I first met Andy Summers at the Bottom Line in New York City, winter of 94. He had recorded an acoustic album with guitarist John Etheridge. I knew very few people in New York, certainly no fellow Police fanatics. So, armed with my Portrait Journal I braved the blizzard alone. At the club I met some other young Police fans, also eager to meet Andy. Any hopes of hitting it off were dashed when these guys revealed themselves to be Genesis fans (the Phil Collins era).

I shared a table up front with an Etheridge fan and his wife or girlfriend. Andy, who plays primarily electric live, was cursing in the midst of the gig at his own (acoustic) playing. (I gathered that he had just completed an electric tour and hadn’t played acoustic recently.) I thought it was great- I really liked the album. He and Etheridge meshed beautifully. After the show, the Genesis fans and myself were allowed into Andy’s dressing room. Andy was clearly in a foul mood and none too thrilled to see us. I showed him my portrait of him in my Journal. As he signed it he said, “Doesn’t really look like me, does it? It looks like Danny Quatrochi (Police/Sting crew member)!” “What are you talking about?” I said, “It looks just like you!!”

From ’95 to The Police Reunion in ’07 I saw every Stewart and/or Andy gig in LA I could possibly make. When Stewart and Andy were rumored to be appearing at the sold out The Police Rock en Español gig at the House of Blues Sunset, I went down there and scored a ticket. When they played with Incubus at the KROQ Acoustic Christmas, I was there (thanks to my good friend Mike McLaughlin for that one). George Martin presenting Beatles music at the Hollywood Bowl (Stewart on drums, and Andy a last minute addition on guitar), I was there. I had tickets to see Stewart play with The Doors (The Cult’s Ian Astbury on vocals) at the Universal Ampitheatre - was disappointed when Stewart had to cancel. Oysterhead at the Palladium. Andy at tiny jazz club The Baked Potato.

I was living in Glendale at the time, about 3 miles from the Cahuenga Blvd location that Andy played constantly. He seemed to play at least one night a week. I would have this conversation with myself, “but I just saw him last week, and the week before, and the week before..” before inevitably leaving my boring apartment to have a couple drinks and watch Andy rip it up, always with stellar musicians. Bassist Jerry Watts and drummer Bernie Dresel were the most regular rhythm section I can recall, though Gregg Bissonette was on drums at least a couple times. Latter day Who drummer Simon Phillips played one night, his kit hilariously crowding Andy and Jerry off the tiny stage. I went to most of Andy’s photo exhibitions as well. Through all these, I got to know Andy and his assistant Dennis a little bit. I’ve got to say Andy tended to be a bit grumpy when I showed up on my own, and to my amusement all smiles and charm when I would bring a woman! (Haha!) I showed him my artwork whenever I got the chance. He was particularly taken with my Puzzled 2 piece, saying to my delight “it would be a great album cover.”

The greatest of these little Hollywood gigs, was of course, when as one of Stewart’s “Nutters” I got in to the Whisky A Go Go for The Police Rehearsals / Press Conference. It was unreal - by that point I had long since given up on The Police reuniting! I’m being redundant but it’s worth saying, I fucking love that band!