Recent Posts

11

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: OES rehearsal and preparations

« Last post by diremania on March 30, 2025, 10:35:13 PM »

Chris: do you remember how this, allegedly exhaustive rehearsal periode went? i.e. did you show up 6 days a week, from 10-18 at Bray studios, did you get "homework" for the day after rehearsal or was it some kind of surprise what Mark wanted to play and in which order? Did you rehearse with full sound/light, changes at all time, or how was it organized?

12

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: OES rehearsal and preparations

« Last post by Chris W on March 30, 2025, 10:29:33 PM »

I thought there was always a solo.
It was switched to Paul F. So the solo was there, but played by Paul on pedal steel.
Checked both OTN DVD and Basel.

13

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: OES rehearsal and preparations

« Last post by noizpop on March 30, 2025, 10:06:26 PM »

That solo is exactly the reason for me to prefer BIA’s Tour R&J, beautiful piano ending on OES tour, but less brilliant IMO.

14

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: OES rehearsal and preparations

« Last post by GuitarChris on March 30, 2025, 08:36:49 PM »

Thank you very much, Chris!

I have got a question to the Romeo and Juliet guitar solo at the end of the song of the "On Every Street" tour.

Unfortunately, this beautiful solo is not included in R&J at the "On The Night" CD. I have heard versions of R&J from 1991 where Mark had played it and at the versions of 1992 I have heard it was not played anymore.

Do you know why Mark has stopped playing it?

15

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: OES rehearsal and preparations

« Last post by Chris W on March 30, 2025, 06:53:00 PM »

Not really. A few songs were tried, played once, and never tried again.

16

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: OES rehearsal and preparations

« Last post by dmg on March 30, 2025, 06:31:47 PM »

Thanks Chris.  These little details are gold to die hards like us! 

Can you recall any songs rehearsed that never made it into the set?

17

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: Paul Franklin Interview: Becoming The Pedal Steel Guitar Icon

« Last post by K-alberto on March 30, 2025, 06:17:24 PM »

I have no doubt Mark's dream team was Paul Franklin and Jeff Porcaro. Chris White and Danny C were also around for the album.
In the guitar stakes I think Mark saw Paul as an equal. Anything Mark played, or asked Paul to play, Paul could achieve. Paul taking the pedal steel way beyond its country origins, performing rock style guitar solos on the tour, sometimes verging on complex be-bop jazz.
Paul would never have played huge outdoor shows, before or since, being mostly a studio musician. He says 'it was an eye opener'.
You can see in the videos, he is passionate about pedal steel as an instrument and it wasn't lost on him he was showcasing the best pedal steel can be to 60,000 people a night for over a year, as he says to something like 5 million people.
I think he regretted turning down so many album sessions while out on tour, and every time we had a couple of weeks off, he would fly back to Nashville and spend the whole time in the studio playing on sessions.

This insight is really helpful!

18

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: OES rehearsal and preparations

« Last post by wayaman on March 30, 2025, 05:24:28 PM »

Thanks Chris. I guess that was so much long ago than you wouldn't have anything from that time, like those tapes or sheets with the setlists used for those sessions.

I remember reading in Palmer's book about MK having Danny playing shakers for hours until he decide to take out some of the content of one of them and being that the chosen.

I guess there would be many stories like that.

19

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: OES rehearsal and preparations

« Last post by diremania on March 30, 2025, 04:16:51 PM »

Thanks Chris. That’s was the kind of details I was curious about.

20

Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum / Re: OES rehearsal and preparations

« Last post by Chris W on March 30, 2025, 03:32:03 PM »

My memory is hazy.
I think it was a mix of trying out songs, like one or two times through, so mark could see how they felt and if they were something he wanted to work out in detail. I guess someone like me who hadn't played the songs before was given a live tape to revise from.
Also, songs that were definitely going in the set - classics plus the OES songs. They were just worked on in detail. Like down to the specific arrangement.
Calling Elvis evolved into the 15 minute epic over several days.
Mark was the finale arbiter. Alan and Guy were like musical directors suggesting ideas and reminding mark how a song was previously played.
I remember playing a few songs a couple of times and mark saying no, he didn't want to play them on the tour.
Of course, throughout the first leg (UK and Europe) we were still adding songs, taking songs away.

There was definitely an 'orchestration' type approach, very little improvised. Do this tom fill here, play that crash there.
Only the solos were improvised.