Message in a Bloggle at Stingfield.com

Gotye Comparison to Sting: Premature or Accurate?

Kathy — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:21:45 +0000

There’s a new Belgian-born, Australian-raised singer/songwriter by the name of Gotye on the music scene whose voice and style is being likened to that of Sting and The Police. His 2011 song “Somebody That I Used To Know” just hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US. With this newfound success and increased popularity come additional comparisons between Gotye and Sting. The plaintive wailing chorus of “Somebody That I Used To Know,”

“But you didn’t have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and we were nothing
And I don’t even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and I feel so rough”

is eerily reminiscent of early Police work and Sting’s similar vocal delivery on songs like “Roxanne”, “So Lonely” or “Can’t Stand Losing You.”

And it isn’t just Gotye’s voice reminding listeners of The Police, his music also seems to have taken inspiration from some of the Police’s later work, via Synchronicity’s world music leanings in songs like “Wrapped Around Your Finger”, “Tea in the Sahara” or “King of Pain.”

Even a Facebook page called “Gotye is Sting’s Son” has been created to hype the vocal, musical and physical similarities between the two artists.

Apparently Gotye is cautiously skeptical of the Sting comparisons, however, and he’s quoted on the CNN Marquee Blog in an article by Shannon Cook as saying,

“I’m self-conscious because Sting seems like a whipping post for all hipsters,” he told us. “Still, it’s flattering because he has written some incredible songs. He’s a fantastic vocalist.”

Gotye’s real name is Wouter “Wally” De Backer, and he was born in 1980 when The Police were conquering the world. He’s been dabbling in music since his teens and at the ripe old age of 31 seems to have paid his professional dues along the way to fame and success. Being compared to an esteemed musician such as Sting, who has a proven track record of longevity, creativity and success in the fickle music industry, should be regarded as a compliment of the highest order. Only time will tell if Gotye can aspire to a long-term and respected career in music or if he will instead become a one-hit wonder and . . . just somebody that we used to know.

What do you think of this musical comparison? Do you hear the similarities between Gotye and Sting vocally and musically? Please share your thoughts.

Images courtesy of Gotye is Sting’s Son

Sting Jumps On Hunger Games Bandwagon: Rue’s Lullaby Deep in the Meadow

Kathy — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:21:18 +0000

Sting has jumped on The Hunger Games bandwagon and recorded his version of Rue’s Lullaby for the movie soundtrack The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond. Officially the song is called “Deep in the Meadow (Lullaby)” and is available as a bonus when you buy the soundtrack on iTunes, or it can be purchased by itself. You can listen here:

I’ve heard various feedback on this lullaby. Fans of the book and movie are not happy that a man is singing the lullaby when it was originally sung by the female protagonist Katniss. Sting fans wish Sting had left more of his own artistic mark on the song. So, what do you think about this song?

Sting is no stranger to lullabies. Here is an example of Sting at his best as singer and songwriter performing ”Lullaby for an Anxious Child.”

ROCK Star Sting and His Lake House Meteorite

Kathy — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:01:01 +0000

Sting reminds us once again of his ROCK star status with news of a rock from the front of his Lake House going on display at several British museums. To be exact, the rock is actually a 200 pound, 30,000-year-old meteorite found and taken from Sting’s Lake House property just before he purchased it, so he doesn’t actually own the meteorite. It’s been stored away for the last twenty years, but now it has been put on public display for the first time. It’s rather interesting that Sting’s Lake House is located close to STONEhenge too, isn’t it? Read more about Sting’s rock and where you can see it in the article here.

Image courtesy of www.sciencemag.org and The Open University.

Sting 25 Years Box Set Review – Why Sting Fans Should Buy It!

Kathy — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:15:23 +0000

Check out this video review showing why Sting fans might want to buy the Sting 25 Years box set!

My Excellent Sister Moon Wine is Gone!

Kathy — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:47:21 +0000

I splurged and treated myself and friends to a bottle of pricey Sister Moon wine straight from Sting’s Tuscan villa Il Palagio for our Christmas Eve dinner. And while I’m certainly not a wine connoisseur, I found Sister Moon wine to be excellent and well worth the wait to sample. It is a gorgeous red blend with a smooth taste. My friends, who know more about wine than I do, also enjoyed it and offered the following praise:

well balanced
medium bodied
smooth
hints of cherry and plum

I highly recommend Sister Moon wine as a special treat for all you Sting fans out there. Now I have a serious problem – my Sister Moon wine is all gone after I’ve just developed a taste for it!

Sting Sister Moon Wine: I’d Go Out Of My Mind But For You!

Kathy — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:45:05 +0000

My online order for Sting Sister Moon wine has finally arrived! This is my Christmas gift to myself, and I plan to enjoy it on Christmas Eve with family and friends. I’ll be counting down the days now to open and share this special bottle of holiday wine. Who knows, maybe it will make me howl at the moon the whole night through? Whether it does or not, I’m hoping to find a message in a bottle!

Sting The Solo Years: Anthony DeCurtis Interview

Kathy — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:01:31 +0000

Here is a nice one-hour interview with Sting talking to Anthony DeCurtis about his music during his 25-year solo career.

Sting fan? Yeah, there’s an app for that! Sting 25 iPad App

Kathy — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 03:19:42 +0000

According to the Wall Street Journal, musician Sting will release a free app called “Sting 25″ combining music, concert footage, photographs and videos to promote his back catalog, increase his fan base to a broader audience, and drive digital downloads of his songs. The app will only be available for the iPad and was developed as a retrospective of Sting’s solo career in conjunction with his recent box set release Sting: 25 Years. Apps are fairly new territory for musicians, so this should be an interesting development to watch in terms of success, both for Sting and the industry as a whole. Read the article for more information!

Sting’s Message in an iPad

Start Kids Music Education Off Right with Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Police

Kathy — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 02:32:05 +0000

By the time your kids or grandkids are teenagers, you won’t get a say in what kind of music they’re listening to anymore. But as babies you can start their musical education off the right way with the music YOU love thanks to Rockabye Baby! Timeless rock songs have been transformed into beautiful instrumental lullabies to soothe the youngest rocker in your family, and on October 25, 2011 Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Police will be released, including such classics as Every Breath You Take, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic and even Roxanne! Head over to the Rockabye Baby! website to check out short clips of all twelve Police lullabies, or click and listen to the full version of Message in a Bottle right here!

Rockabye Baby! Message In A Bottle by The Police

Want to win a free CD of Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Police? Leave a comment here with your name and a valid email address you can be reached at, and a winner will be selected at random on October 30, 2011 and notified via email. A mailing address will need to be provided by the winner. Of course, you can always order online at Rockabye Baby! after October 25 too! It’s never too early to introduce your kids to the music of The Police, is it?

Matt Nathanson Concert at The Pageant St. Louis October 18, 2011

Kathy — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:31:35 +0000

I can finally check Matt Nathanson off my concert wish list after seeing him perform at The Pageant in St. Louis on Tuesday, October 18, 2011. I first fell in love with his music after the 2003 release of Beneath These Fireworks, and since then have heard rumors of his incredible concerts, substantiated by his great album Live at The Point. From the get go, I was impressed as Matt Nathanson stormed the Pageant stage with “Mercy”, my favorite song off his new release Modern Love. Things continued to get better and better as he feverishly ripped through a 20-song setlist with new material and older songs alike (for the record, 8 from Modern Love), alternately rocking out and mellowing.

He cleverly blended portions of classic and contemporary songs like “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence + the Machine, “Tainted Love”, “Jessie’s Girl” by Rick Springfield and even Katy Perry’s “Firework” into his own songs, making for some unexpected and fun live versions. One of my personal favorites of the night was an acoustic, slowed-down cover of Prince’s “Little Red Corvette.”

Nathanson is a natural as a performer, obviously comfortable in his own skin, and equally gifted at guitar playing and guitar dancing (love the trademark swivel and knee jerk). He talked, joked and interacted with the crowd between songs, offering the inspiration behind his songwriting in hilarious detail. For example, he compared his songs to children possessing individual characteristics, then noted his favorite from the most recent “litter” of eleven to be “Kiss Quick.” I was sad for his nearly two-hour set to be over, but glad to finally have seen Matt Nathanson live in concert. Put him on your concert wish list and check him out for some great music and an amazing concert experience!

Setlist Matt Nathanson at The Pageant St. Louis 10/18/11:

Mercy
Pretty the World (Dog Days Are Over intro)
Modern Love
Kept
Curve of the Earth
Queen of (K)nots (with Tainted Love)
Pretty The World
Princess (with Jessie’s Girl)
Kiss Quick
Detroit Waves
Little Red Corvette
Sing Me Sweet
Room @ the End of the World
Wedding Dress
Drop To Hold You
Faster
Come On Get Higher
(Bare and Laid were in here somewhere too, but I’m not sure where!)

Encore:
All We Are