The Police released their debut album today in 1978, self-produced on a budget of £1500 borrowed from drummer Stewart Copeland’s brother, Miles. Outlandos d'Amour (loosely translated to Outlaws of Love) is not only the first Police album, it's their best, depending on which "version" of the group you prefer...Sting songs about suicide, abandoned loves, desperation and loneliness, but presented in an upbeat fashion. This album is pure Police at their most raw (as is the case with most debut albums), before they became stars, before the inner-strife became too terrible. Buoyed by the single ‘Roxanne’, the album has been certified platinum and also included the singles ‘Can’t Stand Losing You’ and ‘So Lonely’. Also notable, IMO, are ‘Next To You’, ‘Truth Hits Everybody’, ‘Hole In My Life’, and the instrumental ‘Masoko Tanga’.

Sting on the recording of Outlandos: "Our first album as the Police was recorded piecemeal in a run-down studio above a dairy in Leatherhead. We had been together as a band for roughly a year by then. We weren't signed to a record company yet, and none of us had any money, so we used some second-hand tapes that we found in our manager's garage and recorded very late at night, for an even cheaper studio rate: moonlighting only after another band had left. We'd work until the coffee ran out and we were bleary-eyed and delirious with exhaustion and the absurdity of our arguments.”

Released             2 November 1978

Recorded            January–June 1978

Studio                 Surrey Sound Studios

Label                   A&M – AMLH 68502

Producer             The Police

Also released today was Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 4th album, Willy and the Poor Boys, which was arguably their best album. WPB was the 3rd (!!) album released by CCR in 1969. This was due to John Fogerty’s belief that if they fell off the charts they would be forgotten so he had them release their material as quickly as possible. You’re lucky to get one album every three years now it seems. WPB contained the hits ‘Down on the Corner’ and ‘Fortunate Son’, released as side A and B of a single.  It also included a couple songs associated with blues/folk legend Huddie ‘Lead Belly’ Ledbetter - the Ledbetter penned ‘Cotton Fields’ and the traditional folk song ‘Midnight Special’, which Ledbetter popularized in the 1930s. Of note, additional musicians on this record were members of Booker T. and the MGs - guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn, and Booker T. himself on organ.

Released             November 2, 1969

Recorded            1969 at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California

Label                   Fantasy

Producer             John Fogerty