The Police
Album Title: “Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out”
Record Label:
Review by Michael Sherer
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The Police - “Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out”
Stewart Copeland, drummer and founding member of The Police, bought a Super 8 film camera in 1978. Then 26, The Police, formed only a year earlier in London England, were beginning to gain real momentum, having been signed to A & M Records and releasing their debut record “Outlandos d’Amour” in 1978. It was while on tour for this release that Copeland began filming extensively with his new camera. This continued throughout their career, which ended in 1986 with The Police being one of the biggest groups in the world, if not the biggest.
This documentary type DVD film was initially released in 2006, a year before The Police reformed for a very successful 2007 - 2008 tour, marking their 30th anniversary of formation. In the summer of this year 2019, it was released in Blue Ray.
Made entirely by Copeland, it consists of the footage (with audio) he filmed, still photos taken by photographers, with a continual narration/story line provided by Copeland. It’s essentially a running commentary filled with insightful and thoughtful musings of a paradox and scenario all hugely successful groups/solo artists face: How does one deal with being so intensely in the public eye whilst being in your own bubble year after year while churning out a new record and then tour over and over and over again? Copeland alludes to how it became increasingly isolating and difficult to endure certain aspects of it, with the initial “all for one one for all” spirit becoming increasingly more about Sting, their front man, singer/bassist and chief songwriter, presenting the band with essentially finished songs with little or no room for the others’ input as they used to have. On the other hand, Copeland notes that it was, of course, nice to travel in much comfort and not in a cramped van as they started with.
It was a family affair with The Police, with Copland’s older brothers, Miles and Ian, as their manager and booking agent, respectively. We see plenty of them in action, within the very decent footage of the band performing throughout the world, all the members talking and their activities, the dizzying fan outcry, scenery of their extensive travels, them in the studio and a lot of funny horsing around between the three band mates. This last part became less and less as the demands of being in an increasingly big time juggernaut sapped their energy and time.
The footage and film ends in 1984, with them literally and metaphorically handcuffed to a railing at a hotel in France while on tour for their most last and most successful record “Synchronicity.” (It that had their huge and biggest hit by far “Every Breathe You Take.”) Although cuffed as a goof and play on their band name, it was poignantly symbolic for being trapped by their own major success in many respects.
An alternative title for this fun, introspective, personal and footage rich documentary could be “Copeland coping.” A must see for any Police fan. Go to eagle-rock.com for it and many more.
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