The Police: Reggatta de Blanc [A&M]

Why you'll love it

A&M's remastered reissue is pressed on 180g vinyl in the EU. It was the band's first U.K. No. 1 album, both lead singles went to No. 1, and the title track won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

This edition

• 180g vinyl
• Remastered
• Pressed in the EU

About the album

The title is mock French for white reggae, which is a fair summary of what Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland were up to. A&M wanted to give its promising young band a bigger studio and a famous producer; the Police said thanks but no, and went back to Surrey Sound with Nigel Gray, paying for the four weeks of sessions out of the first album's profits.

Copeland recalled they hadn't even rehearsed the songs before going in. Short on new material, Sting and Copeland raided older tunes: "Bring On the Night" and "The Bed's Too Big Without You" began life in Sting's previous band Last Exit, "Does Everyone Stare" grew from a piano piece Copeland wrote in college, and the title track came from an instrumental jam they used to stretch out on stage. "Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon" show how sharp the trio's reggae-rock had become after months of touring.

Rolling Stone later ranked it among the 500 greatest albums. The whole thing cost between £6,000 and £9,000, the kind of household budgeting we at the shop still aspire to.

Also at Kops: more The Police on vinyl · browse Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On A&M (cat# 080 460-8), a reissue of the 1979 album.