Sting and Jimmy Nail on creating The Last Ship album Tyneside-born pop star Sting has recruited long-time friend and fellow Geordie Jimmy Nail for his first album of new material in 10 years. The Last Ship is a return to his North East roots for the former Police frontman - real name Gordon Sumner. The album, which is also due to be turned into a Broadway show, recalls the shipbuilding might of the River Tyne. Sting said the story of a group of redundant shipbuilders on the Tyne was something he felt "compelled" to write. The pair spoke to Look North's Sharuna Sagar in a feature containing footage which comes courtesy of North East Film Archive.