As expected, the Police plan to release a live CD and DVD from its reunion tour later this year. Drummer Stewart Copeland tells Billboard.com the group filmed and recorded two shows, Dec. 1-2 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the projects, which are due out later this year.
"Those rockin' Argentines -- man, are they noisy," Copeland recalls. "It was a pretty exciting show." The DVD will also include a documentary about the tour, titled "Better Than Therapy" and directed by Copeland's son, Jordan, who the drummer calls "a much better filmmaker than me.
"He totally gets right under our skins, the little bastard, and his analysis of the group is better than any I've seen," says Copeland, who turned his home movies into his own film called "Everyone Stares: the Police Inside Out."
He adds that in the documentary, "it's unbelievable to see the early rehearsals compared to where we're at now. Some of them were so raw we had to take them out, some of the scenes. But he's still got the nitty gritty there, with us each grappling with the reality of life in the band again."
Copeland reiterates that there will be no life for the Police after the tour ends on Aug. 7 at a benefit for New York public TV stations at Madison Square Garden. "It was always planned as a very finite thing," Copeland says. "In the back of our minds there was the possible 'Who knows? Maybe if some new material comes up or something like that, you never know...' But the mission has always been finite."
But it's not like the Police didn't roll any tape during their time together. Copeland confirms that he, singer-bassist Sting and guitarist Andy Summers made an unsuccessful attempt at recording a new version of "Truth Hits Everybody" from the trio's 1979 debut album, "Outlandos d'Amour." The song was played at a much slower tempo live during the reunion tour.
"We went into the studio, laid down a backing track and immediately disagreed about where to go with it," Copeland recalls. "And since there wasn't an audience cheering at us ... it just kind of withered on the vine."
Copeland has done some solo projects during the tour, including a five-note melody for Blackberry's new Bold model and a violin piece. He's currently finalizing a commission "with a major orchestra to write a major concerto" after the tour ends. "It's sort of like Sting's lute thing -- so gay, but OK," Copeland says. "Real uncommercial, career suicide moves is probably what you'll be seeing from the three of us over the next year or two before we get back into the business of earning a living from our music."
A number of special packages are available for auction in conjunction with the final Police show, including autographed instruments, access to soundcheck and meet-and-greets and limited-edition memorabilia. Bidding is underway at eBay.com/publictelevisionrocks.
"Those rockin' Argentines -- man, are they noisy," Copeland recalls. "It was a pretty exciting show." The DVD will also include a documentary about the tour, titled "Better Than Therapy" and directed by Copeland's son, Jordan, who the drummer calls "a much better filmmaker than me.
"He totally gets right under our skins, the little bastard, and his analysis of the group is better than any I've seen," says Copeland, who turned his home movies into his own film called "Everyone Stares: the Police Inside Out."
He adds that in the documentary, "it's unbelievable to see the early rehearsals compared to where we're at now. Some of them were so raw we had to take them out, some of the scenes. But he's still got the nitty gritty there, with us each grappling with the reality of life in the band again."
Copeland reiterates that there will be no life for the Police after the tour ends on Aug. 7 at a benefit for New York public TV stations at Madison Square Garden. "It was always planned as a very finite thing," Copeland says. "In the back of our minds there was the possible 'Who knows? Maybe if some new material comes up or something like that, you never know...' But the mission has always been finite."
But it's not like the Police didn't roll any tape during their time together. Copeland confirms that he, singer-bassist Sting and guitarist Andy Summers made an unsuccessful attempt at recording a new version of "Truth Hits Everybody" from the trio's 1979 debut album, "Outlandos d'Amour." The song was played at a much slower tempo live during the reunion tour.
"We went into the studio, laid down a backing track and immediately disagreed about where to go with it," Copeland recalls. "And since there wasn't an audience cheering at us ... it just kind of withered on the vine."
Copeland has done some solo projects during the tour, including a five-note melody for Blackberry's new Bold model and a violin piece. He's currently finalizing a commission "with a major orchestra to write a major concerto" after the tour ends. "It's sort of like Sting's lute thing -- so gay, but OK," Copeland says. "Real uncommercial, career suicide moves is probably what you'll be seeing from the three of us over the next year or two before we get back into the business of earning a living from our music."
A number of special packages are available for auction in conjunction with the final Police show, including autographed instruments, access to soundcheck and meet-and-greets and limited-edition memorabilia. Bidding is underway at eBay.com/publictelevisionrocks.
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