A Mark In Time

Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: JF on July 27, 2022, 04:10:45 PM

Title: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: JF on July 27, 2022, 04:10:45 PM
45 years ago today, Dire Straits recorded their first demo tape at Pathways studios

5 songs were recorded : Wild West End", "Down to the Waterline", "Water of Love", "Sacred Loving" (composed by David) and of course "Sultans of Swing".

here's is my chronicle about the song : https://textes-blog-rock-n-roll.fr/une-chanson-a-la-loupe-sultans-of-swing-de-dire-straits/

longwhile avalaible on bootlegs, these demos were reissued few years ago on vinyl but without "Sacred Loving"

Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Robson on July 27, 2022, 05:45:20 PM
I have several dates written on my heart and memory. Here is one of them. Thank you JF.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: JF on July 27, 2022, 08:15:34 PM
https://youtu.be/VEaYzvTrDlw
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Jules on July 27, 2022, 08:40:38 PM
David has a patreon account in which he shares lots of things, between them, a podcast, and he played the whole Sacred Loving in one of them.

That patreon is subscribe only paying a monthly amount, so anything shared there, remain there.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: KnopfleRick on July 27, 2022, 09:17:50 PM
Enjoyed reading your article. Thanks for sharing, JF!  :thumbsup
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Robson on July 28, 2022, 02:29:11 AM
The first demo tape is from July 24th ;)
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: JF on July 28, 2022, 10:52:20 AM
The first demo tape is from July 24th ;)

Yes ineed the direstraits.com site says that


BUT, Terry Kilburn wrote on mknews in Mark's bio the 27th...

https://www.mark-knopfler-news.co.uk/biogs/mark-knopfler/

during years that was the reference site, so I trusted it  :) it seems it was wrong indeed...
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: JF on July 28, 2022, 10:55:26 AM
and today, the 28th was the first gig with the name dire straits  :)
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Pottel on July 28, 2022, 11:00:29 AM
cool poster!
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Robson on July 28, 2022, 04:25:12 PM
and today, the 28th was the first gig with the name dire straits  :)

 :thumbsup
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: qjamesfloyd on July 29, 2022, 08:56:02 AM
The good old days of 70p a ticket :think
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: brickbat on July 29, 2022, 03:41:47 PM
I wonder who would have the original tapes of the other demos recorded in 1977, Mark or David?
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Jules on July 29, 2022, 03:59:21 PM
I wonder who would have the original tapes of the other demos recorded in 1977, Mark or David?

Or John?
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: JF on July 29, 2022, 10:08:55 PM
I wonder who would have the original tapes of the other demos recorded in 1977, Mark or David?

Or John?

John wrote in his book that it was his aunt's heritage that paid the record session from july. I wonder if it paid the two other (october and november) too. if it's so, then it would be fair that he got the original tapes
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: brickbat on July 30, 2022, 03:36:57 PM
I wonder who would have the original tapes of the other demos recorded in 1977, Mark or David?

Or John?

John wrote in his book that it was his aunt's heritage that paid the record session from july. I wonder if it paid the two other (october and november) too. if it's so, then it would be fair that he got the original tapes
We should ask him then.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Jules on July 30, 2022, 04:18:23 PM
I wonder who would have the original tapes of the other demos recorded in 1977, Mark or David?

Or John?

John wrote in his book that it was his aunt's heritage that paid the record session from july. I wonder if it paid the two other (october and november) too. if it's so, then it would be fair that he got the original tapes
We should ask him then.

It is perfectly clear nobody read John's book.

You have the answer there.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: brickbat on July 31, 2022, 07:25:36 PM
I wonder who would have the original tapes of the other demos recorded in 1977, Mark or David?

Or John?

John wrote in his book that it was his aunt's heritage that paid the record session from july. I wonder if it paid the two other (october and november) too. if it's so, then it would be fair that he got the original tapes
We should ask him then.

It is perfectly clear nobody read John's book.

You have the answer there.
All right, I'll get back to the book.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: olazabalrok on December 05, 2024, 08:45:16 AM
Finally after all these years, sharing is caring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EIPSrZ29jU
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Dutchessy on December 05, 2024, 09:24:48 AM
Finally after all these years, sharing is caring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EIPSrZ29jU

It was on Youtube already for a long time.. (other video than this) I'm not sure David will be happy about it  ;) He posted it on Patreon some years ago for his followers
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Love Expresso on December 05, 2024, 10:39:12 AM
Finally after all these years, sharing is caring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EIPSrZ29jU

Thank you very much, I hear it for the first time! Great little tune, with its reggae vibes it would have fitted perfectly on one of the first two albums. Great playing by Mark, unbelievable how high developed his playing already was in those early years. Background vocals remind me of Time In The Sun. Davids vocals however lack the coolness of Mark's voice, so it's okay for me that they left it out.

I just realized it's on the Honky Tonk Demo Single which I own but obviously never listened to completely!  :lol

LE
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: wayaman on December 05, 2024, 11:11:28 AM
I like this song.

I always think that they have very limited amount of money to record a demo and they spent money recording that song.

In an expensive demo for their economy at that time, and for a demo which goal was to get a contract.

Also remember that Muff Winwood insisted while recording the first album to also record some David songs.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Dutchessy on December 05, 2024, 11:26:30 AM
Finally after all these years, sharing is caring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EIPSrZ29jU

Thank you very much, I hear it for the first time! Great little tune, with its reggae vibes it would have fitted perfectly on one of the first two albums. Great playing by Mark, unbelievable how high developed his playing already was in those early years. Background vocals remind me of Time In The Sun. Davids vocals however lack the coolness of Mark's voice, so it's okay for me that they left it out.

I just realized it's on the Honky Tonk Demo Single which I own but obviously never listened to completely!  :lol

LE

It's not on the Honky Tonk demo
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Love Expresso on December 05, 2024, 12:22:31 PM
Finally after all these years, sharing is caring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EIPSrZ29jU

Thank you very much, I hear it for the first time! Great little tune, with its reggae vibes it would have fitted perfectly on one of the first two albums. Great playing by Mark, unbelievable how high developed his playing already was in those early years. Background vocals remind me of Time In The Sun. Davids vocals however lack the coolness of Mark's voice, so it's okay for me that they left it out.

I just realized it's on the Honky Tonk Demo Single which I own but obviously never listened to completely!  :lol

LE

It's not on the Honky Tonk demo

Ok then I fell for some (wrong) graphics used by some YouTube poster. My bad.

LE
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Dutchessy on December 05, 2024, 12:24:35 PM
Back in the day it was... but when it was released in 2015 Sacred Loving was not on it:
https://www.discogs.com/release/6912034-Dire-Straits-The-Honky-Tonk-Demos
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: quizzaciously on December 05, 2024, 02:43:18 PM
I'm sorry, but when I listen to stuff like this the only thing that crosses my mind is "Thank heavens it wasn't released officially". I forgot the song the moment I stopped listening to it. Nothing special and even Mark's guitar isn't saving it for me.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: rmarques821 on December 05, 2024, 03:10:35 PM
I'm sorry, but when I listen to stuff like this the only thing that crosses my mind is "Thank heavens it wasn't released officially". I forgot the song the moment I stopped listening to it. Nothing special and even Mark's guitar isn't saving it for me.
I don't think it's that bad of a song, it would have fitted OK in Communique. But I also understand why it was left out.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Dutchessy on December 05, 2024, 03:34:41 PM
Was already on Youtube since March 2023  ;) Song is nice to have, we are always curious about unreleased stuff..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTqSebsQ3Cw&list=LL&index=2
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Robson on December 05, 2024, 04:10:54 PM
Finally after all these years, sharing is caring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EIPSrZ29jU

Thank you very much, I hear it for the first time! Great little tune, with its reggae vibes it would have fitted perfectly on one of the first two albums. Great playing by Mark, unbelievable how high developed his playing already was in those early years. Background vocals remind me of Time In The Sun. Davids vocals however lack the coolness of Mark's voice, so it's okay for me that they left it out.

I just realized it's on the Honky Tonk Demo Single which I own but obviously never listened to completely!  :lol

LE

Yes, you can hear the influence of reggae. They listened to this music a lot, which Mark talked about on radio programs.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Robson on December 05, 2024, 04:20:27 PM
Finally after all these years, sharing is caring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EIPSrZ29jU

At first I thought it was Suicide Towers  :)
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: qjamesfloyd on December 06, 2024, 08:30:02 AM
The question is, can Sacred Loving be classed as an official Dire Straits song? We know it is not on any officially released album, but, as it is on this demo release, and it is under the Dire Straits banner, is it classed as a Dire Straits song? or just a solo David Knopfler song :think
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: wayaman on December 06, 2024, 10:17:31 AM
It is a DS song that they played on their early concerts as a band and they recorded in the first demo tape of the band.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: hunter v2.0 on December 06, 2024, 11:01:49 AM
I didn't pay attention to the lyrics, but the song is average at best. David's singing is pretty bad, but since then he just got worse. Which says quite a lot ... And as I much as I love Mark's playing in that era, he's totally overplaying here. Like's he had twelve cups of espresso.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: olazabalrok on December 06, 2024, 11:14:24 AM
Was already on Youtube since March 2023  ;) Song is nice to have, we are always curious about unreleased stuff..


As I said sharing is caring, could’ve shared it back then if you knew about it.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Robson on December 06, 2024, 12:24:26 PM
Famous photo :)

Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: localhero1986 on December 06, 2024, 01:31:46 PM
I'm sorry, but when I listen to stuff like this the only thing that crosses my mind is "Thank heavens it wasn't released officially". I forgot the song the moment I stopped listening to it. Nothing special and even Mark's guitar isn't saving it for me.
I don't think it's that bad of a song, it would have fitted OK in Communique. But I also understand why it was left out.

Ah no indeed, it’s not too bad. Not as bad as Badges, Posters Stickers and T-shirts. Still don’t know what they were smoking while writing and recording that one… :think

The very first seconds of SL sound like JJ Cale’s Artificial Paradise (or actually the other way round).
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Pottel on December 06, 2024, 03:53:23 PM
I'm sorry, but when I listen to stuff like this the only thing that crosses my mind is "Thank heavens it wasn't released officially". I forgot the song the moment I stopped listening to it. Nothing special and even Mark's guitar isn't saving it for me.
I don't think it's that bad of a song, it would have fitted OK in Communique. But I also understand why it was left out.

Ah no indeed, it’s not too bad. Not as bad as Badges, Posters Stickers and T-shirts. Still don’t know what they were smoking while writing and recording that one… :think

The very first seconds of SL sound like JJ Cale’s Artificial Paradise (or actually the other way round).
artificial paradise happens to be one of my favourite JJ songs.that simple sounding solo never misses to hit me like a freight train
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: superval99 on December 06, 2024, 04:07:32 PM
I'm sorry, but when I listen to stuff like this the only thing that crosses my mind is "Thank heavens it wasn't released officially". I forgot the song the moment I stopped listening to it. Nothing special and even Mark's guitar isn't saving it for me.
I don't think it's that bad of a song, it would have fitted OK in Communique. But I also understand why it was left out.

Ah no indeed, it’s not too bad. Not as bad as Badges, Posters Stickers and T-shirts. Still don’t know what they were smoking while writing and recording that one… :think

The very first seconds of SL sound like JJ Cale’s Artificial Paradise (or actually the other way round).
artificial paradise happens to be one of my favourite JJ songs.that simple sounding solo never misses to hit me like a freight train

Love Artificial Paradise! 
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Robson on December 06, 2024, 04:30:51 PM
For me in Arificial Paradise, J.J is vocally similar to Paul Simon.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Brunno Nunes on December 06, 2024, 04:44:59 PM
The question is, can Sacred Loving be classed as an official Dire Straits song? We know it is not on any officially released album, but, as it is on this demo release, and it is under the Dire Straits banner, is it classed as a Dire Straits song? or just a solo David Knopfler song :think


Which musicians recorded this demo?

Are Real Girl, Me and My Friend, In My Car Mark Knopfler's solo songs?

In my opinion, all of this is Dire Straits, including Whats The Matter Baby and Bernadette. For me, Dire Straits is the sum of its parts and not a one-man band, so much so that as soon as one member leaves, everything changes, like when David left, then Pick.
Title: Re: first Dire Straits Demo recorded 45 years ago today
Post by: Robson on December 06, 2024, 04:51:07 PM
The question is, can Sacred Loving be classed as an official Dire Straits song? We know it is not on any officially released album, but, as it is on this demo release, and it is under the Dire Straits banner, is it classed as a Dire Straits song? or just a solo David Knopfler song :think


Which musicians recorded this demo?

Are Real Girl, Me and My Friend, In My Car Mark Knopfler's solo songs?

In my opinion, all of this is Dire Straits, including Whats The Matter Baby and Bernadette. For me, Dire Straits is the sum of its parts and not a one-man band, so much so that as soon as one member leaves, everything changes, like when David left, then Pick.

Exactly so.