(Credit: Far Out / Raph Pour-Hashemi)
Sting was never someone who aspired to be a rock’n’roll star.
He’ll probably end up playing music anyway, but it’s hard to think of a single frontman who looked as cool as he did in 1978 when he grabbed a bass and started playing songs like “Roxanne.” He was content to continue playing, no matter who was listening. But once the world started paying attention, he had to do a little more than just play a few catchy songs.
However, for the first few years of The Police’s career, choosing to maintain the status quo was the best choice for them. Other bands usually fail when they try to make their second album the biggest thing in the world, but by working in the same studio as their first album, Regatta des Blancs From Stewart Copeland’s massive drum break to turning Andy Summers’ Walking on the Moon into a sonic adventure, everything was in keeping with its polished predecessor.
Although Sting was still writing the best songs he could, it was inevitable that he would become a solo star over the next few years. As they began to become pop stars, the bands began to clash more, and even though the rest of the band didn’t have as much free space, when “Every Breath You Take” and “King of Pain” rose to the top of the charts, it was clear that Sting was on his way to becoming one of the biggest names in pop.
Again, his approach to becoming a solo star was very different. He’s had his share of moments rubbing elbows with some of the world’s greatest artists, but he’s always wanted to stretch himself a little further. He wasn’t going to be stuck playing rock and roll forever, so seeing him incorporate sounds of jazz and even funk into his sound was much better than dealing with over 100 versions of “Message in a Bottle” or “Don’t Stand So Close to Me.”
But between that early energy and becoming one of the biggest names in adult contemporary, there was Live Aid. Sting had always been interested in working with musicians, jamming with someone new each time, but the idea of sharing a stage with countless top artists at charity gigs was too good an idea for him to pass up.
And when he finally got off stage, after performing with Mark Knopfler and performing solo, he felt that what they were doing was better than the best festivals of all time. I’m saying“I know it sounds like a cliché, but it really was a great day for rock ‘n’ roll. Even if the money didn’t go through, I think the symbolism of goodwill and cooperation and togetherness was very important, and that in itself was beneficial. But beyond that. We raised a lot of money, so I’m confident it will arrive. Everyone says this is our generation’s Woodstock, and it was, but I think it was more important than Woodstock.”
It’s hard to truly match a show that featured one of Jimi Hendrix’s greatest performances and a shocking set by The Who, but Sting is far more right about what it means to rock ‘n’ roll than most people would like to admit. Enough time has passed for people to realize what this show meant to the world, and even if Sting wasn’t present at the most memorable moment, the sight of Queen and U2 bringing Wembley Stadium to a frenzy is something that no one will ever forget for as long as they live.
It’s a bit disappointing to see some of the funds not always going to charity, but for a brief moment I truly felt that Live Aid had the potential to change the world through music. Woodstock only hinted at a gig this big, but when people got to see it for themselves, it felt like each chord could change the world on its axis.