Sting has some very interesting thoughts about being in a band, especially as a musician ages.
In a new interview with MOJO, it was referenced how Sting said in his 2003 memoir Broken Music that a big reason why The Police broke up was due to the band not sharing songwriting credits. (Sting was the primary songwriter on all five studio albums from the trio.) When asked if there was anything that could’ve prevented a Police split, Sting says the following:
“I don’t think any grown man can be in a band, actually. A band is a teenage gang. Who wants to be in a teenage gang when you’re knocking 70? It doesn’t allow you to evolve. You have to obey the rules and the gestalt of the band. As much as I love the Stones and AC/DC, it’s hard to see growth in their music. For me, the band was merely a vehicle for the songs and not the other way around.”
When The Police broke up, Sting would release his debut solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, in June 1985. When asked what he would’ve done if the album bombed, he responded:
“Well, both Andy and Stewart had made albums without me so it was my right, too. I recruited a band from the jazz world and I was lucky it was a hit. I have no idea what would have happened if it hadn’t been a hit. Would I have gone back to the band and eaten humble pie? I hope not.”