Copeland And Summers Hope Download Will Fuel Police Show

Stewart Copeland and ANDY SUMMERS are hoping a new live version of Roxanne they've recorded with rockers Incubus will aid them in their bid to stage a full concert of The Police classics.

The duo have been trying to persuade Sting to reform The Police and tour for years, and now the pair are looking to be more proactive in their drive to play their classic tracks onstage.

Summers and Copeland performed Police tunes with Incubus at a concert at Christmas (04) and the updated version of Roxanne, sung by Brandon Boyd, is being released as a download at Apple's iTunes Music Store.

And Copeland hopes it will lead to more opportunities.

The drummer tells music trade magazine Billboard, "Andy and I have been trying for years to think of a way of playing Police songs together that doesn't stink to high heaven.

"We like the songs, and we like playing together, but Sting don't wanna. Of course, we can't be called the Police unless it includes Sting, so what can we do?

"Life is full of rewards and miseries, but I'm very happy that shows like this come along every once in a while. To some, it may look like Andy and I are clutching on to past glories by playing old hits rather than doing something new. But the fact is, we are both doing a lot of new stuff... The devil may take me, but every now and then I will reach into the cookie jar."