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Broken Music: A Memoir
Having been a songwriter most of my life, condensing my ideas and emotions into short rhyming couplets and setting them to music, I had never really considered writing a book. But upon arriving at the reflective age of fifty, I found myself drawn, for the first time, to write long passages that were as stimulating and intriguing to me as any songwriting I had ever done.
And so Broken Music began to take shape. It is a book about the early part of my life, from childhood through adolescence, right up to the eve of my success with the Police. It is a story very few people know.
I had no interest in writing a traditional autobiographical recitation of everything that’s ever happened to me. Instead I found myself drawn to exploring specific moments, certain people and relationships, and particular events which still resonate powerfully for me as I try to understand the child I was, and the man I became.
And so Broken Music began to take shape. It is a book about the early part of my life, from childhood through adolescence, right up to the eve of my success with the Police. It is a story very few people know.
I had no interest in writing a traditional autobiographical recitation of everything that’s ever happened to me. Instead I found myself drawn to exploring specific moments, certain people and relationships, and particular events which still resonate powerfully for me as I try to understand the child I was, and the man I became.
337 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
235 people are currently reading
2913 people want to read
About the author
Sting
161books98followersGordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, CBE, universally known by his stage name Sting, is a Grammy Award-winning English musician from Wallsend in Newcastle upon Tyne. Prior to starting his solo career, he was the principal songwriter, lead singer and bass player of the rock band The Police. As a solo musician and member of The Police, Sting has sold over 105 million records, and received over sixteen Grammy Awards for his work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 439 reviews
June 17, 2018
An enjoyable and insightful, well-written autobiography thats more of a memoir than anything in my humble opinion. I've been a huge Police fan since early childhood and Sting remains one of my favorite artists today. I enjoy learning about other people and their life stories so, I've had this book in my sights for some time now.
I enjoyed all the stories from his childhood and learning all the family history. It's honest and even raw at times. I felt a few connections with his thoughts on religion as I was raised Orthodox as he was Catholic. My only issue with the book was that it was just enough to keep me going and everything he talks about in the book was before The Police so, I guess I was hoping for more 'after' the fame. It wasn't exactly what I expected, however, I'm really glad I read it.
3.5 rounded up to 4****
I enjoyed all the stories from his childhood and learning all the family history. It's honest and even raw at times. I felt a few connections with his thoughts on religion as I was raised Orthodox as he was Catholic. My only issue with the book was that it was just enough to keep me going and everything he talks about in the book was before The Police so, I guess I was hoping for more 'after' the fame. It wasn't exactly what I expected, however, I'm really glad I read it.
3.5 rounded up to 4****
October 14, 2012
I was too busy raising my babies to pay much attention to Sting, so I came to this book without any preconceptions as to who he was. I came away impressed with his thoughtfulness and ability to reflect on who he was and why.
I'm baffled by the hostility of some reviewers here, as I didn't feel he came across as arrogant nor as if he were trying to impress anyone with his intelligence. It was a pleasure to read something so well written from the pen of a celebrity. Most celebrity "bios" are written by well paid ghost writers and sound like it.
But once you reach the height of celebrity this man has, you trigger the envy of others less talented and hard working.
As someone who put in quite a few years in the music business in the 1970s in the US I thought the story he tells here rang very true and I was impressed by just how hard he worked at his craft. Those years of crappy gigs and the experience of playing so many different kinds of music gave him the background he needed to write songs that were more than ephemeral hit-of-the-moment efforts.
I found the underlying story here very encouraging. Hard work which made it possible to take advantage of rare opportunities. This wasn't someone who had anything handed to him, and the story he tells should be an inspiration to anyone who dreams of making it as a creative artist in any medium.
I'm baffled by the hostility of some reviewers here, as I didn't feel he came across as arrogant nor as if he were trying to impress anyone with his intelligence. It was a pleasure to read something so well written from the pen of a celebrity. Most celebrity "bios" are written by well paid ghost writers and sound like it.
But once you reach the height of celebrity this man has, you trigger the envy of others less talented and hard working.
As someone who put in quite a few years in the music business in the 1970s in the US I thought the story he tells here rang very true and I was impressed by just how hard he worked at his craft. Those years of crappy gigs and the experience of playing so many different kinds of music gave him the background he needed to write songs that were more than ephemeral hit-of-the-moment efforts.
I found the underlying story here very encouraging. Hard work which made it possible to take advantage of rare opportunities. This wasn't someone who had anything handed to him, and the story he tells should be an inspiration to anyone who dreams of making it as a creative artist in any medium.
June 17, 2013
I was never fond of Sting. He seemed arrogant and too artsy-fartsy for my tastes. So, being fair-minded, I decided to read his memoir, Broken Music, published in 2003. Sting, the perfectionist that he is, produced a well-written book, which I found to be dense and a chore to read. The book is not entertaining, maybe by design. Sting is very ambitious, and his plans are very calculating. Sting was born with good looks and innate musical talent of rare caliber. Although he acts like Mr. Perfect, Sting’s life was filled with sadness from his parents� dysfunctional relationship and his own divorce. He is not a silver-spoon kid; he grew up in a poor family and hauled milk bottles throughout his childhood. Sting is smart, and he realized he was more talented than many of the more successful contemporary musicians. He tenaciously fought on, never giving up or compromising on his dream. The Police were a very professional and hard-working band with a great respect for the audience. But prior to that, Sting was on the welfare dole for years, as he worked nights in various rock bands. Sting admits he has a regrettable tendency to be selfish, and you see in the book where the cold drive for success resulted in tough decisions to cut likeable friends from various bands. On the verge of The Police’s success prior to the release of Roxanne, he worried that he had wasted a college education and could not support his family. In this book you see the vulnerable side of Sting. And you see how becoming a rock and film star takes a lot of hard work, but an equal measure of luck. The price of failure is damnable. If you make it, you are a music god � if you fail, like most, you are the world’s biggest loser. It takes a tough, determined person to make that gamble!
March 12, 2011
I don't hate or love Sting, like so many others seem to. I think he is a very talented musician and his ambition cannot be denied. I have always vaguely considered him to be arrogant and a little pompous, but what rock star isn't? However, I have to admit I really enjoyed this book. I like the way it isn't perfect grammatically, how he switches back and forth with tenses, how it isn't exactly chronological and that he doesn't spend much time talking about the famousness of the band once it reaches that level. I love the way his memoir is so much like all our memories...a little fuzzy with strange details that for some reason are the clearest part of the memory. For many memories it is just a place, or clothing, or atmoshphere, or words spoken that are the keystone. He must have kept a diary all his life though. I was impressed by his recollection of specific dates and people. The part of the book I loved the most was apparently the part that other readers hated or felt like it was work to trudge through. And that was the retelling of all of his gigs he played with all the different musicians. His successes and his failures. His few tantrums and faults. His dynamic with the other musicians. The type of music they played. The late nights, filthy bars, cheap hotels, long drives, pittance for their blood, sweat and tears. As a musicians daughter, I felt I could totally relate and appreciate what he experienced. I have never seen it written in such a way that really captured the world of the struggling musician. It made me remember my own experiences traveling with my father, loading and unloading the band equipment, watching him from the audience, driving home late at night, feeling so tired but also slap-happy. Trying to talk to keep him awake. Sting's account has made me want to explore his music more and think about what might have been going on with him while he wrote his lyrics. I am excited to revisit his earlier material and relisten with this new interest.
August 14, 2011
First, I have to confess the crush I have had on the man since the early 80's (when I actually was a schoolgirl). This feeling, however, has only grown as the years have passed. I mean really, how often do you get references to Homer and Nabakov in popular music? Plus he practices yoga and is sexier now than when he was younger. In the light of this confession, I may not be completely objective about this book. I loved it though! I do typically like rock and roll memoirs, but this one is of the best sort. It gives the reader a glimpse inside the artist's mind and feelings, as oppossed to merely detailing the events of his career. I particularly enjoyed learning about Sting's relationships with his parents, wives and children and about his evolution as a songwriter. I highly recommend this book to fans, but also to those who just like an interesting well-written memoir.
October 26, 2013
This autobiography, which actually appears to be written by Sting himself, tells the story from his childhood up to when The Police had just started to see success. There were some surprising details and amazing connections, and it is nice to see how long and hard the struggle can be, even for someone who grew into a well-crafted songwriter and superstar.
My favorite bits came from his actual journal, and I would like to read more of that, from the immediate days of reflection rather than looking back.
My favorite bits came from his actual journal, and I would like to read more of that, from the immediate days of reflection rather than looking back.
September 5, 2019
Одна з найцікавіших біографій, що доводилося читати. Багато історій, деталей, особистих моментів.
Хоча, кінець пожмаканий - таке враження, що було недописано, але треба було терміново здавати в друк.
Хоча, кінець пожмаканий - таке враження, що було недописано, але треба було терміново здавати в друк.
February 12, 2021
"It's no use, he sees her -
he starts to shake, he starts to cough -
just like the old man
in that famous book by Nabokov..."
So, yes, of course, I was going to read a memoir by the guy who rhymed cough with Nabokov. How could I not?!
But it was more than that. Sting is responsible for quite a few songs (indelible classics like 'Russians', 'Wrapped Around Your Finger', 'Fragile') boasting highly intelligent lyrics; sort of a male Joni Mitchell (someone who also took on the challenges of various musical forms).
Early on, he tells us that he is only going to cover the period up to his success with The Police. For the most part, that's true, though he does manage the occasional sidebar of info that goes beyond that point.
If he spares us some of the messier details of his psyche (and he certainly seems to), he still seems to present himself warts and all. But the 'warts' we get to look at aren't that unsightly. In essence, as a young'un, he looked around at the world, saw it as depressingly drab (which, yes. it can be), and opted for color - lots of it - no matter what that took. He makes no bones about the fact that, from an early age, he wanted to be famous. However, for him, following that goal was closely linked with following the path to his true self:
I know I want to make my living solely as a musician, but I also want to be recognized as someone unique, defined by my voice, by my abilities as a songwriter, to have the world know my songs and my melodies just as they had known the songs of the Beatles. I want to do this on my own terms, and if that means being marginalized, so be it. I will become stronger, and even if no one else knows who I am, I shall know myself.
If that sounds at all vain, it reads (to me, anyway) more like "If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will." But such belief can be a harsh mistress, including - as it does - the seemingly endless, back-breaking work of schlepping yourself, and your band, and your equipment to countless low-level venues in order to become known:
We set up the gear and PA on a tiny stage covered in angry cigarette burns and sticky underfoot with spilled drinks and old sweat. We will play scores of these clubs up and down the country, with dressing rooms no bigger than toilets, covered in the self-aggrandizing graffiti and puerile obscenities of our fellow musicians, resentful that they've been lured into this circus of seedy glamour by the vague promise of the big time just a little farther down the road.
The memoir is not without lulls - though they're more of the variety of "Yes, devoting yourself whole-hog to the creative life can be tedious when it comes to worrying about paying bills." ~ which is what makes his period of being a teacher (roughly, of 8-year-olds) refreshing, as he throws himself into it with a mixture of book-learning, a love of literature, and a love of musical play.
The book also contains a good deal of pain - mainly in the all-too-vivid detailing of being in the crosshairs of parents at war with each other.
I like the fact that, although he had his hand and his heart in while still young, Sting didn't begin to hit his public stride until he was 27. That seems to have grounded him (and esp. his lyrics) in a way that marked him as unique among his contemporaries.
He ends his memoir with an epilogue relating a unique personal story that has nothing to do with his career but everything to do with his mindset. It's gothic and melancholy (yet also triumphant); a perfect reflection of this deep soul.
September 8, 2012
See the original review here:
I was talking about this review for a couple of days as I was re-reading this book. Now, I’m going to be honest, it was already one of my favourite books but the thing I find interesting is the controversy a name like Sting brings up.
“I don’t like him, the man is a complete tosser.�
“Why do you say that? What about him makes you think he is a complete tosser? I’m not saying that you’re wrong, I just want to know how you came to that conclusion.�
Now 9 times out of 10 the answer was “because he just is.� However, the odd person did mention the Police and Sting essentially being the reason why they broke up in the end. That resentment is at least a valid reason to dislike him.
So I’m having a little experiment and I am getting those people who would agree to read this book, to find out why he did it, how he felt, because that is the thing this book is going to tell you, it’s going to let you know that whilst there is this public facade that a popular musician has to have, there is always going to be an inner turmoil.
By no accounts is Sting painting his life to be a bed of roses, you have to remember this book effectively ends on the cusp of his success with The Police, his logic being that people already know a great deal about the part of his life.
It was the before that he wanted to reflect on. This being more a memoir for him than an interesting read for us. Sting discusses his affair with his now wife Trudie Styler whilst he was still married to first wife Frances Tomelty, his signing on ‘the dole,� trying to make a life as an amateur jazz musician and the crushing feelings he had when his parents died.
Don’t get me wrong this isn’t a ‘hey look I’m loaded and successful but check out how normal I can be because I have a terrible life� type affair, like I said before, this is pre success Sting and though he does occasionally touch upon his post Police years, mostly this book discusses the kind of era that Sting grew up in, when Newcastle was still predominantly about mining and building ships.
The problem with this book is that unless you’re a musician like me and therefore have an interest in finding out about his time working as a Jazz musician and touring through London and eventually Europe with the Original Police line up of Sting; Copeland and Padovani, then chances are this book isn’t going to be the one for you. Don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty in here for the curious reader and Sting fans will be on cloud 9 all throughout, but if you’re not inclined toward being interested in a book like this then it is never going to be able to grab you and hold you.
Of course it was never Sting’s intention to do just that. He wrote this memoir to sate a sense of nostalgia and as such has written a deep, thoughtful and articulate book detailing the beginnings of someone who eventually went on to be one of the most successful musicians of our time.
So if you’re a fan or if you want to know more about the life of a musician trying to make it, then this is the book for you. If you’re none of those things � well, I guess you should read something else.
I was talking about this review for a couple of days as I was re-reading this book. Now, I’m going to be honest, it was already one of my favourite books but the thing I find interesting is the controversy a name like Sting brings up.
“I don’t like him, the man is a complete tosser.�
“Why do you say that? What about him makes you think he is a complete tosser? I’m not saying that you’re wrong, I just want to know how you came to that conclusion.�
Now 9 times out of 10 the answer was “because he just is.� However, the odd person did mention the Police and Sting essentially being the reason why they broke up in the end. That resentment is at least a valid reason to dislike him.
So I’m having a little experiment and I am getting those people who would agree to read this book, to find out why he did it, how he felt, because that is the thing this book is going to tell you, it’s going to let you know that whilst there is this public facade that a popular musician has to have, there is always going to be an inner turmoil.
By no accounts is Sting painting his life to be a bed of roses, you have to remember this book effectively ends on the cusp of his success with The Police, his logic being that people already know a great deal about the part of his life.
It was the before that he wanted to reflect on. This being more a memoir for him than an interesting read for us. Sting discusses his affair with his now wife Trudie Styler whilst he was still married to first wife Frances Tomelty, his signing on ‘the dole,� trying to make a life as an amateur jazz musician and the crushing feelings he had when his parents died.
Don’t get me wrong this isn’t a ‘hey look I’m loaded and successful but check out how normal I can be because I have a terrible life� type affair, like I said before, this is pre success Sting and though he does occasionally touch upon his post Police years, mostly this book discusses the kind of era that Sting grew up in, when Newcastle was still predominantly about mining and building ships.
The problem with this book is that unless you’re a musician like me and therefore have an interest in finding out about his time working as a Jazz musician and touring through London and eventually Europe with the Original Police line up of Sting; Copeland and Padovani, then chances are this book isn’t going to be the one for you. Don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty in here for the curious reader and Sting fans will be on cloud 9 all throughout, but if you’re not inclined toward being interested in a book like this then it is never going to be able to grab you and hold you.
Of course it was never Sting’s intention to do just that. He wrote this memoir to sate a sense of nostalgia and as such has written a deep, thoughtful and articulate book detailing the beginnings of someone who eventually went on to be one of the most successful musicians of our time.
So if you’re a fan or if you want to know more about the life of a musician trying to make it, then this is the book for you. If you’re none of those things � well, I guess you should read something else.
November 30, 2010
This is Sting's life before he put on a sweater and stung the world with the ghost hit making machine that was The Police. Before he was a twat who hated on Stewart Copeland's short shorts he trudged through fifty feet of snow to get to school- Wait, that was my grandma's depression memories/guilt trips (Me: "It didn't snow in Louisiana!" *whop!*). Sting has the push to the top of dung heap of life mentality still. Still, I'm still team Stewart (the short shorts). I
I don't find ambition endearing. Have marathon sex on your own time! I guess the lesson here is that Sting writes memoirs like his ambition to be a jazz musician (ugh). It never ends. No praise is enough. "But... I clapped. Why still this six hour jam session?"
He thinks he needs more than he's got. I just liked The Police. And he's fun in Dennis Potter's Brimstone and Treacle as a raping devil/angel. Ambition is nice when it drives you to different extremes, though.
I don't find ambition endearing. Have marathon sex on your own time! I guess the lesson here is that Sting writes memoirs like his ambition to be a jazz musician (ugh). It never ends. No praise is enough. "But... I clapped. Why still this six hour jam session?"
He thinks he needs more than he's got. I just liked The Police. And he's fun in Dennis Potter's Brimstone and Treacle as a raping devil/angel. Ambition is nice when it drives you to different extremes, though.
January 26, 2025
One of the wonderful biographies I have read recently—Sting’s own.
Maybe it is because it was written by himself.
Or because he has such a vibe that resonates deeply with me.
If you are tired of reading about successful success, give it a try, maybe.
Maybe it is because it was written by himself.
Or because he has such a vibe that resonates deeply with me.
If you are tired of reading about successful success, give it a try, maybe.
March 27, 2008
Broken Music by Sting. I'm stood looking at the bookshelf, wondering what to read next. Maria pulls a book off the shelf, hands it to me and says: "You know how you think this bloke is a wanker? Well, read this and you'll know it for a reason!" Sting is a wanker! No ifs, buts, maybes about this - Sting is a wanker. Often I enjoy (auto)biographies but in this case I didn't. I hung on 'til the end because, well because I liked the Police and (truth be told) I do like some of Sting's solo work. But the book covers his time in the Police (and none of his solo work) in the last ten pages of the book. Unfortunately (for Sting and Maria) I have a pathological hatred of jazz. So 200+ pages about a jazz musician was not my idea of fun. Oh, and it confirmed one of my original thoughts - Sting is a wanker.
December 12, 2020
Okay, I'm a little, biased, as I'm kindof a big fan. But I was surprised at what a good book it was. Well written, personal stories, captured one's attention. I knew it was about his youth, so I was expecting when I picked it up for the beginning to be a little slow and perhaps depressing. But he starts the book with a total rock star story, so it grabbed me right away. Not giving a spoiler. ;)
March 14, 2025
This book seemed to be calling to me lately. So, I decided to give it a go
The Police were really big when I was in Jr High/High School. And I love Sting’s music.
This book covers the time period of his childhood right up until The Police do their first tour in the US.
The book overall, I didn’t really care for. I don’t think it was well written and some of it was boring.
With that being said, I did gain some additional knowledge of the life of Sting and how he became what he is today. That was definitely interesting.
He grew up in Wallsend UK which was a shipping community back in the day. His mother was in love with another man for years and she flaunted it in front of Sting’s father regularly. Sting’s dad loved his wife and spent his life wallowing in misery. Their troubled marriage may have accounted for the cancer that killed both of them in the young age of 50’s.
Sting was very smart and did well in school. He actually taught school while he was trying to make it as a musician.
Sting got married young and had a son Joe. This marriage wouldn’t last once he met “Trudy� who was their neighbor next door. Sting has like 6 kids. 2 from his marriage with Frances and the rest with Trudy.
There isn’t anything in this book that really explains why The Police only lasted like 4 years. But there is a little comment “if only Sting needed Andy and Stewart more than they needed Sting, the band might have lasted longer�. Sting was the song writer and the lead singer. He had the confidence and the ambition to make it on his own. I think The Police helped launch his career,unfortunately at the expense of Andy and Stewart.
I am glad I read this book. I learned things but I also received confirmation about the man Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner
The Police were really big when I was in Jr High/High School. And I love Sting’s music.
This book covers the time period of his childhood right up until The Police do their first tour in the US.
The book overall, I didn’t really care for. I don’t think it was well written and some of it was boring.
With that being said, I did gain some additional knowledge of the life of Sting and how he became what he is today. That was definitely interesting.
He grew up in Wallsend UK which was a shipping community back in the day. His mother was in love with another man for years and she flaunted it in front of Sting’s father regularly. Sting’s dad loved his wife and spent his life wallowing in misery. Their troubled marriage may have accounted for the cancer that killed both of them in the young age of 50’s.
Sting was very smart and did well in school. He actually taught school while he was trying to make it as a musician.
Sting got married young and had a son Joe. This marriage wouldn’t last once he met “Trudy� who was their neighbor next door. Sting has like 6 kids. 2 from his marriage with Frances and the rest with Trudy.
There isn’t anything in this book that really explains why The Police only lasted like 4 years. But there is a little comment “if only Sting needed Andy and Stewart more than they needed Sting, the band might have lasted longer�. Sting was the song writer and the lead singer. He had the confidence and the ambition to make it on his own. I think The Police helped launch his career,unfortunately at the expense of Andy and Stewart.
I am glad I read this book. I learned things but I also received confirmation about the man Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner
June 2, 2024
I received this book as a surprise birthday present from my wife - and was so delighted, as I've always been a huge fan of The Police, and was fascinated to read Sting's story.
It has to be stated from the outset though, that this book is 90 percent concentrated on his life before fame - he then skips the entire periods of years covering his band's successes, with a couple of chapters at the end picking up after a nine-year gap.
But this was absolutely fine by me - I loved how meticulously he recalled his childhood and slow journey to becoming a professional musician and singer.
The book actually starts in the 1990s, with a chapter charting he and his wife Trudi's experience in Brazil partaking in a shared hallucinogenic drug-taking event which immerses him deep into his childhood memories, and from there the reader is transported back into Sting's past.
It all makes though for a fascinating read - Sting is honest and erudite, and his long journey towards fame is slow but sure, and always compelling.
I'd definitely recommend this book anyone who's a fab of his work and loves autobiogs, as I do.
It has to be stated from the outset though, that this book is 90 percent concentrated on his life before fame - he then skips the entire periods of years covering his band's successes, with a couple of chapters at the end picking up after a nine-year gap.
But this was absolutely fine by me - I loved how meticulously he recalled his childhood and slow journey to becoming a professional musician and singer.
The book actually starts in the 1990s, with a chapter charting he and his wife Trudi's experience in Brazil partaking in a shared hallucinogenic drug-taking event which immerses him deep into his childhood memories, and from there the reader is transported back into Sting's past.
It all makes though for a fascinating read - Sting is honest and erudite, and his long journey towards fame is slow but sure, and always compelling.
I'd definitely recommend this book anyone who's a fab of his work and loves autobiogs, as I do.
April 23, 2025
3 Stars = It was okay.
If you love Sting, you'll enjoy this book. If not, skip it.
If you love Sting, you'll enjoy this book. If not, skip it.
December 22, 2019
I have been a huge Police fan since primary school, 1986-1987. This book was so amusing to read and a very insightful peek into Sting´s life. Despite his later success i can´t but feel sad for the hard times he had to endure. I guess that no matter how succesful a person is, there is always some struggle somewhere in their lives.
I would have liked the book to follow a bit more into the Police´s history, still a very nice read.
I would have liked the book to follow a bit more into the Police´s history, still a very nice read.
December 4, 2012
The last five memoirs I have read have been stridently non-traditional. Stream of consciousness, reenactment of mental illnesses, spiritual quests and visions of God - basically anything but a straightforward, chronological "I was born etc" story. So it was a relief to pick up this memoir and read a traditional narrative. The book only goes up to the release of The Police's first album. Hopefully in another twenty years or so Sting will feel removed enough from his past to write more extensively about The Police and his solo career. I bet it would make for an interesting read. However, I understand that it is much more difficult to write about a recent past rather than to focus on one's childhood. In other memoirs I have read written by middle-aged people, once they get within ten years or so of the current date, the book falls to pieces. Just not enough clarity & distance yet to tell a cohesive story.
Even though the memoir does not focus on his fame & fortune, Sting still tells a compelling story. I am predisposed to like it because I am a big British history buff & his recollections of life in the UK after WWII are fascinating to me. Sting does a good job portraying how gray and repressed and hard-scrabble that time was. The issues of class in the UK come into play in this book. Sting wins a scholarship to go to the fancy public (our American private) school and that introduction to the middle & upper classes draws a wedge between him & his working class family & his childhood friends. Yet, of course, he finds he doesn't really fit into this new world either. Towards the end of the book, Sting recounts auditioning for the director of Quadrophenia. He hears the undercurrent of a working class accent in the director's voice & let's his own Geordie account come out a bit. The men both recognize their status as interloper's to the upper class life and bond without coming out and flatly commenting on their metamorphosis into new people. The way one's accent labels a person in Britain is not the same here in the USA. Sure, if you sound like The Situation or Honey Boo Boo Child, people judge you, but for the most part it is hard to tell a person's background from their accent.
The majority of the book deals with Sting's progression as a musician. Joining bands, practicing, traveling to dingy clubs, struggling to find dingy clubs to play in, writing songs, developing one's musical tastes etc. I liked that he is not a one-note Charlie and plays & enjoys all types of music. Why pigeon-hole yourself? If music is good than it's good no matter what the label.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. I don't get other reviews on ŷ calling him arrogent. That perception cannot have come from reading this book. Maybe in other books he comes across like that? I found him to be introspective and rather brooding. He recounted his flaws and mistakes and quirks no problem. I felt he erred too much on the side of modesty. When he mentions at one point he was forced to model to earn some money to support his wife & baby it came out of left field. Huh?! He really downplays his looks.
The part of the book that bugged me the most was NO PHOTOS. WTF, Sting. Come on. When you write your memoir, you include photos. I thought that was a given. Apparently not. I would have enjoyed seeing photos of his family & friends and bandmates. He even describes in detail several photos but does not include them! It was so confusing. That cover photo is not enough. Hmmph.
Even though the memoir does not focus on his fame & fortune, Sting still tells a compelling story. I am predisposed to like it because I am a big British history buff & his recollections of life in the UK after WWII are fascinating to me. Sting does a good job portraying how gray and repressed and hard-scrabble that time was. The issues of class in the UK come into play in this book. Sting wins a scholarship to go to the fancy public (our American private) school and that introduction to the middle & upper classes draws a wedge between him & his working class family & his childhood friends. Yet, of course, he finds he doesn't really fit into this new world either. Towards the end of the book, Sting recounts auditioning for the director of Quadrophenia. He hears the undercurrent of a working class accent in the director's voice & let's his own Geordie account come out a bit. The men both recognize their status as interloper's to the upper class life and bond without coming out and flatly commenting on their metamorphosis into new people. The way one's accent labels a person in Britain is not the same here in the USA. Sure, if you sound like The Situation or Honey Boo Boo Child, people judge you, but for the most part it is hard to tell a person's background from their accent.
The majority of the book deals with Sting's progression as a musician. Joining bands, practicing, traveling to dingy clubs, struggling to find dingy clubs to play in, writing songs, developing one's musical tastes etc. I liked that he is not a one-note Charlie and plays & enjoys all types of music. Why pigeon-hole yourself? If music is good than it's good no matter what the label.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. I don't get other reviews on ŷ calling him arrogent. That perception cannot have come from reading this book. Maybe in other books he comes across like that? I found him to be introspective and rather brooding. He recounted his flaws and mistakes and quirks no problem. I felt he erred too much on the side of modesty. When he mentions at one point he was forced to model to earn some money to support his wife & baby it came out of left field. Huh?! He really downplays his looks.
The part of the book that bugged me the most was NO PHOTOS. WTF, Sting. Come on. When you write your memoir, you include photos. I thought that was a given. Apparently not. I would have enjoyed seeing photos of his family & friends and bandmates. He even describes in detail several photos but does not include them! It was so confusing. That cover photo is not enough. Hmmph.
December 2, 2024
Good autobiography from a brilliant and secretive artist. I have an erstwhile friend who was at a party at Sting's apartment in New York (not his usual beat, but I guess these things happen) about the time of Hurricane Sandy so circa 2012, and he felt a bit out of place with Roger Waters holding court in the living room among other A- and B-list celebrities. The friend sat on a couch looking at the art books Sting had left out on a coffee table when Sting sat next to him. "You OK?", asked Sting. "Yeah, just not my usual crowd, I guess," my friend responded. "Yeah, well, its my wife, you know, she likes these things, I am not really a people person," said Sting. "But, you like played music in front of hundreds of thousands of people!" my friend countered. "Thing is," replied Sting, "that isn't me. I become Sting during those situations and the real me just buries itself deep inside."
I don't know if it is a true story, but it could be true based on how Gordon "Sting" Sumner describes himself in this highly readable autobiography.
I don't know if it is a true story, but it could be true based on how Gordon "Sting" Sumner describes himself in this highly readable autobiography.
Read
April 17, 2012Remember the time when you went to the latest multi-billion-dollar film, on the first day of its release, only to have it turn out to be a big disappointment? And you couldn't quite put your finger on why? You know, the one that had all the ingredients - great cast, suave director, lavish sets - but somehow, still didn't have you coming back for more? Reading Broken Music was a similar experience for me.
On the surface, this book combines two of my favourite genres: music and autobiographies. And Sting isn't a fly-by-night one-hit wonder, either - he has considerable musical talent and fame to make you want to read about him. Also, he's articulate (possibly the only thing I can praise in this read), and clearly knows how to string sentences together with eloquence and poise.
And yet, the book didn't deliver for me.
It was slow, overindulgent (no, you are not Charles Dickens, please don't spend three pages describing the landscape of your home town), and contained far less music in it that I had hoped for. For the most part, I felt like I was reading someone's rather prosaic, middle-aged journal. And I guess, for a personal memoir/journal type thing, to be read by one's grandchildren years after you were gone, it would work. As a commercial book in its own right, it doesn't.
I wish I had better things to say about this, I really do. If you're a Sting or Police fan, I guess you'll pick the book up no matter what I say. If you're not, and would like an objective opinion, I would recommend you spend your time on something else. In a world where a thousand other books or more are competing for your attention, Broken Music really doesn't merit the effort.
On the surface, this book combines two of my favourite genres: music and autobiographies. And Sting isn't a fly-by-night one-hit wonder, either - he has considerable musical talent and fame to make you want to read about him. Also, he's articulate (possibly the only thing I can praise in this read), and clearly knows how to string sentences together with eloquence and poise.
And yet, the book didn't deliver for me.
It was slow, overindulgent (no, you are not Charles Dickens, please don't spend three pages describing the landscape of your home town), and contained far less music in it that I had hoped for. For the most part, I felt like I was reading someone's rather prosaic, middle-aged journal. And I guess, for a personal memoir/journal type thing, to be read by one's grandchildren years after you were gone, it would work. As a commercial book in its own right, it doesn't.
I wish I had better things to say about this, I really do. If you're a Sting or Police fan, I guess you'll pick the book up no matter what I say. If you're not, and would like an objective opinion, I would recommend you spend your time on something else. In a world where a thousand other books or more are competing for your attention, Broken Music really doesn't merit the effort.
April 10, 2019
Beautiful story told elegantly. For those who know nothing about the early years of this prolific poet/musician, it's a delightful read. Wish he would finish the story. He is a natural story teller. Gorgeous prose.
May 10, 2023
I am forever grateful for the day Sting decided to share his wonderful writing with the world.
I already highly admired him as a songwriter but now that I've gone through this book I have intense respect for him as a writer too. With this magnificent style, drowned in poetry and delicious humor when needed, Sting tells us about the part of his life no one knows more than the man himself: from the very first moment he opened his eyes to the world until the big break of The Police.
Using a splendid narrative expedient Sting gives his story the appearance of a full circle, where the broken pieces of his life suddenly all fall into place after his reflection comes to an end.
"Broken Music" is undoubtedly a gorgeous biography that takes the reader on the same road with the author, sharing a place with him during this intense trip on the memory lane and allowing us to understand the child he was and the man he is today.
As a big fan of Sting, I am infinitely grateful for not having read a biography that follows the same boring steps that most musicians take in their personal biographies. With this intimate view on his life, with a strong mark on his relationship with his parents Sting allowed everyone to at least understand a part of him, which most people have often mistaken. A part of him that reminds us his infinite humanity : we're often used to see celebrities as these gods on earth, and we often wonder what we would do if we were in their position. Thanks to this book we discover that Sting, long before reaching fame and success, was exactly just like us: a young person with a burning dream, ready to face any adversity for it. Sting himself wanted to be famous, to make a name for himself. And what's so wrong about it? What's so wrong about the desire of wanting to be someone who will be remembered? Someone who worked hard for everything he achieved, who deeply wanted to show their parents his love for them in their quiet conversations? Someone who only ever wanted to make them proud, to carry their hidden hopes on?
I already highly admired him as a songwriter but now that I've gone through this book I have intense respect for him as a writer too. With this magnificent style, drowned in poetry and delicious humor when needed, Sting tells us about the part of his life no one knows more than the man himself: from the very first moment he opened his eyes to the world until the big break of The Police.
Using a splendid narrative expedient Sting gives his story the appearance of a full circle, where the broken pieces of his life suddenly all fall into place after his reflection comes to an end.
"Broken Music" is undoubtedly a gorgeous biography that takes the reader on the same road with the author, sharing a place with him during this intense trip on the memory lane and allowing us to understand the child he was and the man he is today.
As a big fan of Sting, I am infinitely grateful for not having read a biography that follows the same boring steps that most musicians take in their personal biographies. With this intimate view on his life, with a strong mark on his relationship with his parents Sting allowed everyone to at least understand a part of him, which most people have often mistaken. A part of him that reminds us his infinite humanity : we're often used to see celebrities as these gods on earth, and we often wonder what we would do if we were in their position. Thanks to this book we discover that Sting, long before reaching fame and success, was exactly just like us: a young person with a burning dream, ready to face any adversity for it. Sting himself wanted to be famous, to make a name for himself. And what's so wrong about it? What's so wrong about the desire of wanting to be someone who will be remembered? Someone who worked hard for everything he achieved, who deeply wanted to show their parents his love for them in their quiet conversations? Someone who only ever wanted to make them proud, to carry their hidden hopes on?
April 30, 2023
I bought this book not knowing it doesn’t devote any pages to his time being famous. When I picked it up finally to read it 3 years later and discovered on ŷ it’s all about his early years, I was quite disappointed. But I shouldn’t have been. Albeit a bit dragging at times, it was an insightful and beautifully written memoir, which makes sense given his propensity towards literature and culture. It didn’t feel like the usual memoir that used a ghostwriter.
It’s hard for us to see bands and names that suddenly appear on heavy rotation as anything more than an overnight success. But it’s not the case here. A lot of work, financial and mental insecurity, and sacrifices - an inspiring story.
Also, this memoir gave me a better understanding of why I like Sting’s solo career much more than his Police era - his musical background and training made it so special and unique. Btw, the way he got his name was also hilarious.
It’s hard for us to see bands and names that suddenly appear on heavy rotation as anything more than an overnight success. But it’s not the case here. A lot of work, financial and mental insecurity, and sacrifices - an inspiring story.
Also, this memoir gave me a better understanding of why I like Sting’s solo career much more than his Police era - his musical background and training made it so special and unique. Btw, the way he got his name was also hilarious.
December 17, 2018
A very well-written book .... really. It's not your run of the mill bio, complete with the "high" points and lecherous behaviour of the rock star class. It's a deeper dive into his life that we all do at one time or another in our own lives about why we are here and where we fit.
December 4, 2023
From rags to riches, you could say. From a small town in the UK, lower class, Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner (Named by a fellow bandmate before being in the band The Police, because he once wore a jacket with yellow and black stripes like a bee) became a talented pro bass player in Jazz bands, leading up to the start of The Police.
This book came out in 2003 so I’m now curious if Sting ever wrote a follow up memoir.
Captivating and very well written, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in music, and staying on course no matter what, towards following a dream.
This book came out in 2003 so I’m now curious if Sting ever wrote a follow up memoir.
Captivating and very well written, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in music, and staying on course no matter what, towards following a dream.
May 11, 2020
VERY well written and entertaining. Sting shows us his past and what has truly shaped him. There is sadness, hope, and determination throughout the book. This makes me like Sting all-the-more.
February 11, 2024
Purchased at Household Books!
I love a memoir particularly from someone I follow and enjoy! This was well written and a really good dose of where Sting came from, literally and figuratively!
I love a memoir particularly from someone I follow and enjoy! This was well written and a really good dose of where Sting came from, literally and figuratively!
February 11, 2019
Although this is Stings story I found it kind of boring.
November 6, 2020
I can't say that I was surprised b this book at all. I figured that if someone was going to write about their lack of certainty about mystical experiences and begin a memoir by talking about such a mystical experience found through a Brazilian drug, that Sting would be just the person to seek mystical insight from such an exotic source while simultaneously disclaiming to have had a mystical experience even in the process of recounting one. Likewise, if anyone is going to write a book that is called broken music but ends up being an immensely polished account of the first part of someone's life, until they are just about to become famous, Sting is going to be that person. And if someone is going to set a complicated set of chronology about when they got involved with someone while they may possibly have been married to someone else, then Sting is your man too. This is not only not a surprising book but is exactly the sort of literate, complex narrative that I would expect to read about someone's life and the sort of privation and domestic tragedies that gave Sting such a negative charisma and inspired his hard working efforts at becoming a famous musician.
This book is 331 pages, and it is quite striking that despite the length of the book that the author never gets into a huge amount of detail about his life as a famous person. It is perhaps true that the author is saving the interesting discussions of life as a famous musician for a later biography, and it is clear that the author reads what others have written about him--there are notes about the author correcting a story that someone had written in a previous book about him that he mostly praised. This story is a familiar one. Sting talks about the life of his parents and what led them together and led to their poisonous existence, as well as his siblings. He talks about his poverty and how his ambition and intellect gave him a ticket out of a rough neighborhood and alienated him from his far less well-educated parents, giving him a sense of culture and a hint of snobbery that shines through in his solo career especially. But here we see Sting as a grinder, going to school, training to be a teacher, working in musicals, touring and performing in all kinds of places to build up his skill all while looking for the main chance to get big in London. And by the time we finish this book, Sting is about to do it, and then it's "to be continued..."
If this book is not surprising at all, it is by no means a bad book. This book does reveal the sort of information that helps one to understand more about the various issues that drive someone to be famous. A great many of the people who write memoirs about their careers as famous musicians indicate that they do not have any idea what else they would do for a living, and that their jobs in internal revenue or as teaching (as Sting worked in) are merely placeholders that allow for the successful pursuit of one's desire to play music in the after-work hours. This seems to be a running commentary, so much so that one frequently reads about the life of musicians and their attempts to make it big while making a living first in books about other musicians. So it is that Sting talks about the people he worked with and his feelings about them and his apprenticeship as a bass guitarist with a lower profile than the lead guitar had, and it makes perfect sense. Sting is precisely the sort of man that one would expect, knowing his music, and whether that is a good thing or a bad thing must be left for the reader to judge.
July 15, 2016
3.5
J'ai toujours plus de mal à faire la critique d'un livre lorsqu'il s'agit d'une bio ou autobiographie car je me dis qu'on ne peut pas vraiment juger un livre sur le fait qu'on ait trouvé l'histoire bonne ou non quand c'est quelqu'un qui nous raconte sa vie. Et il y a toujours cette petite partie de moi qui se demande est-ce que tout,absolument tout est vrai ou est-ce que certaines choses ont pu être inventés parfois ?
J'adore lire des récits biographiques d'artistes que je connais et que j'aime, mais il m'arrive aussi d'en lire sur des personnalités qui n'avaient jamais attiré mon attention avant et sur lesquelles je n'ai jamais fait de recherches. C'est le cas avec Sting. Je savais qui il est bien entendu et j'apprécie certaines de ses chansons ou de son groupe, mais ça s'arrête là pour les info que j'avais sur le monsieur. Parfois c'est un avantage d'en connaître peu car non seulement on découvre plus mais on n'est pas teinté par tout ce que l'on a vu ou entendu auparavant sur le "personnage".
Je peux parcontre parler du style d'écriture et dans ce cas-ci je dois dire que j'ai été impressionné par la qualité de la prose. Sting déclare qu'il aime la lecture et je trouve que ça paraît dans sa plume. Et si certaines anecdotes qu'il a raconté ne sont pas véritables, alors il a une sacré imagination ! Je dois dire parcontre que jai trouvé parfois un peu déstabilisant qu'il passe sans cesse du présent au passé.
Il a certainement choisi des moments plutôt marquants pour débuter ainsi que pour terminer ce livre. Entre les deux, il parle de sa jeunesse et d'un événement qui viendra pour toujours teinter le dynamisme familial, son rapport avec la foi, sa passion pour la musique qui fut un échappatoir avant de devenir un gagne-pain, les jobs qu'il a occupées avant de devenir un musicien populaire, son désir de devenir célèbre, les personnes influentes dans sa vie et sa carrière. On n'échappe pas non plus à l'expérience ésotérique/surnaturelle que toutes les stars semblent avoir vécue au moins une fois dans leur vie ( ou alors c'est parce que je tombe que sur celle qui le raconte mais jusqu'à maintenant j'ai remarqué que chaque récit de personnalité connues que j'ai lu relate un épisode du genre).
Lorsqu'il raconte ses rencontres avec certaines personnes , il n'y aucun doute s'il appréciait ou détestait cette personne. Mais comme c'est souvent le cas aussi avec ce genre de livre, l'histoire s'arrête un peu au moment où l'artiste est devenu populaire. Pourquoi ce choix ? On veut savoir aussi ce qui s'est passé après la célébrité et aussi l'influence que ça eu sur le reste de sa vie.
J'ai toujours plus de mal à faire la critique d'un livre lorsqu'il s'agit d'une bio ou autobiographie car je me dis qu'on ne peut pas vraiment juger un livre sur le fait qu'on ait trouvé l'histoire bonne ou non quand c'est quelqu'un qui nous raconte sa vie. Et il y a toujours cette petite partie de moi qui se demande est-ce que tout,absolument tout est vrai ou est-ce que certaines choses ont pu être inventés parfois ?
J'adore lire des récits biographiques d'artistes que je connais et que j'aime, mais il m'arrive aussi d'en lire sur des personnalités qui n'avaient jamais attiré mon attention avant et sur lesquelles je n'ai jamais fait de recherches. C'est le cas avec Sting. Je savais qui il est bien entendu et j'apprécie certaines de ses chansons ou de son groupe, mais ça s'arrête là pour les info que j'avais sur le monsieur. Parfois c'est un avantage d'en connaître peu car non seulement on découvre plus mais on n'est pas teinté par tout ce que l'on a vu ou entendu auparavant sur le "personnage".
Je peux parcontre parler du style d'écriture et dans ce cas-ci je dois dire que j'ai été impressionné par la qualité de la prose. Sting déclare qu'il aime la lecture et je trouve que ça paraît dans sa plume. Et si certaines anecdotes qu'il a raconté ne sont pas véritables, alors il a une sacré imagination ! Je dois dire parcontre que jai trouvé parfois un peu déstabilisant qu'il passe sans cesse du présent au passé.
Il a certainement choisi des moments plutôt marquants pour débuter ainsi que pour terminer ce livre. Entre les deux, il parle de sa jeunesse et d'un événement qui viendra pour toujours teinter le dynamisme familial, son rapport avec la foi, sa passion pour la musique qui fut un échappatoir avant de devenir un gagne-pain, les jobs qu'il a occupées avant de devenir un musicien populaire, son désir de devenir célèbre, les personnes influentes dans sa vie et sa carrière. On n'échappe pas non plus à l'expérience ésotérique/surnaturelle que toutes les stars semblent avoir vécue au moins une fois dans leur vie ( ou alors c'est parce que je tombe que sur celle qui le raconte mais jusqu'à maintenant j'ai remarqué que chaque récit de personnalité connues que j'ai lu relate un épisode du genre).
Lorsqu'il raconte ses rencontres avec certaines personnes , il n'y aucun doute s'il appréciait ou détestait cette personne. Mais comme c'est souvent le cas aussi avec ce genre de livre, l'histoire s'arrête un peu au moment où l'artiste est devenu populaire. Pourquoi ce choix ? On veut savoir aussi ce qui s'est passé après la célébrité et aussi l'influence que ça eu sur le reste de sa vie.
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