Hadn’t realised that it’s been well over two months since the last part of this occasiona series….how time flies when there’s an ICA World Cup to worry about.
I’m not sure everyone, or indeed anyone, will agree with me what I’ve come up with today.
The flop debut single from May 1977 recorded and released before Andy Summers was part of The Police. It also has the distinction of being the only 45 that they would release not to be the work of Sting. This was a Stewart Copeland number, while its b-side was also his, in conunction with his brother Ian.
I mentioned when I put together the ICA for The Police that the band quickly disowned the 45 on the basis that it was recorded before they had even played live. It’s also the case that original guitarist Henry Padovani (pictured above on the right looking a bit like Ian Dury) was so nervous about being in the studio that his guitar solo was all he could manage and Copeland had to play the other guitar parts as well as the drums.
It was released on Illegal Records in 1977 and sold dismally, even by the standards of punk songs on small labels. It would be re-released in a different sleeve in 1979 when the band were enjoying chart success via A&M Records, and would sell enough copies to reach the Top 50.
I think I’m inclined to include it in the series, not so much for it being a ‘cracking’ debut single, but mainly as it proved to be so different from their records that would go on to dominate pop charts across the planet just a few years later.
mp3 : The Police – Fall Out
mp3 : The Police – Nothing Achieving
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
Thanks! How about a re-up of the Police ICA?