The Police had a winning formula right off the bat , great drummer , great lead guitarist and the perfect frontman, good looking , singer , bassist and brilliant songwriter . They were never going to fail . The Police were amazing .❤

@flexiblestrategist9922

6 ай бұрын

Well put; but the hard rock and progressive rock fans (especially Rush fans) will never admit to it. It's always Neil Peart best ever. Blah blah blah.

@guybeauregard

6 ай бұрын

To their credit, they toured their a&&es off to get to the top. They completely earned it.

Can we also say how on point Sting's voice is? Good lord.

@vlobster7660

2 жыл бұрын

Sting has one of the greatest voices ive ever heard!

@kaycamelia81

Жыл бұрын

Unique!!!!

I had never payed much attention to the Police but I was in the hospital with a broken jaw and my dad bought me a Sony Walkman and he picked up the cassette of Ghost In the Machine to help me relax while I was all wired together. I must have listened to that album a hundred times that week. I have been a Police fan ever since.

Andy was the quiet man of the group but for me was their secret weapon. Incredible imagination for guitar sound scaping. The solo note choices were deliberate because he's a huge Jazz fan. Rick Beato chose another solo which showed his free Jazz anti soloing style. Put some respect on Andy's name. Cheers.

Almost literally criminal how underrated Andy is as a guitarist. His rhythms, his melodies, don't initially appear difficult, but that was his genius, making highly sophisticated music easily accessible to the masses...look, you don't have to be Petrucci to be intricate and skilled, you know?

@gammaraygem

7 ай бұрын

he is the most played guitarist on the internet. And Police still got the record for most attendances during their career. but yeah, who´d have thought...

@johnjohn37371

7 ай бұрын

@@gammaraygem Most played guitarist on the internet? What are you referencing?

@fixedgear37

6 ай бұрын

He’s not underrated at all. They were literally the biggest band in the world at one point.. composed of 3 of the best musicians to play together and still one of the most played bands on Spotify now

@gammaraygem

6 ай бұрын

Mr Summers himself.😅 He has enough modesty though. I like him. And he is probly right, or very close. @@johnjohn37371

@johnjohn37371

6 ай бұрын

@@fixedgear37 Sting, sure...The Police...yeah, still huge...even Stewart and his drumming...but Andy Summers has never been put in a category reflective of his immense talent and contributions...he is still, very much, a guitar player's player...

When they got back together in 07 I begged my parents to take me one of the best shows I've ever seen they were so tight and you knew every song by heart.

So glad you featured Andy Summers, Michael. Amazing and vastly underrated guitarist. And he knew exactly what he was doing. He trained early as a jazz guitarist, trained for several years in classical guitar, played in some of the most innovative rock bands, played punk, and so on and so forth. If a solo of his sounds dissonant or disjointed or coarse or whatever, it’s very much by design. He absolutely loved to paint musically in so many ways.

Invisible Sun will always be my favorite Andy Summers riff. Super simple but so ominous and eerie.

@villehytonen7279

2 жыл бұрын

Love it!

@punns643

Жыл бұрын

Yep Sting wrote that

@johnman559

Жыл бұрын

​@@punns643 mmm... good info

I have an 8 track of Zenyatta Mondatta That Andy signed for me in a shadow Box on my wall. Glad he got some coverage here.

Great reaction. Andy plays it differently live constantly. The recording is similar but not the same. Such a great band, always been my favourite. Cheers

The title of this video should have been “Andy Summer’s Solo Is So Dissonant It Effects the Power Grid”

@lync269

2 жыл бұрын

That's punk for ya. ;)

This has always been my favorite Police song, their live version of this song is amazing. My uncle loved the Police (rip uncle Jim). He used to say they’re the best punk trio of all time.

That solo is so, so, clever. Of course it’s intentional. They’re playing off each other so well - listen to the bass, Sting doesn’t go from D to A, he goes to F#maj which is WHY all those dissonant licks work. I’m in awe. This is so sick.

@chairmankaga101

7 ай бұрын

Yeah, one of my old bands used to cover this one and we never nailed that down because it's so subtle and damned crafty.

@fromchomleystreet

6 ай бұрын

What? He DOES go from D to A. He’s playing single notes, so how can he be playing “F#major”? In any case, he’s unambiguously and unmistakably playing an A at the point Summers plays the run in question, and there’s no A in an F# major chord.

@pietervermeulen67

4 ай бұрын

@@fromchomleystreet Sting plays an A# which is the 3rd of F#7 (secondary dominant of Bm). And Andy plays a G diminished run which creates a F#7b9 sound. Standard jazz practice.

@fromchomleystreet

4 ай бұрын

@@pietervermeulen67 Yes, A# is the third degree of the key of F# Major, and yes, with that diminished lick, Summers would seem to be implying something not unlike an F#7b9 (although, that sort of implies the presence of both an F# AND a G, along with the dissonance that would come with that combination, and as there’s actually no F# in the G/E/C#/A# diminished seventh chord Summers is seemingly outlining, it’s really functioning as a F#7 with what I think is best described as a “suspended root”, even though the term isn’t a standard part of orthodox music theory nomenclature, as far as I’m aware. The root is entirely missing, and specifically replaced by a note a semi-tone higher that wants to resolve down to the tonic) But the point is, whatever you call the chord Summers is arguably implying, he’s improvising, and as a result, Sting didn’t get the memo. Sting continues to play the same bass line he’s played all along. At no point is he actually playing an A# during the solo, other than as a chromatic passing note as he moves from the the A to the B. If you think you hear an A# there, rather than the A he’s actually playing, that’s just your brain “fixing” it for him, because it thinks it SHOULD be an A# due of what Summers is doing.

that's an amazing guitar solo, the balls of Andy Summers going for that diminished sound in a rock context... it doesn't happens quite often, and that includes prog and psychedelic bands

One of the best bands ever. What they could do with 3-4 chords was truly brilliant!! It's complex simplicity at its best!!

In an interview once, I saw someone ask Stewart Copeland if Sting made the Police unique. He said there are players who are better and players who are worse, but NOBODY else played guitar like Andy Summers.

The solo on “So Lonely” has always been one of my favorites because of all of the unexpected notes Andy plays. Listen to the live in Boston 1979 version of the song. The solo is phenomenal. Thanks for your analysis.

@Dentistmentalust

2 ай бұрын

His best version is this one in my opinion

Andy Summers has done some amazing jazz guitar work, I think jazz has always inspired his fearlessness to try different things and almost stray in a different direction during solos, but the three always seemed somehow on the same page come back perfectly in step.

That diminished lick near the beginning of Andy's solo is very much like what Garcia plays in his solo in "Help on the Way". The world is surely a better place due to this observation.

Yes.. the Police were really that good ✌🏻

Just discovered this song a couple months ago🤦🏻‍♂️. Quickly became my favorite police song. Thank you!

My favorite police song, and one of my fave songs ever. Makes it my favorite video of yours. Thank you

@moa6897

Жыл бұрын

Me too

Towards the end of the song I think Sting was saying "Hatfield Polytechnic", the venue of the gig.

@geoffbuss3699

2 жыл бұрын

Yep. Now the University of Hertfordshire. I was there in the late 80s and while, it wasn't a particularly large, renowned or esteemed college, the Student Union sure knew how to book a band.

One of my fav performances ever, Andy is a beast! Great stuff as ever MP!

awesome analysis. Haven't heard the Police in a while. We were such big fans in junior high and of course up to what we felt was the culmination in Synchronicity in 1983, my sophomore year in HS. Saw them at Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox 7/23/83. Blown away. They were the headliners in what I think was called "A Day in the Park"; Joan Jett, Simple Minds, Flock of Seagulls, The Fixx, and Ministry opened up. Due to various influences, I remember only Joan's set, the Fixx and was back down to take in the Police show. I miss those days.

Absolutely breathtaking performance and insights. Powerhouse of talent in those three.

Great trio! Amazing blend of new wave, punk, reggae etc.

Stewart actually isn't a reggae drummer. What you hear that makes us think of Reggae are the rythms he grew up hearing in the middle east.

I can't say I liked everything The Police did, but they had some incredible chemistry as a band. This was ALWAYS my favorite tune of theirs. Michael, you will appreciate this: I first heard this song while I was at GIT! I was huddled in one of the video kiosks late at night (I was living only a few blocks away at the time), and watching the concert video that the Police made of their tour through East Asia. On this song, they made a clever music video showing footage of them in various urban environments, on the subway, etc. (years before MTV) I loved this song immediately, and rewound it. I always knew the chords were relatively simple, but I didn't catch the modulation on the solo, thanks! Knowing Andy Summers, his background in Jazz and his fairly methodical and innovative approach to guitar, I think he probably worked out that diminished lick ahead of time, in rehearsal. kzread.info/dash/bejne/f4xqr9iPaMbImJs.html

I had to do a double take when the lights started blinking, I thought I was just blinking at weird times. Glad you finally covered The Police, totally an under-appreciated band + a personal favourite (my favourite track of theirs would be "When the World is Running Down").

The Police, in their beginning, were booked to play my highschool but were cancelled due to the fact that Stewart Copeland had been expelled from the school (ASL) for selling hash in the commons. Would've been killer.

Long time Police fan since Outlandos d’amour, 78? Great take on you for this classic! Kinda kick in the testicles back then, raw, hardcore sound! So new, weird but fresh punch in the face from Stewart… Ah, the good ol’ days from 78 to 84… ya had to be there!

Nice! I forgot how much I like the Police. Great summer vibes :)

That's how you work an audience with dynamics. A master class.

I had just watched Stanger Things and then seeing the power flickering freaked me out! I felt like I was descending into the upside down during the solo. 😆

As a fan of this band since three years ago and after having listened (and still listen) to a lot of their live performances, I can say Andy uses that diminished lick in the So Lonely solo very often. Apart from that I can say I also dig deep in his own stuff and his overall soloing (specially in rock music) does always sound as crazy and as occurrent as this one. Great video!

The Police were incredible beasts playing live. This reaction video helps to explain some of the reasons why.

Love your work... this is awesome.

That tip you gave at 5:00 is so helpful! For some reason I always bend and try to find the right notes whenever I hear those "train whistle" swells like you were doing. Listening to that last note is the key to finding it in about 2 shots. Simple and effective! Thanks!.. Also Stewart Copeland is a monster of a musician.

I am so lonely, but this video made me forget my loneliness for seventeen minutes, and fifty-four seconds! The Police Rock!!!

When Sting turned around like wth was that lol he was over joyed

Brillant analysis and play. Thank you so much

Looking good Mike. Thanks for the vid

Copeland is so good that the guitar reaction video is 99% Michael talking about the drumming!

I’m so glad you are doing the police today. I would love to see message in a bottle.

I agree about Andy is underrated...Man, Check out So Loney (Beat Club, 1979) Amazing guitar solo on that version and all around awesome drums and bass

Great gig. It was the first time they played a unrecorded song message in a bottle live in public after he just wrote it and the crowd went nuts. So lonely solo has gone through some live switch ups which you can hear with every year after this performance

It's funny watching this from so early in their career. A college venue in Manchester. Stewart is still playing a 5-piece, and has yet to add the Octobans or splash cymbals.

I am no guitar player but sounds like Andy is doing a slide towards the head stock and it sounds kinda like a car passing by fast and loud. I really love this song and they sound explosive in this live show. 💖

This is my favorite Police song. I never heard it during its first run. It wasn't until Guitar Hero that I learned of it and grew to appreciate it enough that I've perused their entire catalogue. It's still my favorite.

I recommend Andy Summers book

It gives off that sense of someone stumbling and tripping to the finish line, but never falling that makes it catchy

Couple of things. Andy Summers was already 36 here and had been a 'professional' (getting paid) musician for more than 20 years. Also, he studied music and whilst he played pop/rock music for a living, he played jazz/fusion along the way and knows exactly what notes he is playing when soloing and how they relate to the chords and his very developed voicings, arpeggiation and 'filigree'. Sting is very clever and here, already 28. He knew exactly what he had musically in Stuart and then Andy as he was chosen to replace the original, very ordinary, guitarist. That's what's so great about guitar on pop/rock songs. we recognise the soloing here and think it's great - but think of what Brian May might have done as a solo, much more lyrical and deliberately singable or Slash who would shoehorn blues licks in and probably still sound great. It's only four chords and a key change, Guitar, Bass/Voice and Drums, and yet... Great work, as usual, Michael.

Good shit Michael, nice breakdown. Not a massive Sting fan, but he’s a MASTERFUL musician…can play anything

@punns643

Жыл бұрын

He's one of greatest song writer's of all time

best reaction ever about this live show

Funny :) You suggest Andy Summers play the diminished arpeggio by accident, maybe, and your power went out! The guitar gods say Do Not Doubt Andy Summers knowing what notes he is playing :)

@JavaScriptJolt

8 ай бұрын

Spot on! 🤣

Stewart Copeland will always be one of the best! His feel is so natural , Stings bass playing is equally as grooving. Andy is such a well versed player. Definitely underrated. I’d love to be able to play an eight as good as him!

At least once a year I go on a kick of listening to “So Lonely” and admiring to the point of nearly worshiping the performances The Police have done of this song and then I despair of trying to play along. I don’t know if I ever will be able to do this song justice but your video is great and you got a new subscriber before I finished the video!

Holy smokes! Fancy duds, man!

Summers put a lot of diminished triads in that solo. Those immediately made it a unique piece of music for such a conventional chord progression

Outside of his amazing quirky playing, Andy Summers did some really cool pedal dancing (or maybe a tech offstage?) to add impact to each section of the song…delays, wet/dry, OD with some modulation…made everting sound SO big! ✌🏻🎶🎸

If you're a Stewart Copeland fan, then you really need to checkout his new live album called "Gizmodrome Live!" which has: Stewart Copeland on drums/vocals Adrian Belew on guitar/vocals Mark King on bass/vocals Vittorio Cosma on keyboards/vocals This is one of my favorite albums released in 2021. Check it out...you won't be disappointed.

Great ears

Dunno if this provides any insight but I believe Andy's background is in Jazz. I appreciate how you just joined in the jam at the end there, because sometimes that's just the right thing to do.

you breezed right past the most intricately dense and melodically beautiful guitar work of the whole song in this performance starting at @13:14 through @13:30, somehow the rain in your house caught your attention more. The huge chord @13:23 being the most haunting and beautiful. Maybe it's just me, but those gorgeous voicings are what make Andy really Andy.

What an amazing version you've chosen. Ive always said this was his best solo he ever played on this song...so much better than the studio. Good to hear it broken down by a teacher...

One of the most underrated guitarists, ever

I had a cassette of that gig and THAT. Is why I went to Hatfield Polytechnic…. No kidding … for the gigs!

positive your vib JAH Bless!

As a non-guitar playing Police fan, thanks for giving me another route to appreciating their music!

Heall yea on Stewart copeland

3:20 So one could say evey single thing he does is magic. (Badum-tish) ... I'll see myself out.

Michael you should seriously check out some Billy Talent live performances. Ian D'sa is a criminally under rated guitar player. Hes mentioned that his playing is very inspired by Andy Summers as well!

@FlySC19

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed, I learned some Billy Talent song and the guitar parts are insanely cool and clean

Your power didn't go out due to the storm, it was Mr. Summers drawing it in for that badass solo.

Dude, that’s a GREAT looking guitar. That is all.

oysterhead yes great but also i believe there was a certain guitarist involved :) Also what a classic cut. Keep stacking wins!

You just mentioning it aloud that the stacked diminished is all minor 3rds apart just opened the fret board in my mind!! Thanks !!

At 13:24 he's saying "Hatfield Polytechnic" it's the name of the college like venue they're playing.

First! Love the Police, looking forward to this!

The recording sound quality of this is NUTZ! And, btw, go check out Andy Summer's instructional videos; I get lost within minutes, but it's insightful insofar as seeing/hearing his WIDE range on display.

Great analysis as usual! Speaking of wild power trios, nice job keeping it going when the power went out Michael. The show must go on!!! :0)

The philosophy at the start. New subscriber.

@Guitargate

Жыл бұрын

Welcome aboard! lots of love my friend

out the box cool

The solo on the studio recording is just as crazy but with more fast, frenetic flourishes.

Bournemouth produced two of the finest rock guitarists.

Andy Summers was in more jazz oriented bands before Police and I think used the power trio format to try more interesting stuff when playing live, he is a very accomplished guitarist!

Gotta check out Sting's interview with Rick Beato! 😎✌

oh yeah - those three note diminished arpeggios are good to get under the fingers - two shapes over four strings - and there they are again 3 frets away. spice notes - diminished chords - Bowie's Golden Years for example - gotta have that diminished chord

Totally agree about Copeland. I think he was the best musician in the Police, which is really saying something.

That part of Andy Summers you're talking about , I think in my opinion he rolls the volume down . Plays it and turns it back up after the bend . Just a thought.

It's definitely intentional with Andy, he likes a little (or a lot!) of dissonance. His solo albums are out there. His autobiography is very interesting. He did a lot of session work before The Police, he knows how to play what he wants. And Stewart, man! His playing makes the hair on my arms stand up!

At first I thought he was playing the solo from a wrong key. That was so inventive and wild.

I love The Police, but I never really figured out if Andy Summers was doing all the things he did on purpose or not. I know he's played with The Animals, Soft Machine and Robert Fripp, done some jazz and so on, but still... The original So Lonely solo is even more baffling than this one though, so there's gotta be something behind these things, right?

Now u know why so lonely is my favorite song..

Next guitar reacts: "Bring on the Night" live in Paris 1979.

Can't wait until you post your reaction to Marcin Patrzałek and his Aerials or Master of Puppets 😁 Thanks for your content!

It would be interesting and fun to hear you react to some early Ben Folds Five giving your thoughts guitar in hand.

You've got such a good ear.

Man. From the get-go, this band did not give a FUKK. Before the world knew who they were, and with none of the goodwill and patience that audiences will give to more established bands, they took this perfect pop song they’d written and just TORE IT UP, all in the spirit of fun and exploration. Instead of keeping things tight and precise for all the potential scouts in the audience, they’re loose as HELL- Sting doesn’t even try to sing the verse melodies as written, Andy is slipping in as many new frills and elaborations as he can, and then Stewart largely sticks to the script, which really gives the other two a solid platform on which to mess around with the composition. They trust their muse and aren’t concerned with anything except the joy of inspiration and invention. Beautiful.

Look up Leo Jaime SOLANGE the 1984 Brazilian Version of So Lonely. Coincidently the drummer on that recording Joao Barone of Paralamas is now touring with Andy Summers. I actually like the Brazilian version better.