STING came to Glasgow today, to sing of lost shipyards and lost lives.
The music legend wasn't being deliberately melancholy; his performance at Fairfield Shipyards in Govan was arranged to promote the upcoming tour of his musical theatre show, The Last Ship.
"I wanted to come to Glasgow, to Govan," he said, "because the story of The Last Ship will resonate with the people of Glasgow.
"Glasgow, like Newcastle where I grew up, was once a great shipbuilding town. The shipyards, to me, were dark, dangerous places, and I never wanted to work there. But in looking back on my life I realise the shipyard community of Wallsend formed me.
"And that's a story I wanted to write about."
He added; “I have a debt to pay. My grandfather was s shipwright and my father built turbines. My father wanted me to take technical drawing at school. But I wanted to be an artist. Somehow I managed to do that. I managed to live my dream. But I needed to write about my past."
Sting performed a selection of songs from the musical which has already played on Broadway and in Chicago.
During the set he also heaped tributes on Clydeside legend, Jimmy Reid.
"Jimmy Reid was an incredibly clever man who could speak so eloquently about the community that the shipyard creates and how important its survival was. He was part inspiration for this play."
*The Last Ship, The Theatre Royal, Glasgow, June 18 - 23.
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