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Sting's solo career began in 1982, two years before the break-up of the Police, for whom he was lead singer and bass player. In that year he starred in the film Brimstone And Treacle and from it released a version of the 30s ballad, "Spread A Little Happiness", composed by Vivian Ellis. Its novel character and Sting's own popularity ensured Top 20 status in Britain. While continuing to tour and record with the Police, he also co-wrote and appeared on the Dire Straits hit "Money For Nothing" and sang harmonies on Phil Collins' No Jacket Required. By 1985, however, the other members of the Police were pursuing solo interests and Sting formed a touring band, the Blue Turtles. It included leading New York jazz figures such as Branford Marsalis (alto saxophone), Kenny Kirkland (keyboards) and Omar Hakim (drums). The group recorded his first solo album at Eddy Grant's studio in Jamaica before Marsalis and Sting performed at the Live Aid concert with Phil Collins. The Dream Of The Blue Turtles found Sting developing the more cerebral lyrics found on the final Police album, Synchronicity. It also brought him three big international hits with "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (UK number 26, US number 3), "Fortress Around Your Heart" (UK number 49, US number 8), and "Russians" (UK number 12, US number 16).
In 1985, Michael Apted directed Bring On The Night, an in concert film about Sting and his touring band (a live album was also released). Following a tour with the Blue Turtles, Sting recorded 1987's Nothing Like The Sun (a title taken from a Shakespeare sonnet) with Marsalis and Police guitarist Andy Summers plus guests Rub‚n Blades, Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler. The album was an instant success internationally and contained "They Dance Alone (Gueca Solo)", Sting's tribute to the victims of repression in Argentina, in addition to a notable recording of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing". This track featured one of the last orchestral arrangements by the late Gil Evans. The same year Sting took part in Amnesty International's Human Rights Now! tour and devoted much of the following two years to campaigning and fund-raising activity on behalf of environmental causes, notably highlighting the plight of the Indians of the Brazilian rainforest. He set up his own label, Pangaea, in the late 80s to release material by jazz and avant garde artists. In August 1990, a track from Nothing Like The Sun, "An Englishman In New York" (inspired by English eccentric Quentin Crisp), reached number 15 in the UK charts after being remixed by Ben Liebrand.
In 1991, Sting released the autobiographical The Soul Cages from which "All This Time" reached number 5 on the US Billboard charts. He continued in a similar vein with Ten Summoner's Tales, which contained further high quality hit singles including "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You" and "Fields Of Gold". "All For Love", a collaboration with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart for the movie The Three Musketeers, topped the US charts in November 1993, and reached number 2 in the UK the following January. The compilation Fields Of Gold highlighted Sting's considerable accomplishment as one of the finest quality songwriters to appear out of the second UK "new wave" boom (post-1977). The collection featured two new tracks, "When We Dance" and "This Cowboy Song", the former providing Sting with his highest charting UK solo single when it reached number 9 in October 1994.
Sting spent a traumatic time during the summer of 1995 when he had to testify in court after accusing his accountant of stealing vast sums of his income. The outcome was in the singer's favour and the accountant Keith Moore was jailed for six years. Mercury Falling was very much a marking-time album, not as strong as Ten Summoner's Tales but good enough to satisfy his fans and placate most reviewers. The title track of his new album, Brand New Day, proved he was still capable of achieving hit singles when it reached UK number 13 in September 1999. The album lacked the punch of his more recent work, but struck a chord in America where it enjoyed a long residency on the charts. Similarly low-key and slightly subdued was All This Time, a live album recorded on the fateful 11 September 2001. The inclusion of stellar jazz musicians such as Christian McBride and Jason Rebello could not rescue this lacklustre album.
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