Sting

Sting was born in Wallsend, North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. In 1977 Gordon moved from Newcastle to London and met Stewart Copeland and Henry Padovani to form a new wave band called The Police. They enjoyed success from the late 70's to early 80's, releasing five albums, four of which topped the charts in the UK and one that topped the charts in the US also. They enjoyed huge success with their punk inspired sounds which developed into a minimalist reggae tinged rock/pop and had a plethora of hit singles including 'Message In A Bottle' 'Don't Stand So Close To Me' 'Every Breath You Take' and 'Walking On The Moon'.

The band unofficially parted after their final release 'Synchronicity' to focus on their solo careers. Sting's first solo gig was at Amnesty International's The Secret Policeman's Other Ball where he performed solo versions of tracks such as 'Roxanne' and 'Message In A Bottle'. In 1985, Sting finally released his debut record which featured a heavier lean towards jazz including the musicians Kenny Kirkland, Darryl Jones, Omar Hakim and Branford Marsalis. Once again, he enjoyed a number of hit singles from the record and within a year it had been awarded triple platinum. To add to the accolades Sting also received four Grammy nominations for 'The Dream Of Blue Turtles'.

Sting was part of the iconic Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' charity single which raised money for famine victims in Ethiopia and took part in the live aid concert the following year, playing a selection of The Police hits. His next album '...Nothing Like The Sun' mirrored the successes of his first, more hit singles, more Grammy Nominations and this time a Brit Award for Best Album. The following four releases all reached the top five of the UK charts and have now been certified as platinum selling. In 2007 he reunited with his Police bandmates as the introductory act for the 2007 Grammy Awards, singing 'Roxanne' and subsequently announced a huge worldwide tour which sold out almost instantly.

Sting has had multiple successes both with his band and as a solo artist. He has accumulated a total of sixteen Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards and several Oscar nominations for Best Original Song. He is known for his musical abilities but also his activism, becoming patrons for several charities including Elton John's AIDS foundation. He has sold over 100 million records to date.

For Asaf Avidan music was always secondary to his career. A trained animator, Avidan worked as a professional animator for years before being prompted to turn to his hobby for his livelihood. While bittersweet for Avidan, fans of the talented musician have his ex-girlfriend to thank for the extensive music he has brought into the world. Only heartbreak could give Asaf Avidan the creative jolt he needed to bring his talent into being and watch it shine.

In 2006, Avidan formed the famous folk rock group Asaf Avidan & The Mojos with Ran Nir, Yoni Sheleg, Roi Peled and Hadas Kleinman. The group became incredibly successful within Israel and played throughout the country to adoring crowds. During his time with the band, Asaf Avidan released three studio albums: “The Reckoning”, “Poor Boy / Lucky Man” and “Through the Gale”. The 2008 release, “The Reckoning”, went to the top of the Israeli album charts and did considerably well in France as well as other European countries.

In 2011 Avidan decided to break away from The Mojos and pursue an entirely solo career. The move was not a total shock to the band as Asaf Avidan had played extensively as a solo artist throughout his time with the band. Prior to releasing his debut solo album, Avidan toured Israel where he performed intimate acoustic shows. The extensive positive response he received from critics and fans alike paved the way for the release of his first studio album.

In 2012, Asaf Avidan released “Different Pulses”. The album was a top 30 hit in Belgium, France and Italy. Asaf Avidan has toured and collaborated with multiple artists including Robert Plant, Lou Reid and Bob Dylan.