Stewart, the drummer with Curved Air, sees Sting fronting Last Exit
in Newcastle
1977
January 12
With Henri Padovani on guitar, in Stewart's London flat The Police
reherse for the first time
February 12
The Police records their first single, Fallout/Nothing Achieving, at
Pathway Studios, London
March
At The Stowaway, Newport, Wales, The Police plays their first ever
gig, opening a UK tour supporting Cherry Vanilla - Stewart and Sting also
form the rhythm section of her backing band
May
Fallout released on Illegal
May 28
Sting and Stewart play with Andy Summers for the first time in Mike
Howlett's one-off (but two-bass!) band for a Gong reunion at the Circus
Hippodrome, Paris
July 25
Andy joins The Police at the Music Machine, London, for the first of
only two gigs as a quartet
August 10
Henri leaves the band after abortive recording session produced by
former Velvet Underground legend John Cale
August 18
At Rebecca's, Birmingham, the classic Police trio makes its debut
1978
January 13
The Police begin recording Outlandos D'Amour at Nigel Gray's Surrey
Sound studio
February 22
Desperate for cash, the three get the chance to 'act' in a Wrigley's
chewing gum TV commercial. They have to dye their hair blond and it becomes
a trademark
March 21
Miles Copeland visits a Police Surrey Sound session, hears Roxanne
and gets excited
April
Roxanne, the band's firts "white reggae"track is released
in A&M in the UK and fails to chart
September
Can't Stand Losing You/Dead End Job single released
October
Can't Stand Losing You reaches UK 42
October 20
The Police make their US debut at CBGB's, New York
November
Album Outlandos D'Amour and single So Lonely released in UK. The Police
tour the UK supporting Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias
1979
February 13
Back at Surrey Sound, the band starts work on Reggatta De Blanc
April 25
The Police debut on Top Of The Pops, the only peak-time pop show on
British TV. They mime Roxanne
April
Re-released Roxanne makes UK 12, US 32, stirring Outlandos D'Amour
to UK 6, US 23
June
RE-released Can't Stand Losing You UK 2
July 24
Climaxing their first headline tour of the UK, The Police are top of
the bill at the annual three-day Reading Festival
August 16
Premiere of Quadrophenia, movie of The Who's album, with Sting in a
striking cameo role as The Ace Face
September
UK release of Message In A Bottle/Landlord which becomes their first
number 1 two weeks later. US release delayed
September 27
The Police begin a two-month US tour which includes a video shoot at
Kennedy Space Center, Houston, for the Walking on the moon single
October
Reggatta de Blanc UK 1, US 25
November
Re-released Fallout UK 47
December
Walking on the moon/Visions of the night UK 1. Message in a bottle
US 74
December 18
Inaugurating manager Miles Copeland's strategy of setting up "unusual"
gigs for maximum publicity value, the band play two London venues, the
Odeon and the Palais in Hammersmith on the same night, travelling between
the two in an army personnel carrier
1980
January 20
Unprecedented 19-country world tour begins in Buffalo, USA, the takes
in Hong Kong, New Zeland, India and Egypt
February
Re-released So lonely reaches UK 6
March 25-26
The Police play two nights at Homi Bha Bha Auditorium, Bombay, India
June
Six Pack box of Police singles on blue vinyl UK 17
July 7
The Police start recording Zenyatta Mondatta at Wisseloord studios
in Hilversum, Holland, with Nigel Gray still producing
August 9
Finish recording 4am; play Werchter Festival, Belgium, first date of
new world tour, 9pm
September
Don't stand so close to me/Friends UK 1
October
Zenyatta Mondatta UK 1
December
Dedododo, dedadada/A sermon UK 5
1981
January
Dedododo, dedadada reaches US 10. The Police's first American hit since
Roxanne. Zenyatta Mondatta goes to US 5 and they sell out their first concert
at Madison Square Garden, New York, on January 10
February 25
The track Reggatta de Blanc wins the grammy for Best Rock Instrumental
Performance
April
Don't stand so close to me reaches US 10
June 15
At AIR Studios in Montserrat, they start recording Ghost in the machine,
Hugh Padgham producing
September
Invisible sun/Shambelle UK 2 (not released as single in US)
October
Every little thing she does is magic/Flexible strategies UK 1, US 3;
Ghost in the machine UK 1
December
Spirits in the material world/Low life UK 12
1982
January
Ghost in the machine reaches US 2
February 24
Within 24 hours the Police wins the Best British Group title at the
first annual Brit Award in UK, then the Grammies for Best Rock Vocal Performance
by a duo or group (Don't stand so close to me) and Best rock instrumental
performance (Behind my camel)
March
Spirits in the material world US 11
May
Secret journey 46 (not released as single in UK)
December
In Montserrat again, over six weeks they record Synchronicity
1983
May
Every breath you take UK 1, US 1
June
Synchronicity UK1 US 1
July
Wrapped around your finger/Someone to talk to UK 7
August 18
They play to 70,000 in Shea Stadium, New York
October
Synchronicity II/Once upon a daydream UK 17, King of pain/Tea in the
Sahara(live) US 3
December
Synchronicity II US 16. Billboard magazine names Every breath you take
the top single of the year
1984
January
King of pain UK 17
Febraury 28
At the Grammies, Every breath you take wins song of the year and the
best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal and Synchronicity II
(the single) wins best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal
March
Wrapped around your finger US 8
April
Every breath you take wins Best group video at American Video Awards
1985
February 11
The Police win the "career" Brit for their oustanding contribution
to British music
1986
June 11
The Police appear in Atlanta, USA, at the climax of Amnesty International's
all star American tour and play five songs. It will probe to be their final
public performance
July 21
The band go into a London studio intending to record their sixth album,
but they don't
October
Don't stand so close to me '86 UK 24, US 46; Every breath you take
- The singles compilation UK 1, US 7
1992
August 22
Stewart and Andy attend Sting and Trudie Style's wedding and, at the
reception in a marquee at the rear of Sting's Wiltshire home, The Police
reconvene for a couple of numbers
