Sting says today's rock is a bore (prefers lute music)

reuters. ^ | Oct 19, 2006 1:16 PM BST

[dennisw]

BERLIN (Reuters) - Sting said contemporary rock music is so stagnant that he prefers to sing 16th century English ballads.

The former teacher who shot to fame as lead singer, bassist and composer in the 1970s and 80s for The Police told German newspaper Die Zeit that he prefers singing songs of Elizabethan lutenist and composer John Dowland to the rock music of today.

His album of Dowland lute music "Songs from the Labyrinth" has topped classical charts on both sides of the Atlantic and entered the UK album chart at No. 24.

"Rock music has come to a standstill -- it's not going forward any more, it only bores me," Die Zeit quoted Sting as saying.

The 55-year-old singer, real name Gordon Sumner, had a string of hits with The Police with songs like "Roxanne" and "Don't Stand So Close To Me". He has since also had a lucrative solo career with songs like "Englishman in New York".

"Forty years ago it was my dream to break out of Newcastle and never be poor again," he told the magazine.

"I'm very privileged. I'm a successful musician, live in a beautiful house, and have a wonderful family."

[sully777]

Can I miss Chet Atkins? Is that allowed?

---

If I can miss Buck Owens. But Roy Clark would beat them both.

[Oberon]

Well at least we still have Mark Knopfler.

Yep. You've got a point there.

I've always said that Mr. Knopfler's guitar sounded like his voice...an idea that has drawn a few puzzled glances my way in the past.

[Oberon]

Chet Atkins and Roy Clark...now that would have been an album.

I bet there's a recording out there that features them both. Maybe as session players back in the '50's, but I bet it's out there.

[sully777]

I'll see your Stryper...



...and raise you White Lion (Little Fighter was clever guitar work)

[RightWhale]

Not the first rocker to lose interest in rock and take up cello.

[sully777]

Roy Clark is one of those guitarists that was overshadowed by the genre he chose to make his/her career. He is classically trained and extremely innovative in a playful way. You gotta hand it to his genius when this "Hee Haw Yahoo" parlayed a classical piece into a crossover C&W/Pop hit.

[mom4kittys]

Sting has a great song in french on the Chris Botti "When I Fall In Love" CD It is called Belle Dame Sans Regret'
It is worth checking out!

Listen to it here:

http://www.chrisbotti.com/music.html

[Chi-townChief]

Sting says today's rock is a bore .... and the old Stingeroo himself helped make it that way.

[Skooz]

Gotta agree with Gordon on this one.

Rock music needs another kick in the pants. Soon.

A few years back I read an interview with Ritchie Blackmore in which he said he doesn't even play electric guitar anymore. He now plays Renaissance music exclusively.

I have a few CDs of that period. Nice stuff and a preferable alternative to most anything going on in 2006.

[Skooz]

Since the mid 1990s, some of the best, most progressive and innovative modern rock/pop music has been written and performed by Christian bands/artists.

PFR, Caedmon's Call, etc. etc.

Two of the best albums of the 1990s were DC Talk's "Jesus Freak" and Audio Adrenaline's "Bloom."

[good old days]

I started listening to classic American singers like Ella Fitzgerald and to swing and jazz artists and orchestras from the 30's, 40's and 50's.

This is the music that I listen to the most. Ella is one of my favorites, but tops for me is Jo Stafford. I just can't get enough of her recordings!

[Skooz]

Also, Hendrix was the complete guitarist.

No, he didn't know theory and would not have been able to hang with many good jazz groups until he learned more about music.

But, he was as good a rhythm guitarist as has ever lived. He's remembered for his unbelievable solo work, but his rhythm playing is at least as impressive.

Plus, he is the very definition of a musical trailblazer. He single-handedly divided rock guitar into two eras: before Jimi and after Jimi.

[Skooz]

I saw Roy in concert a few years back. What a show. And the man can play.

Behind the "Aw shucks" deemener and the corny jokes is a top flight musician who can play with anybody.

After the show, I bought a CD of him and Joe Pass playing Hank Williams songs. No vocals, just two masters playing guitar.

Anyone who has the nads to sit down and trade licks with Joe Pass, and hang right with him, is in very, very rare company.

[JamesP81]

Yeah, DC Talk was pretty good. Not really my cup of tea, but talented nonetheless.

I didn't start listening to Christian music until about 5 years ago, so I'm not as familiar with some of them as you probably are. I'm also more into harder rock than most. I always liked POD which, of course, had some hits and went mainstream. Most of the bands I like, however, are not famous.

[Wolfie]

Dear Sting,
Today's rock music is made for today's youth, not old farts like us.

[fishtank]

HONESTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SoDak]

He's right, outside of the Drive-By Truckers, there hasn't been squat decent released in the last 10 years.

[ncdrumr]

I partially agree with Sting. For the most part, today's "rock" all sounds the same, the instruments sound alike from one band to the other. It's tiresome. That's why I like Wolfmother the most of the new bands. Sure, they sound like bands from the 70s, but perhaps what's old is new again. A lot of the older groups are releasing their first new album in years and touring again, possibly to fill the void, like The Who, Bob Seger, and Heart, just to name a few.

Also, a lot of new rock can be found in country and Christian music.

[L98Fiero]

"I might not have taken the opportunity to appreciate them if the current music scene wasn't so crummy."

Same here. I have been going back to the past for "new" music for the past several years. I consider myself VERY open-minded when it comes to music but the new pop/rock coming out today is pure, unadulterated, crap.

[mrs. a]

Used to be, you couldn't swing a dead cat (or a radio dial) without hitting a Sting song. It got to be way too much.

As my sister says, "O Sting, where is thy death?"