Happy Birthday Stewart Copeland: Beyond The Police Spotify Playlist

Acclaimed and accomplished musician, composer and producer Stewart Copeland celebrates his 64th birthday today. A member of the Rock And Roll Hall Fame as the drummer in The Police, Copeland’s contributions to the world of music stretch far beyond the work he did with the wildly popular pop band he formed alongside Sting and Andy Summers. Copeland has been a prolific collaborator outside of his work with The Police and this week’s Saturday Stream explores the many avenues he’s pursued throughout his career.

Prior to the successful rise of The Police, Copeland was brought in to play drums with the group Curved Wire. The playlist begins with a track each from the band’s 1975 LP Midnight Wire and 1976 follow-up Airborne. Copeland’s drumming can be heard on the Peter Gabriel track featuring Ravi Shankar “Across The River,” originally issued in 1982. Copeland teamed up with Stanley Clarke for the bassist’s 1986 album Hideaway (along with Herbie Hancock and others) and 1988’s If This Bass Could Only Talk both of which are represented on the playlist. Later, along with vocalist Deborah Holland, Clarke and Copeland formed Animal Logic and a song from their 1991 sophomore LP Animal Logic II is also included.

Copeland part of a cast of drummers who appeared on Roger Daltrey’s tribute to his late former The Who band mate Keith Moon titled “Under A Raging Moon” from the 1985 album of the same name. British musician Terry Reid enlisted Copeland’s percussive talents for his 1991 album The Driver and Primus utilized his production skills on their track “Dirty Drowning Man” on 1999’s Artpop LP. Of course, Primus bassist Les Claypool and Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio would recruit Copeland to form Oysterhead and three tracks that display Stewart at his best on their lone 2001 record are featured.

Selections from Tom Waits’ 2002 albums Blood Money and Alice made the playlist, as did a track featuring Stewart from singer-songwriter (and Gabriel cohort) Jesca Hoop’s 2007 debut Kismet. Snoop Dogg’s venture into reggae as Snoop Lion saw Copeland’s contributions to several songs on the 2013 album Reincarnated one of which is streamable below. You’ll also find several works from Copeland’s extensive composing for film and television, as well as a track from an orchestral solo release. Rounding out the playlist are a number of recent collaborations with the likes of Serj Tankian, Athana and others from around the globe.