Beech Tree News Network

For five decades and counting, Sting’s legendary career has taken him all over the world.  But as he told CBS Sunday Morning’s Mark Phillips, he drew inspiration for his latest work in the place where it all began.

When Sting comes back to his hometown these days, it’s not the same place he left more than five decades ago.  The city of Newcastle, tucked up in the northeast corner of England, now presents a tranquil vista where modern architecture spans clam waters.  But for centuries, Newcastle was a hardscrabble, noisy industrial powerhouse.  It built ships.  And a young Gordon Sumner, a boy from a working-class family, was given some fatherly advice he didn’t want to hear.  “He said son, see the world.  Make something of yourself”, says Sting.

I’d say he’s done that.  He’s become one of the most successful songwriters and pop performers of his generation.  Starting with his ‘70’s band The Police and through many variations since, his most popular songs have streamed in the billions.  When asked if he keeps track of his awards won, his albums, etc., his answer is “enough.  I’ve had more than enough success and affirmation and don’t need anymore.  It’s lovely but not something I particularly think about”.

He continues, “I just wanted a bigger life than I was being offered.  It was only later that I realized that where I was being brought up was a gift.  Because of these very profound symbols you wake up to every morning: a gigantic ship, an army of men walking to work, a ship being built launched into the river.  These are very powerful images for an artist.  I wanted to honor where I came from.  What they gave me was a sense of identity, work ethic.  I wanted to repay that”.

To repay that, Sting has been writing a musical for the last decade called The Last Ship.  It recounts the demise of Newcastle’s shipyards.  Now he’s taking it on tour with the advantage of added star power: Sting himself and his good friend, reggae star Shaggy.  When asked if he’s done anything like this before, Shaggy replies “not on this scale.  I’m still asking what I’ve gotten myself into”.

Working together has paid off before.  They won a Grammy for best Reggae album in 2019 for 44/876 released in 2018.  “I immediately knew Shaggy was the perfect man for the job.  He has a great sense of mischief, great sense of joy.  But he’s also a natural actor”.  The show has already played to sellout halls in Europe and Australia and is set for a run at the Metropolitan Opera house in New York.  About the project, Sting says “I’m tenacious.  If I believe in something, I’ll stick with it.  I do not conflate commercial success with excellence or quality at all.  I think this play, even though it’s set in the 1980’s, has something for us all now.  All of us are in danger of losing our work to A.I.”

Born Gordon Sumner, Sting was given his stage name because of the striped yellow and black top he used to wear that someone said made him look like a wasp.  There’s been plenty of buzz around his career ever since, including the meaning of his biggest hit, “Every Breath You Take”.  Sting says “Some people interpret that song as being a very romantic love song or that it’s about a stalker.  I don’t contradict people’s interpretation of the song.  Some people get married to that song.  God bless them”.

When asked if he ever thinks of taking a vacation, Sting replies jokingly, “explain that concept to me”.  When asked why he still does this, he replies “because I like to work.  I haven’t developed that skill of sitting and doing nothing.  Perhaps I’m afraid of it.  I haven’t prepared myself for it.  At some point, I hope I’ll have the objectivity to say “you’ve done enough.  Go sit on the farm”.  When asked if he could do that, Sting replied “I’m not sure”.  (5-4, CBS Sunday Morning).