Andy Summers still has regrets over The Police’s split: "No one wanted us to break up"

24 July 2024, 13:35

"I can't stand losing you".

You wonder if The Police had echoed the sentiment of their 1978 single toward each other, they might not have broken up.

Alas, their tempestuous inter-band relationship was sadly the reason for their demise, despite being the world's biggest band at the time.

Even though the band had reached lofty heights in 1983 with their lauded album Synchronicity, led by chart-topping single 'Every Breath You Take', they couldn't keep a lid on their grievances with one another.

In fact, it may very well have been a success which accelerated the band's split, according to guitarist Andy Summers.

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Once they'd reached the top, it was all but over, though they only had themselves to blame.

"It's the typical process where you become incredibly famous and they throw all of this money at you and then the rot sets in," admitted in a new interview. "It's very hard to stay away from that."

Though, whilst talking with Ultimate Classic Rock for the box set release of Synchronicity, Summers also revealed that he still has regrets over how it ended.

Like their millions of fans worldwide, Andy Summers wished The Police ended differently, though it's given him the time and space to pursue his own creative ventures.

During the recording of Synchronicity, things behind the scenes with Sting and drummer Stewart Copeland had also reached boiling point.

"It was a tough album, period. I mean, we had been together five years and were massively successful," Summers revealed.

"Sting was obviously feeling his oats and wanted to leave the band and go out on his own."

"In a sort of anal way, he was ready to finish off the contract, which was five albums. 'You know, we’ve done what we’re contracted for, why should we stay anymore?'"

"Of course, any band would stay, naturally, because it was going so brilliantly well. We dominated the world."

"No one wanted us to break up, but Sting wanted to go and be the thing all on his own."

It seems that whilst Summers didn't necessarily want the band to come to an acrimonious conclusion, he's still placing the blame at Sting's doorstep.

Of course, they reunited years later - touring the world from 2007 through to 2008 - so definitely put any resentments to bed.

When it came to the box set for Synchronicity, however, things were entirely more amicable between the former bandmates as they weren't all overly involved.

"They [the record label] basically pull it all together and then they pass it by us. We go, 'Don’t like that'," Summers continued.

"There was a bit of a wrangle about someone who wrote an eight-page essay about the Police. I thought it was terrific. Then Sting’s camp didn’t like it, so it got rewritten. Stewart and I didn’t like it, so it got rewritten into whatever is in there now."

"So, there’s some involvement, because there are sensitivities in all of this. But I feel good about it. I hope it’s going to be number one. That’s what I hope."

"I don’t know, I don’t want to say there’s an element of revenge, but it’s like, 'Yeah, see? You should have listened the first time!' I’m not sure what I’m thinking, but I’d just like to see it go to number one, because it would be a kick. We’ll see."

The limited edition box set of The Police's 1983 album Synchronicity is set for release on 26th July 2024.

It will feature 55 previously unreleased tracks - including Sting's original and never-heard demos for the album - new interviews and liner notes, rare archive material and never-before-seen photos of the band.