HW/NIK: Greasy Truckers Party 2001

[K Henderson]

I said without thinking....

>>I thought of the Police. Wasn't there a couple of connections there?
>
>Uh, not really (at least I don't think so).  Yeah, Mike Howlett (Gong) was
>the one who was responsible for getting Sting, Copeland, and Somers
>(Summers) together originally - in the form of 90Sr (Strontium-90, "Cancer
>in the Blood" is the Hawkwind reference there I suppose), as explained in
>detail in the liner notes of said band's 'archival' disc of live and demo
>songs entitled "Police Academy."

As Nick reminded me...

Oh, yeah!  That 'Nuclear Waste' thingy with Nik and Sting and
Hillage/Williamson.  In that 'tin' thing or whatever.  Can't tell you how
much I've banned the idea of purchasing one of those things from my mind!  :)

Anyway, Stewart Copeland?!  Seems like a weird idea.  He's such a good
drummer IMHO, what the hell would be doing on stage with this riff-raff?!
My enjoyment of the Police is mainly due to Copeland (his songs are the
best, and his playing is the most interesting part).  They certainly did put
out some hideous pop numbers (Opus the Penguin's "Every Herring You Bake"
was damn funny, esp. with Tuba solo), but there's interesting stuff on every
album, and I like 'Regatta de Blanc' (white reggae literally) in general -
see Ozric Tentacles, Hawkwind live dub routine, Mr. Quimby's Beard, and
early 10,000 Maniacs (whose career has paralleled the Police's very closely,
with Natalie Merchant offering now some of the most horrific solo material
this side of Sting, but whose initial works of 1981-2 were very peculiar
Caribbean-folk-punk-rock and colored by the crazy psychedelic-flavored
guitar of the late great Rob Buck - you don't believe me, do you?  You think
I've lost it today, right?).

Grakkl (FAA)

P.S.  The Police was the third concert I ever saw, c. 1981, following the
Judas Priest/Whitesnake/Iron Maiden (pre-Dickenson) show and Ritchie
Blackmore's Rainbow.  Bow Wow Wow w/ a 14-yr. old Annabella Lwin were
openers.  For some reason, right now I'm craving some candy.