September 28, 1955 / November 12, 1998

TRIBUTE INTERVIEW

(May 1990)

◊ ◊

◄ Sting's Vibration ►

G : Do you feel concerned about Sting’s involvement for the Rainforest ?

K : I would like to help the Rainforest Foundation, it’s something I really believe in. After I met Raoni... he came to Sao-Polo that’s when I met him ; he came on stage in front of a huge audience to dance... He has a very good vibration. Sting is like that, I feel a very good vibration from him too. Do you know what I mean ? If more people in the world were like you, the world would be OK. And that’s why I get Good vibrations from certain people. From certain people I get bad vibrations : If the world was like them, it would be crazy ! I manage not to be around these people.
The vibration I get from you is very peaceful, you know. It’s good. And you’re very young, I’m thirty three years old, so... When I was twenty years old... you know, you seem to be very together for twenty years old. You seem much older for sure. Does people tell you that all the time ?

G : sometimes (embarrassed)

K : I think in Europe young people are more accomplished than in America. People of your age as usually like children in my country. You already have a life objective, you know what you want to do. My objective is music, God made this for me. You just have a good objective although you’re very young.

G : Thank you Kenny... Well now, coming back to Sting, you are now busy with studio sessions at the Guillaume Tell Studio, can you tell me more about his next album ?

K : I believe it’s gonna be the best of his solo albums. He’s getting better, he’s growing. When I first met Sting he was not as open as he is now. He was very English, very stiff. I think being around black americans in America and being in New-York, that helped him to become more light-hearted. He still is very serious but not as he used to be. He is much more open, very easy going.

Somebody with Sting’s stature could be such an asshole (laughing). But Sting is not an asshole, he’s very smart. Someone like him don’t have to do any efforts but he’s very convicted and very dedicated to everything he does. And now with his music, he keeps growing. When I first met him, he couldn’t play much piano at all ; now he play classical pieces : Bach for example. It inspires me because he learns all the time. He just grow like a seed can grow. That’s what everybody is supposed to do and he's doing it.

His record is gonna be the best. There are many good songs on it, with very great lyrics. Usually when I hear songs on the radio, the lyrics are about nothing. It’s always « I love you » or « I need your love »... Sting always like to do songs about something deep... personal. Some of the new songs are very personal but the music is commercial... I mean people will like it. In his lyrics, he can put whatever he wants, he doesn’t need to write « I love you ». His lyrics, his voice, his chords, his music, everything is getting so much better. I tell him everyday.
I have a book here, I read it all the time, everyday... it’s called ‘What are you ?’ written by Imelda Octavia SHANKLIN (take a look at this page about Unity Church). She’s like a prophet. You can turn to any page and it says things very important for life. I’ve never showed this book to Sting but I know that these stuff in this book, he has read about before. He knows a lot of this book. The way he is, he has to know it. He is very constant, very... consistent that’s the word. He knows about people, they study themselves and they know about God. I really respect him a lot. He is a great source of inspiration too. He does a lot of things and he doesn’t complain... Well, he has no reason to complain, he is very rich, very happy (laughing) but I think It’s more than money ; money helps him not having to worry about pain and so he has more time to give to the Rainforest Foundation.

Sting never really talks about God a lot. But I know he believes in God. I’m not gonna ask him. The way he is he has to, he has too... cause God has been good to him. Sting is very given, very generous man : Amnesty, the Rainforest, he gives of himself all the time. When you give of yourself, you get back. Sting is building himself. He builds his character, his music, his personality, his sharing with people... God has made his life abundant because of the way he his. So he has to believe in God. Sting is here to help life. I don’t need to talk to him about this cause I really understands him and I think he understands me. We never talk about philosophy but I ‘m just sure that he knows the things in this book. He knows a lot of things about life... but I talk too much.

Kenny Kirkland with Gert-Peter Bruch in 1988

◊ ◊ ◊

◄ If I Die Tomorrow ►

G : No, don’t worry . I’m listening, what you say is very instructive.

K : You know, I’m always travelling on plane... but I’m very human as a person. I grew up, just like I said before, in the ghetto, I grew up with many poor people. I was lucky cause a lot of my friends had no good parents. Parents who drink all day, not taking care of their kids... I was part of the one or two family out of ten that had very good parents. In my life, I spent time with the poorest person as well as the richest ones. In New-York, people always beg for money. And I always give, even a quarter. Friends tell me : « You shouldn’t give them money, they use it for drug. ». But if I have 20 dollars in my pocket and a person ask me for one quarter, one little silver quarter... I must give to him, I don’t care what he uses it for. Being able to give makes you being able to have. I always have been a person who was giving... I’ve never been someone who were asking for.
I’m only thirty-three years old but I really had a full life. I talk to people, I play music, that’s a big gift. I had a very abundant life. If I die tomorrow... I don’t want to die but I’ll have no regrets with my life cause it’s been so good ! And I think the reason why is that I always try to give, to anybody... I give time, I give money, I give whatever I can give... And Sting is like that too. But he’s a big star so it’s different. It’s more difficult for him to... They are some people that God puts in your life and you’re supposed to cross path with them. And Sting, a lot of time, he misses these people because he thinks... cause he’s a big star. And everybody around is like « Sting, Sting, Sting... » ; and he’s like « get away », you know ? But out of twenty people calling for him, there are three or four people who could have been very important for his life. And he misses that all. There are some people that really have something to offer to Sting, like you... when he sees you outside with many people, people wanting photographs or anything, it’s cool but you are not somebody, you are mixed with them. You know, he has nothing to say to groupies. I told him a while ago that he misses out people who are supposed to be in his path... supposed to help his growth. But it’s difficult for somebody who is very famous, cause people always try to get a piece of Sting.

G : Do you think that’s the reason why people think he’s arrogant ?

K : He can get arrogant but I don’t think he really is. He’s never arrogant around me. People always tell me he is and I tell them that to me, he never play that arrogant thing... Maybe only a very few times I had this feeling. He has a family, some kids and as a father he should see himself as a link. God made him a superstar for a reason...

G : What are the reasons that make you stay with him ?

K : I just like... among the people who sell records, in the rock idiom, he's just the best one. He’s like the ‘cream off the crap’. He’s the best of all, by far. When I first got to play with him, I didn’t realise how much effects he had on me. But he had a lot affected my life. Sting is supposed to be in my life. When we went on tour last time we were with my girlfriend (Tracy Wormworth) playing bass. Sting asked me « are you sure you want to go on and on for one year with your girlfriend ? »(laughing), he asked this like five times. And I said « I know I could say no, but the right thing to do is to help her » and Sting said to Tracy « come on, you can be in. ». We went to a lot of problems by being in the road together -we never did before- but from doing that, Sting brought me and my girlfriend closer. Now we understand each other better and I learned that from Sting. He’s very dedicated, he doesn’t quit, he hates to loose... He don’t like to loose, I can tell you that for sure. Person who likes to win will win. You see, I’m the kind of person who don’t care if I win. I’m not... aggressive.

Sting just have to focus his energy and he’s making me do that more. Seeing how he was and seeing how things worked for him, I started finding out where my power was, what my strength is, I believe in that. Cause Sting really believe in himself. He should. He writes great music... I’ve learned a lot of things about music from him but the most important thing I’ve learned from him is not about music, is about life. Whitout him telling a word, just from seeing how he is. He is a very good man, he has helped me a lot. Maybe he should hear this tape cause I never says this to him. I say it to you but I never did to him. But he never says things like that to me neither, you know ? We just have an understanding. I feel like I really understands him. We were both born two days apart, we have something like four years of difference but... I was born 28th of September, he was born on the 2nd of October. It’s very close. I don’t know if I believe in that so much... astrology, but we were born at the same time... and that means something. I believe that a little of astrology is true... a little of everything is true ! Buddhism, Christianity even Scientology. I listen to any religion or self-improvement. The Indians in the amazon forest, these people know what I’m talking about. They know that there is only one power. They just live with nature.
 

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