#def one of my fave ZZ moments

[storge]

May I ask, the person standing in front of me right now, are you the Crown Prince Junior Preceptor or someone else?

Story of Kunning Palace (2023) 1.23

[totalrockfiend]

My First Record, the Police’s Synchronicity, Turns 35...

For better our worse, music, especially popular music, is nostalgic.

A song, album or even band can transport you back in time, making a connection, no matter how arbitrary, to a moment long gone by.

This is mos def the case for me when it comes to the Police’s Synchronicity! My mother’s then boyfriend (and eventually my stepfather) gifted me the album (on vinyl no less!) in the fall of 1983. [The album was originally release on June, 17, 1983, some 35 years ago.] 

On the heels of Silver Box of Rock, the now famed (in my own mind anyway) clock radio I’d acquired the prior Christmas prior (thx again Grammy + Granpy!), receiving that copy of Synchronicity was the second most influential happening on my path toward become a life-long Total Rock Fiend.

I cannot tell you how many times I spun Synchronicity on my mom’s Duel turntable, singing along (quick poorly in comparison to Mr. Sumner) to The King of Pain, Wrapped Around Your Finger, Every Breath You Take, and Synchronicity II, maybe 1,000 spins? Maybe 2,000? Who can say? Only thing certain, my Mom + Stepdad are glad we no longer co-habitate ;---)

By mid-1983, the Police had shed their reggae inflected sonics. And cast off the punky edge of the angsty “youth gone wild” attitude that permeated the earlier work. Their former leanings replaced with a more AOR-oriented “traditional” rock sound. Albeit “trad” AOR with spare arrangements, taught, angular textures, and a highly literate lyrical landscapes. A far cry from ZZ Top, Billy Idol, Def Leppard, and the rest of the charting rock acts of the era.

Meanwhile, the band’s evolution proved to be effective, as the aforementioned singles all cracked the Billboard Hot 100 top 20, with Every Breath You Take, peaking at No. 1, and the album reaching Billboard’s No. 3 slot.

This was all mote, however, as the band’s famous acrimony finally boiled over, and right on out of the pot for good (or at least until the late aughts reunion tour). The Police “officially” called it quits following the Synchronicity tour, going their separate ways...

Sting went out to an eminently successful solo career, crafting a string of hit records, back by a bevy of standout session musicians, and mounting countless high grossing international tours. 

Faring less well, but by no means left destitute, drummer Stewart Copland + Guitarist Andy Summers both went on to participate in a variety of musical projects, including a good deal of film and TV scoring.

But for me, the band’s highest note will always be Synchronicity! And the album will likely forever remain one of all-time fave rock records.

Now, given that I was 9 when the album was released, doing the math, which I’m no good at...let’s see, carry the 1...that makes me, well...too old to be blathering on about rock’n’roll on the internet. But here we are ;---)