If you thought that the organizers of October’s two Desert Trip weekends were going to quit after Year One, guess again. The Mirror, without citing sources, has reported that The Police have been offered a stunning $9 million to play 2017’s Desert Trip 2.
Goldenvoice, the same folks that put together Coachella each year, had sales of a reported $160 million (per Forbes) for this year’s concerts in Indio, CA, nicknamed “Oldchella” by many for the ages of its six classic rock headliners–the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Who and Roger Waters–and its audience.
Related: Our Desert Trip reviews of the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The Who and Roger Waters
Earlier this month, Police bassist, lead singer and songwriter Sting released a new studio album, 57th & 9th and recently announced a 2017 solo tour. The Police called it quits in 1986-1987 but reunited in 2007-2008 for a hugely successful tour. The trio also included guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland.
Related: The Police are featured in our story of 10 great classic rock trios
Shortly after Desert Trip’s six acts were announced, rock audiences speculated on which other superstars could be considered for subsequent events. While many currently active acts like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band and Billy Joel, among others, have been discussed, it became a parlor game of sorts to toss out names of bands that have long since called it quits like Led Zeppelin, Genesis, the Police and more. Forbes Contributor Brad Auerbach identified a strong list of logical candidates.
The Police recorded only five studio albums, beginning with 1978’s Outlandos D’Amour and concluding with 1983’s Synchonicity. They enjoyed five #1 U.K. hits and six U.S. Top 10 singles. 1983’s “Every Breath You Take” was their biggest hit, coming at the time of the band’s becoming one of the faces of MTV and helped propel Synchronicity to sales of eight million copies in the U.S. alone.
Watch the Police perform “Message in a Bottle” at the Tokyo Dome in 2008
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