decided that the performance would go forward; however, the webcast would feature just one song: "Fragile" from Sting's album, . . . Nothing Like the Sun (1987). Many of the songs took on new meaning that day, particularly "Fragile," which ends by repeating the line, "How fragile we are."
Sting scored a collaborative hit in 1993 with fellow rockers Rod Stewart and Bryan Adams with "All for Love" from the movie The Three Musketeers. The film industry embraced Sting as an actor early on in his musical career, and his chiseled features are frequently cast as the quiet, brooding type. Sting has acted in more than a dozen films including Quadrophenia (1979), Dune (1985), The Bride (1985), Stormy Monday, (1988), and Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998). Additionally, he portrayed the serial-killing Macheath in Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera, which opened on Broadway in 1989. Reviews were mixed and the show had a short run.
His next two studio albums, Mercury Falling (1996) and Brand New Day (1999), display Sting's ability as a composer to fearlessly meld a variety of styles—Latin rhythms, gospel, classical, and Celtic—to create his silver-tongued, literate adult pop sound. Brand New Day earned Sting his fifteenth and sixteenth Grammy Awards for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album. While some fans yearn for the edgier resonance of his days with the Police, Sting, the socially conscious solo artist, has transcended that success by maturing musically with the times. He has proved to be one of the most notable and intelligent songwriters to emerge from England's post-punk/new wave music scene, and is many critics' choice as contemporary music's best singer.
SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:
The Dream of the Blue Turtles (A&M, 1985); Bring on the Night (A&M, 1986); . . . Nothing Like the Sun (1987); The Soul Cages (A&M, 1991); Ten Summoner's Tales (A&M, 1993); Mercury Falling (A&M, 1996); Brand New Day (Interscope, 1999); All This Time (Universal, 2001). With the Police: Regatta de Blanc (A&M, 1979); Zenyatta Mondatta (A&M, 1980); Ghost in the Machine (A&M, 1981); Synchronicity (A&M, 1983).
SELECTIVE FILMOGRAPHY:
Quadrophenia (1979); Radio On (1980); Dune (1984); The Bride (1985); Plenty (1985); Bring on the Night (1985); Stormy Monday (1988); The Grotesque (1997); Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998).
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
C. Sandford, Sting: Demolition Man (New York, 1998); W. Clarkson, Sting: The Secret Life of Gordon Sumner (New York, 1999).
donald lowe
sting
sting / sting/ • n. 1. a small sharp-pointed organ at the end of the abdomen of bees, wasps, ants, and scorpions, capable of inflicting a painful or dangerous wound by injecting poison. ∎ any of a number of minute hairs or other organs of plants, jellyfishes, etc., that inject a poisonous or irritating fluid when touched. ∎ a wound from such an animal or plant organ: a wasp or bee sting. ∎ a sharp tingling or burning pain or sensation: I felt the sting of the cold, bitter air. ∎ [in sing.] fig. a hurtful quality or effect: she smiled to take the sting out of her words.2. inf. a carefully planned operation, typically one involving deception: five blackmailers were jailed last week after they were snared in a police sting.• v. (past and past part. stung / stəng/ ) 1. [tr.] wound or pierce with a sting: he was stung by a jellyfish | [intr.] a nettle stings if you brush it lightly. 2. feel or cause to feel a sharp tingling or burning pain or sensation: [intr.] her eyes stung | [tr.] the brandy stung his throat | [as adj.] (stinging) a stinging pain. ∎ [tr.] fig. (typically of something said) hurt or upset (someone): stung by her mockery, Frank hung his head. ∎ (sting someone into) provoke someone to do (something) by causing annoyance or offense: he was stung into action by an article in the paper.3. [tr.] inf. swindle or exorbitantly overcharge (someone): an elaborate fraud that stung a bank for thousands.PHRASES: sting in the tail an unexpected, typically unpleasant or problematic end to something: the Budget comes with a sting in the tail—future tax increases.DERIVATIVES: sting·ing·ly adv.sting·less adj.