Fabien Barral (it's me :) from France
1- Name - Surname - Nickname - age - city - country
?
My name is Fabien Barral, I have 25 years old, and I live in St Bonnet Près
Orcival, in the middle of France.
2- What did you do for living?
I am graphic designer and photographer and you can watch my work at www.imoments.org
3- Sting or Police?
Definitely Sting. When I start to collect, I want to collect both, but there
was too much item, so I have decide it was Sting! And I really prefer is music
too!
4- When did you start to collect Sting items and why?
I start in 1990. My brother was always listening to the U2 Joshua Tree album,
and, as I bore him to always want to hear the same thing of him, he gives
me "the dream of the blue turtles" cassette… it was the only one I have, so
I listen to it all the time!
Then, I buy a postcard with Englishman in NY sleeve on, and I said to myself,
"hey, why don't I buy everything I find about Sting"! I go to second hand
market to buy 7", then I buy Nothing like the sun… it was at the end of 1990,
I was 13 years old! The Soul cages album was issued… and a long story begin!
5- What did you collect (everything, just CD, vinyl…)?
15 years after I start to collect, I only collect official A&M CD & CD singles,
cassette singles and promotional flyers or press kits.
For a long time I collect vinyl, posters, displays, but it takes to much space…
I do not collect bootleg neither, but I want to have the most interesting
shows on CDr and all the rarest tracks.
I have a huge collection of TV recordings too... love special live version
of tracks...
6- What is the item your are the proudest to have?
Hard to tell! Probably the soul cages US promo jute back CD dedicated to me
by Sting! Recently I found the MFSL
Ultradisc masters... I can not believe it when I found them... Also I
am happy to have all the Long box & Snap packs too...
7- What is the item your definitely want top have?
I definitly want to have the so rare "If you love somebody" promotional
single CDV; and the strange "Moon over Bourbon street - Cornelius mix"
1 track japanese promo CD that only appears 1 time on ebay !
8- What is your best remember about Sting and/or collecting?
Of course my meeting with him.
It is impossible to forget a moment like this one, even if I remember it as
a dream more that a real thing!
One exellent moment too was the special presentation concert in Paris for
Sacred love... the concert was good, but the best was to meet all these peoples
I know for years...
9- How many time did you see sting/Police live?
1 time in 1991, 2 times in 1993, 6 times in 1996 & 6 times for this Brand
new day tour, and only 1 time for the Sacred love tour, the opening night
in Paris... so it makes a total of 16 times!
10- Your 5 favourites songs?
Island of soul
Wild wild sea
When the angels fall
The pirate's bride
Shape of my heart
11- list the 7 Sting studio album (or police ones if you prefer police) in
order of preference
The soul cages
Ten summoner’s tales
Nothing like the sun
Sacred love
Brand new day
Mercury falling
Dream of
12- what other sting recording is a MUST for you (unplugged,
acoustic concert, non album songs...) ?
Some of Sting live versions are, for me, better than studio... So I love to
listen to Inside DVD concert, Unplugged (full concert and rehearsals), Timothy
white session...
13- what is your favourite tour and why?
Soul cages, becasue it was my first Sting concert, and I love the version,
the medley, and how the tracks list change...
14- what is your favourite album or single cover ?
As graphic designer, I have a special sensibility to this... I love Soul cages
of course, it fit so well with the music... and I love all this time or mad
about you as well...
Mercury falling and the single, I love the pictures and the work on the fonts...
After I would say Sacred love and the singles, as there is a real connection
with all the issues from it...
And fields of gold single is wonderfull, as You still touch me too...
And the worst is for me brand new day... again, the picture of the bnd promo
single on the roof is superb, and they prefer one of Sting with this strange
face in an elevator... and I hate the green picture of Sting with clock instead
of his head... and the worst ever is "I'm so happy" green and blue
sleeve...
15- if it was not Sting, who would it be?
Probably the special items of artists I like... not everything, only the special
packaging items, the very nice promos...