Stewart Copeland. Banner image above: The Police

Stewart Copeland — Beat Poet
It’s an all-too-common story: a small group of musicians form a band, cut their teeth in some seedy clubs, become a phenomenon, sell millions of records, and influence the music scene, until, at some point, usually at the height of popularity, something gets in the way. Maybe ego. Maybe artistic differences. Whatever the case, the band breaks up and the fans are left with naught but fond memories.

Such is the story of The Police, one of the most acclaimed rock groups of the 1980s. With only five albums to speak of, the band secured multiple Grammys and stayed at the top of the charts globally, sustaining a whopping 17 weeks stateside at number one with their hit single "Every Breath You Take."

But The Police would never have formed had Stewart Copeland, an American drummer attending California Western University in Point Loma, not moved to London to start a band. Eventually Sting and Andy Summers would join him, weaving rock and roll history until their split in 1983. While Sting went on to pursue a solo career, Copeland hooked up with director Francis Ford Coppola to produce soundtracks for films, eventually segueing into a career with Hollywood. An accomplished composer, Copeland recorded soundtracks for Rumblefish, Dead Like Me, Wall Street, Talk Radio, She’s Having A Baby, and Babylon 5, to name only a few.

But, as Sting said at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards last year, they’re back. The Police will be playing Coors Amphitheatre (now officially Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre) on May 26. We caught up with Copeland on the eve of his trip to the Savannah Music Festival, where he was showing his movie, Everyone Stares, The Police Inside Out, a collection of personal footage he shot during his time with the band.

RT: So you’re back. What can fans expect from The Police these days?

Stewart Copeland: We’ve become more zen-like, older and wiser. But there’re still the same conflicts. You know, Sting and I are like two creatures from the opposite ends of the universe.

RT: Some of the bands break up because of that. Why is that always the case with great bands?

SC: You know...We were on tour and Rage Against The Machine was playing in the same city that day. We got together and, it’s like, they have similar problems. The break ups, the reunions. And there we were at one point having a band hug with Rage Against The Machine, singing Kum Ba Yah. Here’s this pissed off band covered in tattoos and we’re all singing and hugging. It happens, I guess.

RT: Are you up for talking about the differences that led to the end?

SC: Well I don’t think it’s any secret that Sting can be a [jerk].

RT: Well, the music has certainly endured the test of time. Why do you think it still resonates?

SC: It’s about reliving the past. People fell in love to "Roxanne," they got married to "Every Breath You Take." When we play now, it becomes more than a rock concert, it becomes a celebration, a ceremony. It’s not like when I play with Oysterhead, where we’re in a small club just making it up as we go.

RT: That’s you and Les Claypool from Primus?

SC: And Trey Anastacio from Phish. It’s like a jam band, where we can make it up every night. People come to those gigs to hear something they’ve never heard before. And maybe they sit through a crap exploration for a while, but when it surges, it’s a real thrill. With The Police, people already know every word. But we throw some surprises out.

RT: It’s rare that drummers have sort of a signature sound, like guitarists, but your beats are very recognizable.

SC: I try not to be very intricate and overcooked, tweaking it and tweaking it and making it very complex. Like in "Roxanne," which is sort of backwards, I took the beat and moved it one-quarter note to the right. It’s easy to play and still viable today.

RT: I guess that goes back to being a composer, all the arranging. I assume you apply it to the films you work on. How was working with Coppola?

SC: He liberates creativity, that’s what he’s about. To be in the studio with his film, I’d call people in, and as opposed to having to battle out every move and endure turf wars and everything that goes on in a rock band, it was joyful. It saved my creativity. I just arranged some stuff for the Savannah Music Festival where they’re showing the film.

RT: What was the impetus for Everyone Stares?

SC: Um...the invention of Final Cut Pro. I had all this footage and figured I’d put it together.

RT: Any final thoughts on playing in San Diego after all this time?

SC: I’m excited to be back. All my old surfing buddies are there. San Diego has some of the best surfing around. It’ll be fun. (www.thepolice.com) — Ryan Thomas