Name: Scott McCullar
Birthday: February 24, 1971
Location: Sherman, IL
Family: Roxie (wife), Rachel (daughter), Mitch (Son)
Profession/Occupation: Graphic Designer & Adjunct Art Faculty at Springfield College – Benedictine University and Freelance Comic Book Writer/Artist
Profile Date: January 19, 2009, Sting fan profile from Stingfield.com
Why are you a fan of Sting?
I really haven’t thought too hard as to the ‘why’ part of that question. For the past 25+ years, I’ve just loved his music that seems to hold up through the years. The voice, the grooves, the songwriting… every little thing HE does is magic in my mind for the most part. (Still not a big fan of his lute album though.)
How long have you been a Sting fan?
I became a fan of The Police in 1981 after listening to the Zenyatta Mondatta album. I believe that was when I was in 6th grade. I think that was when I first considered myself a ‘fan’. Looking back in my mind’s eye, I think I first remember listening to The Police circa 1980 on the radio, but it was that album that made me stand up and say, this is a damn good band and I’ve followed Sting and the other members of The Police ever since then.
What makes you different from other Sting fans?
I’ve met other Sting fans at concerts. I don’t know. Everyone seems unique and not one seems like a stereotypical carbon-copy fan is the thing that strikes me the most when I meet those other fans. So, I guess it is our walk in life of “being yourself, no matter what they say.” For me, I’m an artist, writer, bass player and karateka.
Have you ever met Sting? If so, when, where and why?
I shook Sting’s hand at a concert at Redbird Arena at Illinois State University in 1991 for the ‘Soul Cages’ tour. It was only for a brief moment where he nodded at me with a wink and smile after I had stood in the front row for the whole concert. I walked up to the stage at the end of the show to shake his hand.
How many Sting shows have you attended?
Eight times. I remember wanting to attend the ‘Synchronicity’ tour and ‘Dream of the Blue Turtles’ tour, but I was considered too young to go off to a concert at that age by my parents. My dad drove me and three other girls across the state line to Purdue University to see my first Sting concert in 1987 for the ‘Nothing Like the Sun’ tour when I was about 16. Since that first concert, I would see Sting on his tours for ‘The Soul Cages’ at Illinois State University, the ‘Mercury Falling’ tour at the Pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee just before my daughter was born, the ‘Brand New Day’ tour in Chicago just before my son was born, the ‘Sacred Love’ tour in Chicago, and his ‘Broken Music’ book tour in Champaign, Illinois. I also saw The Police recently on their reunion tour in both St. Louis and Chicago.
Do you own any Sting memorabilia?
I do have an autographed copy of his ‘Broken Music’ book that unfortunately got water spilled on it so it is uniquely crinkled from water damage. I have this one special 12” vinyl EP single of ‘Love is the Seventh Wave’ that has a very special personal story behind it that I own. I have a 1985 ‘Dream of the Blue Turtles’ concert tour poster from Germany that a girlfriend of mine gave me back in high school that I still own and want to get framed someday soon for my office. I still have my concert tour book and t-shirts from both the ‘Nothing Like the Sun’ and ‘Soul Cages’ tours that I cannot fit into anymore. Some buttons, records and other things here and there too. But perhaps the biggie… I own my own Sting signature 1953 reproduction Fender Precision Bass Guitar that I play. Sting’s autograph signature is on the 12th fret. (I did customize mine a bit differently than Sting’s model. My bass is modified by adding a 1951-type chrome bridge cover, a chrome coil pickup cover, switching out with a pearloid pickguard, and a switch out of the stock bridge with a new Badass III bridge instead. Still, it is basically a reissue of the bass that Sting plays but I wasn’t trying to emulate having Sting’s EXACT looking bass. I still liked that classic 50’s Fender bass stock look with all the chrome.
Do you have one special or favorite Sting song?
I still think ‘I Burn For You’ is the quiet song I like to listen to late at night by myself. It has a hypnotic bass line and haunting feel to it. But there are SOOOO many favorites to choose from. ‘So Lonely’ and ‘Walking On The Moon’ are right up there.
How has Sting influenced your life?
In high school, when one tries to find one’s own identity, I think I looked to him as a pseudo-role model at first. Perhaps I even tried to get my blond hair cut like his a few different times back in the day… but I think his song, “Englishman in New York” struck a special chord with me during high school in that lyric to “…be yourself, no matter what they say.” After that, it just reaffirmed in my own mind to walk to my own beat in life.
Does Sting influence you on a day-to-day basis?
I have to laugh a bit because I never thought much of how he has really influenced me, but now that the question is posed… yes he does. Repeating it a third time here, but to “be yourself, no matter what they say,” is a mantra that keeps repeating itself in my mind. Also, I think his music has almost provided a soundtrack to my life over the years. Constantly listening to his music has provided me comfort, joy, entertainment, solace and inspiration. I even play bass guitar due to his influence and my love of his music.
Have you done anything crazy as a fan of Sting?
I stayed outside in deadly freezing temperatures bundled in blankets with some friends to be the first in line to purchase tickets to his ‘Soul Cages’ concert at Illinois State University. We could have literally suffered hypothermia as we got in line at 4pm on a Friday to purchase tickets at 10am on a Saturday morning… but we huddled to keep each other warm.
What are your hobbies, talents and interests?
I have a BFA degree in drawing and intaglio/lithography printmaking. I love to draw and I love art. I also play bass guitar from time-to-time to have a bit of fun out there with the guys. I also write and draw comic books, and I’ve read and collected comic books and vintage 12” G.I. Joe action figures since I was a kid. I love to read books and listen to music all the time. I’m deeply involved in the martial arts where I study Yoshukai Karate, and I’m preparing for my black belt test later this year.
Do you play any musical instruments or perform in any way?
I play a bass guitar and I think it is mainly due to my interest in Sting being my favorite bass player with Paul McCartney, John Entwistle of The Who and Stax Records/Booker T & The MG’s/Blues Brother Band member Donald “Duck” Dunn also being an influence right behind him.
Do you have a favorite or cherished memory regarding Sting?
I think seeing The Police in concert in July 2007 in St. Louis will always be something that I cherish. For years, I’ve been a big Beatles fan and a fan of so many other musicians where I might be considered a diehard listener, but as the years have gone on and I’m older, I clearly realize that The Police are my FAVORITE band and will always be so.
I regretted over the years and silently grumbled that I wasn’t able to attend the ‘Synchronicity’ tour and see my favorite band play back in their heyday. I never thought I would have the chance to see them all together so I was VERY thankful to finally see Andy, Stewart and Sting reunited together recently for the reunion/farewell tour in St. Louis and Chicago. It was like a gift or second chance. A wish made true and I was there to see and hear it for myself in person. The chemistry there between those three band members is like nothing else to behold and their music gets better with age. The music is still mesmerizing to my ears.
Anything else you would like to mention regarding Sting?
In psychoanalyzing myself and my affinity with Sting… I think first and foremost… it is always about the music. While he is the man behind the music and he has a unique and entrancing personality, I find myself more interested in the music than the man. I mean that as no insult to him, but when he says in his lyrics, “…you still no nothing about me,” I find myself shaking my head in agreement and telling myself that I don’t really need to know all about him. I don’t want to. Sure, I’ve read his biography and plenty of interviews over the years, but I’m more interested in the music… the lyrics… the melody… the groove and beat and how it has been a soundtrack of sorts to my own life and been there for me. He’s made music that has come alive for me and others to use in our lives in some manner and that is something that I’ve always been grateful for and entertained by. That means a lot.
