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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsAndy Summers, Stewart Copeland Sue Sting Over Police Royalties
Filing was made in the U.K.'s High Court
In related news, SPIN (which I used to love) still exists!!
https://www.spin.com/2025/08/police-members-royalty-lawsuit/
Theres a distinct lack of synchronicity in the Police camp. Per U.K. reports, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland are suing vocalist/bassist Sting in Londons High Court under the general commercial contracts and arrangements category, claiming they are owed millions in royalties.
The specific details of the filing have not been made public, but the case appears to include claims regarding the hit Synchronicity single Every Breath You Take, which was one of the most commercially successful and ubiquitous songs of the 1980s. Sting has been listed as the songs co-writer since its release, but Summers has long complained that he wrote its signature guitar figure and was never properly credited or compensated.
Sting is listed as a defendant in the filing under his real name, Gordon Sumner, as is his company Magnetic Publishing Limited. In a bizarre twist, Sting and Summers appear together on a jazzy, updated version of the 1983 song Murder by Numbers from jazz star Christian McBrides Without Further Ado, Vol. 1, which will be released Friday (Aug. 29). Since the Police, who split for good in 1986, made no new music during their 2007-8 reunion tour or afterwards, the collaboration the first between members of the group since Sting played on Summers 1990 album Charming Snakes.

ProfessorGAC
(74,477 posts)It's a bummer.
Two guys worth over $100 million suing a guy with $600 million who indisputably wrote the songs.
As big a fan as I was (am) this legal thing is angering.
underpants
(193,031 posts)Tea in the Sahara is one of the best songs Ive ever heard live.
My buddy and I listened to them a lot on the 5 hour back & forth to college. Outlandos Regeytta Zentatta Ghost.
The Police were well seasoned actors. Summers was at Electric Lady Land and Sting had been in a Quadrophenia. Copelands book is a good read.
REM, at very young ages, avoided this. Equal writing credit $ for everything in alphabetical order- Berry Buck Mills Stipe.
ProfessorGAC
(74,477 posts)But, my wife & I saw Sting & The Blue Turtles Band up at Alpine Valley.
Probably the best live show I've ever seen.
They did lots of revised Police tunes & they were awesome.
underpants
(193,031 posts)I worked with a great guy who was the drummer in a DC band. What became NOFX was playing at the 9:30 Club. Basically a hot cave. My buddys guitar player hit it off with the guitar player when the played together. There was a cooler of bear backstage. After that you were on your own.
The opening act finished and found a cooler with a floating cream soda. The Police was the opener. Sting tore the place apart.
Put a bullet through the Juke box
ProfessorGAC
(74,477 posts)We saw Survivor in a 400 seat club in the NW suburbs about a month before the first album was released. (Remember the song "Somewhere In America"?)
Peterik had just bought an all new EV/Crest PA system. Sounded like the world's loudest stereo!
Within 3 years I was playing in a band at that same club. I thought that was cool.