Sting

Sting was born in Wallsend, Northumberland (a working class district of Newcastle Upon Tyne) England on October 2, 1951. Before becoming lead singer of the band The Police, Sting was a ditch digger. He was also a school teacher at St. Pauls Roman Catholic First School in Cramlington, England. There he taught English and was also a football (soccer) coach. Before being invited to join The Police by Stewart Copeland, Sting was in many jazz bands, including The Ronnie Pierson Trio, Earthrise, the Phoenix Jazz Band, the River City Jazz Band, the Newcastle Big Band, and Last Exit. How did Sting receive his nickname? He received the nickname Sting while a member of The Phoenix Jazzmen. Everyone in the band had a nickname.

One day Sting came to a rehearsal in a striped soccer sweater and the trombone player, Gordon Solomon, remarked that Sting looked like a bee. This led to him being called Stinger - which eventually became Sting. Is Sting going deaf? It is true that Sting has been slowly losing his hearing. He is working with doctors trying to regain some of the hearing he has lost. He said on November 7, 1995 that the problem is not serious or career threatening.

What instruments does Sting play? He plays guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, piano, harmonica, saxophone, and pan flute. Regarding Stings preferences in bass guitars, one of his favorites is a 1954 Fender Precision Bass. He is also quite fond of his 1962 Fender Jazz Bass. He owns a 150 year-old upright bass (seldom used on tour) as well as a custom-made Hamer eight string. During his early Police days he used an Ibanez (long-scale fretless), a Z-bass that he purchased during the Zenyatta Mondatta tour which is a long, narrow upright bass that can be heard on the original Dont Stand So Close to Me and Every Little Thing She Does is Magic. He used a Steinberger during the Ghost in the Machine tour, a Spector, a Fender Telecaster, and a Fender Stratocaster for the Synchronicity tour (and a Fender Precision fretless from 1954 during the recording of the album). In the studio he uses any combination of bass guitars. During his solo career, Sting used his 62 Jazz Bass, an Ibanez Roadstar II fretless, and a Precision with a Modulus Graphite neck for the Soul Cages tour, a short-scale Ibanez fretless for the Ten Summoners Tales tour, and a Yamaha jazz bass for the Mercury Falling tour. He usually uses a Gibson Chet Atkins for most performances of Fragile.

Is it true that Sting has a name for his bass guitar? He calls his Z-bass Brian. Some information on Stings personal life and family Sting has been married twice, first to Frances Tomelty (1976-1982) and currently to Trudie Styler whom he married in August, 1992 at his childrens urging. Sting has six children, two with his first wife and four with Trudie. Stings mother, Audrey, died of cancer while Sting was in Montserrat recording Nothing Like the Sun at the time and refused to fly back for the ...