During his appearance on The Bob Lefsetz Podcast, Stewart Copeland shared his recollections of meeting Sting for the first time and why he referred to the bassist as his ‘meal ticket.’
In 1976, while still a member of Curved Air, the drummer found himself with a free evening and an eagerness to explore the local music scene. He reached out to journalist Phil Sutcliffe for recommendations, leading them to a performance by a local jazz band named Last Exit. Copeland recalled:
“Sutcliffe took us to see the local hot cool jazz band, which was called Last Exit. And they had rather a useful-looking bass player.”
Recognizing Potential
At the time, the musician was considering forming his own band and was looking for talented musicians. Specifically, he needed a bassist and a vocalist, roles he observed Sting fulfilling with Last Exit. Copeland was particularly struck by Sting’s charisma, noting:
“But better than any of that was the obvious charisma of the guy, just this charisma flashing out of every pore. And I looked at that guy, and I said, ‘Now there is a meal ticket.'”
Copeland’s Initial Impressions Of Sting’s Musicianship
Stewart’s statements align with his earlier statements to Uncle Joe Benson on the Ultimate Classic Rock Nights radio show 2018. He recalled seeing Sting perform in a college classroom, under simple reading lights, with his band that Copeland deemed ‘terrible’ and a ‘clone’ of other jazz-fusion groups. Yet, Sting’s talent on bass stood out. The rocker said:
“But there was a golden ray of sunshine coming down from the heavens, through the roof of the building, through the ceiling, and landing on this bass player. And as a drummer in a band in those days, I didn’t even notice his singing – pretty good, good frontman – but wow, that bass player!”
When Stewart was ready to start a new band, he thought back to Sting, the bass player with vocal skills. What Copeland hadn’t realized at the time was Sting’s ability to write songs. He had only seen Sting perform extended jazz improvisations and didn’t know about his songwriting skills. Discovering this hidden talent in Sting turned out to be a lucky break for the drummer.
