British singer and songwriter Sting has said that he doesn’t think grown men should be in bands.
The former frontman for The Police shared the controversial opinion with MOJO magazine. “I don’t think any grown man can be in a band actually,” he said.
“A band is a teenage gang. Who wants to be in a teenage gang when you’re knocking 70? It doesn’t allow you to evolve.
“You have to obey the rules and the gestalt of the band. As much as I love the Stones and AC/DC, it’s hard to see growth in their music.
“For me, the band was merely a vehicle for the songs and not the other way round.”
Ironically, Sting (real name Gordon Sumner) was a member of the band The Police from 1977 until 1983 – when he was 26 until he was 32.
Sting released his first solo debut album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, in 1985, which was well-received. However, the popular musician has revealed that if the solo album wasn’t successful, he hopes he wouldn’t have returned to the band.
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“Both Andy and Stewart had made albums without me so it was my right too. I recruited a band from the jazz world and I was lucky it was a hit. I have no idea what would have happened if it hadn’t been a hit.
“Would I have gone back to the band and eaten humble pie? I hope not,” he told MOJO Magazine.
The Grammy Award-winning singer sold the rights to all of his music to Universal Music Publishing in a deal in February that was said to be worth over $350 million (AUD $420 million).
“I am delighted to have Jody and the team at UMPG curate and manage my song catalog. It is absolutely essential to me that my career’s body of work have a home where it is valued and respected – not only to connect with longtime fans in new ways but also to introduce my songs to new audiences, musicians and generations,” he said at the time.
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