Ghost In The Machine: 1981/82

The Police at Wembley...

The meteoric rise of the Police has not occurred without a few questions being asked. While revealing themselves as masters of the pop single, for example, their albums have shown an inconsistency which has cast doubts on their ability to write in depth. These doubts are exacerbated by the recurring images of singer Sting as the rock world's beefcake, and lingering suspicions that underneath it all they really are just a vehicle for his great ambitions. Certainly, he has been responsible for tugging the group away from the scrambled-egg ''white reggae'' rhythms of their early hits towards the more complex, electronic sound and the socio-political concerns of their current album 'Ghost In The Machine'.

The real surprise of this performance was just how successfully the group translated this new material from record onto the stage. Rhythmically, the new songs are looser and more fragmented, with a greater use of space and atmosphere which was considerable enhanced by the sheer scale of the group's sound on stage, and the intelligent addition of a three-piece brass section, adding urgent musical punctuation in a manner which suggested that the group are now working as much under a soul as a reggae influence.

The architect of all this may be Sting, but the real fulcrum of the group's performance is guitarist Andy Summers, whose majestic, sombre chording sets the mood of songs like 'When The World Is Running Down' and puts bright finish on the more obvious melodies like 'Every Little Thing'.

The imaginative risk-taking which now informs the group's work was nowhere more in evidence than in 'Invisible Sun', a powerful song performed against a highly evocative film showing the grey dereliction and social misery of Northern Ireland; it suppressed suspicions one may have had about using deprivation and violence as a handy theatrical device. The Police have finally found some substance to support their Croesus-like veneer.

(c) The Guardian by Mick Brown

Blond Bombshells...

With a row of medals glittering vaingloriously on his battle fatigues Sting led the Police to the latest triumph of their concert career at Wembley Arena last night.

From the moment Andy Summers thumped out the first clashing chords of 'Message In A Bottle', the audience were on their feet. And by the end of the second cheering, foot-stomping encore, just about all the 8000 people in the audience were singing, dancing and waving their arms to every word.

From 'Message In A Bottle' the band slipped straight into 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic' and then 'Spirits In The Material World' opening with the roaring power and elation most bands reserve strictly for their last, nothing-to-lose encores.

Sting thrashed now at their electric double bass, then at bass-guitar, pumping his head like a piston so that his hair fluttered like a Silvikrin ad, and his body shook and thudded right down to his boots.

Andy Summers, in black jeans and black-and-white-striped sweater, feinted, ran across the stage and leapt into the air while all the while playing the edgy, disciplined guitar that has become as much an intrinsic part of Police's appeal as Sting's forced, throaty vocals.

Holding the whole thing down to earth was Stewart Copeland, whose savage aggression coupled with total strength and control have established him as one of the tightest drummers in rock.

The Police have it all. They come on all flash and noise and razzmatazz, like some back-dated old rock band. But they are intelligent, too. Their songs are about exploitation, Northern Ireland and the dour world we live in today.

Coupled with the excellence of their music, the Police have managed to create a powerful feeling of visual cohesiveness by exactly the same simple device the Beatles and the Stones used in their early days - their hair.

Whatever the band's three members might feel for one another now, their matching blond looks make them seem like brothers.

So far they haven't really had time to live up to their full potential on records. But, if they can hold it all together, there seems no reason why they should not progress to achieve the same world-wide revered status of the Rolling Stones or The Who.

(c) Evening Standard by John Blake

No fuzz heard on Police...

The Police have sold more records world-wide in three years than the Rolling Stones have sold in their entire career. That's popularity.

When you catch an eyeful of the band on stage - and allow yourself to be swallowed up in pop and white reggae it's not difficult to work out why Police are so ardently followed.

Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland and Sting form a trio that's pretty basic. They don't go in for visual tricks much, but they squeeze every last sound from their instruments.

Summers does the work of five men on guitar and Copeland's drumming is simply brilliant - he's got the energy of an Olympic athlete and he shoots out beat from all directions.

Sting's no mean bass player but his high-pitched voice steals the show; it's smooth, powerful and locks straight into the ear. Police knocked out a whole string of hits 'Message In A Bottle', 'Roxanne', 'So Lonely', 'Invisible Sun' and 'Can't Stand Losing You', to name a few- and put a smile on some ten thousand faces.

For 90 minutes they provided entertainment of the highest degree. it seemed as though they were only up there on stage for five minutes.

(c) Harrow Observer by Mike Hrano