Saturday, May 26, 2007

RACING AGAINST STING'S KID...

I have been running for years. 

Earlier today I raced in a SMALL 10 km race in Stanley Park in Vancouver... this event was so small that most of the "runners" were in fact "walkers. The race director divided us up, preparing to let the runners leave first and amongst that TINY group of runners there was pretty much two of us who looked like we could run that distance comfortably. So we introduced ourselves. Just first names... "Joe and William"...

I ran 9 of the 10 km with Joe and we chatted along the way. He mentioned he found out about the race while wandering Stanley Park the day earlier. He seemed to be somewhat unfamiliar with the area so I asked where he was from to which he replied "California." I said "You are a ways from home... what are you doing up here?" When he said he was up here playing concerts with his band, I did ask what he played (Bass) and even the name of his band (Fiction Plane). IF you know the band you figured this out quicker than I...

I normally have a rediculously comprehensive knowledge of music it seems, but sure missed this obvious one. Yep, this was Stings Son... Joe Sumner.

Anyway our chat continued and though Joe did answer all my innocent questions, I didn't connect the dots. Well to be candid he DID answer, but was not forthcoming in helping those pieces fall together. The funniest part was when I asked where this up and coming band was staying and he said "The Wall Centre" - I recall saying "Wow, business is good for you guys especially as such a new band... how do you afford that? - well done!" And the funniest was saying "Well, maybe one day you will be famous and I can say hey I met you running once."

What was odd too is that I had been working towards trying to get backstage to say hello to the POLICE (Sting, Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland) whom I met and spent time with in the 80's when I was photographing concerts. Their Road Manager was kind enough to allow me to tag along for the Tacoma show too, so I really did get to hang out a bit. I even have a medallion that was given to me with the police logo that I still have somewhere (along with signed drumsticks and my collection of signed records). My efforts to connect again with the Band 20 years later were proving unsuccessful going through management channels in California and it is funny to think now, I might have just been able to say to Joe Sumner... "hey I got to hang out with your Dad's band for a while... can you link me in to say hello?"

We ran most of the entire race together chatting all the way until the last kilometer when I suggested he could feel free to pick up his pace if he had lots of steam in him. We were in first and second place at this point and Joe then moved ahead only to miss a turn allowing me the luxury of winning the race.

It was not until the Next day that I began hearing extensively on the radio that JOE SUMNER, Sting's Son would be opening all three Vancouver shows at GM Place in Vancouver.

What a hoot. Well, I didnt get to say hi to the Police again, but once I found I could not get a backstage pass, I wandered out front and managed to buy a $425 ticket for $45 and did see the show (BUT MISSED FICTION PLANE). 

To add to the craziness of all this, the seat I was in was a row behind and two seats to the left of PENELOPE CRUZ and entourage... but that is another story. ;-).