Klark Kent

Since Clark Kent is the secret identity of Superman, it was no surprise when Klark Kent turned out to be an alter ego as well. Kent was actually Stewart Copeland, the drummer for the Police. In 1980, Copeland donned the Klark Kent disguise, even creating a false biography. The fictional story line portrayed Kent as a computer programmer who had sued IBM for stealing a mysterious invention; in reality, Copeland merely wanted to record songs he wrote for the Police that Sting didn't like. Copeland sang and played percussion, guitar, bass, kazoo, and piano on Klark Kent: Music Madness From the Kinetic Kid, a solo LP credited to Kent. Klark Kent's goofy, eccentric tunes were in contrast to the Police's considerably more weighty oeuvre, at least lyrically. The single "Away From Home" received airplay on new wave radio stations, but it probably would've been unnoticed -- and largely forgotten -- if it hadn't originated from a member of the Police. Once Kent's true identity was revealed, Copeland retired the character and returned to the Police. In 1995, the Kent material was compiled onto a CD as Kollected Works. ~ Michael Sutton