Outlandos d'Amour: 1977/79

It's a fair cop, rockin' steady with the Police...

Remember Spring '77 when every other band worth seeing played Swindon? See The Police supporting Cherry Vanilla at The Affair? Rubbish, weren't they?

A year later, though, supporting Spirit at Bristol's Locarno, they had their blue-eyed reggae chops well and truly together.

"This is our new single -Roxanne." Very good.

Now, of course, they're bona-fide stars. Enormous in the States, and pickin' up fans by the artic-load in Blighty.

They proved their star-attraction status on Tuesday by packing the Locarno solid, with the biggest crowd I've ever seen there, at any rate.

And it was fun, fun, fun all the way. They have this knack, y'see, of getting the audience totally involved.

They roar out the catchier than catchy chorus with just a little encouragement from bandleader, Sting.

A sort of contrived spontaneity.

First thing you notice about Police is drummer Stewart Copeland a black man in white skin. He's been soaking those delicious Treasure Island Channel One rhythms like a goodun!

A honky Sly, holding the whole thing down with some effortless shanking skin flippin'.

Then there's lead guitarist Andy Summers who's copped a few licks from China, and sounds all the better for it.

His choppy, churning rhythm is an aural delight, and he turns his hand to lead with the greatest of ease.

Sting, of course, sings like his larynx is choked up with charcoal. There's plenty of soulful bleating, but the chords never snap. 

This sinewy bass bobs around like a yoyo, neatly sandwiched between drums and chunky rhythm guitar.

And the songs - oh yeh are a sound to behold. They're carefully balanced between limey reggae and rhythmic rockers.

But even under the fastuns like 'Next to You', you can trace a slight leaning towards reggae."

Best of the bunch are 'Roxanne' - natch - bathed in sweat and extended to accommodate singalongasting chorus, and 'So Lonely', with strained raucous vocals and popping bass.

Stung by Sting - nice one.

I'm not too sold on the speaking interlude on the otherwise excellent 'Be My Girl' but I go a bomb on the rock steady 'Can't Stand Losing You'.

So they finally arrived and the whole place. was toeing this blue line. Cop a load of 'em yourself some time.

(c) The Swindon Advertiser by Barry Leighton