Charlie Gillett - Andy Summers

I was reminded the other day that it's been a year since Charlie passed away and in memory of him I am uploading another of his great Capital Radio shows - this time with guest Andy Summers who used to play bass in the Police and later went on to do solo projects with Robert Fripp etc. Andy plays an eclectic choice which includes Captain Beefheart, Les Paul, Hot Club Of France and Steve Reich.

Wikipedia says -

"Summers was born in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, England to Maurice and Jean Somers. When he was a young child, he moved to Bournemouth, Dorset, attended Summerbee School and took up the guitar at age 14. By 17 he was playing in local clubs. While a teenager he worked in a Bournemouth music store frequented by a young Robert Fripp. Although Summers had been essentially self-taught when he began his professional musical career, he studied classical guitar at California State University at Northridge for four years until 1973.

Pre-Police careerSummers began his recording career in the 1960s as the guitarist for the R&B group Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, and its subsequent psychedelic-era incarnation, Dantalian's Chariot. In 1968, Summers was a member (for a couple of months, from May to July[citation needed]) of the Canterbury scene jazz fusion band Soft Machine, although he did not record with the group[citation needed] He also recorded with Eric Burdon and The Animals (Love Is),and spent much of the mid-seventies doing session work for Jon Lord, Neil Sedaka, Kevin Ayers, Kevin Coyne, David Essex and others. In 1977 he was invited by ex-Gong bassist Mike Howlett to join his band Strontium 90 along with Sting and Stewart Copeland.

The Police (1977–1983; 2007–2008)
Summers achieved international prominence as the guitarist for The Police (which he first had contact with in 1977, and of which he was the oldest member by almost a decade), most notably on popular hits such as "Message in a Bottle", "Don't Stand So Close to Me", and "Every Breath You Take". Summers also wrote songs for the Police, such as "Omegaman" and "Mother". In 1980 his instrumental "Behind My Camel" won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental. Although Sting was the primary lead vocalist, Summers sang lead vocals on several songs, including "Be My Girl Sally", "Friends", "Someone to Talk to" and "Mother."


Charlie Gillett - Andy Summers Pt. 1

Charlie Gillett - Andy Summers Pt. 2