Twenty one years ago during the 1986 Amnesty International Tour in Giants Stadium, The Police played "Invisible Sun" and then gave their instruments to U2 who therafter completed the song. To many, it was the symbolic passing of the torch from the Police who ruled the rock scene then to U2.
U2 therafter released the Johsua Tree in 1987 to cement their spot as "Rock's Hottest Ticket" and validate the torch passing from The Police. For the past twenty years, U2 have held on to that throne. Bono stated during the 2000 release of All That You Can't Leave Behind that they were "reapplying to the best-band-in-the-world" job. When they released How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb in 2004, U2 declared they were in competition with acts like The Killers and Franz Ferdinand. Both albums were commercial and critical blockbusters, winning them numerous Grammies.
One year removed from their Grammy success, U2 have been slipping. Their U218 release got lukewarm commercial reaction from the casual music fans they had hoped to draw, and got criticism on the song selection from their more hardcore fanbase. Their new tracks got mixed reactions and failed to add fire to the last leg of their tour. The two singles tanked in the charts also.
With U2 slowing down and nothing new slated for this year, they have been showing some vulenrabiltiy in what was once an invincible armor as the best band in the world. And whether it is by an act of coincidence or destiny, the very band who passed the torch to U2 is back. The Police have reunited after the long hiatus that started when they passed on the torch to U2.
After a rousing performance of "Roxanne" in the very Grammy awards that U2 had dominated the previous year, and a huge world tour looming, it looks like the trio of Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland are back to regain the torch they had passed to U2 more than two decades ago.
The Police are back.
U2 therafter released the Johsua Tree in 1987 to cement their spot as "Rock's Hottest Ticket" and validate the torch passing from The Police. For the past twenty years, U2 have held on to that throne. Bono stated during the 2000 release of All That You Can't Leave Behind that they were "reapplying to the best-band-in-the-world" job. When they released How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb in 2004, U2 declared they were in competition with acts like The Killers and Franz Ferdinand. Both albums were commercial and critical blockbusters, winning them numerous Grammies.
One year removed from their Grammy success, U2 have been slipping. Their U218 release got lukewarm commercial reaction from the casual music fans they had hoped to draw, and got criticism on the song selection from their more hardcore fanbase. Their new tracks got mixed reactions and failed to add fire to the last leg of their tour. The two singles tanked in the charts also.
With U2 slowing down and nothing new slated for this year, they have been showing some vulenrabiltiy in what was once an invincible armor as the best band in the world. And whether it is by an act of coincidence or destiny, the very band who passed the torch to U2 is back. The Police have reunited after the long hiatus that started when they passed on the torch to U2.
After a rousing performance of "Roxanne" in the very Grammy awards that U2 had dominated the previous year, and a huge world tour looming, it looks like the trio of Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland are back to regain the torch they had passed to U2 more than two decades ago.
The Police are back.
I am still interested in what U2 still has left to do, even if I don't like some of their new stuff as much as some of their old stuff. I would still pay to see U2, whereas I can't imagine myself paying to see The Police. Of course it's not as if I was a huge Police fan to begin with. But it just seemed sort of silly last night 
My feeling is that they're in this to make some quick bucks and it won't be any sort of lasting thing that will challenge U2.
