Dire Straits HOF

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Rawkdude, Dec 14, 2017.

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  1. Michaelpeth

    Michaelpeth Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, UK
    Nah, not a chance he'd turn up. He clearly thinks the concept is bollocks. Anyway, I reckon he had a prior engagement at Wallsend Buffs calling the numbers for the flyer.
     
    wayneklein likes this.
  2. How so? If they allowed just two of David’s better songs, it wouldn’t have hurt the album and might have actually helped.

    Certainly David’s earliest albums are works in progress but, again, if he had to compete with Mark for space that the quality for David would improve just as it did with many bands where there were multiple songwriters. “Les Boys” as you mentioned is an awful song and a bad ending to the album.
     
  3. SoundAdvice

    SoundAdvice Senior Member

    Location:
    Vancouver
    I've seen recent David clip of doing a Mark penned Sultans on UK tv, which I think he could have otherwise blocked.

    I really think if Mark didn't send any signed paperwork, then the RRHOF and other band members were hand cuffed to do anything beyond talk a bit, pose for a photo and leave. What's it tell you that not even Sting would show up?

    AFAIK, every other inductee has featured music. Even those who are notoriously stingy with licenses.
     
  4. MikeVielhaber

    MikeVielhaber Forum Resident

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    John didn't seem shy about showing his disappointment that Mark wouldn't show up or even say why he wouldn't show up. If Mark also was the reason why none of their music was played I think he would have said that as well. I'm sure they had a video montage with music in it.
     
  5. OptimisticGoat

    OptimisticGoat Everybody's escapegoat....

    Les Boys is probably my least favourite DS sing. I don't mind it. But taking a track from (say) David's debut solo album Release (and presumably that is the best he had at that stage) would not have improved Making Movies IMHO. I don't think Mark wanted (or needed) the competition to achieve the remarkable success he had in the 1978-86 period. The debut album is a classic. Communique is making a very late run for similar status. I think Making Movies/Love Over Gold and Brothers in Arms (plus the odd EP) are not in need of additional (competing) material or songs added to be (fair). I see no reason why David could not have released a solo album while in the band.
     
  6. I don’t think that he would be as he never had the big hits he did with DS and it’s always about the hits and sales (well mostly)with the Hall.
     
  7. Last edited: Apr 16, 2018
  8. JannL

    JannL Forum Resident

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  9. I did. Fixed. :tiphat:
     
  10. OptimisticGoat

    OptimisticGoat Everybody's escapegoat....

    It is great to see such an openness on David's part to be (re)involved. I don't think we will ever know the full story behind this feud. It does seem as if, outside of his music, Mark is a unique guy. As much as I enjoy Mark's work, I also think that David is a better musician and songwriter than generally recognised and I hope he is able to get more of his music out there in the future.
     
  11. jwb1231970

    jwb1231970 Ordinary Guy

    Location:
    USA
    It's time for the HOF to stop inducting new members - let it be a museum representing the 20th century
     
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  12. Most of his albums are available via CDBaby again. I only have three of his solo albums (and they are later) and they all hold their own against Mark's. It does miss Mark's guitar playing and David seems to favor the piano for composing.
     
    BluesOvertookMe likes this.
  13. I don't know there are plenty of bands from the 20th century that still haven't been inducted yet. I'd like it if they inducted bands like Procol Harum before all of the original members are dead and the later members as well.
     
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  14. OptimisticGoat

    OptimisticGoat Everybody's escapegoat....

    I have 3 - Release, Lips Against the Steel and Wishbones. Their voices are alike. All have moments but IMHO do not stack up in total against Mark solo. Wishbones (the most recent) is probably the strongest. Maybe David has found his voice in recent years but still seems to struggle for sales (and budgets). Above all, I wish he had stayed in the band (but then I might not have Love Over Gold).:)
     
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  15. LonesomeDayBlues

    LonesomeDayBlues Forum Resident

    Location:
    Long Beach, CA
    Confirmed, I have the 20th anniversary SACD version from EU.
     
  16. via_atx

    via_atx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin, TX
    I've liked Dire Straits since the first time I heard them, but I've really only "gotten into them" during the past 5 years. Mark Knopfler never really seemed like he cared too much about being a big rock and roll guy. Telegraph Road is so amazing because of its theme, and I think that it really sort of sums up Mark's viewpoint on life. I really like that he let Dire Straits run its course and then moved on to making the music that he wanted without having to worry too much about making hits. It's not surprising to me that he didn't care to attend the HOF induction. He seems to me like such a musician's musician who just happened to make it big (ever check out those clips of him playing with Chet Atkins?). Saw him once live in Austin and loved it.
     
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  17. I had "The Giver", "Small Mercies" and "Ship of Dreams" and like all three. A bit different from Mark's music.

    I think their rift was over how wonderful David's hair looked.
     
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  18. christian42

    christian42 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lund, Sweden
    As someone who has all albums by David Knopfler I'll agree with both of you that the albums become better later on.

    Release (1983) - an all right debut. Very 80s sounding, some involvement from Mark and the other DS guys. I guess David had a stockpile of songs by this point so he could choose the best ones.
    Behind the Lines (1985) - probably David's worst album. Still that 80s sound. Very few songs that are worth a second listen.
    Cut the Wire (1986) - the final 80s sounding album. Somewhat better than the previous one, but still not particularly great.
    Lips Against the Steel (1988) - much better. The songwriting is better, the 80s sound has been scaled back. Whispers of Gethsemane is a fine epic.
    Lifelines (1991) - continues the upward trajectory. David has found his sound, more acoustically based than previously, and writes a bunch of good songs.
    The Giver (1993) - a step back. Too many non-descript songs.
    Small Mercies (1994) - another good album again. Two long epics ("Forty Days and Forty Nights" and "The Slo-Mo King") that are both really good, and "Deptford Days" is something that could have been a hit.
    Wishbones (2001) - a long break before this album, and well worth the wait. This is probably David's strongest album, almost all tracks are worthwhile. Chris Rea contributes to a couple of songs.
    Ship of Dreams (2004) - another contender for best album. Lots of fine songs.
    Songs for the Siren (2006) - yep, this is still good stuff. Perhaps a small step down from the previous two albums, but head and shoulders above the 80s offerings.
    Acoustic (2011) - re-recordings of a number of old songs with a couple of new ones sprinkled in. The new songs are okay. I don't really care for re-recordings so won't comment on them.
    Grace (2015) - perhaps another small step down from "Songs for the Siren", but generally continues the high quality of the earlier albums.

    David's material is generally no competition for Mark's, but I do think one or two songs could have been rescued from "Release" and ended up on a DS album. Since DS produced so little new material after David's stuff became more worthwhile, it's only "On Every Street" that really could benefit from some additional David songs - but since I really like most of OES I don't want to meddle too much with it. But "Planet of New Orleans" can go, replaced by "Whispers of Gethsemane", for example.

    But if the two Knopfler brothers could join forces now I think it'd be quite an interesting collaboration. They seem to be fairly similar in their tastes - David's perhaps a bit more mainstream folky and acoustic, while Mark is more into Americana and Irish folk, but I think those sounds could marry fine on a collaborative album. Too bad that probably won't ever happen.
     
  19. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Now it's all about the money? I've read the Mark Knopfler was not interested in living the mega rock n' roll lifestyle so he walked away from Dire Straits. So you feel MK should have lived a lifestyle that he disliked just so his fellow band mates could be "making millions"? How selfish of MK! I'm sure he hates all of his former band mates :rolleyes:.
     
  20. MikeVielhaber

    MikeVielhaber Forum Resident

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    It's probably more indifference than anything.
     
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  21. OptimisticGoat

    OptimisticGoat Everybody's escapegoat....

    In truth, most SHF members seem to be successful musicians, failed musicians or (like me) non musicians who just like music. I am betting 95% of us just want to be MK or his equivalent. When he walks away we go... we get that fame is tough but is this so hard? It’s not going to change anything. Any perceived pressure is not real.
     
  22. Newton John

    Newton John Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cumbria, UK
    He didn't walk away. He just wanted to write songs and put them out under his own name. Who are we to say he should have continued with the corporate rock entity of Dire Straits. When the public tired of Dire Straits no one would have thanked him. It's unreasonable for anyone to expect to compromise his solo career by dancing to their tune. Good on him for resisting this pressure.
     
  23. JannL

    JannL Forum Resident

    It think it was said after the last tour and Dire Straits ended that they all walked away millionaires. No one was hurting at that time.
     
    Bill Mac likes this.
  24. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Very well said and I agree with your thoughts 100%!
     
  25. OptimisticGoat

    OptimisticGoat Everybody's escapegoat....

    Clearly I wasn’t referring to continuing DS and I don’t think any one else was. I was referring to his apparent indifference identified by Mike to even issuing a statement about an award ceremony 27 years later. That is the walking away that I find disappointing. It does not compromise anything. I suppose misquoting me creates a few more posts.... oh well
     
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