I've got the same thought. I've seen Sting 4 times (once it was The Police). Last time I saw him one mont ago in Kraków. It's always been so emotional for me, my wife and my daughters. Turning back in my car in the night to hotel I put some music on, the ladies protested saying WE WANT STING AGAIN! I wait his next gig in Poland. We will be there. Regards from Poland!
I really don't understand the audience's non-reaction to Sting's amazing sense of humor. It seems that it took about three minutes before they realized he was hilarious.
Saw him and his son at Wolf Trap a few years ago and he was amazing! i also met Stewart Copeland at a polo match in Maryland back in the mid 80s. Stewart stills rides and plays polo. He was a great gentleman and shook my hand.
We met him more then once, but never when he was any good. I would love to see him in the early Police days, as a rebel, not as some old political freak he became ....
Great singer, song writer, actor, musician. He lead The Police to worldwide acclaim and seventeen Grammys and numerous other awards later, hes still performing. Amazing.
Those were the days in the early eighties, the music scene was so exciting and in '82 I was 19 and a freshman in college... Time and life go by much too fast!
This is centuries ago. How old was Sting in 1984? Thirty-three. He is 73 today and has gained refinement in every aspect. Here you see a diamant roughly cut out of rocky attachment. Today Sting is a well-tested jewel with unfathomable depth. He tried every possible alley to find success and chose the hard way - riskng unemployment rather than the security of an established job as a teacher. He came across an alley that opened and is hard working up to this day, touring the world. It's performing that means happiness to him.
I heard him give a solo concert a few years ago. He's grown a lot as a person and performer since this long-ago interview. Quite intelligent, generous, talented, all which conveyed a touch of self-deprecating humor.
Late to seeing this, but what strikes me most is how nervous Dave appears as the interviewer here. Nervous may not be the best word choice, but you get the gist - sort of supplicating, deferential. Yet he became the most confident and important late night interviewer ever. Hell, he hosted POTUS #44 repeatedly and did so with aplomb. No one he couldn't have an informed, confident exchange with. Appreciate how instructive this 40 year old (!!!!!!) video is....
Well said, and I agree with all of your observations. I once read a description of POTUS #44 as being "preternaturally confident". I feel the same way about Dave starting just a few years after this interview was taped.
Saw one of the last Police concerts with Roy Orbison in New York. They played, told jokes, and we all tossed around giant beach balls. One of my best memories.
Hello Diane Winters, Roy Orbison was forgotten, friends in the industry, R&D people all were aware that we needed to support Orbison, sting was one of these people. Re Releasing all the material, touring Europe, i saw him too, the Hero of my Fathers generation, alive and kicking, he past away 2 month after that, but in the he became what he never was, a true rockstar, thanks to the traveling hillbillies, sting and all his friends in the industry
their first album took the u.s. by storm if you aren't familiar, roxanne a massive hit, they get called a lot of things but they were kind of forerunners to alternative rock for me.
4:54 "we don't need any money" Sting's referring to the deal they had with the record company where they didn't take a large advance for the recording. However if the record charted- the deal was structured so they would get a huge payout .
This was great to see - thank you. And - I don't think he was an ass or scoffing at anything - I think he was taking it all in good humor and having a laugh with it all - but in a cool, conserved kinda way. I really enjoyed it.
One of the greatest rock singers with the great Dave Letterman. Letterman still cracks my ass up. You can tell that Sting was amused by him as well. Both are among my favorites at what they do which means I have great taste of course. 😂
I'm glad that Stewart and Andy have recently told the actual stories of their origins on long form podcasts rather than the enigmatic half-truths from Sting here.
Watching this in 2024 after all these years, how amazing to see/hear both Sting and Letterman so early in their careers. I was a sophomore in college ('78) when I first heard the Police and loved their spin on Punk and Reggae. Great time capsule this interview.
thanks Dave for this interview clip. It was hilarious! in some parts. I love Sting's accent, being from Britain. i just found this Jan 2024 & Happy New Year!
If you are really from Britain, which I doubt, you'd know that this is not the voice that Sting grew up with. it's an act. If he was speaking with a Newcastle accent, you would need sub titles............................
To me Sting is the character he was from Quadraphenia. Smug and mysterious. Great artist. He could have accomplished a lot more I think with the Police but he was tired of the formula went more in a jazz direction. He didn't have any interest in writing more hit rock albums. The Police could have done what Bono and U2 did cranking out more hit albums and huge arena tours but just not where Sting wanted to go.
I'm glad of that. The man's a genius & has tackled just about everything. "Ten Summoner's Tales" is worth it alone. I don't dig into personal lives too much. You can tell from the comment section that the music's being eclipsed by how people feel about him on a personal level. Tends to spoil the music for me! Certain YT channels make a killing dragging artists through the muck. I'm glad I don't enjoy them. (And I did not perceive your comment to be negative at all).
We had a very dirty smelly man at work that some ignorant people nicknamed stink. He was a bit deaf and thought they were calling him sting. That name stuck. They also called him dirt and again he miss heard and thought they were calling him Dirk. That name also stuck and he answered to both. It turned out that he had been in the Falklands war in the artillery and this is how he had damaged his hearing. When they found out he was treated with respect and was called by his real name Ian. He was a lovely inoffensive bloke who was a pleasure to work with.
He just stopped being a teacher here, i have seen his school, 'don't stand so close so my' school girls, it was all real... Sting, his shirt, his attitude ! That was his childhood name. Who loves the Police, peace guy ?
I sort of figured "Sting" was a play on words for fronting a band called "The Police", with a drummer that might be called "Perp Walk", and a guitarist named "The Bracelets".
Nope, but the whole bumblebee reference is true. However it was the trombone player member in the Phoenix Jazzmen who coined the name, not someone from school.
In an SNL skit when Sting was the show guest, Chris Kattan auditioned as a dancer, even though they were only auditioning women. Kris addressed Sting's wife as "Mrs. Sting".
@@lucasRem-ku6eb Remember Steve Martin as James Bond and sting was the wealthy villain "Goldsting"? "The pretzels are no longer complimentary Mr. Bond!"
Larry Massengale, Sting is a loner, it's his will, or he is out, they all needed to follow him. Somerset, Stuart Copeland too ! Only his daddy was CIA spy guy in Libanon, Copeland was not American at all ! Know your band, why you cry that, he was a lonesome rebel !
Sting may not have known exactly where his bandmate was from, but I'll bet he knew how to spell his first name correctly! Just funning with you man, great channel name!
Yeah, Sting's a typical cocky, arrogant limey in the US here. But his limey humor is clear and present. That we love. Dave, of course, was fantastic and raw back then. Nervous and sarcastic. Love it!
Back Stage at the Max Bell Arena back stage passes/// I get to see the concert from the stage I was early 20' now almost 64/ Roxanne/ I have every album still of course autographs from all three
Incredible talent. A voice terribly unique. I’ve heard him many times in concert and never been let down.
I've got the same thought. I've seen Sting 4 times (once it was The Police). Last time I saw him one mont ago in Kraków. It's always been so emotional for me, my wife and my daughters. Turning back in my car in the night to hotel I put some music on, the ladies protested saying WE WANT STING AGAIN! I wait his next gig in Poland. We will be there. Regards from Poland!
One of the great singer songwriters. And nobody had a sound like the Police. One part jazz, one part punk, one part reggae.
Dave: "What was it like in Bombay?"
Sting: "Nothing like Peoria."
They played off of each other perfectly.
A joke lost on any non American as I'd never even heard of that place til this interview
I really don't understand the audience's non-reaction to Sting's amazing sense of humor. It seems that it took about three minutes before they realized he was hilarious.
40 years ago the dry, self-deprecating sense of humor the British are known for had not yet caught on.
Dude he is British , that's says a lot xD
What non reaction?
@@jta1973 people are laughing, did they change the video? Where is this non reaction?
@@jta1973 There were laughs, but it is British humor; surprise! In other countries it doesn't translate well. Not just in America.
Saw him and his son at Wolf Trap a few years ago and he was amazing! i also met Stewart Copeland at a polo match in Maryland back in the mid 80s. Stewart stills rides and plays polo. He was a great gentleman and shook my hand.
Dave is amazing. He took the interview format and shifted it by several degrees, just with the power of his personality.
I met him once, wonderfully quiet kind of guy. Very cool and grounded in his own mind.
We met him more then once, but never when he was any good.
I would love to see him in the early Police days, as a rebel, not as some old political freak he became ....
I worked for his dad delivering milk, nobody who grew up with that father could fail to be a grounded human.
Great singer, song writer, actor, musician. He lead The Police to worldwide acclaim and seventeen Grammys and numerous other awards later, hes still performing. Amazing.
Those were the days in the early eighties, the music scene was so exciting and in '82 I was 19 and a freshman in college... Time and life go by much too fast!
it was kinda exciting to see new wave and new romantic emerge from the ashes of punk
Ain’t that the truth. Make the most of the time you have here on earth
College radio and alt rock still going strong '85-88.
Sting so modest,humble down to earth genuine good guy.😮😊
he took a test, as a child, that marked him as intellectually gifted.
He is also very well read.
But why he became a political freak ?
Sting in the Police was good, as an old man, he became this lame political joker ...
@@lucasRem-ku6eb yeah saving the planet is so blasé
@@mikeh.8155 "Saving the planet" aka power/money grab in the name of something that sounds altruistic
I think he read a book by Nabokov among many others. He references literature quite often in his lyrics.
This is centuries ago. How old was Sting in 1984? Thirty-three. He is 73 today and has gained refinement in every aspect. Here you see a diamant roughly cut out of rocky attachment. Today Sting is a well-tested jewel with unfathomable depth. He tried every possible alley to find success and chose the hard way - riskng unemployment rather than the security of an established job as a teacher. He came across an alley that opened and is hard working up to this day, touring the world. It's performing that means happiness to him.
Diamond
If you want.🥱
Dave listens intently. You can see that here. He always has.
It was kind of his job, so yeah, I guess you're right. lol
I heard him give a solo concert a few years ago. He's grown a lot as a person and performer since this long-ago interview. Quite intelligent, generous, talented, all which conveyed a touch of self-deprecating humor.
Without the Police he is nothing !
@lucas Rem You're right, Einstein, without his life, talent and work, he is nothing.
@@3ver4fter53 now became nothing, go back in again, guess not.Great family guy now i guess, why go back ?
@@lucasRem-ku6eb I don't understand when you try to express yourself.
@@3ver4fter53 old people can't understand normal things, you have issues.
Watching Dave and old Carson interviews, it just seems they had more interesting and articulate conversations back then.
People used to use words instead of emojis.
They did. I look at the equivalent interviewers back in the UK then and it's even more so.
Late to seeing this, but what strikes me most is how nervous Dave appears as the interviewer here. Nervous may not be the best word choice, but you get the gist - sort of supplicating, deferential. Yet he became the most confident and important late night interviewer ever. Hell, he hosted POTUS #44 repeatedly and did so with aplomb. No one he couldn't have an informed, confident exchange with. Appreciate how instructive this 40 year old (!!!!!!) video is....
Well said, and I agree with all of your observations. I once read a description of POTUS #44 as being "preternaturally confident". I feel the same way about Dave starting just a few years after this interview was taped.
I love that early "nervous" Dave. Most of his best interviews, skits etc are from that era.
Sting is a very confident and articulate intellectual, he intimidates people even though he's usually very pleasant.
This is the best interview I've ever seen from either one.
"that was more fun than I thought it was going to be.." haha
Saw one of the last Police concerts with Roy Orbison in New York. They played, told jokes, and we all tossed around giant beach balls. One of my best memories.
Hello Diane Winters,
Roy Orbison was forgotten, friends in the industry, R&D people all were aware that we needed to support Orbison, sting was one of these people.
Re Releasing all the material, touring Europe, i saw him too, the Hero of my Fathers generation, alive and kicking, he past away 2 month after that, but in the he became what he never was, a true rockstar, thanks to the traveling hillbillies, sting and all his friends in the industry
@@lucasRem-ku6eb thanks for that info. Yes he will be forever cool.
Huh? Last Police Concerts were in 2008. Roy Orbison passed away in 1988.
@@jhchooo Bands break up and then put on nostalgia shows decades later. The Police broke up in 1986.
roy opened for police?
He cuts through the b.s. of this world, and shines brightly.
Oh c'mon. He did a whole album with a lute. That is peak pretension
He is so mysterious
He's just so handsome
6:06 Sting politely gives the crowd the finger 🤣
I caught that.
I think he was giving Dave the finger. Sting's facial expressions show that he is not too keen on Dave.
their first album took the u.s. by storm if you aren't familiar, roxanne a massive hit, they get called a lot of things but they were kind of forerunners to alternative rock for me.
He has a really cool voice!
Yes he does.
Nothing like his real voice. He altered his accent when he became famous.
You should hear him sing
One of the best, maybe the best concerts I have ever seen, The Police.
Peoria!! Nailed it. I lived there & can't imagine The Police playing there. Wow!
Once again for the record. Gordon Sumner, Steve Borden and Pete Stanichick all WINNERS 🏆
4:54 "we don't need any money" Sting's referring to the deal they had with the record company where they didn't take a large advance for the recording. However if the record charted- the deal was structured so they would get a huge payout .
This was great to see - thank you.
And - I don't think he was an ass or scoffing at anything - I think he was taking it all in good humor and having a laugh with it all - but in a cool, conserved kinda way. I really enjoyed it.
yeap. I agree. Is just the way he was that could come across as arrogance.
I think it’s just the subtle yet mildly self-deprecating humor thats very British and might rub Americans who aren’t used to it the wrong way
"...but in a cool, conserved kinda way." That is, being English. :)
@@Knapptime95 SOME Americans. We're a big country. There are tons of different people here.
One of the greatest rock singers with the great Dave Letterman. Letterman still cracks my ass up. You can tell that Sting was amused by him as well.
Both are among my favorites at what they do which means I have great taste of course. 😂
I'm glad that Stewart and Andy have recently told the actual stories of their origins on long form podcasts rather than the enigmatic half-truths from Sting here.
Watching this in 2024 after all these years, how amazing to see/hear both Sting and Letterman so early in their careers. I was a sophomore in college ('78) when I first heard the Police and loved their spin on Punk and Reggae. Great time capsule this interview.
Letterman's fashion sense was sending out an SOS.
I still love hearing Toyah Willcocks and Phil Daniels tell stories about Sting on the set of Quadraphenia. “Gordon is a Moron” 😂😜😉
@@DameTremonti Toyah is treasure. Fripp has great taste.
The first 2 Police albums.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
he was great, really funny 💛🤟
Great voice iv seen him twice and brilliant each time,plus still a hunk😛
Now watch his recent interview with Beato and you'll understand this interview and his younger persona much better
thanks Dave for this interview clip. It was hilarious! in some parts. I love Sting's accent, being from Britain. i just found this Jan 2024 & Happy New Year!
If you are really from Britain, which I doubt, you'd know that this is not the voice that Sting grew up with. it's an act. If he was speaking with a Newcastle accent, you would need sub titles............................
Love this man❤❤❤
Sting is very funny and light hearted here
You cannot beat the subtle English humour which we are famous for.
or the humility
@@wordup897 now that was subtle.
I wasn't rolling on the floor.
@@markpalmer8083 That's the humble part of the humour at work................
What jokes am I missing? Please point them out
I had no idea he promoted Brimstone and Treacle in the US.
When i met him he was devoid of personality! Great looking guy. Educated, can write, play he does it all. I guess arrogance comes the talent.
Wow he was so cute
To me Sting is the character he was from Quadraphenia. Smug and mysterious. Great artist. He could have accomplished a lot more I think with the Police but he was tired of the formula went more in a jazz direction. He didn't have any interest in writing more hit rock albums. The Police could have done what Bono and U2 did cranking out more hit albums and huge arena tours but just not where Sting wanted to go.
I'm glad of that. The man's a genius & has tackled just about everything. "Ten Summoner's Tales" is worth it alone. I don't dig into personal lives too much. You can tell from the comment section that the music's being eclipsed by how people feel about him on a personal level. Tends to spoil the music for me! Certain YT channels make a killing dragging artists through the muck. I'm glad I don't enjoy them. (And I did not perceive your comment to be negative at all).
I remember when this first aired.
We had a very dirty smelly man at work that some ignorant people nicknamed stink. He was a bit deaf and thought they were calling him sting. That name stuck. They also called him dirt and again he miss heard and thought they were calling him Dirk. That name also stuck and he answered to both. It turned out that he had been in the Falklands war in the artillery and this is how he had damaged his hearing. When they found out he was treated with respect and was called by his real name Ian. He was a lovely inoffensive bloke who was a pleasure to work with.
He probably knew from the start but some people decide not to complain. Perhaps it hurted him, or it couldnt bother him at all. Who knows.
Sting real man ,real people ....
Sting is not that, sorry.....
He is a Rebel only !
I would've sworn the name came from the sword of the same name, given to Frodo by the Elves.
He just stopped being a teacher here, i have seen his school, 'don't stand so close so my' school girls, it was all real...
Sting, his shirt, his attitude ! That was his childhood name.
Who loves the Police, peace guy ?
I sort of figured "Sting" was a play on words for fronting a band called "The Police", with a drummer that might be called "Perp Walk", and a guitarist named "The Bracelets".
Nope, but the whole bumblebee reference is true. However it was the trombone player member in the Phoenix Jazzmen who coined the name, not someone from school.
I once told someone that Sting got his nickname because his real name is Michael Wasp. They believed me.
I enjoyed learning about The Police from Sting, a gracious Knight!
I think he was embarrassed to admit that they bleached their hair for a chewing gum commercial.
That "mysteriously" vanished. 🤨
7:20 the nickname question
Nice pen, Sting!
that he gave to Phoebe 😂
So what's the non-clean version?
It's the exact same story, but with the word "fookin" sprinkled in a few times.
41 years later, look at all he's done! (He was my first love, before Morten Harket)
On another video interview, Sting gave Bernard "Benny" Green, a British jazz saxophonist, as the reason for the nickname.
In an SNL skit when Sting was the show guest, Chris Kattan auditioned as a dancer, even though they were only auditioning women. Kris addressed Sting's wife as "Mrs. Sting".
SNL, thanks, yeah, that was great !
He should do more SNL, the best political comedy sketches are on SNL, wow, i love that show !
@@lucasRem-ku6eb Remember Steve Martin as James Bond and sting was the wealthy villain "Goldsting"? "The pretzels are no longer complimentary Mr. Bond!"
"Sting" was the name of the sword in LOTR. English teacher.
David Michael Letterman (12 de abril de 1947) es un presentador, comediante, escritor y productor de televisión estadounidense.
Sensitive skin.. I can tell.. How cute to be young.. I like the interview.. Sting..
Props to Sting for acknowledging the Band. They were so raw and tight when it was just the four of them.
Four?
@@annika_panicka Paul, Syd, Will, and Anton. Before they added the horns and second gtr player
@@kennedy27403 Oh-Lol! I thought he was talking about The Police. I didn't hear him acknowledge Shaffer et al. Thanks.
@@kennedy27403 Actually, it was Paul, Hiram, Will, and Steve that Sting was acknowledging.
@@annika_panickaSame here lol. I thought maybe he included Henri lol
4:26 Hey hey Letterman predicts the future!!!!!!!!!
Interesting interview. How well did Sting know his bandmates at this point? Stuart Copeland is not from Washington (State or DC).
He was born in Virginia, which is literally across the bridge from D.C.
@@OMGWTFLOLSMH Still not the same.
Knowing people has not so much to do with the exact location they come from.
Larry Massengale,
Sting is a loner, it's his will, or he is out, they all needed to follow him.
Somerset, Stuart Copeland too ! Only his daddy was CIA spy guy in Libanon, Copeland was not American at all !
Know your band, why you cry that, he was a lonesome rebel !
Sting may not have known exactly where his bandmate was from, but I'll bet he knew how to spell his first name correctly!
Just funning with you man, great channel name!
"Outlandish D'Amour"
Debut when I was in 10th grade 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥
Outlandish?
That's outrageous!
“Outlandos” 🙈🙈🙈
I hate Autocorrect 😡😡😡
In short.
Someone called him Sting.
And it stuck.
Now that's John Constantine right there
When he sings he sounds like Steve Perry from Journey.
Yeah, Sting's a typical cocky, arrogant limey in the US here. But his limey humor is clear and present. That we love. Dave, of course, was fantastic and raw back then. Nervous and sarcastic. Love it!
Yeah so that was edited out.. was just wondering what came out of his
Jean Jacket Pocket .. Pen
I would love to see an interview between the 70 year old versions of these two.
He’s like a magical leprechaun.
He is playing catch me if you can.
The first time Sting met his hero, Elton John, Elton was wearing a Minnie Mouse Costume
@@pashadyne I’ll never think of Mickey Mouse the same way again. 😁
Well, he IS a fruit.
@@v-town1980 Who, Mickey? Nah!
Elton John is a very ugly guy, so he needed costume outfits...
@@lucasRem-ku6eb Beauty comes from within, but I guess you wouldn’t know that.
He looks like Mcguiver...ir Mcguiver looks like Sting?!?🤔🤣🤔😂
Always weirdly detached from our world, yet writing great songs about it...
Iv always been a huge fan of MacGyver 😀😀
Well,..where's the PG version for the reason for his name??
Baaaah!
Sting didn't work as hard to hide his rather large ego back then.
A very intelligent person with an ego.
It is not EGO. Это необыкновенная уверенность в свои возможности, как музыканта.
He earned his right to have as large of an ego as he wants.
What makes you say a large ego?
Cool, MacGyver
Rather amusing that a band named Police got its start stealing equipment, heh.
He nearly slips back into Geordie a few times
This was pretentious RP.
Well spotted. But that's the only (smart) approach when you get a shot at a us audience.
@@markpalmer8083 apparently true RP doesn't actually exist 🤔
At least he's humble.
-_-
I think he is being droll not cocky or rude. Is that jean jacket a Lee???
It looked like he did a little New York toot toot backstage.
If I was him I would think I was Mephistopheles too . Fucking great music, millionaire, good looks. He was in top of the world
It's just POP music, he was never on Drake levels...
College rock band...
@@lucasRem-ku6eblol drake lol
@@lucasRem-ku6ebmaybe you are just simply envious
@@lucasRem-ku6eb Said no one ever.
Cool
07:30 There you have it.
I was thinking it was the actor from MacGyver 🤣
No that was Richard Dean Anderson - similar features
When he did Letterman in '85 it was a little...different lol.
I almost saw the Poughkeepsie show, but i was too lazy to go out that night. :/
PSA: Letterman is five years older than Sting
At 2:19, Sting says about the movie´s director, "...his ???of judgement..."
Can anybody help?
Thank you!@nicksterj
6:06 stingy probably flipping someone off
LoL epic video made... bumble bee cover alls (sting) hence
In the process of changing the nose :)
Back Stage at the Max Bell Arena back stage passes/// I get to see the concert from the stage I was early 20' now almost 64/ Roxanne/ I have every album still of course autographs from all three