Here is some rare footage of the last time Sting took public transport, way back in 1978, before The Police had had a hit single, and before Sting bought a lute.

Obviously it’s not in London, or even his hometown Metro in Newcastle, because that would be beneath him and carry the risk being mobbed (or mocked) by members of the public.

Apparently it’s Tokyo, which is far far away and I’m guessing that’s why Sting and his two chums are “so lonely” – even though they look as if they’re having a fun time, which is probably because they are making money.

I’ve never met anyone as obsessed with money as Sting who, on both occasions I’ve talked to him, just couldn’t stop talking about the stuff in a way that suggested he wouldn’t get out of bed in the morning without a substantial fee.

I know it’s become fashionable – nay, obligatory – to mock him, for his lute and his vineyard and his seven-hour tantric sex sessions and (full disclosure) I was an early adopter, mocking him way back when The Police pretended to be a punk band in bright yellow boilersuits at the Roxy.

Then they found success, and became bigger than any of their contemporaries from that early punk circuit. But not in 1978 when this came out as a single and failed to chart anywhere in the world (except the Netherlands, where it reached the heights of no.26).

And you’ve got to admit those reggae-influenced basslines, allied to Andy Summers’ guitar and Stewart Copeland’s ever-inventive drumming (look out for him drumming a fish at the end), was pretty good.