European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 24, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                By Robert Hilburn los Angeles times sting s new album a his first in More than three years a is a somber intensely personal work that grew out of the British Rock Star s confusion and grief following the death of his father in late 1987. But sting seemed unusually at ease on the eve of the album s release recently As he sat surrounded by his family in the living room of his spacious two Story Coop apartment on Central Park West in new York. Was this the same sting who has been seen As the quintessential loner a restless spirit who wrote anxious tales of alienation the Man for whom travel adventure and work were As much a confirmation of being alive As his heartbeat the same handsome Newcastle native who has been on the run creatively Ever since leaving the police in 1984, acting in films and a Broadway musical supporting various social causes and making albums he and actress Trudie Styler his companion since the mid a 980s, have three children together but for years sting communicated with her largely by phone or in Brief hectic reunions in London where the family mainly stayed or in Malibu calit., where they also have a home., not so anymore. On this Day the couple s two oldest children a Jake 6,and Mickey 7 a raced around the room carrying toys and vying for attention. The youngest child 5-month old Eliot Paulina rested on the floor gazing at a Small brightly coloured toy swing set. This was t just another hectic family reunion. It was a sign of increased closeness in the aftermath of the soul searching that sting went through about his childhood while writing and recording the new album the soul cages. Above sting rocks on stage with Don Henley left and Bruce Springsteen in an Impromptu Jam session after a Benefit concert for the Amazon rain forests. Left sting with amazonian Indian chief Rani. Reuters Quot i done to think i was Given a very Good blueprint As a youngster for what family life could be sting said sporting traces of a Beard As he sat on a sofa. Quot i think i was afraid of being part of that kind of family. Again. I did t want to be like my father who was never around and who was never Able to show his love. But i gradually realized i was becoming like him anyway. I am my fathers son and i saw i needed to make some changes in my life. I was better at expressing my love but i was never around  the most surprising thing about your new album is its ambition and sophistication. Weren t you tempted to come Back with a Safe Ultra commercial album to reaffirm your status As a major record seller after the failure of 3 Penny operal sting played Mac k the knife in the widely panned and Short lived 1988 Broadway production. By whose standards was it a failure i had the time of my life in that show. I Learned All sorts of things. People often last on Broadway one night after a bad Frank Rich review in the new York times. We did 120 nights. That s. Not a failure a not to me.  if it were a failure i m not sure you have a Choice when it comes to the kind of album you Are going to make. I can Only write what is on my mind. A. But Don t you have a competitive Side that wants to do Well on the charts if you Are the kind of person who makes judgments about yourself on the basis of where you Are on the charts or How Many tickets have been sold to your concerts you Are guaranteed to be in for a big Shock the Day those. Figures Don t turn up in your favor and that Day . You can t measure your work by How much it a Sells. A / then How do you measure yourself take other artists you Admire a Bruce Springsteen or Paul Simon or Peter Gabriel. Do you Ever ask yourself Quot is this album As Good As Nebraska or Cra Elandor so Quot did t you once quit racing As a youngster in England because you came in second in a championship race and wanted to find something that you could be the. Best in being a musician in t like being an athlete. In athletics you Are either Carl Lewis or you Arentt. When i found. Pelt Isle w to were faster i could see the limits of what i could do. A. A. With Muic there Aren t those same limits. Everyone is doing something different. We Are All trying to find the individual unique voice within us. Bruce has found his Paul has found his and i feel i have found mine. Once you have done that the Only measure is How True you stay to that inner voice. Was there any Point where you wrote in order to be 6 stripes Magazine january 24, 1991