Andy Summers on the Police: ‘We Were the Most Desirable Men in the World’
While we’re on the subject of Synchronicity, that record featured a particularly intriguing tune with Middle Eastern melodies and neurotic vocals that you wrote called “Mother.” What’s the deal with that song?
It was ludicrous. We were so popular. We should only had huge, mainstream hits. Well, I got this insane, psycho blues on there, but it was the song that everybody picked up on because it was so off the wall. I’m sure all guys go this way with their mum: My mother absolutely doted on me and was always calling me and wanted to know her son in this band, and that song just came out one day. “Is that my mother on the phone? And every girl turned to my mother in the end.”
Did she like it?
She loved it. And I thought, “Oh, my God.” I was working up the apologies to my mother. I thought she was going to be all upset and in tears. She wasn’t, she loved the bloody song.
Still, the film shows the tensions you had when you reunited. What’s the trick to dealing with that? Surrender?
I think “surrender” is a very good word, actually. I love that word. In my case, I get back into my hotel room and just sit there and think about it. “What’s at stake here?” There’s going to be shit. There’s going to be turbulence. You have to get a mantra going that you’re going to get through this. That was certainly true at the reunion tour at the beginning. That feeling of, “Oh God, not this again.” Once it got going, we were OK.
How does it feel now when you look back at that tour? Do you feel “done” with the Police?
Yeah, it’s a funny one. What’s the point in shutting the door? If you ever come back, you’ve got to go, “Oh well, we didn’t mean that.” You’ve got to go through all that bullshit. Just leave the door open. Who knows where life is going to go? This is the first time in history, where the biggest concert draws are all over 50. I don’t say, “The door is shut.” We’re all in touch. I saw Sting on Saturday, and I got an e-mail from Sting this morning so the thread continues.