As he manoeuvres around his home studio in Los Angeles, colloquially known as the Sacred Grove, Stewart Copeland has a lively conversation using his mobile device. His verbal expression is so engaging that it tends to get dizzying, not because he’s pacing around his room, but due to his ability to hold conversations that stretch across multiple countries. While he takes frequent pauses to emphasise a point, he also uses his other hand to gesture for further emphasis.
The charismatic Copeland naturally draws the focus of any room he enters, providing witty and insightful comments as a seasoned musician. Referencing his musical background, I ask him about his previous performances in Ireland. As he moves about his room, he mentions that he has played in Ireland on three occasions, all as part of The Police. He recalls, “We gave performances in Dublin’s Croke Park in 2007, followed by Belfast in 2008 for our reunion tour. Our first show took place in 1980 at Leixlip Castle, Kildare. I hold a strong memory of U2 from that concert. Although they were relatively unknown at the time, something about them stood out. But let’s steer the conversation back to me.”
Copeland joined our Zoom call to discuss his upcoming show at the Galway International Arts Festival named Police Deranged for Orchestra, planned for the day following his 72nd birthday on Wednesday, July 17th. Incorporating several reconfigured Police songs, the concert is orchestrated for a full ensemble under the direction of Eimear Noone, Copeland’s long-time Irish associate and the conductor for his most recent opera, The Witches Seed, for its Italian play.
Speaking of Noone, Copeland comments on her abilities, “In the Police Deranged concert, her adaptation of ‘Every Breath You Take’ clearly displays the contrast between a person who knows her craft, and me, who is simply groping in the dark. I can’t pretend to be a novice any longer, yet Eimear’s interpretation of that particular tune has indeed been quite enlightening to me.”
The drummer and composer, with an extensive body of work that includes scores for numerous television series and films over the last four decades, is no unfamiliar face in orchestral writing and arranging. The proceeds from The Police’s 2007/2008 reunion tour have granted him relative financial freedom and the ability to pursue his interests without a pressing need to analyse profits.
He highlights that his sole commercial worry is the potential financial hardship of those he collaborates with. Given his success, he possesses the privilege to compose operas, a niche that he acknowledges is not sufficient for family sustenance. Yet, he considers himself luck to be able to do so. He confirms that he has discontinued working on film soundtracks, reminiscing that his time as a salaried worker was amongst the most educational periods of his life. He expresses how this experience taught him various insights unlikely to be discovered from an artist’s perspective.
Arguably the most critical of these lessons was when he began working on Francis Ford Coppola’s classic, Rumble Fish in 1983. One day, Coppola asked him to incorporate strings into the score. This generated a lengthy exploration into the orchestra’s versatility, which, as a drummer, Copeland wouldn’t have pursued. He found that, often, film composer’s journey is guided by director’s vision, and through this experience he unlocked many things he wouldn’t have explored willingly.
After completing another round of Sacred Grove, Copeland treads on with the insight that “A film composer is closer to a craftsman than an artist, whose primary job is to realise the director’s vision.” When asked to produce music in a specific style, he would try his best to understand the inherent emotion and cultural resonance and by doing so, he has honed his skills. Nowadays, Copeland is a composer focusing on writing operas, a transition he believes was made possible by his time away from being a drummer in a rock band.
Growing up, Copeland’s mum, Lorraine, a Scottish archaeologist, had a fondness for 20th-century classical music, appreciating the works of Igor Stravinsky, Carl Orff, Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy, all of whom had a considerable influence on him. His American dad, Miles Copeland Jr, who was indeed an initial member of the CIA, inculcated a love for jazz music in the youngster. Copeland fondly recalls the epic shift brought about by Jimi Hendrix’s music when he was 16. He likens the experience to having Hendrix’s guitar melodies playing in one part of his brain while Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring resounded in the other. What one hears in Galway, according to Copeland, is the fusion of the impressive capabilities of an orchestra with the remarkable capacities of a rock band.
[The unseen life of my father, the spy: Stewart Copeland on his dad’s clandestine life as a CIA agent]
Copeland acknowledges that Police Deranged might be considered by some as a unique way of showcasing heritage material. But, he counters this perception stating that his ease in progressing creatively allows him to reflect on his past comfortably. He mentions that although looking back may be interpreted as indulging in nostalgia – a term he recognises is seen in a negative light by some – he’s not perturbed by it. He accepts that most musicians may declare an aversion to the concept of reminiscing, but Copeland, enriched by personal experiences rather than scholarly studies, recognises the powerful emotional resonance linked with memory-driven music. He comments on the quintessential knowledge all artists and rock bands bear, that when promoting a new album on tour, previous songs are better received due to the emotional attachment formed through familiarity.
Copeland doesn’t experience fear when he decides to revisit his classic hits. To him, songs such as Message In a Bottle, Don’t Stand So Close to Me, Every Breath You Take, Roxanne, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, King of Pain, and Can’t Stand Losing You, radiate in the concert hall unlike anything else. He believes the sentimental value these songs carry is an attribute that new tunes can’t immediately possess. Fresh compositions need time to become beloved, whereas he prefers performing interactive shows with tracks that people are familiar with and have personal emotional links to. He embraces the concept that you can’t trump an old favourite song, but that’s exactly his approach – he delivers them with overwhelming energy.
As we continue our tour of his studio, we spot a plethora of mementoes from his illustrious career. He reveals the original guitar he used, and the amplifier he brought to school. He keeps all his diaries from the 70s in shoe boxes, chronicling the struggles The Police faced during the Thatcher years. Describing himself as a hoarder, he has never parted with his musical equipment, although the reason for this remains unclear to him.
As our time with Copeland comes to a close, he begins to relax. His hoarding mentality extends to his work and he never gets rid of any ideas. He confesses this may stem from an insatiable curiosity, and acknowledges his reputation for being diligent, indicating his commitment to perfection and exploring a subject thoroughly. While admitting luck and phenomenal talent played a significant role in his career, he appreciates what his work has brought him and where he’s reached in life. Every day he hurries through his breakfast, eager to retreat back into this room for more creativity.
Regarding his work plans for the forthcoming year, he is currently developing an opera. This new piece, commissioned by the Juilliard School of Music, is in its initial stages. Despite his active work ethic, he prefers to keep his projects under wraps until they are completed, avoiding any jinxes. He doesn’t consider himself superstitious, but past experiences have influenced him to hold back information about potential projects as they have a tendency to fade away once revealed too soon.
He becomes momentarily tranquil, curtailing his rapid conversation. Nevertheless, he firmly unveils his plans for the Police Deranged for Orchestra. He confidently announces his upcoming visit to Ireland, a declaration he comfortably can make.
The Galway International Arts Festival will debut “Police Deranged for Orchestra,” led by conductor Eimear Noone. Stewart Copeland’s performance will grace the Heineken Big Top stage on Wednesday, July 17th.