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The Police

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The Police
Photo: Danny Quatrochi, 2018

On 28th Sept 1980, The Police were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with “Don’t Stand So Close To Me,” the group’s third No.1. Taken from their album Zenyatta Mondatta, the single went on to become the best selling UK single of 1980.

I think we forget how good Sting and his mates were. Maybe there wasn’t much else in the charts? Let me think, what else did we have in 1980? Well, we started the year with Rupert Holmes singing his “Pina Colada” song. Add that to Kenny Rodgers and “Coward of the County,” “Sexy Eyes” by Dr Hook, and Barbra Streisand’s “Woman In Love” and all the bad memories of 1980 hit you over the head.

But, it wasn’t all that bad. We also had Michael Jackson belting out “Rock With You,” Pink Floyd adding “Another Brick In the Wall,” and Paul McCartney with a live version of “Coming Up.”

You can see where I’m going with this. The Police sounded like nothing else from 1980. They weren’t pop or disco or rock, they sounded so fresh, leaping about in their videos. The Police were good. A breath of fresh air.

Sting, Stuart, and Andy looked like a group, acted like a group, and were making great records. In the song, Sting goes back in time, long before he became a superstar, to his days of teaching.

I wonder what he was like, stood in front of the class? You get the impression Gordon Sumner always knew he was going to achieve much greater things. And he did.

And what of the lanky drummer and short guitarist? Well, Sting needed them. The pair were rock solid. American drummer Stuart Copeland had smelt a little success in British progressive rock band Curved Air. He went on to be ranked by a Rolling Stone magazine reader poll in 2010 as the fifth greatest drummer of all time.

The Police

Guitarist Andy Summer, who was born in the north of England, had moved to London to join Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band. He then bummed his way around California, doing anything he could to pay the bills, busking, guitar lessons, but along the way crafting his skills which made him a first-rate player. Like Copeland, Summer was an excellent musician. And again like Copeland, just needed the right vehicle to take him on the journey to superstardom.

That vehicle was Gordon Sumner. The English and math schoolteacher was gigging in bands in and around his hometown of Newcastle in the North East of England. Anyone who’s ever been to Newcastle will know it’s a cold, icy city in the winter, but has an edge to it that has made it the breeding ground for a plethora of musical talent.

Sting moved to London in 1977 to look for like-minded musicians and formed The Police. The Police were different; they were a new wave band but also played a style of rock that was influenced by punk, reggae, and jazz.

King Of Pain

In February 1978, the band, desperate for money, was asked to do a commercial for Wrigley’s spearmint chewing gum on the condition that they dye their hair blonde. Although the commercial was shot with the band, it was shelved and never aired. Ladies and gentlemen, we now have The Police as we know them: three skinny guys with blonde hair and a singer who always wore a yellow and black jersey (so they called him Sting).

Before you knew it, the trio had released five chart-topping albums, won six Grammy awards and a couple of Brits awards. The guy with the stripy jumper left for a very successful solo career and boasted about having tantric sex for days on end. And saved a rainforest.

And the other two, well, they did all right too. The Police were a great group. One thing that made them great was they didn’t sound or look like anyone else. They were unique. Every little thing they did was… magic. Well, most of it was… I just remembered “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da”.

Important Dates In The Life Of The Police:

On this day in music
26 May 2021
Police in the US state of New Hampshire issued an active arrest warrant for singer Marilyn Manson in connection with assault charges. Manson, was accused of two counts of "class A misdemeanour simple assault" involving a videographer during a concert in Gilford in 2019. In a statement, the police said the singer and his agents "have been aware of the warrant for some time". But he had made no effort to return to answer the charges, the police said.
27 Oct 2014
The Last Ship, Sting's musical about shipbuilding in north-east England, opened on Broadway. The former frontman with The Police described watching the opening night as "an out-of-body experience". Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and Blondie's Deborah Harry were among the first night audience at the Neil Simon Theatre.
13 Mar 2014
Two people were killed and 23 injured after a drunk driver crashed through barricades set up for the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. The driver was thought to have been trying to escape from the police when the accident happened. Two other people later died in hospital.
14 Sep 2011
It was reported that a Swedish Bob Dylan fan had been arrested for singing Bob Dylan songs outside his ex-girlfriends house. The love-sick man had also cobbled together a group of five other men to serve as vocal accompaniment for the late-night live performance, each of who donned hoodies with their hoods up. But soon after the man began to serenade his ex, who had previously taken out a restraining order against him, she called the police, leaving 50-year-old guitarist blowin in the wind. 'I had the idea that I'd play a Bob Dylan song for her,' the man told police. (No word on which song, unfortunately.)
23 Jul 2009
On the afternoon of tonight's concert at First Energy Park, Lakewood, New Jersey, Bob Dylan was picked up by a young policewoman who had been alerted of a man who was 'acting suspiciously'. The police officer drove up to Dylan, who was wearing a blue jacket, and asked him his name, but she did not recognise him. When he was unable to produce any identification, Dylan was driven to his hotel where staff were able to vouch for him. The incident happened when Dylan decided to go for a walk in the afternoon while on tour with Willie Nelson who were due to perform at the local baseball stadium with John Mellencamp.
6 Apr 2009
PRS for Music announced that the money made by UK artists overseas increased by £20m ($29.45) in 2008, with British talent earning almost £140m ($206.23) in 2008. It said international tours by UK acts including The Police, Coldplay, Elton John and Iron Maiden had boosted income. Four of the top 10 bestselling albums globally were by British artists, Coldplay's Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends was the bestselling album, with 6.8 million copies sold, while Welsh singer-songwriter Duffy was fourth with her debut album Rockferry, Leona Lewis and Amy Winehouse were sixth and seventh respectively.
21 Jul 2008
The Police played the first of two nights at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado during the final leg of their 152-date world Reunion tour. The tour became the third highest grossing tour of all time, with revenues reaching over $340 million.
23 Dec 2007
The Police were named as the highest earning touring group for the past year, bringing in nearly £66.5m, ($132m). The band's 54 date North American tour had generated almost double the total of the second-placed act, Country star Kenny Chesney.
10 Oct 2007
Sting topped a list of the worst lyricists ever, for such alleged sins as name-dropping Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov in The Police tune "Don't Stand So Close to Me," quoting a Volvo bumper sticker ("If You Love Someone Set Them Free"), and co-opting the works of Chaucer, St. Augustine and Shakespeare. The survey in Blender magazine placed Rush drummer Neil Peart at No. 2, Creed frontman Scott Stapp at No. 3 and Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher at No. 4 saying Gallagher "seemed incapable of following a metaphor through a single line, let alone a whole verse."
4 Sep 2007
The Police played the first UK date on their Reunion tour when they played two nights at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England.
1 Aug 2007
The Police played the first of two sold out nights at Madison Square Garden, New York City on their Reunion Tour.
7 Jul 2007
The Live Earth concerts took place around the world with The Police closing the days events in New Jersey. The concerts were organised by former US Vice-President Al Gore, as part of his campaign to "heal the planet". Rock stars from around the world performed to hundreds of thousands of fans to highlight climate change. Concerts were held in Washington, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, London, Hamburg, Tokyo, Shanghai and Sydney. Madonna brought London's Live Earth concert to a close, playing a song she had written for the event. Other major acts who appeared included; Snow Patrol, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Genesis, The Beastie Boys, James Blunt, Foo Fighters, Duran Duran, UB40, Snoop Dogg, Enrique Iglesias, Crowded House & Joss Stone.
12 Feb 2007
During a press conference at West Hollywood's Whisky a Go Go club Sting confirmed that The Police were getting back together. The band were set to kick off a world tour on May 28 in Vancouver, Canada, supported by Sting's son Joe Sumner's band, Fiction Plane.
9 Sep 2006
50 Cent was stopped by police for alleged unsafe driving in New York and received citations for an unsafe lane change, driving with an expired permit, driving without insurance and driving without vehicle registration. A crowd gathered, taking photos, cheering the superstar and jeering the police after he was pulled over in his silver open-topped Lamborghini.
6 Sep 2006
Victor Willis, who performed as the policeman in The Village People was given three years probation for drugs offences after pleading no contest to the charges, dating from March 2006. Willis co-wrote some of the group's biggest hits - including 'YMCA' and 'In The Navy.'
25 Feb 2006
George Michael was found slumped over in a car in Hyde Park, London. A concerned person spotted the singer and called police who after being checked by paramedics was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs and then released on bail. Michael made a public statement about the incident and said "I was in possession of class C drugs which is an offense and I have no complaints about the police who were professional throughout." He also said that the event was "my own stupid fault, as usual."
22 Jan 2006
Arctic Monkeys scored their second UK No.1 single with 'When The Sun Goes Down', from their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. The song contains the line, "and he told Roxanne to put on her red light," a reference to The Police song, Roxanne.
7 Oct 2005
Boy George was arrested in New York after Police found traces of drugs in his apartment. George had called the police after he thought somebody was breaking into his apartment. When police arrived and made a search they found traces of cocaine on a computer table.
27 Feb 2004
A worker in a supermarket in Aspen, Colorado alerted the police-after seeing a man shopping with his face covered by a mask. Police arrived on the scene and identified the man as Michael Jackson who was in town on holiday with his children.
11 Dec 2003
Bobby Brown was charged with battery after allegedly hitting wife Whitney Houston in the face. Brown, turned himself in to the police three days after a reported domestic dispute at the couple's home in Atlanta, Georgia. Houston, who accompanied her husband to court, said they were trying to work out their problems "privately."
2 Dec 2003
Darkness singer Justin Hawkins was held for two hours at JFK Airport, New York after police mistook him for a wanted man with the same name and looks. The police only agreed to let him go after Justin's fiance and manager Sue Whitehouse produced a tour schedule to prove that he was in England on July 4th when the crime was committed.
20 Nov 2003
Michael Jackson flew to Santa Barbara to be arrested by police. He was seen in handcuffs being taken into the police station. The singer had his mug shot and fingerprints taken before being freed on $3m bail.
1 Jun 2003
Slipknot bassist Paul Gray was arrested on drugs and drink-driving charges after he collided with a car after going through a red light in his home town of Des Moines, Iowa. Gray, (who wears a pig mask on stage) then tried to write a cheque for $1,000 (£600) to the other driver, who then called the police. Gray failed two alcohol tests at the scene and was arrested for possession of marijuana, cocaine and drug paraphernalia, as well drink-driving.
5 Feb 2003
Courtney Love blamed her bad language for the alleged air rage incident that led to her arrest at London's Heathrow Airport. As she left Heathrow's police station the singer said: "I cussed at a lady-my daughter always said I had a potty mouth." When asked what it had been like inside the police station, the singer said: "It was fine. They were wonderful in there. It was like being on Prime Suspect."
31 Mar 2001
Whitney Houston and husband Bobby Brown were banned for life from Hollywood's Bel Air hotel after wrecking their room. Hotel workers said a TV was smashed, two doors were ripped of their hinges and the walls and carpets were stained by alcohol. It was reported that Whitney called in her lawyers to plead with the hotel management not to call the police. The suite was so badly damaged it had to be shut for five days for repairs.
8 Jan 2000
It was reported that police foiled a £1 million ($1.7million) kidnap plot to snatch Victoria Beckham and her baby son. The plot was uncovered after a tip-off to the police. The gang had planned to kidnap the pair when husband David was away playing football.
14 Sep 1999
It was reported that George Michael was being sued for $10m by the policeman who arrested the singer in a public lavatory. Marcelo Rodriguez claimed he was mocked in the video 'Outside' leaving him in physical distress.
28 Jun 1997
Puff Daddy and Faith Evans started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'I'll Be Missing You'. Released in memory of fellow Bad Boy Records artist Notorious B.I.G. who was murdered on March 9, 1997. The song sampled the melody of The Police hit 'Every Breath You Take'.
20 Sep 1993
Just back from a tour of Japan, keyboard player with The Charlatans Rob Collins was out with an old friend. They stopped at an off-licence and his friend went in, half-jokingly saying he could rob the place. When he came out with a loud bang, Collins stupidly picked him up. The police arrested the pair the next day and charged them both with attempted robbery and possession of a firearm (it was a replica gun).
18 Jun 1993
A&M Records chairman Jerry Moss and vice-chairman Herb Alpert announced they were leaving the company they founded more than 30 years earlier. They had sold A&M in 1990 to Polygram for $500 million. Moss and Alpert started the label in the garage of Alpert's Los Angeles home in 1962. The label was the home to such acts as The Police, Bryan Adams, Joan Baez, Flying Burrito Brothers, The Carpenters, Joe Cocker, Supertramp and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.
22 Aug 1992
Sting and Trudie Styler held their wedding reception, (the couple married on 20th August 1992), after The Troggs had played a set, all three members of The Police got on stage and played a couple of numbers.
19 Dec 1991
Joe Cole, an American roadie for Black Flag and Rollins Band, was shot and killed in an armed robbery. Cole and Henry Rollins had attended a Hole concert at the Whisky a Go Go and were returning home after having stopped at an all-night grocery store when two armed men – described as black in their 20s – approached them demanding money. Angry that Rollins and Cole had only $50 between them, the gunmen ordered the two men to go inside their house for more cash. Rollins entered at gunpoint. However, Cole was killed outside after being shot in the face at close range while Rollins escaped out the back door and alerted the police. The murder remains unsolved. Cole is remembered in the Sonic Youth songs ‘JC’ and ‘100%’ on their album Dirty.
30 Oct 1990
Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose was released on $10,000 bail, after being arrested for allegedly hitting a neighbour over the head with a bottle. The incident happened after a complaint to the police about loud music coming from the singer's house.
2 May 1989
A security guard alerted the police after a man wearing a wig, fake moustache and false teeth walked into Zales Jewellers, California. Three squad cars arrived and police detained the man, who turned out to be Michael Jackson in disguise.
27 Mar 1987
U2 performed from the roof of a store in downtown LA to make the video for 'Where The Streets Have No Name', attracting thousands of spectators and bringing traffic to a standstill. The police eventually stop the shoot.
11 Feb 1985
The Police won Outstanding Contribution to British music at the fourth annual Brit Awards held in London. Other winners included Prince for best International Act and Best Soundtrack for Purple Rain, British Single was Frankie Goes To Hollywood 'Relax', British Video was Duran Duran for 'Wild Boys', British Comedy Recording Neil 'Hole In My Shoe', British Album went to Sade for 'Diamond Life', British Male Solo Artist was won by Paul Young, British Female Solo Artist, Alison Moyet and Best British Group went to Wham!
17 Dec 1983
Culture Club, Duran Duran and The Police all appeared on the children's UK TV show Saturday Superstore.
20 Aug 1983
Madness, Joan Jett, The Police and R.E.M. all appeared at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.
18 Aug 1983
The Police plus Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and R.E.M. (their biggest gig to date) all appeared at Shea Stadium, New York City.
23 Jul 1983
The Police kicked off the North American leg of their Synchronicity 107-date world tour at Comiskey Park, Chicago, Illinois. The Police also went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Synchronicity', which spent a total of seventeen weeks at No.1.
9 Jul 1983
The Police started an eight week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Every Breath You Take' also No.1 in the UK. Taken from the bands album Synchronicity, Sting won Song of the Year and The Police won Best Pop Performance for the song at the 1984 Grammy Awards.
25 Jun 1983
The Police scored their fourth UK No.1 album with 'Synchronicity', also No.1 in the US and featuring the singles 'Every Breath You Take' and 'Wrapped Around Your Finger'.
4 Jun 1983
The Police started a four week run at No.1 in the UK with 'Every Breath You Take' the group's fifth and final No.1 single. Taken from the bands album Synchronicity, Sting won Song of the Year and The Police won Best Pop Performance for the song at the 1984 Grammy Awards.
3 Sep 1982
The three day US Festival in San Bernardino, California took place featuring, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, The Police, The Cars, Talking Heads, The Kinks, Ramones, B52's, The English Beat, Gang Of Four, Grateful Dead, Pat Benatar, Jackson Browne. Apple Computers founder Steven Wozniak bankrolled the festival.
28 Mar 1982
David Crosby was arrested after crashing his car on the San Diego Highway. Police also found cocaine and a pistol in the Crosby Stills & Nash stars car. When the police asked Crosby why he carried the gun, his reply was, 'John Lennon'.
24 Feb 1982
The Police won best British group at the first annual Brit Awards held in London, Adam And The Ants won best album for 'Kings Of The Wild Frontier', Cliff Richard won British Male Solo Artist, Randy Crawford won British Female Solo Artist, British Breakthrough Act went to The Human League, British Producer was Martin Rushent and Outstanding Contribution went to John Lennon.
14 Nov 1981
The Police had their fourth UK No.1 single with 'Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic', a No.3 hit in the US.
10 Oct 1981
The Police went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Ghost In The Machine', the bands third No.1 LP.
7 Jan 1981
The Police played the first night of a North American tour at The University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada during their Zenyatta Mondatta World Tour.
11 Oct 1980
The Police scored their second UK No.1 album with their third studio release 'Zenyatta Mondatta', which featured, 'Don't Stand So Close to Me', 'Canary in a Coalmine and 'De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da.'
28 Sep 1980
The Police were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Don't Stand So Close To Me' the group's third No.1. Taken from their album 'Zenyatta Mondatta' and the best selling single of 1980.
26 Mar 1980
The Police became the first Western pop group to play in Bombay, India for over ten years when they played a one off gig in the city.
7 Dec 1979
The Police had their second UK No.1 single with 'Walking on the Moon', taken from their second album 'Reggatta De Blanc'. The video for the song was filmed at Kennedy Space Center interspersed with NASA footage.
4 Nov 1979
The Police released 'Walking on the Moon' as the second single from their second studio album, Reggatta de Blanc which became the band's second No.1 hit in the UK. Sting has said that he wrote the song when he was drunk one night after a concert in Munich. The following morning, he remembered the song and wrote it down.
13 Oct 1979
'Reggatta De Blanc' the second album from The Police started a four-week run at No.1 in the UK. The album which features the band's first two No.1 hits, 'Message in a Bottle' and 'Walking on the Moon', cost only £6,000 to record.
29 Sep 1979
The Police had their first UK No.1 single with 'Message In A Bottle' the group's third Top 20 hit. The song was released as the first single from Reggatta de Blanc and also topped the charts in Ireland and reached No.5 in Australia. Despite its popularity in the UK, the single only reached No.74 in the United States.
25 Apr 1979
The Police made their debut on BBC TV's Top Of The Pops performing 'Roxanne'. The single which was taken from their album Outlandos d'Amour was written from the point-of-view of a man who falls in love with a prostitute.
2 Nov 1978
The Police released their debut album, Outlandos d'Amour. The working title, 'Police Brutality,' was changed to make is sound more romantic. The title loosely translates as 'Outlaws of Love' but the term 'Outlandos' is actually a mix of the words for 'Outlaws' and 'Commandos.' Elevated by the success of its lead single, 'Roxanne', Outlandos d'Amour peaked at No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart and at No. 23 in the United States. The album spawned two additional hit singles: 'Can't Stand Losing You' and 'So Lonely'.
20 Oct 1978
The Police made their US debut at C.B.G.B.S, New York. The trio had flown on low cost tickets with Laker Airtrain from the UK, carrying their instruments as hand luggage.
12 Oct 1978
Whilst living at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City, Sex Pistol Sid Vicious called the police to say that someone had stabbed his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. He was arrested and charged with murder and placed in the detox unit of a New York prison. Vicious died of a heroin overdose before the case went to trial.
14 Aug 1978
The Police released their third single 'Can't Stand Losing You' as the follow-up single to 'Roxanne' which when released the following year peaked at No.2 on the UK chart. Written by singer and bassist Sting as a song about suicide, the song gained minor controversy for its single cover art, featuring Stewart Copeland hanging himself.
7 Apr 1978
The Police released 'Roxanne' as the first single from their debut album Outlandos d'Amour. The song was written from the point of view of a man who falls in love with a prostitute. The title came from the name of the character in the play Cyrano de Bergerac, which Sting saw on an old poster which was hanging in a hotel foyer in Paris, France where the group had been staying. The song failed to chart but when re-released in 1979, peaked at No.12 on the UK Singles Chart.
22 Mar 1978
The Police signed to A&M Records. The band scored over 15 UK Top 40 hits with the label including the worldwide No.1 'Every Breath You Take.'
22 Feb 1978
The Police appeared in a Wrigley's Chewing Gum commercial for US TV, the band dyed their hair blonde for the appearance.
13 Jan 1978
With a budget of only £1,500 borrowed from Stewart Copeland's brother Miles Copeland III, The Police started recording their debut album at Surrey Sound Studios, Surrey, England with producer Nigel Gray. The album 'Outlandos d'Amour' which was released in November of this year featured the hits 'So Lonely', 'Roxanne' and 'Can't Stand Losing You'.
18 Aug 1977
The Police made their live debut as a three-piece band when they played at Rebecca's Birmingham, England. The Police became globally popular in the late 1970s and are generally regarded as one of the first New Wave groups to achieve mainstream success, playing a style of rock that was influenced by punk, reggae, and jazz.
12 Aug 1977
Henri Padovani guitarist with The Police quit the group after nine months leaving them a trio.
6 Aug 1977
The Police appeared at The Red Cow, Hammersmith Road in London, admission was 60p.
3 Mar 1977
The first night of an UK tour with Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, Cherry Vanilla and The Police kicked off at the Roxy Club, London. John Otway and Wild Willie Barratt played at The Speakeasy, London and Iggy Pop supported by The Vibrators appeared at Huddersfield Poly.
12 Feb 1977
The Police recorded their first single, 'Fall Out' for £150 ($255) at Pathway Studios, London, England. Written by drummer Stewart Copeland it is the only Police recording featuring original guitarist Henry Padovani. Mick Jagger's review of the single in Sounds magazine (as a guest reviewer) called the song "competently played rock, with nasal annihilated vocals." It failed to chart on its original release, but when re-released in 1979 it made No.47 on the UK Singles Chart.
12 Jan 1977
The Police had their first rehearsal, held at drummer's Stewart Copeland's London flat, with Henri Padovani on guitar.
17 Jun 1976
Blondie released their debut single 'X Offender'. Written by Gary Valentine and Debbie Harry, the title of the song was originally 'Sex Offender', written about an 18-year-old boy being arrested for having sex with his younger girlfriend. Debbie Harry changed the lyrics so that the song was about a prostitute being attracted to the police officer that had arrested her. Private Stock, the band’s label insisted that the single be changed to 'X Offender' because they were nervous about the original title.
19 May 1976
Rolling Stone Keith Richards crashed his car near Newport Pagnell, Bucks, after falling asleep at the wheel; marijuana and cocaine were found by the police resulting in another fine for the guitarist.
21 Mar 1976
After a David Bowie concert at the Community War Memorial arena in Rochester, New York, Iggy Pop and David Bowie were involved in a drug bust at their hotel room where the police found 182 grams (a little over 6.4 ounces) of marijuana. The pair spent the rest of the night in the Monroe County Jail and were released at about 7 a.m. on $2,000 bond each.
5 Jan 1976
Former The Beatles roadie Mal Evans was shot dead by police at his Los Angeles apartment. His girlfriend called police when she found Evans upset with a rifle in his hand; he pointed the gun at the police who opened fire. Friends later said that Evans was depressed about his separation from his wife Lil Evans — who had asked for a divorce before Christmas.
3 Apr 1975
Steve Miller was charged with setting fire to the clothes of a friend, Benita Diorio. When police arrived at Miller's house, Diorio was putting out the flames, Miller then got into a fight with some of the policemen and was charged with resisting arrest.
9 Mar 1975
Actor Telly Savalas was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of the David Gates (from Bread) song 'If'. Savalas was currently high in the TV ratings playing the policeman Kojak.
21 Aug 1972
Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane was arrested after a fight broke out on stage during a concert when the police had been called 'pigs'. Grace Slick was 'Mace' and another group member injured at the show in Akron.
16 Jan 1970
Two days after it opened, the Bag One Gallery in London, England was raided by Scotland Yard. The police remove eight John Lennon lithographs under the Obscene Publications Act.
22 Jul 1969
Aretha Franklin was arrested for causing a disturbance in a Detroit parking lot. After posting 50-dollars bail, she ran down a road sign while leaving the police station.
21 Jun 1968
Pink Floyd played two shows in one day: the first at the Commemoration Ball, Balliol College, Oxford, and then at Middle Earth Club, Covent Garden, London. The club was notable for several drug raids by the police, during which underage revellers were arrested; on one occasion a machine called the 'Trip Machine' was dismantled and taken away by the police.
29 Jan 1968
The Doors appeared at The Pussy Cat A Go Go, Las Vegas. After the show singer Jim Morrison taunts a security guard in the parking lot by pretending to smoke a joint, resulting in a fight. The police arrive who arrest Morrison and charge him with vagrancy, public drunkenness, and failure to possess sufficient identification.
9 Dec 1967
The Doors appeared at the New Haven Arena, New Haven, Connecticut. Before the show a policeman found singer Jim Morrison making out with an 18 year-old girl in a backstage shower and after an argument the policeman sprays mace in Morrison’s face. Once on stage Morrison tells the story of the backstage episode and starts taunting the police who drag him off the stage and arrest him. The crowd riots leaving the venue in disarray and many are arrested. Later over 100 protestors gathered at the police station in demonstration and more arrests were made.
31 Oct 1967
Rolling Stone Brian Jones was released from Wormwood Scrubs prison on £750 bail pending appeal. Jones had been found guilty of possession of cannabis. Seven Stones fans were arrested and charged with obstructing the police after demonstrating outside the prison gates.
14 Sep 1967
Filming continued for The Beatles 'Magical Mystery Tour' in South West England. The Beatles searched for a quiet, secluded field in which they could conduct filming but once they'd disembarked from the bus and set up for shooting, scores of onlookers began to crowd around, causing a traffic jam that required the police to step in.
23 Aug 1967
Enjoying a wild birthday party Keith Moon drummer with The Who drove his Lincoln car into a Holiday Inn swimming pool. As the party had become out of control, the police were called to put an end to the festivities. Moon, ever keen to avoid the boys in blue snuck outside and got into a Lincoln Continental Limousine and attempted to make a getaway. Unfortunately, in his inebriated state he released the handbrake, and began rolling towards the pool. Moon simply sat back and waited, as the car crashed through the fence around the pool and into the water.
12 Feb 1967
15 police officers raided Redlands the West Sussex home of The Rolling Stone Keith Richards during a weekend party. The police who were armed with a warrant issued under the dangerous drugs act took away various substances for forensic tests. George and Pattie Harrison had been at the house, but it was said that the police waited for them to leave before they raided the house in order not to bust the holder of an MBE.
15 Sep 1964
The Beatles on tour in the USA, appeared at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio. During the performance a group of fans managed to break through the line of police fronting the stage and get up on-stage. Police ordered The Beatles off-stage in the middle of a song, and the concert only resumed after Derek Taylor got on the PA system and pleaded for order to be restored so that the rest of the performance would not be cancelled by the police.
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