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Carrying the torch lit by Ben in an earlier post. I just wanted to say a few words about this album cover:
You see, I am a big Police fan, and the rumour of a possible reunion, and the fact that they may even be practicing in Vancouver is a great thing to consider. But this album cover is intriguing to me, because of the way my opinion of it changed practically instantly one day.
It's like this - when I first saw it, I LOVED the cover. It had this mysterious, organic, yet calculated feel to it, and the interesting thing here, is that I got these aesthetics because I didn't actually see the "faces." I just saw a seemingly random, complex design, which for whatever reason, just looked cool. It kind of reminded me a little of that "life" software you could get that most people didn't actually seem to understanding but thought was neat anyway.
And then one day, a friend says, "Isn't it cool, how Sting's hair sticks up here?" and whoosh! - the entire appeal of the cover disappeared completely. And sadly, is still gone to this day. Whenever I look at this cover (because seriously folks, songs like "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" just need to be listened to every so often), I just see the three faces, and for some reason, this makes me sad.
Am I the only one who had this experience?
Comments
I hadn't noticed it before you mentioned it. I bought the album for a friend and taped it before I gave it to him. I instantly recognize it as the Police album I bought but hadn't put the faces idea to it until I saw it.
Bastard.
Posted by: Ack | January 26, 2007 3:50 PM
Okay, if the middle one is Sting, then which one is Stewart and which one is Andy?
Posted by: Julie Stahlhut | January 26, 2007 4:26 PM
Yes, Dave. I had this exact experience about thirty seconds ago. Thanks a lot.
I always liked to imagine it was the face of a broken digital alarm clock that Stuart Copeland smashed over Sting's head in one of their famous brawls.
Speaking of which: Which one is supposed to be Stu?
Posted by: Eric F | January 26, 2007 4:29 PM
I had always thought Stewart was the one on the right (with the hair wave). Stewart always had the long hair, which, of course, is one of those things that helps achieve that iconic drummer status.
Posted by: David Ng | January 26, 2007 4:30 PM
Hey, since this seems to be a commonish occurence. Any neuro-folks out there can throw a science term that somehow captures this experience. That is - if there is such a thing.
Posted by: David Ng | January 26, 2007 4:36 PM
Reunion is no longer a rumour. Sting arrived in Vanocuver this morning and Stewart and Andy ahve been here for a couple of days. They have set up a rehersal site at Lion's Gate Studios in North Vancouver and are planning an 80 show tour.
Posted by: CanuckRob | January 26, 2007 5:26 PM
I just had it then. Damn you.
And my Police moment - I saw their farewell concert in Melbourne.
Posted by: John Wilkins | January 26, 2007 6:43 PM
I always saw the faces, so right now I'm more like, "what the heck is wrong with you people?"
Don't take it personally, though.
Posted by: PZ Myers | January 27, 2007 12:21 AM
I STILL don't see the faces, which makes me wonder it is PZ or myself that lacks an imagination.
Posted by: Robert P. | January 27, 2007 12:32 AM
You know it's funny, but now that I see it, I do sometimes wonder, "How did I miss that?" Anyway, it was way cooler when I didn't see the faces (at least for me).
Also, the one of the right is Stewart. At least according to wiki
Posted by: David Ng | January 27, 2007 1:56 PM
I used to think it was a really cool cover too...until about 2 minutes ago. Thanks. Oh course, I was a 3 when the album came out, so, really, I'm just experiencing a phantom disappointment for a limb that I never actually had in the first place. It's kind of like how all the cool undergrads at my university seem to have some supernatural fondness for the 80s, even though most of them were born in the late 80s.
Posted by: Ethan Romero | January 29, 2007 6:00 PM