Stewart Copeland Remembers When the Police ‘Threw Bombs’ at Rush: Exclusive Video
Rock history is peppered with feuds where bands (and even bandmates) slag each other off in the press every chance they get. But what happens when one side refuses to return the fire?
As Stewart Copeland reveals, that's what transpired when the Police tried to get something going with Rush.
Copeland has been hosting "Classic Rock Week" on HDNET Movies this week, sharing stories in between airings of documentaries of acts like the the Allman Brothers Band, Bob Dylan, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Elton John.
Tonight the network airs Rush: The Rise of Kings 1968-1981, and in an exclusive clip, Copeland talks about the time the Police came up as part of the U.K. punk scene and saw Rush as the enemy.
"They're Canadian," he says in the video. "They are the best guys on the planet. I don't know if being Canadian has anything to do with it, but Rush are one of the best hangs in show business. Back when my band, the Police, was a struggling punk rock [band], just trying to make noise and cause attention and throwing bombs wherever we could. Rush? That's some place where we threw bombs."
You can see the clip below.
As time moved on and such genre distinctions lost their meaning, Copeland learned that the beef was one-sided. "And years later, it turns out Rush -- [the] guys in the band -- Neil Peart, is so Canadian that he didn't even mind," he recalls. "And we became really great friends in spite of the fact that we used to criticize his band when we were just trying to get attention. I think he's old and wise and Canadian enough to understand all that. They couldn't be nicer if they were New Zealanders, also a nation that only produces good people."
You can see the entire episode at 10:55PM ET tonight.
In addition to the Rush documentary, HDNET Movies is also airing The Doors: Mr. Mojo Risin’ – The Story of 'L.A. Woman' (8PM ET) and The Rolling Stones: Crossfire Hurricane (9PM ET). "Classic Rock Week" continues through July 22. You can check out the complete schedule at the network's website.