Klark Kent's 'Don't Care' from 1978: The Police Hiding In Plain Sight

What happens when you write a song for The Police, but Sting can't identify with the song and doesn't think he can do it justice? You go solo and record it yourself. Stewart Copeland did just that, playing all the instruments and singing. In order not to disrupt the career of The Police, which at the time was an emerging band, Copeland chose to record under the pseudonym "Klark Kent". Released as a single by A&M in 1978, "Don't Care" reached number 48 in the UK Singles Chart.

Keeping up the deception is much harder when you're asked to perform it on TV. When Klark Kent was invited to Top of the Pops to perform the song, Copeland, Sting, Andy Summers, Kim Turner, Florian Pilkington-Miksa, and Miles Copeland showed up wearing masks to disguise their identity. Copeland's voice couldn't be heard through the mask, which was also deemed as particularly scary by the show's producers, so he eventually had to drop it in favor of heavy make-up and shades. However, this made Copeland's identity quite clear. (Also, in the background, the bouncing and hopping motion of the base player is unmistakably Sting.)

Restoration notes: QTGMC + proprietary SRGAN.

[scillyautomatic]

Rick Beato brought me here. I'd never heard of Klark Kent or paid no attention at the time.

[dathorndike]

The music sounds undeniably like early Police.

[StormTrackerWV]

OMG!!! I will never look at Stewart Copeland the same again! And I cant believe this is what his singing voice sounds like!!! 😂😂😂

[dewimatthews]

Just saw in interview that Stuart Copeland played all the instruments & sang.

[_Ben]

Anyone going to a Sting concert, please shout out "PLAY "DON'T CARE" KLARK..!!!" & watch his reaction...😄😉🤣

[ixrecords]

Sting probably looks back at this moment and thinks: F... me, I'm actually Stewart's playing monkey here!

[adrianpierce]

this is great allround, the lead break is total inspired simplicity

[Weewoo]

This is certainly one of the songs ever written

[jacquesmertens]

Stewart's former nanny did the green make-up. She did so much work behind the scenes. God bless her.

[marzsit]

i have this record in my collection, i bought it in 1979 when i was in high school. it's 10" vinyl, which was unusual at that time.

[leavingitblank]

0:44 he forgot he was supposed to be singing into the mic! 😄

You can actually tell that Sting is on the bass. His movements are recognizable. Andy is on guitar. The shorter of the two of course.

[michaelfowler]

This inspired the band we know as the presidents of the United States of America

[beback_]

This is very good. Copeland is too modest about his writing.

[M-mlz]

Those kids in the crowd have no idea that 5 years after this the goofball of a lead singer would be the drummer of the biggest band of that time and one of the most influential in history.

[edwardx.winston]

With Copeland AND Sting playing bass on this “performance, ” they really had the low end nailed down tight! 😂

[powerxforce]

Punk Music saved my life. Love it, Takes me back.😎

[rockinbiff]

These guys were a lot of fun in the late '70s. yes, everyone Knew that KlarK Kent was Stewart Copeland. He also did the soundtrack for the film Rumble Fish starring Matt Dillon & Mickey Roarke. Based on the S.E. Hinton book. If you haven't seen it, check it out.

[portaccio]

That's so obviously Sting dancing on bass when you know it's him 😅

[ULTIMATEPATCHES]

All instruments played by Stewart Copeland - talented!