Police Academy - Strontium 90 (First Work as The Police Line-Up)



I hope a lot of folks who visit here are Police fans like myself. This one, although not so rare anymore is still a great item to round out the early Police recordings. A nice little snippet was found at Amazon with a little history...

"If you are a diehard Police fan, you are probably already familiar with the story behind this unusual snippet of the band's history. As the Police (at the time with Stewart Copeland, Sting, and Henry Padovani) were struggling to break onto the scene, the chance came to make some extra money helping out Mike Howlett with some demos and a Gong reunion at a concert festival. Henry was not needed for Mike already had a guitarist lined up: Andy Summers. As such this became the first time Sting, Andy, and Stewart performed together, and Andy would soon join the Police, setting the stage for the band's eventual worldwide success.

Therefore the live tracks on this album represent an important historical moment and are fascinating to listen to for that reason. "Three O'Clock Shot" is great as you can hear lyrics and music taking shape that would eventually become part of other Police songs, and it bristles with energy. "Visions of the Night" would later become a Police b-side. Most of the other tracks are Howlett compositions, and the difference is obvious--they aren't bad but they lack the vitality and freshness of the Sting tracks. A demo version of "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" is a wonderful piece, although it feels completely out of place on the album. "


Although I don't completely agree with the review, you are welcome to form your own opinion.


1. Visions Of The Night
2. New World Blues
3. 3 O'Clock Shot - Live
4. Lady Of Delight
5. Electron Romance
6. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
7. Towers Tumbled
8. Electron Romance - Live
9. Lady Of Delight - Live


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