“Going out on top” is a common sentiment among artists and athletes hoping to end their careers at their best – not fade away. In rock and roll, one blueprint is The Police and their 1983 masterpiece, Synchronicity.

The fifth album from vocalist/bassist Sting, guitarist Andy Summers, and drummer Stewart Copeland was a cultural phenomenon, reaching #1 on the Billboard album chart for 17 weeks and selling more than eight million copies in the U.S. The first single “Every Breath You Take” also zoomed to the top of the charts for eight weeks. Other hits were “King of Pain,” “Synchronicity II,” and “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” all coinciding with a massive tour of sold-out arenas and stadiums… then, the band split.

For years, The Police had experienced high-profile creative tensions, but they rose to a boil while recording Synchronicity. From the start, Summers knew it would be their last album.

“I definitely did feel that,” he said. “The intimations were that this would be the last one for Sting. There was a slightly strange feeling about doing the record – a shadow hanging over us. But we were signed up for five albums, the whole world was watching and expecting a great record. It was a strange mix of feelings.”

The band typically recorded together, but Synchronicity saw them separated at the behest of engineer/co-producer Hugh Padgham. Summers typically played in the studio, Sting in the control room with his bass direct to the desk, and Copeland in the facility’s high-ceiling dining room – linked via video with no sound.

“We got what they call ‘perfect separation’ – very much an engineer’s thing. But I found it kind of weird; I would much have preferred to be playing in a room together with a bit of leakage. (Engineers) want [separation], but it cannot make up for natural musical excitement or cohesion in the playing.

“And, separation can be very detrimental, as I found out, particularly on what Hugh did to ‘Every Breath You Take.’ I had to correct what he had done to the guitar. In Montserrat (where we recorded), I had this incredible, thick, gorgeous sound. When I heard it, I was just so upset that he’d lost it. I worked hard with him to get it back. He’s very guilty of that, I’m afraid.”

Summers’ unique guitar sound is integral to the band’s style. On Synchronicity, he played several including his trademark ’63 Telecaster (modified before it was his), a ’62 Strat, and a ’58 ES-335.

“The overriding credo was, ‘You can’t sound like anybody else.’ That was very important to me – and it was a natural thing because I wasn’t a gigantic fan who listened to only rock guitar,” explained Summers, whose resumé includes wide-ranging creative projects. “I came out of a jazz background and I’ve been to university in the U.S. I listened to all this music; I played classical guitar. I was fully fledged as a guitarist.

“I wanted to make the guitar parts different behind the vocal. I was never going to play a barre chord. I had a philosophy; I wanted to create The Police guitar sound – make it different than the standard ‘banging it out.’ I think the playing is all fairly elegant, actually. I was very conscious of having a signature sound, and I think it contributed hugely to the success of The Police.”

While Summers is suitably proud of Synchronicity, it’s not his preferred band effort.

“I think most of the tracks hold up really well, but my favorite album is the second one, Reggatta de Blanc, which was where we were still very fresh. We hadn’t really made it and we were very keen to make a great record. We had enough recognition to go in and make a record and prove it. It was a chance to move up a step, and I really like the fresher, youthful energy in it.

“By the time we got to Synchronicity, we were ultra-famous – real rock stars. The record got more sophisticated in a way that I didn’t necessarily enjoy as much as the rawer sounds on Reggatta de Blanc.”

The Police were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, and fans were pleasantly surprised by their reunion tour in ’07-’08.

Today, Synchronicity still shines. In 2019, “Every Breath You Take” surpassed The Righteous Brothers’ 1964 classic “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” as the most-played song in radio history. The album has been named to the Grammy Hall of Fame. The U.S. Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and worthy of preservation.

“What sold The Police was the chemistry in the playing. It was unique, never to be replicated by anybody. We definitely made our own style of music,” said Summers. “We had a real signature sound and style, and we became conscious of our thing and we would try to make every piece sound like it was played by the three of us.”

Reflecting now, Summers sees Synchronicty (which was recently reissued with B-sides, demos, instrumentals, alternate takes, and a live performance from September, 1983) and the band’s dissolution as a glass half full.

“We left at the peak of glory, if you like, which is a very ballsy thing to do. We didn’t start declining and make records that got worse and worse. We left them wanting more, which is the oldest cliché in the book.”

This article originally appeared in VG’s October 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.