Autograph

[dustyvalentino]

Met him 5 times and got autographs 5 times but very difficult these days. Last time was 2008 and that was because my good friend Waterline Man won a competition with GF.

In 96 he signed for all the fans who waited by the stage door.

In 97 they set up tables inside the venue!

[pete_w]

Great attitude!
My motto is: Mark Knopfler - not just a hobby but a way of life!

 

[tunnel85]

I never got any autograph and I don't expect anything.
I don't see enough warmness or empathy in their behavior.
They have to do a fantastic 2 hour show to do, they do it very well, they take the money we're very happy to give them and that's all.
There's nothing before, there's nothing after but during 2 hours, you're one of their 10'000 best friends worthing each 100 Euros.
I was playing back Budapest 2013 and I just came upon the usual speech "It's good to see you all. It's fantastic to be back in this beautiful city. Always great to back" and you know that's bullsh*t . If it's so fantastic, how come you're not coming back ?

[superval99]

I never got any autograph and I don't expect anything.
I don't see enough warmness or empathy in their behavior.
They have to do a fantastic 2 hour show to do, they do it very well, they take the money we're very happy to give them and that's all.
There's nothing before, there's nothing after but during 2 hours, you're one of their 10'000 best friends worthing each 100 Euros.
I was playing back Budapest 2013 and I just came upon the usual speech "It's good to see you all. It's fantastic to be back in this beautiful city. Always great to back" and you know that's bullsh*t . If it's so fantastic, how come you're not coming back ?

Of course, tunnel85, I know that what you say is true, especially for MK, but it's nice to dream that he cares, although in my heart I know he doesn't really!     

The others in the band, especially John and Mike are really friendly.   We were at one of their concerts with John Doyle a couple of weeks ago and in the interval, Mike came over to us, shook our hands and chatted, which seemed genuine and then at the end we had a lovely chat with John and John Doyle.   All very nice people and we are going to another of their concerts tonight in York, because they are such great fun with wonderful musicianship.   

[tunnel85]

I'm sure John, Mike , Guy and the rest of the band are very nice guys. 
I'd love to see them on their own show.
Even MK, I'm sure he is a nice guy but some decisions are totally wrong. He may not be responsible or even not aware but he has his name on the door.

I know I'm particularly rude. To be honest, sometimes there is hope or dream. Very rarely but it happens.
He is coming back to Saint-Julien-en-Genevois and from what I know, Mark himself has insisted to come back. Good point for him. 
But there's always a price to pay. 

[ingridswing]

He did do a lot of autographs in earlier days. I can imagine he is ready with that. I am pretty sure he doesn't play because of the money, we all know he doesn't need it.
He writes songs because he has to, it's his talent, it's in his system. He likes to play, you can't see it always, but I really think he likes to play for the audience. He likes it when people run to the stage at the encores. He stopped a concert in Cologne when we were pushed back to correct the securityguys. We did runners in the US in 2013, I told our friends there it's really fun to do. After the second show (las Vegas) he came to the front of the stage to shake the hands of Lis and me. I am sure it had something to do with this runnerthing, a kind of a thankyou for coming over and help us to have a great experience as a band too.

And yes, John, Mike, Guy and the others are really nice. I love to talk to them and have a hug 

[superval99]

I'm sure John, Mike , Guy and the rest of the band are very nice guys. 
I'd love to see them on their own show.
Even MK, I'm sure he is a nice guy but some decisions are totally wrong. He may not be responsible or even not aware but he has his name on the door.

I know I'm particularly rude. To be honest, sometimes there is hope or dream. Very rarely but it happens.
He is coming back to Saint-Julien-en-Genevois and from what I know, Mark himself has insisted to come back. Good point for him. 
But there's always a price to pay. 

Yes, Guy and Danny are very friendly too.   We met both of them at one of the BluesClub concerts in Pagham a few years ago and Danny sat with us and shared our chips!   

[ingridswing]

In London at the Bluesclub I had a beer with Danny. I still miss him and every now and then I mail with him. He is a real nice guy.

[pete_w]

Got to remember though that Mark is one of the "big guys". I mean, what are the chances of getting the autograph of Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, etc.? I think Mark is pretty generous overall.

[superval99]

Got to remember though that Mark is one of the "big guys". I mean, what are the chances of getting the autograph of Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, etc.? I think Mark is pretty generous overall.

Yes, I understand what you say, Mr. Redux!    John and Mike, particularly are very ordinary guys and being in MKs band gives them a taste of super-stardom.    For example, I read a post on Guy's forum recently, which commented that after one of the John, Mike & John shows, they went off in a white transit van, but from May they will be travelling by private jet - quite a difference from their usual mode of transport! 

[jbaent]

Last tour, after one of the RAH shows, I was with 4 friends waiting in the parking exit. We were just 5 people. Then we saw MK's car going out. He saw we were just 5, actually 4 because I hadn

[tunnel85]

Got to remember though that Mark is one of the "big guys". I mean, what are the chances of getting the autograph of Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, etc.? I think Mark is pretty generous overall.

Please don't get me on Clapton and Chris Rea or anyone who wouldn't tour south nor west of the Rhine 
These guys don't tour in our countries, so the chances to meet them are indeed very small.

In that sense, I agree Mark has a more generous approach, although I wouldn't be surprised to see him focus on Northern Europe in the future.

[tunnel85]

Last tour, after one of the RAH shows, I was with 4 friends waiting in the parking exit. We were just 5 people. Then we saw MK's car going out. He saw we were just 5, actually 4 because I hadn

[Silvertown]

I totally understand him, but... 4 people, that are very calm people. Sign and take some pictutes would have been less than 5 minutes of his life. Yes, he is in his right, and I totally understand when he saw many people and there is no way to please them in equality without losing too much time, he would refuse, but in that situation... even I understand he rather go home as quick as possible, specially when his wife and two daughters were in the car... It would have been very easy and fast to sign some things to that four people and take some pictures without having to go out of the car, and please the only 4 fans that were there...

I understand your feelings. Maybe it was that time mostly because of the family. He wants protect them. And also, work day is over, wife wants to be at home etc. you know

I think that maybe the way Mark behaves nowadays also protects himself. He can live more like a normal person, maybe also in practise but maybe the most important thing: in his mind.

[Throttle]

... if I was a musician as MK is, and I saw just four fans that came to my car in a such polite and calm way... I would had signed them things for sure and maybe some pictures. They would go home very happy, and I would had lost just 5 minutes...

Choices, anyway.

Totally agree.
He makes choices, we make choices...

That is not a matter of choice. Let me try to explain certain points.

The problem is that an extravert can hardly understand what an introvert feels, and vise versa.
Actually, there is no comparison between them.

The above named musicians such as John, Guy and Mike are extraverts, they are gregarious and convivial, but Mark himself is an introvert, so most likely the key to his reaction lies not in his arrogance, but in his emotional overload.
Take it from me, everyone has different capacity of batteries to maintain of overall tonus, and it's his innate peculiarity, which can't be changed of his own free will.
Someone can be full of vital energy, whilst someone can feel like a boiled rag in response to the same excitator.
There are many people, for which is vitally important to cut himself off from the world for a little while after the burst of activity in order for recharge their batteries.
This is by no means a whim, this is always caused by special characteristics of their excitatory system.
And we must not blame them when they try to avoid communication by right or wrong.