I agree, even though I think the mix of Stings composition, Andy Summers hypnotic guitar and Copelands drums is the real magic. It's a synergetical effect. Something new emerges from the combination of parts. I also think musicians don't have to b sorted into sport categories of who is no.1. jm2c

People forgot how Copeland copied Carlton Barrett, Sly Dunbar and Horsemouth style and mixed with some rock beat

IanJessup1 I should of read your comment first before I commented!

It occurs to me now, and probably wrong, but it sounds like Copeland's whole deal was to play drums live as they sounded on recordings drenched with reverb and delay. Probably decades late to this party, but hey what can you do?

Stewart isn't a drummer. He's the ultimate rhytmatist!

To ukok There has never been, and probably never WOIL be, a more rythmical band!

And he says "Anyone can play the drums."

"Drums are easy. Anyone can play the drums!".....lolol

Right but he does more than just the bare minimum of playing them. I think Stewart saw the drum machine era that we are still in now coming and kinda just said "yeah anyone can play the back beat on 2 and four, but can you play reggae, jazz, rock, and everything in between all in one song? Can you play the drums like you're the Edge from U2 with delays and echoes all over the place? You can't replace Copeland with a machine. Most drummers you can. I think that fear of "anyone can play drums" drove him to play the drums differently. He made a name for himself as a reason people listen to the band. He was an equal contributor and you really don't see that outside of the realm of Jazz and the 60s era where the drummers were just as famous as the lead singers.

@@austin78993 I feel ur pain man..

Believe

one of the four "perfect" bands: Beatles / ABBA / Dire Straits / The Police: no flaw, ever...

so what you're saying is they had another album after "Ghost in the Machine" in them........I wish they did. Their early stuff really is very hit and miss to me if I'm not in the mood for it. I think I read they couldn't stand each other anymore at the end......so they split.

Rusty Kuntz Agreed! with both you and gdub454...the guy is simply amazing. Sticks laying across his snare WHILE he's in the middle of a song, octobans, ride bells, toms...simply brilliant and a joy to listen and watch!

not to mention the octoban chops !

@@jhetta22 he invented octobans

Have you ever seen Sly Dunbar playing? Most of the Copeland style became from this reggae legend.

Extra tasty crispy

He's one of the best.

Made the police

It boggles my mind as a millennial that we don't have bands like this right now. The echo effects and reverbs and pedals and stuff that led to this level of creativity for that instrumental break are far more advanced these days and we see nothing even remotely close to this. It's amazing.

Takes me back to September 79 when they played the Top Rank in Swansea, awesome band!

Musicianship is a very real limit on Composition. So, NO, Tech can suck my camel.

Him and Ringo, best 2 natural drummers of all time!

That's it....... the group itself was marvelous. Stuart Copeland rocked it.

Stew just was a master at his instrument, yes he sped up the tempo too much & overplayed but it fit, it was cool & super tight live. Pissed Stingo off many a night haha.

@@rustykuntz94 But you do not know these people, at all. You don't know any of what they feel or experience. Oil your Kuntz.

Yeah, but not everyone's cup of spam.

totally

"Walking On the Moon..."

jazzytds chaos brought together by harmony...asynchronous harmonies..your insight is profound.

Synchronicity

You don't understand PR. You follow the story. They made huge piles of lolly. No regrets!

Never can be replicated

None of these guys were ever underrated ;-)

Cozy? Really? You have some very strange ears, Sancho S...🙃

Dub.

I can sign below this comment. (Guitarist-singer here)

Shame to talk about him in the past tense. I mean, he is still alive and kicking after all, and most likely still is a genius. Ya dig?

My two favorites. Stewart t and Bonzo.

There are many ways to drum. all have a place /\

Look, no song, no business. Any drummer you want. No song, nothing.

hm

There's a great vid of Andy Summers demonstrating to a young Jools Holland back then how he does that with foot pedals on a box for his guitar to make those sounds. Check it out

Simple flange he’s using here with light chorus

Agreed. There should be much more love for Andy’s beautifully atmospheric and inventive playing here.