Rock and Roll and the Renaissance Man

Posted on Thursday, April 12th, 2012 at 7:50 am

Many rock stars lead the kind of tortured existence best summed up by Bono when he wrote, “Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief. All kill their inspiration and sing about their grief.” They succumb to all the vices and detours that come with fame and fortune. In fact, when a rock star doesn’t live that kind of life it’s almost surprising…and something to take note of.

Sting is one of my musical heroes and has always been a massive inspiration for me, as many of you know. I read his autobiography, Broken Music, A Memoir and it impressed me because he never lived the “Rock & Roll” lifestyle. He practices Yoga, plays chess avidly, and sticks to a macrobiotic diet. It’s why he’s called the Renaissance Man of Rock.  And he’s basically spent his entire adult life in two long-term relationships, both of which involved marriage and children.

He married Trudie Styler in August 1992 and then recorded one of his greatest albums, Ten Summoner’s Tales (nominated for 5 Grammys), in the dining room of his farmhouse where he lived with their three children.

When asked about his lifestyle, he replied, “I was fond of this romantic idea that you had to suffer to make art. I’m not necessarily sure anymore that that is true. I’d like to believe you can be happy and creative at the same time. I like to write songs in the kitchen with a pen and paper when the kids are around making noise. That’s bliss for me.”

Man, I could sure go for a farmhouse. And now I’m off to buy a chessboard.

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