Stewart Copeland Says He and Sting Are Fine – As Long As They’re Not Too Close

Stewart Copeland: “Sting’s Great—Just Keep a Bit of Distance When We’re Not on Stage

LOS ANGELES — In a candid new interview, legendary drummer Stewart Copeland offers a refreshingly honest look at his relationship with former bandmate Sting. He clarifies they get along well—as long as they’re not too close together offstage.

Copeland, now 72 and riding high after his orchestral nature‑inspired album Wild Concerto, spoke with The Sunday Times, joking that a seat or two between him and Sting goes a long way.

“Sting’s fine—as long as he doesn’t stand so close to me,” Copeland quips. “Our playlists don’t overlap. I doubt he’s blasting Slipknot in his den. So let’s just—keep it to dinner invitations.”

He went on to acknowledge their creative friction, a tension well-documented throughout their time in The Police:

“We get along famously… as long as we’re not playing music together,” Copeland said, reflecting on their divided musical visions—Sting preferring serene, poetically driven compositions, while Copeland himself leaned into celebration and rhythmic exuberance

The pair’s legendary creative clashes weren’t just in jest. Copeland jokingly remembers nearly “wanting to choke the life out of Sting”—a raw glimpse into the intensity of late‑’70s recording sessions . But as Copeland puts it, those days are behind them thanks to “band therapy” during the 2007–08 reunion, which ultimately healed old wounds

Today, Copeland paints a picture of fond mutual respect:

“That son of a bitch is probably the most talented motherf***er I’ve ever worked with. Don’t tell him I said that,” Copeland laughs. “We love each other—it just works better from a polite two-seat distance.”

In between rehearsals for upcoming orchestral collaborations and writing his new book The Complete Rock Star, Copeland frequently teases Sting via Instagram with intentionally goofy clips of his drumming—designed largely to get Sting “cross-eyed,” he admits

“We’d rather have dinner than make music together these days,” he said. “But give me that man’s talent, and I’m still grateful we made five albums together.”