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Tim Ferriss

The CIA, The Police, and Other Adventures from Stewart Copeland (#262)

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“Get yourself into a state of calmness, and then ferocity will take care of itself.”

– Stewart Copeland

Stewart Copeland (@copelandmusic) is a Grammy Award-winning musician, considered by Rolling Stone Magazine to be one of the top ten drummers of all time. He’s a founding member of The Police, and an inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

In this conversation, we delve into lessons for surviving the music industry, why entrepreneurs (and self-directed artists) never get a day off, how The Police developed their unique sound, the decision that changed everything, and much more.

This episode comes from my new television show Fear(less), where I interview world-class performers about how they’ve overcome doubt, conquered fear, and made their toughest decisions. You can watch the entire first episode with illusionist David Blaine for free at att.net/fearless. (To watch all episodes, please visit DIRECTV NOW).

We recorded three hours of material and only one hour was used for the TV show. This podcast episode is almost entirely new content that didn’t appear on TV.

Enjoy!

#262: The CIA, The Police, and Other Adventures from Stewart Copeland

Want to hear another podcast with an incredibly inspirational musician? — Listen to my conversation with Nicholas McCarthy. In this episode, we discuss how to overcome limitations, proving doubters wrong, how to manage ego, and much more. (Stream below or right-click here to download):

#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy

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QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Selected Links from the Episode

  • Connect with Stewart Copeland:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Show Notes

  • As multifaceted as Stewart’s life has been, his mother’s life could easily be considered more fascinating. [07:28]
  • On growing up as an American abroad. [08:58]
  • What did Stewart aspire to be when he was a kid? [10:49]
  • Stewart talks about leaving Beirut as a teenager when his CIA father’s cover was blown. [11:20]
  • “I’m going to have to hang up now — they’re shooting at me personally!” [15:18]
  • Stewart’s brother was a war hero. He decided to take a different route. [18:30]
  • Stewart’s early entrepreneurial venture with his brother, and the summer vacation that led to the formation of The Police. [22:05]
  • Important lessons learned from running his own business in college. [23:55]
  • Why dub reggae appealed to London punks in the ’70s, and what “secret weapon” Stewart had in his arsenal from learning drums in Lebanon. [25:39]
  • How bringing Andy Summers into The Police put Sting on his A game and helped the band transcend its “punk group” roots. [26:45]
  • How did The Police make stylistic decisions? [31:06]
  • On musical differences, synergy, co-dependence, and the changing dynamic of The Police during their recording career. [32:50]
  • How scoring a film differs from playing drums in a band. [36:48]
  • For people who don’t know drums, Stewart explains why he plays with traditional grip — and what that means. [45:00]
  • Top three favorite albums. [47:26]
  • Three favorite drummers. [48:28]
  • What weaknesses does Stewart encounter in his own work, and how does he overcome them? [50:19]
  • Is Stewart the Indiana Jones of rock and roll? [54:51]
  • That time Stewart and Gene Simmons argued about Old Testament theology backstage at a charity event. [58:16]
  • Are there any inspirational quotations that influence Stewart’s lifestyle? [59:54]
  • Advice to a musician getting ready for their first “big” performance. [1:01:09]
  • On the capacity of some to switch from “on” to “off” (and vice versa) before performing. [1:03:11]

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