out of print - my meeting with sting

I'm sitting at his side. He watches me as I try to find my tape recorder. I show him the French promotional cardboard A4 sampler of "Mercury falling", that he doesn't know exists. I begin to record. Those present are Pascal Bernardin, the French tour manager, Miles Copeland and Kim Turner, Sting's managers. I explain I'm a big fan and have a collection of 500 records. They just can't believe it and Kim Turner says "What kind of fan is this? Where did you find 500 records?" I tell him I collect releases from all over the world and Sting jokes by exclaiming "Bootlegs!". Finally he says "I thank you. My children thank you". The interview begins:

Do you have an idea of what it means to be a real fan, such as I am, as they follow you everywhere. Did you know that we are mad like that?
(laughs). It's something I'm aware of a little bit because I keep seeing the same (the tape recorder stop, so I have to restart it). Ok. Hello, this is Sting. I'm aware that they are certain individuals who keep appearing in different parts of the world. You know, I keep meeting people in Vietnam, or in Japan, or South America. They seem to spend their lives following me around. Now, I'm not sure how I feel about that. On one hand, I'm flattered, I think it's very flattering for me. The same time, I worry, I worry that perhaps they don't live in there own lives to the full, you know! Now, when I speak to these people, they say "no, it's great fun, we plan our year, we make money, we work, we make money and we fly to, and we see the world". And I think that's fine, that's fine. As long as people have their own sense of themselves and what they want to do in their lives, it's OK. You know, I feel a little bit ambiguous about it. But, I'm deeply flattered that people want to follow us, and I hope the music means something to them.

Sincerely, for me, I love your music. Sincerely, it's something that I can't explain how I love your music. Each time that you make an album, or a single, it's a real pleasure to hear new songs, and every time I like them. I'm a fan, I'm a collector, especially CDs. I collect your records... sincerely my life depends on you (It was really hard to find the good words, I was really impressed and I don't want to said it like that...)
I'm not sure I want to have this responsibility of your life depending on me... But, how old are you?

I'm 20 years old
20 years old, same as my son, you could be my child... It's cool.

Something that I don't really understand is the remixes that you have made of "Sister moon" or "Voices inside my head"... specially "Sister moon".
I don't understand it either. This has nothing to do with me, actually the record company think they can... They have an idea that they can make something new, and I'm very excited by making something out of something old, making something new. And sometimes it fails, but I've nothing to do with it.

Some of "Voices inside my head" are good, but not so much!
I just like them to let them have fun an experiment with it, as sometimes it works, but it's not something I'm particularly interesting in doing. It's something extracurricular.

For example, a remix of "Let your soul" is very great.
Yeah, I like that.

But there's a one, runs ten minutes, and we don't hear you one minute on these ten minutes. I don't think it's really interesting
(Big laughs)

We can't hear you on this song.
They make that for people to dance too.

I've so much things to ask you. I'm a student in design and I love your records sleeves. And, I want to know how your records sleeves are designed, if you have a personal idea of what you want or...
Well, we have a very good design team at A&M records in California (Someone knock on the door).I'm not sure how much I understand about design. I'm not a very visual person, I think in terms of sounds, music. But you know, I know what I like

A voice- I's there anybody there.

Yes, me, come in. Hey, Henry. This is Henry Padovani, one of the legendary figures from...

Henry Padovani -What radio is it?

Sting - NRJ...legendary figures from the past. Of which he's chief (laughs).

HP- So do I.

Sting - Henry was one of the founder members of the Police.

Me- Yes, I know, Fall out...

HP- I'm looking for Miles

Sting - Miles, he was just here a minute ago. See you later.

What were we talking about?

Records sleeves
Yeah, you know, a record sleeve must reflect my mood, or the mood of the record. And basically that's all. That's my only consideration. And I shouldn't look too ugly (laughs).

I've a question to ask and I don't know if you will like it or not. What do you think about Bootlegs records?
Again, I'm ambiguous about it, because, in the one hand, it's flattering that people want to tape your records, and put them out. On the other hand, if Mafia will make lots of money out of it I'm not so keen of it, you know. The Grateful Dead allowed people to record the shows all the time, they encouraged it. And, to be honest with you, bootleging doesn't hurt my career too much, doesn't hurt my finances too much. BUT, it hurts record companies. And if record companies profits go down, they have less money to give to younger bands. And so they can't promote and they can't encourage younger bands. So, in that sense it is a bad thing. But, for me personally, I don't mind.

I've a song, that I found very strange is "Oo la la la Hugh".
Oo la la???

A song that was on the single of "The soul cages". (I sing it).
Oo la la... (he try to sing it).

You don't remember that?
No

You record a song called "Oo la la Hugh".
I did, I don't remember, I must have been drunk.

It's a very strange song where you sing "Oo la la Hugh" on all the song. I find it so strange...
It's on "The soul cages"?

On "The soul cages" single.
Oh, really!

You don't remember that?
No, I don't. You see at the end of the day when I finish the album, the record company asks me for B-side, stuff to fill put on the singles, and I just give a lot of stuff. I've forgotten about, so I don't remember.

It's funny you don't remember that.
Is it terrible.

No, it's funny that you have recorded a song that you don't remember. It's a so strange song that I really understand.

For this tour, I've heard that you want to make a live album.
Actually, that was my idea at the beginning of the tour, but I'm not sure I want to do that this time. We may do, it's not finished yet, but I'm not sure I'll do a live album. I haven't decided.

I've read it on the Internet, there's is so much things on the Internet.
Oh yeah?

Do you like to make the videos of your songs.
Sometimes it is chore, sometimes it's just something I have to do. I prefer music to be just music, you hear on the radio, you know. Because you can invent your own scenario. Whereas on a video you dictate to the listener what the image of the song is. And that is too didactic, you know. So, but some videos are really enjoy making. I enjoyed making "I'm so happy I can't stop crying".

Why this (I make sign on my head)?
I'm wearing a wig on my head, that was funny.

Kim turner makes a sign to stop the interview. I just have time to show him my Sumoner magazines, and he enjoys seeing them. "My own record sleeve" as he tells me, and he signs some records.