All of my favorite records came out in 1979 Part Three

This modern masterpiece makes its second appearance in these hallowed pages. That's how good it was when it came out.

The Police and "Reggatta De Blanc" in particular were one of the last entities in rock and roll to be able to bring an incredible amount of chops to the table and make incredible, simple music with it.

Let me tell you just how good this record is: fully one third of it is awful, and it's still one of the best records of all time. That's pretty good. And that is a formula that the Police would mine to their dying day; 1/3 bad, 2/3 completely transcendent.

That's funny- it's kind of like the band itself. I never realized that.

As long as I'm on the topic, can I tell you the other main reason why the Police were one of the best bands in history? Stewart Copeland. When this guy plays drums the excitement level goes through the ceiling. This guy is one exciting motherfucking drummer. And he turns all the rules on their head and still grooves like a Rotary Wankel. Jesus Christ is this guy a musician. Stewart Copeland can hit the hihat once and you know it's Stewart Copeland. The only drummers in the last 25 years to even be worthy of licking his toejam are Dave Grohl, that Hawkins guy from the Foos and Eric Kretz from STP. And Bill Bruford is in there too, when his face isn't buried in some pillow.

The year that "Reggatta De Blanc" came out, the mean global temperature dropped by three degrees it was so cool. Gee, what year was that?

1979.