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Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:29 pm
by hampsteadclaret
Way too many sensible football threads on here tonight...time to take things down a bit. Mark Knopfler is 69 years old today..one of our top musicians and worth a little mention.

Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE (born 12 August 1949) is a British singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer and film score composer. He was the lead guitarist, lead singer and songwriter for the rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded with his younger brother, David Knopfler, in 1977. He was born in Glasgow but raised near Newcastle upon Tyne, England....WIKI.

Dire Straits albums include Dire Straits, Communique, Making Movies, Love Over Gold, Brothers in Arms and On Every Street; he has also made eight solo albums. Knopfler disbanded DS in 1995 and has shown little interest in reforming the band.

"Oh, I don't know whether to start getting all that stuff back together again", and that the global fame Dire Straits achieved in the 1980s "just got too big".

This is 'Skateaway' from the 'Making Movies' album [1980] a much under-rated song in my book.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcwl-Q7pAtY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:31 pm
by jdrobbo
Great, great choice!

Romeo and Juliet

Live On The Night!

https://youtu.be/cAUT4z2aldE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:36 pm
by Hibsclaret
Tunnel of love is my favourite DS song. Superb

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:44 pm
by Likeavydra
can't sing all his songs sound the same as a result but great guitar player.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:55 pm
by Stevie2112
Today was my granddaughters 6th birthday and also my uncle's 80th.
Great to know they share with a prodigious talent as Mark Knopfler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQGT23O-Omw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 10:04 pm
by Vino blanco
I met Mark Knopfler once in the VIP lounge at Paris CDG airport and had the chance to have a chat with him (Dire Straits had played a concert in Paris the night before). At the end of our chat I asked him where he was off to next?
"Home"', he replied.
"Ah, Newcastle?", says I.
"No mate, Los Angeles", says he.
I wished him a good flight and helped myself to another glass of Veuve Cliquot.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 10:04 pm
by Manceau
Did some memorable things with Dylan too, notably around Slow Train Coming and Infidels. Especially this:

https://vimeo.com/179637318" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 10:05 pm
by Claret Till I Die

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 10:09 pm
by chorleyhere
"If this is goodbye" with EmmyLou Harris, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McnNd3zCMv4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
words inspired by the last messages from the Twin Towers 9/11 terrorist attack is quite haunting.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 10:46 pm
by Dark Cloud
I saw DS live at Brum back in '85. Superb tbh and I did read that Mark Knopfler never had a guitar lesson in his life. All self taught in his bedroom.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 10:55 pm
by LeadBelly
A few great tunes with Dire Straits obviously but in general I prefer his later solo/collaboration stuff.
As well as being a terrific guitarist with a distinctive sound (not a showy player but just plays exactly what's needed for the song), he's written some nice tunes with perceptive lyrics. Sailing To Philadelphia is my favourite album of his but he's produced a very strong body of work.
He has a great collection of guitars too (as do many longstanding guitarists).

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 10:55 pm
by BennyD
I’ve been into Dire Straits since 1978 and I still have all their albums; I even managed to see them at the NEC in 1982 as my girlfriend at the time bought me the tickets. What an absolutely awesome concert, so good in fact, I’ve never been moved to go to another gig since. Mark Knopfler is a bona Fide musical genius and deserves his, very belated, place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I have to say I viewed this thread with more than a little trepidation seeing his name pop up out of the blue! :)

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 11:04 pm
by The Enclosure
Dire Straits always been my favourite group and Sultans of Swing probably my favourite recording.What a great guitarist Knoffler is.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 12:19 am
by kendalianclaret
Brilliant group and Knopfler is superb, love Private investigations and Telegraph road,i spend a lot of time in Lanzarote and there was a good tribute band that plays there and used to ask for requests i asked them to do Telegraph road and he whispered in to my hear f!!! o!! obviously couldn't do it, lol

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 1:15 am
by Pearcey
Love Dire Straits. Got lots of albums on vinyl from my youth. I agree with you about Skateaway. Great song!

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:06 am
by ontario claret
'All his songs sound the same.' Ever listen to Tom Petty? He was still working on 'that song' on the day that he died. Mark Knopfler is that rare combination of song-writing craftmanship and physical musical ability. Also, a very underrated singer. The dexterity in some of his riffs is truly amazing. Plus, they still keep his guitar plugged in at his live shows, unlike Dylan and Keef Richards.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:16 am
by Likeavydra
ontario claret wrote:'All his songs sound the same.' Ever listen to Tom Petty? He was still working on 'that song' on the day that he died. Mark Knopfler is that rare combination of song-writing craftmanship and physical musical ability. Also, a very underrated singer. The dexterity in some of his riffs is truly amazing. Plus, they still keep his guitar plugged in at his live shows, unlike Dylan and Keef Richards.

underrated singer? u avin a larff? he little more than talks his lyrics. He IS a great guitarist tho.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:20 am
by hampsteadclaret
Cheers for those contributions. I haven't listened to all the links yet but I will.

I particularly liked the link in post 7 referencing the Bob Dylan song.

kendalianclaret..this one's for you - the 14+ minute version of 'Telegraph Road' from the 'Love Over Gold' album [1982]..no wonder the tribute band wouldn't have a crack at it.

- as several of the comments suggest..a masterpiece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztJ1MAsDiLA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:34 am
by Quicknick
Hibsclaret wrote:Tunnel of love is my favourite DS song. Superb
Mine too.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:42 am
by ontario claret
Music is all in the ears of the listener. I'm not expecting Maria Carras when i listen to Knopfler. He sounds fine to me. "Money for Nothing' is an industrial song, and his industrial voice matches the tune. Perfect.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:43 am
by ontario claret
Ha. Ha. Gotcha, Hydra. :o

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 3:13 am
by spadesclaret
ontario claret wrote:Music is all in the ears of the listener. I'm not expecting Maria Carras when i listen to Knopfler. He sounds fine to me. "Money for Nothing' is an industrial song, and his industrial voice matches the tune. Perfect.
Who is Maria Carras?

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 6:26 am
by The Enclosure
spadesclaret wrote:Who is Maria Carras?
You know full well who he means Madam ha ha. :D

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 7:55 am
by BurningBeard
Hibsclaret wrote:Tunnel of love is my favourite DS song. Superb
After many years standing derelict, a couple of weeks ago the Spanish City of this song re-opened. It's about a mile down the road from me in Whitley Bay and a fantastic job they have made of the renovations.

https://spanishcity.co.uk

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 8:51 am
by piston broke
Happy birthday, Mark. Thank you for the music.
If any of you get the chance to watch the Sky show where he takes John Illsley on a tour of his 6 favourite guitars take it.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 8:57 am
by quoonbeatz
follow me home is the best dire straits song.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:03 am
by The Enclosure
Follow me home from way back.

https://youtu.be/6KPC54MJhdA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:14 am
by Foreverly Claret
Used to see him regularly in Leeds in the early 70s when he was a reporter for The Yorkshire Post...he used to play at the Globe and the old Central Station Hotel on Wellington street .Can't remember the name of the band.Liked the stuff he did with Chet Atkins .Being an old rocker Walk of Life is up there for me.

Re: Mark Knopfler..

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:46 am
by bfcfan1882
Been to every tour since Golden Heart. Sadly too young to have seen DS.

My dad took me to my first gig on the Golden Heart tour, I took my late dad to his last gig on the Privateering tour.

DS/MK holds a special place in my heart and I look forward to this years new album and subsequent tour.