Lawrence Impey took the first ever photographs of The Police (Stewart, Sting and Henry Padovani), in January 1977. He also took the first ever photographs of the Copeland-Sting-Summers lineup in Sting’s basement flat, in August 1977. In March of 1978 he snapped the band backstage and in performance in Bristol. His photographs offer essential and unique witness to the birth of one of the greatest rock bands to emerge from the 1970s.
The Police Lineup contains almost 200 of Lawrence’s photos in full, unexpurgated detail. Because he was a friend of the band (in fact a school pal of Stewart) he caught them in intimate surroundings, acting naturally, in unguarded moments. The resulting photographs are candid and revealing, perfectly illustrating the period when their friendship was new, their talent emerging. With forewords by Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland.