The Police Guitarist Says “Every Breath You Take” Was “Going To Go in the Trash,” Reveals the Real Reason the Band Fell Apart

While only releasing five studio albums during their career in the spotlight, The Police produced hit songs like “Can’t Stand Losing You” and “Every Breath You Take.” Selling over 75 million albums, the group went on to receive numerous awards including MTV Video Music Awards and Grammy Awards. The Police even found their way into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But while building a devout following and gaining popularity, it all came crashing down with the release of their final, and most popular album, Synchronicity. Recalling their stardom and the moment it started to fade, guitarist Andy Summers pointed to where it all went wrong.

With The Police helming tours and releasing albums, Summers watched as the group’s fame continued to grow. While there appeared to be no end in sight, the band never produced an album after 1983. Confusing given their popularity at the time, Summers explained how that was the exact reason the band fell apart. He told Ultimate Classic Rock, “It’s the typical process where you become incredibly famous and they throw all of this money at you and then the rot sets in.” Having more than enough years to ponder the past, Summers promised, “It’s very hard to stay away from that.”

Andy Summers Names The One Song That Stuck

Although struggling throughout the years, The Police produced memorable songs that continue to grace and airwaves. With fans gushing over Synchronicity, Summers discussed one song that appeared to take on a life of its own. “‘Every Breath You Take’ is an interesting one. When you hear the demo on that, you won’t even believe it. The whole album was difficult, but ‘Every Breath You Take’ was going to go in the trash, basically. We thought it was too light and it wasn’t very good. Sting and Stewart just couldn’t agree about where the kick drum and the bass went and so on.”

With Sting calling for Summers to simply play the song as he believed it should be played, the musician said, “I went in and almost instantly played the guitar line that is of course is the signature of the song. Everybody stood up in the control room and cheered. The manager heard it and said, ‘I’m going straight to A&M. This is going to be a number one.’ And it was, that was our first number one in the U.S. It was number one for eight weeks straight.”

While the group’s legacy is ongoing, many fans and even Summers wondered what would have happened if the band stayed focused on the music instead of the fame.

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The Police drops Final Studio Album.You Can’t afford to miss

The Police – Sting, Andy Summers, and Stuart Copeland – became one of the greatest and most successful bands to emerge from the frenetic 1980s, off its deeply danceable sound, buoyed by Sting’s deeply heartfelt and literary instincts.

The Police were at their peak when the trio hit the studio to record Synchronicity, having arrived to the new decade with the massive 1979 hit “Message in a Bottle” under its belt, then continuing through the early years of the decade with three follow-up No. 1s – “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” and “Every Breath You Take.” As well, the band’s previous three albums had all reached No. 1 on the U.K. charts. What emerged from the Synchronicity sessions was yet another triumph, with the aforementioned “Every Breath You Take” as the lynchpin of a record that stands as one of their most beloved.

The group will release various editions of the LP, including a 6-disc Limited Edition Deluxe Boxset containing 55 previously unreleased tracks, new liner notes and interviews, rare archival memorabilia, and unseen photographs. The boxset has been in the works for more than three years, with the band’s involvement and endorsement. As the boxset arrives, each band member has various projects that they’re also focusing on: Stewart Copeland recently published his Police Diaries and toured the world with his Police Deranged concerts. Later this year, he will perform across the UK with his new spoken-word show Have I said Too Much? Andy Summers, meanwhile, has published several photography books focusing on the Police era. He is currently touring his Cracked Lens + A Missing String show across the US. Finally, Sting continues to tour extensively: his current US and European Tour runs throughout 2024 and features many Police songs among his solo work.

Among the extras from the boxset are 19 live recordings, all previously unreleased, from an epic September 1983 live show at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, as well as alternate studio takes of every Synchronicity song. Capping things off are unreleased Police songs, including an early version of Andy Summers’ track “Goodbye Tomorrow.”