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Andy Summers
Summers in 2015
Background information
Birth name	Andrew James Somers
Born	(1942-12-31) 31 December 1942 (age 76) Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, England
Genres	Rock, jazz, jazz fusion, new wave, new-age, avant-garde
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, photographer
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1959–present
Labels	A&M, Private Music, RCA Victor
Associated acts	Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, Dantalian's Chariot, Soft Machine, the Police, Robert Fripp, Circa Zero, Gustavo Cerati
Website	www.andysummers.com

Andrew James Somers (born 31 December 1942), known professionally as Andy Summers, is an English guitarist who was a member of the rock band the Police. Summers has recorded solo albums, collaborated with other musicians, composed film scores, and exhibited his photography in galleries.

Early life

Andrew James Summers was born in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire.^[1] During Summers' childhood, his family moved to Bournemouth in Dorset, England. After several years of piano lessons, he took up the guitar.^[2] At an early age he played jazz guitar. In his teens he saw a concert by Thelonious Monk and Dizzy Gillespie in London that left a lasting impression.^[3] By he was playing in local clubs and by nineteen he had moved to London with his friend Zoot Money to form Zoot Money's Big Roll Band.^[2]

Musical career

Pre-Police career

Summers' professional career began in the mid-1960s in London as guitarist for the British rhythm and blues band Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, which eventually came under the influence of the psychedelic scene and evolved into the acid rock group Dantalian's Chariot.^[4] In September 1966, Summers was the first guitarist encountered by Jimi Hendrix after landing in the UK.^[5] The young Summers is portrayed in fiction as one of the "two main love interests" in Jenny Fabian and Johnny Byrne's 1969 book Groupie, in which he is given the pseudonym "Davey".^[6]

After the demise of Dantalion's Chariot, Summers joined Soft Machine for three months and toured the United States. For a brief time in 1968, he was a member of the Animals, then known as Eric Burdon and the Animals, with whom he recorded one album, Love Is. The album features a recording of Traffic's "Coloured Rain", which includes a 4 minute and 15 second guitar solo by Summers. The LP also included a reworked version of Dantalion's Chariot's sole single "Madman Running Through the Fields".

After five years in Los Angeles, mostly spent studying classical guitar and composition at California State University, Northridge, he returned to London with his American girlfriend Kate Lunken.

In London, Summers recorded and toured with acts including Kevin Coyne, Jon Lord, Joan Armatrading, David Essex, Neil Sedaka and Kevin Ayers. In October 1976 he participated in an orchestral rendition of Mike Oldfield's seminal "Tubular Bells".

In 1977, Summers was invited by ex-Gong bassist Mike Howlett to join his band Strontium 90, but was soon coaxed away by future Police bandmates Sting and Stewart Copeland.

The Police

Summers achieved international fame as the guitarist for the Police, which he joined in 1977, eventually replacing original guitarist Henry Padovani. Emerging from London's punk scene, the Police gained international renown with many hit songs, including "Message in a Bottle", "Roxanne", "Don't Stand So Close to Me", "Every Breath You Take", and "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic". During his time with the band, Summers twice won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, first in 1979 for "Reggatta de Blanc" (written with Copeland and Sting) and in 1980 with for "Behind My Camel".

Although Sting was the lead singer of the band, Summers occasionally contributed lead vocals, as in "Be My Girl/Sally" (1978), "Friends" (1980), "Mother" (1983), and "Someone to Talk To" (1983). Other notable Summers compositions from this period are "Omegaman" (which would have been released as the debut single from the 1981 Ghost in the Machine album had Sting not objected), "Shambelle" (1981), "Once Upon a Daydream", and "Murder by Numbers" both co-written with Sting (both 1983). In early 1984, after seven years together and record sales around eighty million, the Police disbanded.^[7]

Though not given songwriting credit, Summers wrote the guitar riff for "Every Breath You Take". It was recorded in one take with his 1961 Fender Stratocaster during the Synchronicity sessions. The song was number one for eight weeks. Sting won the 1983 Grammy Award for Song of the Year, and the Police won Best Pop Performance by a Duo Or Group With Vocal for this song. Summers provides an account of the session in his memoir, One Train Later.^[8]

Post-Police

Summers in 1989

Summers' solo career has included recording, touring, composing for films (including 2010, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, The Wild Life and Weekend at Bernie's), and exhibiting his photography in art galleries around the world.

He recorded the duet albums I Advance Masked (1982) and Bewitched (1984) with guitarist Robert Fripp of King Crimson, as well as duet albums with Victor Biglione, John Etheridge, and Benjamin Verdery. His solo debut album, XYZ, was released in 1987 and is the only non-instrumental album in his catalogue. Although it included pop material, such as the single "Love is the Strangest Way", it failed to dent the charts. In 1987 Sting invited Summers to perform on his second album ...Nothing Like the Sun, a favour the singer returned by playing bass on Charming Snakes (1990) and later contributing vocals to "'Round Midnight" on Summers' tribute album to Thelonious Monk, Green Chimneys, in 1999. In the mid-1990s Summers briefly returned to a more rock-oriented sound with Synesthesia (1995) and The Last Dance of Mr X (1997) before recording a string of jazz albums.

Summers in 2006

The Police reunion

During the 2007 Grammys Award show, the Police appeared, playing "Roxanne" and subsequently announcing that they would be going on tour. The Police Reunion Tour began in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on 28 May 2007, and continued until August 2008, becoming the third highest-grossing tour of all time.^[9]

Circa Zero

In August 2013, Summers announced he had formed a new band, Circa Zero, with Rob Giles from the Rescues.^[10] Originally, drummer Emmanuelle Caplette was also a member of the band.^[11] Their debut show was 25 July 2013 at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles.^[12] The band's debut album, Circus Hero, was released 25 March 2014.^[13] It is titled after a malapropism of the band's name made by a radio disc jockey during an interview of Summers.^[14][15] The first single, "Levitation," was released to US adult album alternative radio on 3 March 2014;^[16] and reached number 36 on the Japan Hot 100 chart.^[17]

In March 2017, Summers announced he had formed Call the Police, a Police tribute band, with two Brazilian musicians, Rodrigo Santos (Barão Vermelho aka Red Baron) on bass guitar and vocals and Joao Barone (Os Paralamas do Sucesso) on drums. After a debut 7-date South America tour in Spring 2017 (from March 31, 2017 in São Paulo, Brazil to April 15, 2017 in Teresopolis, Brazil),^[18]

Personal life

Summers was married to his first wife, Robin Lane, in 1968. They divorced two years later in 1970. He married his second wife, Kate Lunken, in 1973 and they had one daughter in 1978, Layla Zoe Summers. They divorced in 1981 although they would then remarry in 1985. In 1987, Kate and Andy's twin sons Maurice X and Anton Y were born.

Awards and honours

* Grammy Award, Best Rock Instrumental, "Reggatta de Blanc", 1979

• Grammy Award, Best Rock Instrumental, "Behind My Camel", 1980


• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction with the Police, 2003^[19]


• Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, with the Police, 2007^[20]


• Honorary doctorate, Bournemouth University, 2008^[21]


• Hall of Fame, Guitar Player magazine^[8]


• Vote number one pop guitarist, five years, Guitar Player magazine^[8]


• Guiding Light Award, Progressive Music Awards, 2016^[22]


• 85th guitarist of all time, Rolling Stone magazine^[23]


• Lifetime Achievement Award, Gibson Guitar Awards, 2000^[24]


• Lifetime Achievement Award, Roland and BOSS, 2017^[25]


• His autobiography One Train Later (2006) was voted music book of the year by Mojo and was turned into the 2012 documentary Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police.^[26] The documentary was released on DVD in July 2015.^[27]

Equipment

The Police years

Guitars

• 
  Fender
  
  • 1963 Fender Telecaster purchased from a student with most of the customization already done (as he told Fender when they wanted to make a tribute guitar)^[28]
  
  
  • 1961 Fiesta Red Fender Stratocaster^[29]
  
  


• Hamer
  
  • Standard, Sunbursts^[30]


• 
  Gibson
  
  • 1958 Gibson ES-335
    
  
  
  • 1957 Gibson Les Paul
    
  
  


• 
  Roland
  
  • 
    Roland G-303 Guitar Synthesizer controller

Amps

• 
  Marshall Stack and Roland Jazz Chorus Combo

Effects

• 
  Echoplex EP-3 Tape Delay
  


• 
  Electro Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger and Deluxe Memory Man Delay
  


• MXR Dynacomp Compressor


• custom Pete Cornish Guitar pedalboard
  


• 
  Roland GR-300 Guitar Synthesizer


• 
  Moog Taurus 205A Synthesizer Pedals

The above is a list of equipment used by Summers from the 1980s. Since that time he has built a collection of 200+ guitars and uses a wide variety of amplifiers and electronic equipment.

Photography

His photography has been on display at art galleries around the world, such as

• Leica Gallery, Los Angeles (2013)


• Paris LA Independent Photo Show (2014)


• 
  photokina, Cologne (2014)


• Shanghai Kunst-Licht Gallery2014 C-C-C Gallery, Beijing (2014)


• Leica Gallery, Sao Paulo (2015)


• Etherton Gallery, Tucson, Arizona (2015)

Discography

Solo albums

• 
  XYZ (MCA, 1987)


• 
  Mysterious Barricades (Private Music, 1988)


• 
  The Golden Wire (Private, 1989)


• 
  Charming Snakes (Private, 1990)


• 
  World Gone Strange (Private, 1991)


• 
  Synaesthesia (CMP/Times Square, 1995)


• 
  The Last Dance of Mr. X (BMG/RCA Victor, 1997)


• 
  Green Chimneys: The Music of Thelonious Monk (RCA Victor, 1999)


• 
  Peggy's Blue Skylight (RCA Victor, 2000)


• 
  Earth + Sky (Golden Wire, 2003)


• 
  Metal Dog (Flickering Shadow, 2015)


• 
  Triboluminescence (Flickering Shadow, 2017)^[31]

Collaborations

• 
  I Advance Masked with Robert Fripp (A&M, 1982)


• 
  Bewitched with Robert Fripp (A&M, 1984)


• 
  Invisible Threads with John Etheridge (Mesa, 1993)


• 
  Strings of Desire with Victor Biglione (RCA Victor, 1998)


• 
  Splendid Brazil with Victor Biglione (Rare, 2005)


• 
  First You Build a Cloud with Ben Verdery (Rare, 2007)


• 
  Fundamental with Fernanda Takai (Ais, 2012)


• 
  Circus Hero with Rob Giles as Circa Zero (429 Records, 2014)

Film soundtracks

• 1984 The Wild Life
  


• 1984 2010
  


• 1985 Band of the Hand
  


• 1986 Down and Out in Beverly Hills
  


• 1989 Weekend at Bernie's
  


• 1990 Deceived
  


• 1991 Motorama
  


• 1992 Another You
  


• 1993 Mississippi Masala
  

Singles

• "Parade"/"Train" with Robert Fripp (1984)


• "2010"/"To Hal and Back" (1984)


• "Love is the Strangest Way"/"Nowhere" (1987)

As band member

With The Police

• 
  Outlandos d'Amour (1978)


• 
  Reggatta de Blanc (1979)


• 
  Zenyatta Mondatta (1980)


• 
  Ghost in the Machine (1981)


• 
  Brimstone and Treacle (1982)


• 
  Synchronicity (1983)


• 
  Every Breath You Take: The Singles (1986)


• 
  Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings (1993)


• 
  Live! (1995)


• 
  The Police (2007)


• 
  Certifiable: Live in Buenos Aires (2008)

With Eric Burdon and the Animals

• 1968 Love Is
  


• 1969 Beginning of Jazz Rock
  


• 1983 Eric Burdon and the Animals
  


• 2001 The Psychedelic World of Eric Burdon
  


• 2004 Absolute Animals 1964–1968
  

With Kevin Ayers

• 1996 First Show in the Appearance Business: The BBC Sessions 1973–1976
  


• 1998 Too Old to Die Young: BBC Live 1972–1976
  


• 2005 Kevin Ayers: The BBC Sessions 1970–1976
  

With Kevin Coyne

• 1975 Matching Head and Feet
  


• 1976 In Living Black and White
  


• 1976 Heartburn
  


• 2008 On Air
  

With Dantalian's Chariot

• 1967 Chariot Rising (1995 Release)

With Eberhard Schoener

• 1977 The Book
  


• 1977 Trance–Formation
  


• 1978 Video Flashback
  


• 1978 Video Magic
  

With Strontium 90

• 1997 Police Academy (1977)

With Zoot Money's Big Roll Band

• 1965 It Should Have Been Me
  


• 1966 Zoot! Live At Klook's Kleek
  


• 1968 Transition
  


• 1999 Were You There?
  


• 2000 Fully Clothed and Naked
  

As guest

• 1967 Tim Rose, Tim Rose
  


• 1975 The Musician, Tim Rose


• 1975 Back to the Night, Joan Armatrading
  


• 1976 Out, Anthony Moore
  


• 1976 Sarabande, Jon Lord
  


• 1976 The Odyssey Live, David Bedford
  


• 1983 Hello Big Man, Carly Simon
  


• 1987 ...Nothing Like the Sun, Sting


• 1989 Stiletto, Michael Shrieve
  


• 1991 House of Hope, Toni Childs
  


• 1992 Capri, Paolo Rustichelli
  


• 1996 Twang! A Tribute to Hank Marvin and the Shadows
  


• 1998 Outlandos D'Americas: Tributo A Police (A Tribute to the Police)
  


• 1998 Blue Thunder, Juicy Lucy


• 1998 Gregg Bissonette, Gregg Bissonette
  


• 2000 As Long As You're Living Yours: The Music of Keith Jarrett
  


• 2001 Nylon & Steel, Manuel Barrueco
  


• 2001 The Very Best of Neil Sedaka, Neil Sedaka
  


• 2007 Ataraxis, Deeyah
  


• 2010 Centerpeace, Andrew York^[32][33]

Bibliography

• 
  Throb (William Morrow, 1983)^[34]


• 
  Light Strings (Chronicle, 2005)^[35]


• 
  One Train Later (St Martins, 2006)^[36]


• 
  I'll Be Watching You (Taschen, 2007)^[37]


• 
  Desirer Walks the Streets (Nazraeli Press, 2008)^[38]


• 
  The Bones of Chuang Tzu (Steidl, 2018)^[39]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Andy Summers.

• Official website


• The Police official site


• Circa Zero official website


• Interview: "Andy Summers: The Blessing and The Curse" - Rockerzine.com 2015


• BBC interview with Andy Summers including audio


• Book Review of Andy Summers' One Train Later


• 
  Andy Summers on IMDb