The Police close their reunion tour tonight at Madison Square Garden, a year later than originally planned and now one of the most financially successful tours of all time. What’s more, the band have just about managed to get over the friction that caused the band to split in the 80s. Or at least learned to live with the things they don’t like about each other.
Guitarist Andy Summers told The Associated Press: "People don't really change. We're the same three [jerks] we always were. I'm actually quite proud of the fact that it's gone on as long as it has'.
Stewart Copeland added that he still struggles with Sting’s desire for perfection, but can understand it better now than 30 years ago: "When [Sting] exercises his right to have it the way he imagined it, it's a problem for both him and me. I just can't do it. I can't remember it. I have my own ideas. I'm incorrigible. It was really good for us to figure out what made the band work and what didn't work, so we could appreciate each other unconfused by these other issues. But, man, I need to breathe sometimes'.
Summers also explained why the tour had gone on as long as it had: "I'm in front of the stage and you literally see people break out into sobs or kiss each other and jump around expressing joy. It's been quite emotional in many ways'.
Copeland, who was very critical of the band’s early reunion shows, continued: "As we're getting more into it and less uptight about living the legend, it is actually becoming the stuff that got us here'.