The Ugly American Werewolf in London Rock Podcast
As long time listeners of the show know, The Wolf and Action Jackson were and remain huge fans of The Police. When they were 10, Synchronicity and Every Breath You Take ruled the albums and singles charts while being broadcast hourly on MTV. We'd thought we'd found the rock band we'd grow up with. However, lead singer and songwriter Sting had other plans. He'd grown tired to the infighting with Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland and wanted to take his songwriting and good looks solo.
Dream of the Blue Turtles was Sting's first solo album making its debut June 17, 1985 and offered a more mature and jazzy approach to his songwriting. Enlisting the help of veterans like Darryl Jones (bass), Omar Hakim (drums), Kenny Kirkland (keys) and Branford Marsalis (horns), Sting created a more dynamic soundscape than he could have in The Police and took a big step towards being recognized as one of the premier songwriters of his generation. The first single, Feel Free To Set Them Free, set a groove and took advantage of new video technology for use on MTV. He revisited his ska/reggae roots on Love Is The Seventh Wave and offered a prayer of hope in the worry of the Cold War with Russians. However, Fortress Around Your Heart may be the best song he's ever written and it closes the album with style and substance.
We may have wanted The Police to go on forever but Sting proved he could do so much more and this album went 3x platinum in the US with huge success around the world.
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