"Sting"

Summary

SmartLess Podcast: "Sting"

Hosts: Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett
Guest: Sting
Date: May 18, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of SmartLess features an in-depth, free-flowing conversation with the legendary musician and actor Sting. The hosts, deeply starstruck and fond of their guest, traverse topics ranging from Sting’s working-class childhood in northern England to his journey with The Police, the craft of songwriting, the making of The Last Ship, activism, jazz, AI, and how he balances work, creativity, and life. The chat is peppered with humor, heartfelt admiration, memorable stories, and insight into both the creative process and the human side of an icon.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Growing Up, Early Music & Escape

[10:13]

• Sting discusses vocal health, likening the voice to a muscle needing care and warmups.

• [11:10] First singing job: selling newspapers as a child, belting “Evening Chronicle” on a street corner to attract attention.

  "My first singing job was to sell the Evening Chronicle in my town. And I would sing Evening Chronicle. I stood outside the shipyard where I was born and would sell the evening paper to the shipyard workers as they came out." — Sting [11:10]

• Describes growing up in Wallsend, a shipbuilding town near Newcastle:

  "Literally, I lived next door to this place. My street would be—the sun would be blotted out by the hull of a ship." — Sting [14:04]

• Music as escape: Uncle John emigrated, left a guitar he couldn't take. Sting finds in it “a friend for life”, saving for a missing string, teaching himself, aided by a musical mother and local teacher.

2. Becoming an Artist: Teaching, The Police, Self-Discovery

[16:20]

• Before music fame, Sting was a school teacher in a mining village.

  "I taught in a mining village. I taught 11 year olds—soccer, music, English, math. And then I realized, if I didn't leave... I'd be stuck there forever." — Sting [16:29]

• Decision to leave stability for pursuing music; lost a pension, but gained freedom and became a "grown-up before I became a cosseted celebrity", which he feels grounded him.

• Reflections on how having a 'real life' before fame informed his artistry—lyrics drawn from real experience.

3. Songwriting Craft: Process, Motifs, and Kernels

[27:07, 41:00]

• No fixed method: lyrics or music can come first. Every song starts as a “tiny kernel of an idea.”

• On inspiration:

  “These songs came out of me like projectile vomiting, as if they’d been stored up there for a long, long time. It was a very quick process.” — Sting [21:18]

• Kernel-capturing habits: keeps notes (now on iPhone). Sometimes melodies come in dreams and he’s compelled to get up and play them.

• Message in a Bottle was written during a low period, living with his dog in London.

  "I was feeling a low ebb... I feel like I’m shipwrecked and I’m a castaway here. Because I wasn’t successful at the time. I was struggling to make a living... I’d only be singing it to the dog who would occasionally wag a tail." — Sting [29:00]

4. The Last Ship: Returning Home, Paying Tribute

[14:48, 20:10]

• The Last Ship is a lifelong work—an attempt to tell the story of his community, drawing on the profound imagery of ships, rivers, and church towers.

• Deeply emotional, especially with his deceased parents "on stage with me every night." His brother found it cathartic.

  "My parents, who died like 40 years ago, are on stage with me every night... My brother came to see the play in Amsterdam... he cried from the beginning to the end." — Sting [20:10]

• Thematically relevant today: it’s about a community under economic threat, echoing present fears of AI and obsolescence.

  "Of course all of us are facing that right now with AI... We are, we are, we are under threat." — Sting [22:18]

5. Musicianship: Guitar, Bass, Jazz, Time Signatures

[32:20, 35:15]

• Switched from guitar to bass strategically to lead a band:

  "Because I play the bottom line, the rest of the band has to operate literally within my bandwidth... I’m in control." — Sting [32:20]

• Inversions (chord structure) and complex time signatures (7/8, 5/4, etc.)—jazz as an acquired taste.

  "[On jazz] ...once you open it, it's the sweetest place to be." — Sting [34:04]

• British bands’ advantage on MTV: accustomed to making videos for Top of the Pops when on tour, which prepared them for MTV’s launch.

6. Solo Career: Breaking Away from The Police

[41:39]

• Left at The Police’s peak for artistic adventure and to avoid being “welded” together.
• Sought new challenges, collaborating with musicians "better than me" to elevate his own playing.

7. Stripping Down: Sting 3.0 & Song Longevity

[44:00]

• Recent pursuit: performing songs in their “skeletal form”, just guitar, drums, bass, and voice—surprising strength, "both louder and quieter at the same time".

8. Activism, The Rainforest, Noblesse Oblige

[47:57]

• Lifetime of activism—secret Policeman’s Ball, Band Aid, amnesty work.

• View: social conscience and a “debt to society” is non-negotiable.

• On the Amazon: "It's pretty bleak, to be honest with you."

  "We protected an area of the rainforest, my wife and I, the size of Belgium and the Netherlands. And then with the Bolsonaro government, they just made incursions into that... It's not a good picture at the moment." — Sting [49:20]

9. AI, Art, & Human Experience

[51:15]

• Sting sees AI as able to make “perfectly serviceable pop music for hotel lobbies”, but not human resonance:

  "What I'm listening for in a piece of music created by a human being is that that human being has lived the life... Machine can't do that." — Sting [51:15]

• Hopes AI will make live, human experiences more valued.

• Draws parallel to artists inventing impressionism in response to photography—humanity “sidesteps” technological perfection.

10. Music Formats, Nostalgia, and Album Culture

[54:50]

• On CDs vs. vinyl:

  "There's something uncanny about it. Digital silence instead of that white hissy noise you get when you put a record on... Digital silence is very spooky." — Sting [53:51]

• Laments loss of information (musicians, engineer, credits) and album cover culture.

11. Performance, Acting, Work-Life Balance

[55:28, 58:52]

• Enjoys performing in plays; his wife Trudy Styler is his "partner for over 45 years."
• Discusses the parallel “play behind the stage” during theater—backstage camaraderie.
• Finds joy and pride in work, but also values relaxation and time with family.

12. Creativity & Future Plans

[61:48]

• On what's next:

  "You want to surprise people within four bars... I have to have surprise. I have to have novelty. I have a very low threshold for boring. So I need to be surprised." — Sting [61:48]

• Hosts gush about his career, presence, and impact; Sting balances humility with pride in a life “very fortunate…in every important field.”

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Early Music Escape:

  "I thought the guitar is maybe my passage out of here...and I sat in the corner, didn't speak to anyone for six months, learned to play it.” — Sting [12:34]

• On Choosing Bass:

  “If you want to be a band leader...as a bass player, you can change the harmony. I’m in control. It’s a subtle way of controlling, but it’s very profound.” — Sting [32:20]

• On Activism:

  “As a member of society, you have a debt to society.” — Sting [48:36]

• On the Perfection of AI-generated Music:

  “What I'm listening for in a piece of music created by a human being is that that human being has lived the life... Machine can't do that.” — Sting [51:15]

• On Leaving The Police:

  "Why would you leave the biggest band in the world at its peak? After this, everything's going to be diminishing returns. I want to start the adventure again and take that risk." — Sting [41:51]

• On Songwriting:

  “All of them, even the most successful ones, began as a tiny kernel of an idea...and they weren’t masterpieces until you did a lot of work on them.” — Sting [27:34]

• On Surprise in Art:

  “The basis of all...is surprise in a composition. You want to surprise people within four bars...I have a very low threshold for boring.” — Sting [61:48]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [10:13] – Sting’s approach to vocal health and early singing
• [14:00] – Growing up in Wallsend, graft of shipbuilding, early ambitions
• [16:20] – School teaching & adult life before fame
• [20:10] – The Last Ship: inspiration, emotional resonance, relevance to today
• [27:07] – Writing process: kernels, melodies in dreams, Message in a Bottle
• [32:20] – Switch to bass and ideas about band leadership
• [35:15] – Learning to love jazz, opening the brain to complex music
• [41:39] – Leaving The Police: risk, freedom, seeking new challenges
• [44:00] – Sting 3.0: stripping songs to basics, testing their longevity
• [47:57] – Activism, rainforest protection, outlook on environmental issues
• [51:15] – AI, music, and irreplaceable human experience
• [54:50] – The meaning of album culture, vinyl, and music nostalgia
• [58:52] – Onstage rituals, Met Opera, work-life balance
• [61:48] – Artistic motivation: chasing surprise, resisting complacency

---

Conclusion

This episode delivers a rich, intimate portrait of Sting—musician, activist, thinker, and craftsman. The discussion vividly tracks how his upbringing, teaching, and commitment to self-challenge shaped his art, songs, and outlook. His reflections on creativity, meaning, and the unique value of human experience in a technological age left a profound impression on the hosts and listeners alike. The conversation moves naturally between technical musical insights, philosophy, playful banter, and gratitude for connection and artistry.

---

For fans of music, social engagement, or simply great stories, this conversation with Sting is must-listen material—witty, wise, and sincerely inspiring.

Transcript

[Sean Hayes]

Some names really do say it all. Hotels.com is one of them. When travelers book a hotel, they want savings that work for them. And hotels.com makes it simple. With Save youe Way members choose how to save. Take an instant discount now or bank as rewards to use on later stays. No tricks or pressure, just flexibility and real value. For straightforward savings on your next day, trust the hotel experts. Visit hotels.com it's all in the name Ever invest in something that seemed incredible at first but didn't live up to the hype? Yeah, I wasted a lot of money buying a car when I was 21 years old. I spent way too much on it. It just, it never worked and I didn't know what I was doing. Marketers know that feeling. They optimize for the numbers that look great, like impressions, but they don't see revenue. LinkedIn has a word for bull spend. Instead you can get the highest roas of major ad networks with LinkedIn ads. Cut the bull spend. Advertise on LinkedIn. Spend $250 and get a $250 credit. Go to LinkedIn.com smartlist Terms apply. Smartlist is presented by Allstate. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. That checking the group text before replying. To everyone not smart, there's nothing quite like realizing that message was definitely meant for one person. A quick glance would have saved a lot of explaining. Yep, checking first is smart. So check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company and Affiliates Northbrook, Illinois Foreign.

[Sting]

Hi, this is thing and I'm waiting to be the surprise guest on Smartless. I'm quite sure what that means Smartless, but we're gonna find out. They're gonna talk to me for an hour so hopefully I can be smart less with them. Welcome to Smartless.

[Jason Bateman]

Smart,

[Will Arnett]

smart,

[Sting]

Smart.

[Will Arnett]

Worse.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh Will. Will, you've been. Did you sleep over at Thoreau's last night?

[Will Arnett]

I just realized I had an overshirt in the other room and I just, I was working out and I was like, I was like. I took a long sleeve shirt out just to put it on and I was like oh shit, it's 9:30 and I took a leak and I got my water and I got in here, I was like. As I logged in, as my zoom came up, I went I'm not wearing.

[Jason Bateman]

You're not wearing sleeves. And so Justin throw is just he's just waking up.

[Will Arnett]

Justin Thoreau. He's not allowed to wear a Liverpool Football Club cut off.

[Sean Hayes]

He just had a baby.

[Jason Bateman]

He did.

[Will Arnett]

I did.

[Jason Bateman]

He just had a baby. I saw a shot of him sleeping with his new baby on his chest, but he wasn't at home sleeping. I guess he was in the hospital or something. Something. But true to form, his tops off.

[Will Arnett]

Know what you're going to say?

[Jason Bateman]

His tops off.

[Will Arnett]

He might have been on an airplane.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, he.

[Will Arnett]

He likes to. He likes to. He. He'll fly without a t. He'll fly without a shirt on. When he.

[Jason Bateman]

Right, yeah, you know this, Sean, right? When he flies, you know, he's on a plane. He can't.

[Will Arnett]

Almost said commercial. He can't even say the word. Oh, my God, it won't even come out.

[Jason Bateman]

Justin can't sleep with a shirt on. And so if he's going to sleep on a plane, if it's a night flight, he takes his top off and the flight attendant's got to wake him up and say, sir, you can't sleep.

[Sean Hayes]

I didn't know that you have your

[Jason Bateman]

shirt off on a plane. He says, well, I can't sleep with

[Will Arnett]

a shirt off, jb. Although I do remember. Do you remember years ago, you, me, Tony Hale, Eli and somebody else, maybe Cara or somebody from your team, we flew back from London and, and we. And we threw fingers for the, the. The thing that folded into the bed.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

And then I didn't have a shirt on. I remember you're disgust.

[Jason Bateman]

That's disgusting.

[Will Arnett]

You came and you're like, you're not wearing.

[Sean Hayes]

You know what I do now?

[Jason Bateman]

You know what I do when you're in public?

[Sean Hayes]

When I go to sleep, I stick my shirt into my pants like that. You know, I stick my shirt so that when I roll around at night, the shirt doesn't come up.

[Jason Bateman]

It is. Why don't you get one of those little ones?

[Will Arnett]

Hey, listen. And to our listener. Anybody out there who's. Who's just looking for something, who's lonely and look.

[Jason Bateman]

Looking for some hot.

[Will Arnett]

Just some hot stuff going on.

[Jason Bateman]

You don't want to tuck that shirt into your CPAP hose, Sean.

[Will Arnett]

You should just.

[Jason Bateman]

You should do a. CPAP hoses.

[Will Arnett]

Just do a side cast where you describe some of your routines for Sean after dark. You know.

[Sean Hayes]

Don't. Don't threaten me.

[Will Arnett]

Sean sent us a picture last night to JB and me after. Remember, after. After the show. And again, it was the star of. The star of the photo again was a heaping plate of Spaghetti.

[Sean Hayes]

Uhhuh.

[Will Arnett]

And. And then. And then the supporting cast was on the same plate. Swedish fish.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Jason Bateman]

Big fat bag of them. And I got another one.

[Will Arnett]

And he's having more.

[Jason Bateman]

Now. Sprinkle the fish on the pasta.

[Will Arnett]

Jamie, you suggested he mix it in,

[Sean Hayes]

but there was no, like, haha or anything. Jason just wrote, put the fish in the spaghetti.

[Jason Bateman]

And you thought it was a good idea.

[Sean Hayes]

I did think it was a good idea. It was great.

[Will Arnett]

You know what?

[Sean Hayes]

You know what I did last week? What I do is every single day I wear my slippers to the theater because I know right away I'm just coming home, going right to bed.

[Jason Bateman]

Hold on, hold on. You're shuffling some New York street in slippers. Just blending in.

[Sean Hayes]

Well, I get out of the car, straight to the stage door. But the other day, the traffic was so bad, I had to get out and run. So I'm running down the street with my hair, like, still wet from the shower in slippers with, like, a ratty T shirt.

[Jason Bateman]

I looked like a New York resident.

[Will Arnett]

I'm sorry. So real quick, how do you think you look now?

[Sting]

Wait.

[Jason Bateman]

How come you're wearing slippers out of the car and into the theater?

[Will Arnett]

Way to go. Way to go.

[Sean Hayes]

Because there's.

[Jason Bateman]

Do you not like shoes? No, it's inconvenient to wear shoes.

[Sean Hayes]

Well, I'm not going anywhere after the show. I'm just going home so I can just keep them on and.

[Will Arnett]

And you throw them straight into the incinerator.

[Sean Hayes]

Or when I'm done.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, I've gone to dinner with Sean

[Sean Hayes]

at Jar, and I had slippers on,

[Will Arnett]

and he shows up and he's wearing slippers.

[Jason Bateman]

Jb, why. But why are you talking? Just that you don't want to deal with laces and things.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, yeah. I just want to go to the theater.

[Jason Bateman]

Hold it, hold it, hold it. There are a thousand options for men.

[Will Arnett]

Velcro, New Balance. I think you're at that.

[Jason Bateman]

Are laceless shoes that you can be proud of, that if you do need to run down a street, they will work like fans or loafers.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Or boots.

[Sean Hayes]

I know I gotta start getting those shoes. Or what shoes?

[Will Arnett]

Boat shoes

[Jason Bateman]

even would be a lesser offense.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Okay. You think about it.

[Sean Hayes]

I love my hugs. Crocs.

[Will Arnett]

Crocs are an interesting. Where do we land on Crocs?

[Jason Bateman]

Have we been there? I think the jury's still out. There's a lot of deliberation.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, it's like jazz. We're still out. Is it cool to like it or cool to not. I won't take a position on jazz yet.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, well, you don't want to go down the drain like. Like one of our famous actors lately. I mean, and just.

[Will Arnett]

I'm just saying, in terms of whether it's for me or not, I'm saying.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, yeah. Well, you know what I. I think it is. It's something that I. You know, Ken Burns got me really into baseball because of his documentary on baseball. This is 30 some years ago.

[Sean Hayes]

I gotta watch that.

[Jason Bateman]

And he's got one on Jaz I'm waiting to open up and climb into, because I think I'd be addicted to it.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Once I get his.

[Will Arnett]

I'm not. I'm not calling into question the. The incredible musicianship or any of that. I mean, in terms of. Yeah, of course.

[Sean Hayes]

Wait, you guys. There's a new UFO documentary that just came out.

[Jason Bateman]

Really?

[Sean Hayes]

You got to see.

[Will Arnett]

Hang on. I got to take the tinfoil off my tv, but I definitely want to

[Jason Bateman]

watch it if this is not the Age of Disclosure.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, no, it's the same. No, no, it's.

[Jason Bateman]

Age of Disclosure is incredible.

[Sean Hayes]

Who's the guy? Yeah, it's the guy. Shoot. I can't remember his name. I'll find it by the time.

[Jason Bateman]

Text it to me when we talk later.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay.

[Jason Bateman]

Now, you guys have talked about a couple of things that our guest can really chime in on and straighten out for us. One is how to keep the Voice healthy on stage, and the other is jazz.

[Sean Hayes]

Wow.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, mama. Yeah, dudes, Today, for your listening pleasure, I offer you a man with just a dash of talent and a tiny sprinkle of accomplishments. He's an actor and a musician. He has a Golden Globe, an Emmy, four Academy Award nominations. He's received a Kennedy center honor and a CBE of the British Empire. As a musician, he's received 17 Grammy awards. He sold 100 million records.

[Will Arnett]

What?

[Jason Bateman]

And has been inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. He's been doing what he does in a league of his own and consistently setting the mark for what is relevant and cool since the year I was born, literally. He's one of my heroes, and I'm incredibly excited to welcome him here today. Fellas, here's the one and only Sting.

[Sting]

Oh, wow. Good morning, gentlemen.

[Jason Bateman]

This is a big guy.

[Sting]

So cool. Wow.

[Jason Bateman]

I apologize for the elongated coffee chat up front. Thank you for staying with us.

[Will Arnett]

It's riveting, I know.

[Jason Bateman]

But as you see, this is our only time to really communicate, and so we steal a little bit of time. From our guest and we chit chat now. We've got talking points to talk about. Let's start with vocal health on stage. Are gummy bears and pasta a part of your vocal health at all? Is that your key?

[Sting]

Definitely not.

[Sean Hayes]

No.

[Sting]

You know, it is a muscle, so you have to treat it with the respect you would treat a muscle if you were a footballer or a runner. So.

[Jason Bateman]

And do exercises.

[Sting]

You have to stretch. You have to sing before you go on. Do. Yeah, exercises.

[Jason Bateman]

What's your favorite? What's your go to. Set of push ups for your. For your. For your vocal?

[Sting]

For my voice, I think you start gently with lip trills.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sting]

Fifth.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Yacht.

[Sting]

And that loosens everything up. Yeah. And then you get. You get fuller and fuller. Don't leave your best notes in the dressing room, though. That's. That's the secret.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Sting]

You know, right.

[Jason Bateman]

Do you do it?

[Sean Hayes]

Do you all. Do you do all the.

[Sting]

Yeah, very good.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Yeah. You have to.

[Jason Bateman]

And you taught yourself, you taught yourself early on to sing? Yes. Or did you. Did you take. Did you ever take any formal lessons?

[Sting]

I sold newspapers as a child on the street corner. So I. My first singing job was to sell the Evening Chronicle in my town. And I would sing Evening Chronicle.

[Will Arnett]

Really?

[Jason Bateman]

That would get some attention and people

[Sean Hayes]

would come over because it was loud. And you'd be like, hey, you want to buy a paper?

[Sting]

I stand outside the shipyard where I was born next to a shipyard, and I'd sell the evening paper to the shipyard workers as they came out.

[Sean Hayes]

Do it again. What are the words?

[Sting]

Do it again, Evening Chronicle.

[Jason Bateman]

It does sound oddly like Sean.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, there it is. That's a good warm up.

[Jason Bateman]

And then also sting the now, you know, I do a lot of incredibly in depth research. So on Wikipedia you have access to Google. Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Is that what you mean?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. On Wikipedia they say, is this true that you, a friend of your father, I think, left behind a guitar and a Spanish guitar and that that is what sort of sparked the interest in music and you were playing around with that. Partially true.

[Sting]

Well, As a kid, 8 years old, I called him my Uncle John. Everybody was your uncle in my street. He emigrated to Canada.

[Will Arnett]

Yes.

[Sting]

Good choice. And he couldn't take his guitar, so he left it to the family. And I recognized that thing as a friend for life. I also recognized it as some kind of escape mechanism.

[Sean Hayes]

Right.

[Sting]

I thought, I'm going to escape with this thing. I didn't quite. It was a vague idea, but I did not want to work in that shipyard where everybody else Worked. So I thought the guitar is maybe my. My passage out of my passport out of here. And I sat in the corner, didn't speak to anyone for six, learned to play it. I saved up for the string that was missing, really. And I could play pretty, pretty quickly.

[Jason Bateman]

Totally self taught. You just sort of figured out the combination of little pressing with the fingers gives you a different chord and. Or was there any help?

[Sting]

I had a very good musical ear. My mom was a piano player, so she sort of listened to me. She said, you have a good ear, son. You should learn music. So she sent me down the street to an old music teacher, retired, and he taught me music. But I have to walk down my high street with a guitar in a plastic bag. And you could not go unmolested if you were carrying a guitar down my high street.

[Jason Bateman]

So, you know, you should have worn slippers. They would have stayed away from you. That's Sean's safety strategy.

[Sting]

I never wear slippers.

[Will Arnett]

Wow. Wait, so Sting, whereabouts is this in England?

[Sting]

Okay. I come from the northeast coast of England, near the city. In between the city of Newcastle and the North Sea is a town called War's End, where it was a big shipyard that was the only source of employment in the town. And it was quite a surreal industrial environment. Literally. I lived next door to this place. My street would be. The sun would be blotted out by the ship, the hull of a ship. I'd watch thousands of men walk to work every morning and think, is that what I have to do?

[Jason Bateman]

And now you've written, we're gonna get to this. But you've not recently written. But you are doing another tour of. And grander yet of the last ship.

[Sting]

Yes, I am.

[Jason Bateman]

Tell us about it.

[Sting]

Well, I've been writing it my whole life. In a way, you know, I described a surreal industrial environment which I did not appreciate at the time. But in hindsight, you know, once I was left and I had an international career and success, I realized that I was gifted with something that was quite precious. I mean, the profound symbolism of giant ships, a river going by the end of the house, the sea, a church tower. These were very powerful symbols for a budding songwriter, a budding writer, a budding artist. And I realized that I needed to tell the story of my community, the community that made me who I am. It gave me a sense of identity, a work ethic, an engine to escape from it. But nonetheless, I needed to pay a debt back, if you like, to the people who brought me up and say

[Will Arnett]

thank you so Then how did you. So how did you come from there? From this place in the northeast of England and sort of not self taught, but you obviously had this inclination and you had the help from this music teacher. And then how did you form the police? How did that first happen? I'm so interested. I'm such a. I gotta say, I'm freaking out a little bit.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, me too.

[Will Arnett]

I'm such a massive fan of you music.

[Sean Hayes]

Me too.

[Sting]

I did a lot of stuff before I got a job in the police. I had a real job before I was a, you know, celebrity. I was a school teacher.

[Sean Hayes]

No way.

[Sting]

I taught in a mining village. I taught 11 year olds.

[Will Arnett]

Wow.

[Sting]

Soccer, music, English, math.

[Sean Hayes]

Wow.

[Sting]

And then I realized that if I didn't leave this teaching job, I would be stuck there forever. So I, I told the, the headmistress, she was a nun. I said, look, I'm leaving at the end of term. And she said, well, you'll lose your pension. And she was right. I did lose my pension.

[Jason Bateman]

You were probably 30 years away from your pension at least. Right.

[Sting]

It was important then though. But I decided no, I would go to London. So I had one phone number. I was also a dad. I just recently had a. A kid. I was married. I had a car and a dog. I paid tax. I voted. So I was a grown up before I became, you know, a cosseted celebrity. So I always say that that's so important for me. It gives me my balance. If I have any balance, it's because of that.

[Jason Bateman]

But you were armed with this incredible intellect and this, this, this environment, this upbringing of. I mean, it sounds incredibly, you know, cinematic a. But these, these elements that to me sort of lend themselves to metaphors and issues of, of sort of existentialism and whatnot. Like you were able to match your intellect to your upbringing and write these songs for the rest of your life. Is that. What kind of do you find that it all culminates into this great place with the last shift.

[Will Arnett]

Well, jb, I'll sort of dove on that too. Which is so many musicians or artists that we talk to have come out, you know, start doing it very young. Maybe start in a band when they're 19 and they haven't had the things that you just described. All these experience, these rich experiences of being a dad, of having a job, of paying taxes, of voting, all that kind of stuff. And then they go into this artistic life and they don't have. You seem to have like again, kind of. Jb, what you were saying, drawing on all These real life experiences.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. And your lyrics always have been. You know, they're far from silly. They're always about something.

[Sting]

Some of them are silly, Jason.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, do, do, do da da da. I suppose.

[Will Arnett]

No, they're the least silly. They're the least silly.

[Sting]

I mean, I was making a point there about nonsense songs, you know, do you do our diddy diddy da do Ron ron Ron?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Sting]

Hey nonny nonnie. No, from Shakespeare.

[Will Arnett]

Well, sorry, just a side note. Sting, I know we've asked you five questions here and you haven't, but one of. One of your more famous sort of one word lyrics, and I want to hear your thoughts on this, of course, is in the dire Straight song is when you came on, you're saying, I want my mtv.

[Jason Bateman]

All right, launch the whole thing.

[Will Arnett]

I mean, launched an entire thing. But anyway.

[Jason Bateman]

But, yeah, so then. So, yeah. So picking one of those questions, still continuing on Last Ship, have you found that this is. And you're nowhere near done, but that this is a really interesting project for you to now revisit and continue to talk about? Because I think there's some new songs in it. Talk about where you came from and marrying your experience, your intellect and all of that into how you started.

[Sting]

You know, it's a deeply emotional play for me. My parents, who died like 40 years ago, are on stage with me every night. There's something. There's this kind of spiritual connection I have with the people I've lost. And my brother came to see the play in Amsterdam the other day, and he was a wreck. He cried from the beginning to the end. In a good way. It was cathartic for him, but he knows exactly what I'm singing about and the community that we come from. So it's a very emotional play, and I'm gonna be doing it at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. I mean, it's such an amazing.

[Jason Bateman]

I'm gonna come see that. I'm gonna be in town. I'm gonna come see that.

[Sting]

Please do.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, I'm very, very excited about it. And what about it? That. What about it for. You said to your. You said to yourself, well, I'm gonna write a musical about this, and there's gonna be performance in addition and stuff, as opposed to. I want to write an album about this subject.

[Sting]

I think I was going through a period of. I call it writer's block, but that's a little bit dramatic, but just not wondering what. What do you write about? You know, you're in your 40s, you don't want to write about your Chevrolet or your girlfriend. You know, it's, it's, it's just. You're beyond that. So I went back to my past, went back to the town I was brought up in and started to sing songs about people I knew. And that freed me up. Instead of navel gazing into my own psyche, I would try and see the world through somebody else's eyes, somebody I knew. And that really freed up the songwriting. And these songs came out of me like projectile vomiting, as if they'd been stored up there for a long, long time. It was a very quick process.

[Jason Bateman]

Is it because the subject matter or the thematics of it are particularly more relevant and resonant today in today's society or.

[Sting]

Oh, I think there are certainly relevance to today. You know, it's about a community under threat from economic forces that they have no control over. The economics are saying, well, the job you do making ships is now irrelevant and you are expendable. And of course all of us are facing that right now with AI all of us can be replaced by a robot. So they think I have opinions about that. But we are, we are, we are under threat.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, yeah, I remember, I watched that. I watched that documentary about Sunderland till I die, which is not far, I guess from you. That was very close. Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

You're a Newcastle fan though?

[Sting]

Yes, I support the other, other team.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. You support Newcastle?

[Sting]

Yeah, that's.

[Will Arnett]

It's a good squad.

[Jason Bateman]

I'm a Liverpool.

[Will Arnett]

I'm a Liverpool supporter.

[Sean Hayes]

We'll be right back. This summer, if your group chat is throwing around, we should get away. Consider Scottsdale, Arizona. Sure, it's warm, but that's kind of the point because summer in Scottsdale comes with some very cool perks like luxury resort rates starting at just $109 a night. And you've got options. Epic family friendly resorts with full on water parks or quieter pool scenes. If your vibe is more do not disturb, ease into your trip and get your Zen on with sunrise yoga, evening stargazing and generous summer specials at area spas. Or book a sunrise tee time at a world famous golf course at rates way less than usual. Plus summer is the easiest time to land a reservation at Scottsdale's award winning restaurants. You know, the ones people usually humble brag about getting in. And there's no shortage of indoor air conditioned spots to visit museums, boutiques, art galleries and the Southwest's largest shopping mall. Visit summerinscotsdale.com and start planning your trip.

[Jason Bateman]

Your outdoor space should feel like you, but it can take a long time to get there. There was a pool umbrella at the house that was, it must have been with the house before we got it. And it was just like how often are you going to go down the street and go buy a pool umbrella? You just, you forget these things. It takes a while, you know. But then I ordered a nice new pool umbrella there on Wayfair. It came, it set it up and it was perfect. Thank you Wayfair. Whether your vibe is modern, coastal, farmhouse or eclectic, Wayfair has the pieces to create an outdoor space that is uniquely yours. With filters, customer reviews and visual tools that help you actually imagine how the item will look in your space, Wayfair makes it simple to narrow down what works for your style and and budget with with everything from outdoor seating and grills to lighting and decor, Wayfair is your one stop shop for home installation and assembly. Services are available to create a truly seamless experience. And if you want an even faster shortcut for the good stuff, shop Wayfair verified products that their team of specialists have vetted by hand using a 10 point quality inspection. Get prepped for patio season. For Way less head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. That's W A Y-F A I R.com Wayfair Every style, every Home.

[Sean Hayes]

If you're trying to be more intentional about what you wear day to day, quints can help you with that. They've got pieces that feel easy, comfortable and still put together. The fabrics feel elevated and the fits are clean. Think 100% European linen shorts and shirts from $34. Lightweight, breathable and comfortable. Everything is priced 50 to 80% less than what you'd find at similar brands. Quince works directly with ethical factories and cuts out the middle so you're getting premium materials without the markup. I just got pants that are 100% European linen. Ah, you know why I love them? They're not tight like jeans and they're not sweats. They're right in the middle. They're nice, they're airy, they're great. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to quint.com smartless for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-I-N c-e.com smartless for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com smartless.

[Jason Bateman]

And now back to the show.

[Will Arnett]

I did want to get more into the lyrics because you've always. Well, first of all, another thing is, do you write music first? Do you write lyrics first? Is it a mixture of the two? Cause so many of your lyrics, I mean, so many of your songs, you know, the lyrics are so. I don't know. For Message in a Bottle, for instance, like a song like that, which is so dense lyrically, and it's such an incredible.

[Jason Bateman]

They're satisfying on their own.

[Will Arnett]

Don't even need such a great message and so resonant, you know, there's no

[Sting]

one method to write a song. You can start with a lyric, you can start with a. A riff or a series of chords or a melody that suddenly floats into your head. But I have to remind myself every time I want to write a song that all of them, even the most successful ones, began as a tiny kernel of an idea, just something that intrigued me, a novelty, an interval, a flattened fifth or a. Something very tiny. And then I built. Built on it bit by bit. And they weren't masterpieces until you did a lot of work on them.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, does that.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, but. But that's like. Sorry, just to. I. I'm now on Message On a Bottle and I'm thinking about it. For me, that's always been one of those songs that. That really sort of captures that, the spirit of loneliness. Especially at the end when you sort of say, you know. He talks about sending it out and then. Woke up this morning can't believe what I saw 100 billion bottles wash up on the shore and I always loved the line, Seems I'm not alone at being alone. It just like that always. I mean, it's as impactful to me today as the first time I heard it. And I wonder if you remember writing that and where you were at when you wrote a song like that.

[Sting]

I was living in Bayswater in a basement flat, not the terribly salubrious part of London. And I wrote that guitar riff, the Message in a bottle thing. And I'm thinking, what is. What is this about? What is it? And I was feeling a low ebb and thinking, I feel like I'm shipwrecked and I'm a castaway here. Because I wasn't successful at the time. I was struggling to make a living. I'd gone to London with a dream and it wasn't being realized immediately. So this was from that period then. And I'd only be singing it to the dog who would occasionally wag a tail. But that was it.

[Sean Hayes]

That was the only response I got.

[Jason Bateman]

When you say that, all these. No matter what the song is. It always starts with just a little kernel. Does that then ever put you in a place of, like. Are you ever able to relax for fear of missing a little kernel that might come by just walking down the street making some sort of observation or. Or hearing something somebody might say or thinking of a little bit of a tune? Are you ever, ever able to just turn off the. The radar?

[Sting]

It's important to. To keep a notebook, I think. So you can. You can't, you know, wake up with a. With a melody in your head.

[Jason Bateman]

Do you have a little tiny notebook? Or do you. Or do you use, like, your iPhone now?

[Sting]

I'd. Well, yeah. Notes on my iPhone.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Do you ever. Do you ever dream melodies?

[Sting]

I wake up with melodies in my head.

[Sean Hayes]

I do, too, sometimes, but I'm too lazy to do anything about it.

[Will Arnett]

Is it usually. Usually the melody from Benny Hill?

[Jason Bateman]

What do you do when you wake up with a melody? How do you remember? Do you hum it into, like, voice notes?

[Sting]

I should do that. Yeah. You know, I won't get back to sleep if I wake up with a melody. I will not be able to sleep. I go down and sit with a guitar and say, okay, go back to

[Sean Hayes]

going to London for the first time when you were a teacher. And then I'm always fascinated with, like, how did you. Had. You visited London? You saw the big city and it inspired you. Like, how did you. What drove you to think, you know what, I have to go to London and pursue this.

[Sting]

There was no way to do what I wanted to do in my town. There was no template for that at all. And you knew that you had to go to London. Yeah, that was it.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Okay.

[Sting]

And so, you know, I auditioned for. To sing in cocktail bars, and they'd say, well, we want you to do top 40 hits. I said, well, I don't know any top 40 hits, but I've got a song of my own. And I'd sing Every Little thing She does is magic. And the guy would say, well, it's not a hit, is it? I said, well, not yet, but, boy,

[Will Arnett]

if he could see you now.

[Sting]

I didn't get that job.

[Sean Hayes]

Wow. That's amazing. That's amazing.

[Jason Bateman]

Wow. Since you started on the guitar, when was the transition to bass? Was that simply because the guy. I forget his name, who you started with, with Stuart, that Andy later replaced, was it because he wanted to play guitar and you pivoted over to bass?

[Sting]

No, I just. I think it's a very, very astute choice to make if you want to Be a band leader. Because I sing the top line and because I play the bottom line, that the rest of the band has to operate literally within my bandwidth. And as a bass player, you can change the harmony very, very profoundly. The piano player or the guitarist can be playing a C chord. If I play a G below that, I've completely altered the harmony. So I'm in control. It's a very subtle way of controlling, but it's very. It's very profound.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, wow. Yeah, I'd love to.

[Sean Hayes]

164 or 164 or 565 or 1/4.

[Sting]

Exactly. Inversions are the. The heart of my music, I think.

[Sean Hayes]

I love that you know the versions.

[Sting]

Inversions.

[Will Arnett]

I don't. I'm not musically educated enough to ignore

[Jason Bateman]

me normally, but, Shawna, I mean, I love music.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Like. Like in two seconds you get like, C, E, G is a C chord. And if you take the G and you put it on the bottom, all of a sudden that's a 1, 6, 4.

[Sting]

Genius.

[Sean Hayes]

If you're a piano, I could show you in two seconds. You guys would learn so fast.

[Sting]

That's where jazz will come in when you listen to your piano.

[Will Arnett]

I think my thing on jazz is. It's kind of. I said it sort of offhand. It's a running joke to. Like, I can't. That my friend Mark Chaplin. I always have, which is Chappie. Shout out to Chappie. Whether it's cool to say you like it or cool to say you don't. It's just a joke. But it's actually. And his son is at school taking jazz in London. But I think I don't appreciate it enough and I probably don't know enough about it.

[Sting]

I'll tell you a story. When I was 14, I was at. It's called a grammar school. I got a scholarship to study there. It's like kind of elite school for poor kids. And I would take my guitar, and one afternoon I was playing in the classroom, and this older kid came up and said, you're good. He said, do you like jazz? I said, I don't know. He said, I'm gonna give you something. And he gave me an album. He said, listen to it tonight. You won't like it, but listen to it tomorrow night and the next night and the next night. And then you will learn something. So he gave me Thelonious Monk playing live solo at an Olympia in Paris. Right. So I put it on. He was right. I didn't like it. Kind of really angular Weird harmony shit, I thought, put it on the next night. Little better. By the third night, I'd opened up a part of my brain that had been closed. And I think it's about exposure to difficult harmony. Without that exposure, you can't hear it. You go, oh, it sounds terrible, but that, once you open it, it's the sweetest place to be.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, man, I'm gonna write this down.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, it's. It's.

[Will Arnett]

I'm literally writing this down.

[Jason Bateman]

What is the. I'm also a musical moron. But the stuff that you can easily follow, that you can tap your toe to, is what? Four, four. Time. Is that. Is that right?

[Sting]

I mean, common time. Yeah, yeah. Most pop music is written in four. Four. Yes.

[Jason Bateman]

Right. And then. So is it. What is. What is. The one that is. Always surprises you. Is that. Was that like, third?

[Sting]

Well, it could be five, four, which is like take five is written in five, four. Or I like, seven, eight. Seven beats in a bar. Or like nine, eight.

[Jason Bateman]

And to Ding dongs like me, it always sounds like it's a mistake. Like, how do they keep missing this?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, but three, four is a waste.

[Jason Bateman]

But then to your point, Sting, it ends up making you a better listener. It trains you. You learn how to appreciate something that's a bit more sophisticated. And consequently, you don't get sick of that song as quickly as you do the.

[Sting]

You're right. I think the brain is split in two. As you know, one part of the brain analyzes or processes very simple intervals, like thirds and fifths. The other part of the brain analyzes more complex intervals and more complex rhythms. So unless you've opened one side of the brain and not closed it off, you will not be able to appreciate difficult music.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. And most people don't appreciate those nuances in the 7, 8 and the 5, 4 and the. That's 69. And whatever I do, I, I.

[Sting]

If I'm jamming with a guitar, I'm invariably playing in seven.

[Sean Hayes]

That's wild.

[Sting]

I. I don't know it.

[Sean Hayes]

Jay, do you know. Do you know this? This is. You're going to make fun of me. Do you know the score of Aita at all?

[Jason Bateman]

I. I do. I. I'll bet I would if you told it to me.

[Sean Hayes]

There's one song that I can't remember was. Rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling. One, two, three. One, two, one, two, one, two, three. 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2. That's seven, eight, right?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, yeah. Three. That sounds like a West Side Story one or.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, totally. Yeah, a little bit. Like syncopated, you know, Sting. The first time I ever saw. I was a kid when MTV started. And one of the first things I ever saw was synchronicity 2 video, which is still fresh in my mind. And I love that song. I love that video. Were you someone who embraced the. The advent of video as it marries to audio and songs, or did you like, oh, God, I gotta do this video? Like, did you hate it or did you enjoy it?

[Sting]

Well, I think British bands had a distinct advantage in the advent of mtv because there was only one kind of pop show in England. It was called Top of the Pops. It was a chart show. Yeah. And if you got into the top 20, you know, you could perform on the show and if your record went up, you'd perform the next week. But if you were on tour, you had to make a video and they'd show the video. So we had all of these examples of videos we'd made when we couldn't turn up to actually do the show that immediately went onto mtv. So we were well practiced by. So that was the second British Invasion was due to that fact.

[Jason Bateman]

Was that the. Was that. Could that be. Was that the first time you were in front of the camera and started to maybe even have the spark of acting?

[Sting]

No, no, I said I had a lot of jobs. I was trying to make a living in London. I modeled for a while and I was. I went to an advertising agency and I was modeling a. I think it was some kind of jewelry thing. And I was a punk and it was shot by Ridley Scott. Wow, wow, wow. Who had a. Had a company called rsa.

[Jason Bateman]

Sure.

[Sting]

And I did a lot of work for them as a kind of model on film.

[Jason Bateman]

But wait, so these were these. Was it print? Were these were stills or was it.

[Sting]

No, this. This was. This was for advertising in cinemas. So in between movies.

[Jason Bateman]

So then. So then the. The. The concept of striking a pose, making a face, conveying a mood, a tone through movement, through expression, body language, et cetera, that was. That was interesting to you?

[Sean Hayes]

Did it.

[Jason Bateman]

Did it have anything to do with performing on stage when you're doing music? Like, I guess what I'm sort of prodding, I'm trying to. What is your attraction to acting? Is it a cousin to what you like doing on stage?

[Sting]

I think I've been posing my entire life.

[Jason Bateman]

We all do it, you know.

[Sting]

I think I invented Blue steel, frankly.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, you are. You are the originator of many things.

[Sting]

Because I was in Zoolander too, as well.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. With Mr. Justin Thoreau. Who had a lot to do with those.

[Sting]

Yeah. Who actually proposed in my house. And he said to me, do you think I should marry this girl? I said, well, if you don't, I will.

[Sean Hayes]

Is that true? Did he really propose in your house?

[Sting]

Would I lie to you? No, it's true. He comes to stay with us in Italy in. In Tuscany.

[Will Arnett]

What? You know, it's funny, the police. I mean, how many records did you guys release? You.

[Sting]

Five.

[Will Arnett]

Five and five years. Is that right? Like that?

[Sting]

I don't remember.

[Will Arnett]

But yeah, I mean, it's. I mean, it's really you.

[Sting]

You.

[Will Arnett]

I think your last. Was your last record, Synchronicity.

[Sting]

Yes, it was.

[Will Arnett]

And that was like 1983.

[Sting]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Wait, that was the last one.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, I know. Isn't that. Isn't that amazing?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, but then. But then going into. Yeah, go.

[Sting]

And then.

[Will Arnett]

And then you went into. Right. And then you went into everything else and all your.

[Jason Bateman]

A stratospheric solo career.

[Will Arnett]

Of course. And do you. Did it feel like you were going into a different fate? Like, did it feel totally different coming out of being part of a band and then going on on your own? Was it just like a.

[Sting]

What was that like again? It was kind of strategic, you know, and kind of counter. Counterintuitive, you know. Why would you leave the biggest band in the world at its peak?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Sting]

I said, well, after this, everything's going to be diminishing returns. I want to start the adventure again and take that risk. And also, if I don't leave now, I'll never be able to leave.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Sting]

You know, I mean, I love the Stones. The Stones are fantastic, but they are welded together.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, they are.

[Sting]

I wanted to leave the band before that. Weld was entirely right. I just wanted some freedom.

[Jason Bateman]

Right, Right. Yeah. And the music, while it. While it was different, it. It still, there was. There was always a complexity to what you guys were doing just as a three man band. And when you went off and created another band. Yes, it was. It was titled just your name, but the. The musicians you put together were just incredible. And that band as a unit made some incredibly complicated music. I was so glad to see the. What was the name of the documentary of the recording of Dream of the Blue Turtles.

[Sting]

Bring on the night.

[Jason Bateman]

Bring on the night. Oh, fuck, I love that movie. And watching you guys, since some gorgeous chateau or manor or something was just watching you guys do what you did there was such a. Yes, you were the leader, but the, the sharing, the camaraderie that you created with them, it Was so nice to see you guys all working together as co equals to create what you guys did.

[Sting]

You know, one of my strategies has always been to play with musicians who are better than me so that I would have to raise my game. That was true with the Police, that was true with the Blue Turtles, and it's true now.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sting]

I'm still struggling. I'm still struggling to maintain my position because I hire people that are way better than me.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, yeah. So talk to us about that, about 3.0 and about what excited you about creating that. And what's the goal there?

[Sting]

The goal was really to strip the songs down to their bare, skeletal form and see if they were still sturdy enough to stand without all that flesh on it. And lo and behold, there's so much air around the instruments and clarity that it is both louder and quieter at the same time. The dynamics are much more extreme.

[Jason Bateman]

Meaning that you've taken just the three fellas and you've stripped away a bunch of other things. And when you say the songs, you're talking about songs that include the entirety of your career or just recently or what?

[Sting]

Just take away the keyboard parts, all the layered synthesizer part strings, and you're just left with guitar, bass, drums and a voice. Yeah. It's amazing how sturdy those songs are.

[Sean Hayes]

I. I bet. I mean, it's such a testament to.

[Sting]

To.

[Sean Hayes]

To them themselves, you know, the songs themselves. What, are you still on tour with that?

[Sting]

Yeah, in between. In between shows with the Last Ship, I. I'm touring with a band. I'm trying to keep both. Both things in there because I love them both.

[Jason Bateman]

You just announced new dates, right? I think there's going to be a. A domestic US tour in May, I want to say.

[Sting]

Yeah, may, May, and then November. I'm coming back for the midterms.

[Jason Bateman]

We need you.

[Sean Hayes]

We'll be right back. Justworks helps small businesses support their teams with everything from HR to offering better benefits. Whether you're hiring, automating, payroll, expanding globally, or tackling compliance, JustWorks offers 24. 7 support from an actual human. That means you can hire and manage talent without juggling multiple platforms or hidden fees. And get your team access to premium benefits like health insurance, 401k and commuter perks. And with transparent pricing, you always know what you're paying for. Go to justworks.com to learn more. They do your human resources right, so you can do right by your people. Just works for your people. Discover high quality facials at Massage Envy, delivered by professional estheticians and focused on specific Skin concerns To help you address your unique skin care goals. Right now you can try a results driven facial at 50% off the non member non intro rate. When you Receive your facial May 11 through May 31, 2020 six terms apply. See Massagenvy.com for offer details and to find a participating franchise location. Book your facial today.

[Jason Bateman]

This is a paid ad by BetterHelp. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, stuck, anxious or unsure, that is okay. Those feelings are more common than we think. Think whatever you're going through, you don't have to go through it alone. Having someone with you to listen and understand can make all the difference. Whatever is keeping you up at night, therapy with better help can provide you with tools to help you check in with yourself and gain support from experienced professionals. BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform. Just take a short questionnaire to identify your needs and Preferences and BetterHelp will handle the initial therapist matching work for you. You can also feel confident knowing better help therapists work according to a strict code of conduct and are fully qualified. You don't have to be on this journey alone. Find support and have someone with you in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com smartless that's better h lp.com smartless. All right, back to the show.

[Will Arnett]

Mixed in all of this, it should be noted you've spent a lot of your time throughout your life devoted to activism for a lot of different causes. Like serious. Well, yeah, I remember. What was it? The Secret Policeman's other Ball. Other ball. You were part of that.

[Jason Bateman]

That was the first time you performed solo, is that correct? Correct.

[Sting]

Well, first time since I became famous. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Will Arnett]

But you did that and Band Aid and all these. And then you've continued amnesty and stuff over the years. Where does that sort of fit in your life?

[Sting]

Well, I've always had a social conscience, you know, I think as a member of society, you. You have a debt to society.

[Will Arnett]

Noblesse oblige.

[Sting]

Noblesse oblige. Very good French. It's never been a question for me that I wouldn't be involved in issues like that. And I still am. I mean, I don't write songs that are propaganda. You know, I am always looking for a metaphor that I can express an idea in without just saying, you know, you're good and you're bad. I have to have a metaphor.

[Jason Bateman]

How are, how are we doing in some of those, some of those areas that you're passionate about, the rainforest and others?

[Sting]

Well, it's pretty bleak, to be honest with you. We protected an area of the rainforest, my wife and I, the size of Belgium and the Netherlands. And then with the Bolsonaro government, they just made incursions into that, that protectorate. And so it's bleak. It's not a good picture at the moment.

[Jason Bateman]

Do you think that, speaking of AI, do you see AI as something that could be helpful in something like that?

[Sting]

Well, I mean, if it's truly intelligent, it will tell us to stop burning the rainforest, stop polluting our rivers, and

[Jason Bateman]

it may come up with some sort of an alternative. I get why you're burning it because you need X. But here's another way you could get X. X, yeah, maybe.

[Sting]

Yeah, maybe that would be a use. A use. Useful or, you know, medical research, I'm sure.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sting]

Will benefit.

[Will Arnett]

I really. I'm applauding your optimism right now. This is a new.

[Jason Bateman]

I did see. I think I was telling you guys about the documentary I saw the other day. I want to give a little plug too, so. Fantastic. It's called the AI Document, the AI doc with the subtitle of How I Became an Apocalyptomist. And it's, it's a. It's. It's about. It's about a guy who's about to have a child and he is simply taking the position of the layman and saying to all of these experts, should I be worried about having a kid coming into this world? Given what we're hearing, should I be bullish or pessimistic about AI's contribution to society and mankind? And it was not only a really entertaining documentary, but super educational. And I did come out the other side optimistic. And so I'd ask our guest here, maybe specifically to music, but also just in general, if you're willing to give us your hot take on what you think AI is going to do for us.

[Sting]

Well, I'll speak about my field, talk about music. AI can create perfectly serviceable pop music that you would hear in a hotel lobby or an airport. But there's a difference between listening to something and hearing something. So I'm saying you'll hear that in an airport. I will know it's AI almost immediately. But will I listen to it? No. What I'm listening for in a piece of music created by a human being is that that human being has lived the life that human being has had its heart broken, has been in love. Machine can't do that. Machine doesn't have a family history. Good or bad. It's just a set of other people's memories. So I don't think we are in danger of losing that. I think people will know that this is a machine that's singing to them and it's not real. I hope so, anyway.

[Will Arnett]

And do you think that maybe, hopefully one of the byproducts will be that people will really celebrate and really there will be a premium for live experiences with other human beings. Like that will be hopefully one of the bi product.

[Sting]

I agree. Also, you know, you're competing with a kind of perfectionism that machines can give you now. I think artists in the 19th century, visual artists were challenged by the invention of photography that could create reality in such a detailed way. So instead of trying to compete, they created the impressionist movement where they weren't painting objects anymore, they were painting the light around objects. And that. I think human beings will sidestep that perfection to create something.

[Sean Hayes]

I agree.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, it's almost going back to what we were talking about with jazz. It's jazz by intention and by definition is improvisational and is meant to sort of mess it up a little bit. Like, you know, you can play the 44 time and make it all work, but it takes a real master to kind of identify the gray areas around that and kind of bend it and tweak it a little bit and then re. Arrive at something that's perhaps a little bit more productiv predictable and then break it again.

[Sting]

And.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, I doubt a computer would be able to be that.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, we have to go. We have to go through whatever phase this is in humanity of this AI to come back and look, vinyl's back. Like everything comes back, you know? And I think.

[Will Arnett]

Well, yeah, think about vinyl. I mean, when we went to. What was your feeling when they started going digital to sort of CDs and stuff and that kind of compressed sound and all that. How did that affect.

[Sting]

I mean, we kind of enjoyed it and I liked CDs, but there's something uncanny about it. Digital silence instead of that. That white hissy noise you get when you put a record on, which is kind of comforting. Yeah, digital silence is very spooky.

[Jason Bateman]

It's kind of like film too, right? Where you actually see film, you see some of the hair and some of the noise on the image. Whereas the digital size and also the

[Will Arnett]

experience of like, going out when I was a kid and forgive me again for like going out and buying one of your records and. And the day it came out and cutting the plastic on it. Yeah, the cellophane and then taking it out and putting it on the record player and looking at the lyrics and singing, and that was the only connection that you had. And it was so exciting. You know, you're like, I just went out and I got the new Sting record. I got the new Police record. Like, you know that experience where we're robbing ourselves of these experiences, it was

[Sting]

an entire world, you know, I mean, you can stream songs now, but they don't tell you who played bass on them. They don't tell who was the engineer, you know, where it was made. It's just. It's just a product like coffee. It's a commodity.

[Sean Hayes]

Right.

[Sting]

So you need that information. And an album covers satisfied an entire generation, which I'm part of.

[Sean Hayes]

I remember that.

[Sting]

That was our world.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. You'd listen and stare at the. Stare at the album cover for hours, as you were, to every detail of it.

[Sean Hayes]

I did that with the Carpenters. I used to listen to the Carpenters.

[Will Arnett]

So let's move on.

[Jason Bateman]

Hey, Sting, are we ever gonna see you do some. Some. Some acting again? Because you're a great actor.

[Sting]

I'm acting in my play. I'm in my.

[Jason Bateman]

Yes. And I'm gonna come see that. I'll be the guy in front, heckling and judging.

[Will Arnett]

Will you go see him backstage? Jason?

[Jason Bateman]

I'm gonna go.

[Sting]

I'm.

[Jason Bateman]

Come see him backstage, which I always find is a little sweaty, but I'm told that's. That's what the polite thing is to do. Do you like that? Do you like people coming backstage and bar?

[Sting]

Yeah, Yeah, I do.

[Jason Bateman]

You do? You're not exhausted and you just want to go home or you want.

[Sting]

No, I want adulation. I want.

[Jason Bateman]

I'm going to come back. I'm just going to just.

[Will Arnett]

You need to know that this is a thing for Jason that we've been through for years, about the question as to whether or not to go backstage. What about after a concert?

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, yeah.

[Sting]

Well, actually, I usually leave the building immediately in case they want their money back, so. But with the last. The last shirt, they. They don't. That just come.

[Sean Hayes]

So, Sting, you know, we just listed all of the things that you do and that you don't. It just seems like you're the hardest working person in the world. I mean, what do you.

[Sting]

Did you say hottest looking?

[Sean Hayes]

Hardest working.

[Sting]

Okay, and the hottest looking. I'll take both.

[Will Arnett]

Hardest looking person. Hottest looking.

[Sean Hayes]

Just with all your. All the charity work you do, all the concerts you do, all the. You're doing a live show, you're doing a tour, you're just you're writing more Al. It's just endless. It's incredible. Like you said, your work ethic is just incredible.

[Jason Bateman]

The question is. Yeah. When are you an idiot? Right? Yeah. What do you. What do you do? What do you do? That's just dumb.

[Sting]

As. And, and, you know, agreeing to do this show.

[Will Arnett]

You were the regret. The regret must be immense.

[Jason Bateman]

You saw the title of it. You said perfect. That's me.

[Sting]

Smart left.

[Jason Bateman]

Like, do you have any, Any, Any guilty. Sort of. That my brain needs to rest and do.

[Sting]

Of course I do, but I'm not going to tell you.

[Jason Bateman]

Come on.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, no, you got to tell it.

[Jason Bateman]

Sean likes Candy Crush on his phone.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Sting]

I have no idea what that is.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, it's some dumb little game, but I would imagine. Or is it. Or is it just nice long walks with the great Trudy Styler and just,

[Sting]

you know, I'm very gifted in life to have this beautiful woman who's been my partner for over 45 years. That's like, you know, since the Second World War. And we just have a great time. We love each other. Yeah. I mean, I won't stay up for six weeks, actually, because I'm going to Australia tomorrow to do the Last Ship, so.

[Jason Bateman]

That's too long, Right? I bet you guys. You guys have like a two week rule like the rest of us. Are you good about that?

[Sting]

Normally, but this, this is a long. A long period, so.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, it's a long time. What do you think about doing the show night after night? Like I always say, the hardest part is if you're feeling like shit or you got a stomachache or a headache or whatever, you have to keep. You have to go on, you know.

[Sting]

There are two plays going on with the Last Ship. There's one that's on stage that the audience sees. There's another one behind the stage. You meet little cliques behind stage at a certain point in the play, and that's when you sing along with the person in front of the stage or you have a hand clapping competition. There's little rituals that you never stop. You're doing both plays and I know where I have to be and we all do that.

[Jason Bateman]

Are you excited about. Have you played the Met before with anything?

[Sting]

I've performed at the Met with my band a couple of times, but this is the first time I've actually been in a play in the Met. And it's a massive theater, but the set of the play is so huge. We are recreating a ship and it has an operatic scale which Is. I mean, it's not an opera, but it has an operatic scale also. I think it has the emotional ambition of an opera. It's a very emotional play.

[Sean Hayes]

I can't wait to see this.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. And. And so did the. Did this. Did the. Did the sets change for the Met? Are they built bigger? Are they more dramatic? Are they more operatic because of that venue?

[Sting]

They're bigger because of the venue. We. We started out in Amsterdam, and then we were in Paris in massive halls, and it really works.

[Jason Bateman]

What about. What about writing an. An opera or. Or. Or writing a symphony? Is that. Is any of that interesting to you?

[Sting]

I'm. I'm a songwriter, and the Last Ship is a song cycle, you know, with. With a theatrical component to it. But to write an opera, I'm not qualified to do that.

[Will Arnett]

That feels like a pretty hard. No, I'm just remembering Sting, your performance in one of my favorite films of all. It just has a. Which is Quadrophenia.

[Sting]

Well, I was in. In that film long enough to make an impression, but not long enough to blow it.

[Will Arnett]

No, but it's such a great film. It's such. Have you guys ever seen.

[Jason Bateman]

Seen that Quadrapheno as little pieces. Yeah. I would love to see more acting out of you.

[Sting]

Yeah, well, that was. That was during the period when I was modeling and just doing anything, you know, trying to get a gig in the cocktail bar. So I would do anything. And this agent called me up and said, do you want to go for Quadraffini? I said, nah, I'm washing my hair. But she's no go.

[Sean Hayes]

So I loved. I loved the original Dune. I loved you in the original Dune. Have you seen the new ones? Yeah, yeah, they're pretty cool. Yeah, they're pretty cool.

[Sting]

I think Austin Butler was playing me in the new one.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, for sure.

[Jason Bateman]

It's great.

[Will Arnett]

Two handsome guys. Two handsome guys. Sting.

[Jason Bateman]

See? That's right.

[Sting]

I mean, their version wasn't as camp as ours, I have to tell you.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, it was David lynch, wasn't it?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. Well, I can't thank you enough for spending time with us and letting us peek behind the curtain a bit. With your brilliance, your accomplishments. I mean, is there anything we should keep our knees bent for that you're gonna try to. Also perfect. I mean, everything you've done, it's all been so different and so incredible. Is there a challenge for you out there left?

[Sting]

I think the basis of all. Not to be pretentious, but it is surprise in a composition. You want to surprise people within four bars. Or, you know, a piece of writing, you want to surprise people within the first few sentences. So I'm hoping to surprise myself about what. What is next. I don't know what is next, but I. I have to have surprise. I have to have novelty. I have a very low threshold for boring. So I need to be surprised. Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

And I would imagine, I hope the answer to this is yes, that you have allowed yourself to be satisfied and yet even proud of what you've done and that you need not prove anything to yourself or to us and that it is just all just sort of for fun going forward. Do you allow yourself the observation of accomplishment? I mean, it's just been incredible.

[Sting]

I mean, I'm a very fortunate man in every, you know, important field. Yeah. I have a family, I have a wife and a career. Yeah, I've been. I've been very fortunate.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, we're very fortunate to have received it all, so thank you. I'm pleased to.

[Sean Hayes]

I could ask you about, like. I mean, I. It's. When you. When I meet somebody like you, it's so massively iconic. I just want to talk to you about how every. What's the story behind every song that you wrote? Would you take hours and hours?

[Sting]

You know, I do a show on my own in a smaller venues where it affords the opportunity to give context to the songs. Okay. I. I wrote it in the flat in Bayswater. This. This was what inspired me or how it was written. And I think that context makes the songs richer. Yeah, but you cannot. You can't do that in an arena or a stadium, obviously, but in a small place with maybe 100 people, people, you can really create the world that the. The songs came from.

[Will Arnett]

And you will still do that. You'll still do that from time to time.

[Sting]

Yeah, I did one two weeks ago.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, man. I want to come and see that.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. Is that. That's not. That's not Sting 3.0, is it? Do we. Is there some of that in that?

[Sting]

It's just sometimes I'll. I'll do a one off just to do an hour of. Of my songs and stories.

[Will Arnett]

Love to see that.

[Jason Bateman]

Ooh, that would be good. I would like that.

[Will Arnett]

Thank you so much, man.

[Jason Bateman]

Honestly, really appreciate the time. Thank you. I'll be banging on your dressing room door in a couple of months. Pretend you remember me.

[Will Arnett]

Please do.

[Sean Hayes]

I might be with him.

[Sting]

Please do.

[Jason Bateman]

All right, well, you enjoy the rest of your day. Thank you again for joining us.

[Sting]

I have my cover.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, you just slam it shut. Really appreciate the Time. Sting. Good luck with sting. 3.0 and the last show ship.

[Sting]

That was fun. Thank you so much.

[Jason Bateman]

All right, cheers, man. Bye. Thank you.

[Sting]

Bye.

[Will Arnett]

Bye. Wow. Jason.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. How about that?

[Sean Hayes]

When he. When he. When you. When he popped up. Well, when you said how many GRAMMYs he went.

[Jason Bateman]

17 GRAMMYs. A 100 million records.

[Sean Hayes]

That's unbelievable.

[Jason Bateman]

I think he's, like, close to EGOT level. And. And just. He's across Ross. As I. As I said, he literally started in 1969, so that was the year I was born. And as young as I can remember, he has been the guy and is across all of my years of music appreciation, every single year, I've liked listening to music. He's had music that I love listening to.

[Sean Hayes]

I love that.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

That's great. Wait, 69 was the year he started. Started He.

[Jason Bateman]

He started.

[Sean Hayes]

Started performing, you know, with the Police or.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, no, started performing music, I guess, as a kid or learning.

[Will Arnett]

This was like 1978, I think.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay. Okay.

[Jason Bateman]

I think that. Yeah, that sounds about something like that.

[Sean Hayes]

How do you know that?

[Will Arnett]

Well, because I'm. You know. How crazy.

[Sting]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

All those records were just so important to me. Like everybody else. I'm not. I'm not unique in that way.

[Sean Hayes]

And even if you're not a fan, which I can't believe anybody isn't, you know all his songs, right? Of course.

[Jason Bateman]

You know what I mean? They're all different. Not one of his songs sounds like the last. Right?

[Sean Hayes]

Pretty crazy. Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

It's and all. And just the Police alone, the fact that it was just three of them, too, making all those different sounds and. Oh, my God, he's. He's really, really impressive. And I'm serious, I would love to see more acting out of him. He does have such a great presence and stillness to his acting style, which I'm a big, big fan of. But. Yeah, what are. You know, I was thinking about when I was, you know, doing, you know, my brief research before this interview. This. This is a perfect example of how freaking lucky the three of us are.

[Sean Hayes]

I know. I thought that right when he popped

[Jason Bateman]

on, you know, he's been the same, right? I mean, this guy's been like. I've just. I'm. I was a little, little guy when he was like a God to me, and he still is. And, like, now we get to have him on our show. Like, I remember seeing. Seeing the Police at Hollywood park, this racetrack here, and, you know, being a mile from the stage. Cause that's the closest tickets I could get. And there's like the biggest rock star in the world. That far away. I'll never get anywhere near somebody like now. So we get to talk to these folks.

[Will Arnett]

I mean, I don't even have that. I have, like, sitting in the living room with my sisters, like, listening to the records on the record player.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

And listen like the snap, crackle pop of the record.

[Sean Hayes]

Totally. Imagine if Karen Carpenter was still alive.

[Sting]

Oh, Sean.

[Will Arnett]

Anyway, moving on.

[Sting]

So.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. It's never addressed. Truly, truly so lucky. I know, I know.

[Sean Hayes]

I felt that right when he came on J. I was like, wow, this is just incredible.

[Jason Bateman]

A big thank you to those of you who are listening that make it possible for us Ding Dongs to have these childhood dreams come true.

[Sean Hayes]

Thank you.

[Will Arnett]

We. We are very. We are. He said he's very fortunate. We are very fortunate that we get to spend time with these incredible people. We're very fortunate in a lot of ways. And that is really a big one. And put it this way. We're not very hard done by.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, hardened

[Sean Hayes]

Done by Hard done by.

[Jason Bateman]

We're done by Smart.

[Sting]

Smart less

[Will Arnett]

Smartless is 100% organic and artisanally handcrafted by Michael Grant, Terry, Rob Armjarv and Bennett Barbico. Smart lass.

[Sting]

We're back in the Miller's yard. Summer heat stress not with this true green lawn.

[Sean Hayes]

They got a lawn like a golf course here in Oregon without wasting a weekend. And PGA tour golfer started showing up

[Sting]

like this pro shocked this grass is thriving in peak summer. Has to dodge the bikes and the recycling bins.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, perfectly struck Trugreen the easiest way

[Jason Bateman]

to get a golf course quality lawn. Don't wait. Click the screen now to sign [e-mail] exclusions apply. See trugreen.com for details. The future of law is agentic. Not just tools that assist, but AI agents that navigate complex matters. Harvey was built on legal agents that analyze, draft, and execute with precision. But great lawyers don't just complete tasks, they strategize. That's why Harvey created agents that can do the work from end to end. They build a plan plan, pull from secure data sources, run sub agents in parallel, and draft the work product ready for your review. So you delegate the work and own the judgment. Harvey agents support work across fund formation, litigation, regulatory compliance, M and A and more. Adapting to the complexity of each matter and the way your team actually works. Trusted by more than 60% of the AmLaw100 and leading Fortune 500 legal teams, Harvey is the AI operating system designed specifically for legal work, helping teams move faster with greater precision and confidence. Harvey AI Tailored for Law Learn more at Harvey AI Harvey does not provide legal advice and users should always independently review and verify any output provided by Harvey.