Andy Summers is seen in a new video reading a story from his upcoming book, Fretted and Moaning.

In the tale, titled “Hotel,” he recounts the experience of a “shagged out” musician who’s played “too many shows” on a tour and has another one to deliver, even though it was supposed to be a day off.

“Hotel” is one of 45 short stories in the former Police guitarist’s first collection, which will be published on Aug. 19. You can see the video below.

"Each [story] involves a guitar and guitarist in some way and introduces a cast of characters who may be familiar to readers who’ve followed Andy’s career over the past five decades or more," publishers Rocket 88 said in a statement. "Not that any of them are about real persons, living or dead, you understand. Every tale has at its heart someone whose hopes, dreams, loves, hates, failure, success and circumstances are revealed in uncanny, funny and often unexpected ways.”

Noting that Summers been writing short stories “since the halcyon days of the Police,” the statement added that each mini-adventure is “as smart, funny and wry as the author and his music.”

Fretted and Moaning will be released in three hardback formats, each running 288 pages: a classic edition, a signed signature edition in a box with a photographic print and a signed, numbered ultimate edition in a box with a signed, numbered giclee photo print. Only 100 copies of the ultimate edition will be published. It is available for preorder now.

 

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