A Mark In Time
Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: foma on April 24, 2015, 02:09:01 AM
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3051473/SEBASTIAN-SHAKESPEARE-Brocket-s-chance-reclaim-pile-owner-goes-bust.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3051473/SEBASTIAN-SHAKESPEARE-Brocket-s-chance-reclaim-pile-owner-goes-bust.html)
Check the middle of the article.
‘I spent a lot of time doing therapy and dealing with my issues and ghosts and demons,’ says David, 62. ‘Maybe Mark has, too. I don’t know what he does. Of course, it casts a huge shadow on both our lives and on our families. We’ve got cousins who don’t know each other.’
‘By that time he was “king”,’ David says. ‘But he was the bloke I’d shared a bedroom with. How could I be deferential to him? Mark and I had a different vision of what we were up to. I was building a democracy, and Mark was making an autocracy.’
‘Everything put a strain on us. It was just through being exhausted — drinking too much every night, partying, and wrecking your physical and mental health in the way that rock bands did then to excess.’
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3051473/SEBASTIAN-SHAKESPEARE-Brocket-s-chance-reclaim-pile-owner-goes-bust.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3051473/SEBASTIAN-SHAKESPEARE-Brocket-s-chance-reclaim-pile-owner-goes-bust.html)
Check the middle of the article.
‘I spent a lot of time doing therapy and dealing with my issues and ghosts and demons,’ says David, 62. ‘Maybe Mark has, too. I don’t know what he does. Of course, it casts a huge shadow on both our lives and on our families. We’ve got cousins who don’t know each other.’
‘By that time he was “king”,’ David says. ‘But he was the bloke I’d shared a bedroom with. How could I be deferential to him? Mark and I had a different vision of what we were up to. I was building a democracy, and Mark was making an autocracy.’
‘Everything put a strain on us. It was just through being exhausted — drinking too much every night, partying, and wrecking your physical and mental health in the way that rock bands did then to excess.’
It's just too bad :(
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It is just a week ago now since I saw David in concert and he lost no time, during those couple of hours, to bring up the problems between himself and Mark, albeit in a kind of ambiguous, jokey way. He never fails to take every opportunity to talk about their differences, Mark never does and certainly never in the middle of a concert. It was obvious to me that he didn't have just a chip on both shoulders - he had a couple of boulders! I wouldn't divulge anything on a public forum of what he said, but it is obvious to me that he has a problem! I used to blame it on journalists, bringing up the subject, but I saw it for myself last Friday and, this time it was certainly David! It's a very sad situation!
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Val, maybe he's just sad of the situation and he would like to fix it but knows it´s not up to him and it makes him even more sad. He gets older and probably miss his brother, and see that time pass and nothing changes.
He makes some references to DS always in his concerts as it's his background and some of the songs he sings talks about that period (Deptford Days) or were written during those years (Southside Tenements, Somebody Kind) and in some shows he plays "Bernadette", "Whats The Matter Baby" or even "Wild West End"...
I Saw him in Alicante and he has some words about MK, but were kind words, and nothing about their relationship.
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This situation between two brothers in the same band, with one brother possessing all the talent, as well on the guitar, but also writing all the songs and in fact making all the hit albums, very much resembles what happened between John Fogerty and his brother Tom Fogerty in the days of Creedence Clearwater Revival.
You can already see David struggling at the end with the success of Dire Straits in the 1980 BBC documentary included as bonus in the Alchemy blu-ray. In the end he had to face that choice, either to accept the supporting role of rhythm guitarist and not see his own compositions end up on the albums or leave the band.
I don't know when the time comes up for the original Dire Straits to be accepted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This usually concludes with a live performance by the reunited musicians on the spot. In the case of CCR that never happened.
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And will never happen with DS/MK
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It is just a week ago now since I saw David in concert and he lost no time, during those couple of hours, to bring up the problems between himself and Mark, albeit in a kind of ambiguous, jokey way. He never fails to take every opportunity to talk about their differences, Mark never does and certainly never in the middle of a concert. It was obvious to me that he didn't have just a chip on both shoulders - he had a couple of boulders! I wouldn't divulge anything on a public forum of what he said, but it is obvious to me that he has a problem! I used to blame it on journalists, bringing up the subject, but I saw it for myself last Friday and, this time it was certainly David! It's a very sad situation!
You certainly can say that Superval!! I've noticed that David was always the one speaking to the journalists about Mark and never the over way around!! And the Press do ask questions about their relationship then it's up them if they choose to answer, in this case I noticed long time ago that it was only David answering them never Mark!! I guess it was easier for David to speak to them about this as it is the opposite with his famous brother!! But I don't judge or blame neither of them!! As we said before this is a very delicate private matter and i did have sadly the same problem between My Mum's younger brothers. They quarelled badly when my Granny died 11 years ago and never settled up even when one of them passed away 2 years ago. The one who is still alive is also sick now because of alcohol abuse and he still says that his dead and buried brother was shit!! A very sad situation indeed specially for my cousins and my Mum!! Family business affects everyone around!! Well enough with this matter from my side!! Enjoy your weekend everybody!!
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Well, it's very easy for David to speak about such things in front of the small, intimate audiences he plays but Mark could hardly stop the music and speak such things in front of the numbers of thousands he gets. It's also easy to see who got the better end of the deal when the two went their own way and therefore Mark doesn't have anything to say. Personally though I think the situation is very complex especially as it has been on-going for many years now and I don't think it's any of our business.
@Marijo58: The media are bound to contact David first as they will view him as an easier, and cheaper target for information.
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And will never happen with DS/MK
You can't say never until one is passed away.
But on this matter I am pretty pessimistic.
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Well, it's very easy for David to speak about such things in front of the small, intimate audiences he plays but Mark could hardly stop the music and speak such things in front of the numbers of thousands he gets. It's also easy to see who got the better end of the deal when the two went their own way and therefore Mark doesn't have anything to say. Personally though I think the situation is very complex especially as it has been on-going for many years now and I don't think it's any of our business.
@Marijo58: The media are bound to contact David first as they will view him as an easier, and cheaper target for information.
So true Dmg about Journalists but DK could say less on the subject to them!! I suspect that he unfortunately needs to talk about his older brother whom he shared a bedroom and played guitar with because for him that's who he is and not the Big Star everybody see MK!! :wave
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True about the journalists, but he seems to talk about MK during his concerts. I cannot see why he does that, 35 years later. Seems to be frustrated even after such a long time
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True about the journalists, but he seems to talk about MK during his concerts. I cannot see why he does that, 35 years later. Seems to be frustrated even after such a long time
Exactly what I asked myself Ingrid when Superval told us that he did!! But maybe it's again a way to show the Audience how he still feels about this!! He said that he had a therapy and his Therapist might have said to him to do so if it can help him!! Well it's pointless to discuss this, I fear that things are going to stay like it is between them!! Subject closed for me now!! :wave
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Speaking of... From the newspaper today:
http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/572696/Brothers-in-arms-Dire-Straits-siblings-no-speaking-terms
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Speaking of... From the newspaper today:
http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/572696/Brothers-in-arms-Dire-Straits-siblings-no-speaking-terms
Thanks Jarle. Again interesting article!!!! My last comment on the subject with this link is, why on earth are the Media starting again to write about MK and DK?? It was forgotten and buried in a drawer desk a long time ago!!! :thumbsdown
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Maybe I'm being cynical, but all this has happened just when MK's album seems to be doing well and it's time for DK to start airing his grievances again! ::)
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Maybe I'm being cynical, but all this has happened just when MK's album seems to be doing well and it's time for DK to start airing his grievances again! ::)
Not cynical but realistic and very sad Superval!! ::) :wave
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They are bros and share the same blood. Can you imagine how could you be affected in same situation?
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I know exactly what it is to see two brothers tearing themselves apart Ds1984. I had this mess in my own family!! And it is not funny at all!! And on the top of that their story is again in the newspaper!!! I feel sorry for both of them!!!
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I think that probably David is upset by the release of the Honky Tonk Demos, with his song deleted, and probably he's not getting a penny of it.
I would feel upset by that as well..
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I think that probably David is upset by the release of the Honky Tonk Demos, with his song deleted, and probably he's not getting a penny of it.
Yes he will, like John and Pick (and Mark of course) under the newly formed 2015 copyright Dire Straits Limited. The reason why Sacred Love was excluded could also be because 5 songs do not fit comfortably on 2 singles but 4 do...
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It is unfortunate that DK has not been able to move past the DS years. When I look at the early videos of the two brothers together, I clearly see that DK admired and “keyed off” of MK. However, in things he has said since, I get the idea that he does not have a clear picture of both of their abilities. I think DK views himself as talented as MK. With that as a premise, it is understandable why he has trouble accepting that Mark was so successful and he was not. And adding to the mix, from I think the Palmer book, one of their teachers described DK as a bit spoiled. In DK’s mind with his talent equal to Mark's and being "the cute one”, he probably thinks he should have been at least equally as successful. Niggling in the back of his mind has to be the idea, though, that he blew the opportunity of a lifetime which makes it hard to put to rest. In his defense, though if you watch those old videos carefully, you can see the domineering attitude of the older brother in Mark (i.e. that old Norweigian interview where Mark can't get his cigarette lighter to work and he says to DK "you do it" in a rather commanding way rather than asking nicely as he would have done to anyone but his younger brother!) which must have been hard for DK to accept as they grew older.
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I can understand why DK gets wound up. It was their band, not MK's band, but it ended up being just MK and some musicians.
David is a journeyman and Mark is an artist, and I think DK knows that and admits it. It's no surprise MK became the focus - but I do think it was wrong of MK to not include any of David's songs on the albums. Although David is nowhere near as good a songwriter as Mark, David's best songs are better than Mark's worst.
Would it really have hurt to have one DK song on Making Movies instead of the frankly awful Les Boys? It would only have improved the album.
And I'm sure the world wouldn't have been a lesser place if we'd never heard Follow Me Home and had a DK song on there instead. I don't even like DK's material - but that's such a nothing song that anything could have replaced it.
MK was obviously a control freak and a bully, and I'm not really surprised his brother is still hurting about now.
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Would it really have hurt to have one DK song on Making Movies instead of the frankly awful Les Boys? It would only have improved the album.
:thumbsup
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Would it really have hurt to have one DK song on Making Movies instead of the frankly awful Les Boys? It would only have improved the album.
:thumbsup
Yeah, but I only can see in Mark's world 'All songs written by Mark Knopfler' written on the back of the record, I guess it was inspired by Bob Dylan, who did it first with his ‘The Times They Are a-Changin'. I'm pretty surprised Mark even added some traditional songs and Sting collaboration also stands out.
But nothing wrong here on Mark's side. As an old proverb says, If you want a thing done well, do it yourself, so Dire Straits = Mark Knopfler to me.
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I've always been proud to be able to say to my friends that Mark Knopfler writes, sings and plays guitar on all the songs so to include some of David's songs would not have been a good thing for me! Besides, for an album to be artistically cohesive isn't it better having it created from the mind of one person as a whole rather than having a number of ideas thrown together?
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I've always been proud to be able to say to my friends that Mark Knopfler writes, sings and plays guitar on all the songs so to include some of David's songs would not have been a good thing for me! Besides, for an album to be artistically cohesive isn't it better having it created from the mind of one person as a whole rather than having a number of ideas thrown together?
I can understand how hard it must have been for David, realizing that the group will never be a democracy, and that he had to be submissive forever to his own brother... I think it would have been fair to include a few of David's songs - after all, "What's the matter baby" was played almost every night in concert ! and it's a good song !
Let's not forget something strange: there was not one, but two break ups between Mark and David. The first one, dated August 1980, is the well-known one during the MM sessions; but after that, it looked liked there were brothers in arms again - David happy to have earned his freedom, and Mark kindly helping his younger brother with his first solo album. This was in 1984, so quite long afterwards, during Alchemy times were DS started to be incredibly successful, yet it seems that David was ok with that ! There was a second break up, dated unknown (at least lto me), but which resulted in a long-term bitterness, which is still not over and probably never will. What was the cause ? did David believe that he would get some royalties he finally never got ? is it a money issue ? Mystery...
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In other hand, David could go and start his own band, it's kinda strange to see two 'Marks' in one band, so no wonder he was dropped.
Sorry for bringing up Mark's personal live facts, buy money and royalties to me was also an issue between Mark and his second wife.
It's because they both led ‘Dire Straits LLC’ according to online documents, and from mid-90s it was just Mark alone.
Also I remember recent news about tax avoidance and offshore dealings with L. Salomone name all over the place.
So Mark is definitely a tough guy, BUT with all that being said, because he's a tough guy, he's on the top of the world nowadays. Who's gonna argue? :lol
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THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN CLARIFIED BY ED BICKNELL HIMSELF IN THE FOLLOWING POST:
https://www.amarkintime.org/forum/index.php?topic=8485.msg183391#msg183391
This was on his site in 1999, the ironical faq about DS, and as said by Ed Bicknell, it is not true, so these links only represented what David and his then wife posted at the time:
http://web.archive.org/web/19981205064637/http://www.knopfler.com/DSFAQ.html
Anna Knopfler, then David's wife, posted this when the SOS compilation was released, again, as said by Ed Bicknell, is not true:
http://web.archive.org/web/19990203222510/http://www.knopfler.com/scam.html (http://web.archive.org/web/19990203222510/http://www.knopfler.com/scam.html)
And David answer to it:
http://web.archive.org/web/19990504071800/http://www.knopfler.com/reply.html (http://web.archive.org/web/19990504071800/http://www.knopfler.com/reply.html)
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I do think the same Superval. DK should have taken this matter to Court !!! Specially now!! It doesn't make things better to talk to the Média or even talk during gigs knowing that there are MK's fans also in the audience!!!
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So, if he's so sure of his ground, I ask again, why doesn't he take it to court and stop bleating for years and years? It just doesn't add up! :disbelief
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So, if he's so sure of his ground, I ask again, why doesn't he take it to court and stop bleating for years and years? It just doesn't add up! :disbelief
Its obvious that he still have things to overcome
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I think that this whole business between them is really a mess!! Thanks I'll check. I'm confused a bit about who is guilty here? The humain beings or the money involved in the DS' story?? And true Foma MK is a very tough guy !! I would have collapse if I were in his shoes!!!