Mark Knopfler Writes Foreword For J.J. Cale’s ‘Tulsa Sound’ Box

[JF]

hey ! nice to see you back LE ! 

[quizzaciously]

hey! nice to see you back LE ! 

It's funny. I'm so used to seeing LE and his brilliant thoughts on this forum that even forgot to spot the comeback. The foreword is underwhelming and shows why Mark doesn't write books.

[Jules]

Funny he mentions the development in Deptford in a homage to J.J.Cale.

Everytime I go to London with my "Knopfler gang" of friends we go to Deptford if we have time, and the last, in 2019 was very disappointing. Deptford always had something special, as a kind of island in London, with its own character, but that last visit, Deptford had changed to a cool area, with big buildings of cosy apartments, gyms, shops etc, as any other place in London, just another cool area of the city, probable far expensive that it used to be.

Yes, the Farrer House and the other similar buildings are still there, but everything surrounded has changed and doesn't look different to some neighborhoods in the central areas of London. Still not a so big change like when the Isle of dogs turned into the new financial district of Canary wharf or Silvertown changing to what it is now, but close.

Would this turn into a song?

Going back to topic, that driving through the place he used to live, and that hadn't changed so much when he and John went to unveil the plaque next to the flat where they lived back in the late 70's, he had memories of developing his guitar style listening to J.J records and that's why he wrote about Deptford in this forewords, which is nice to read as everytime he spoke about those years in his radio chapters.

[Pottel]

Quite underwhelming foreword...

LE

i disagree. but, what were you expecting then?
by the way the box is a joy to listen to (and read)

[Love Expresso]

Well, my first impression was to be underwhelmed because it is so short. The fact that MK was chosen from all these guitarists influenced by JJ (Eric Clapton for example) maybe let me to expect something more spectacular, more detailed or  elaborated. But of course, the theme of MK's lines, driving through the night and feeling blue of something and the shortness of it indeed is like a JJ Cale song if you like.  JJ never was a big star or a guitar hero (although he was the real one), and his compositions and lyrics were metronomic and compact, so I guess JJ would have loved this foreword. "Less is more" seldomly fitted better to anyone than JJ.

You need to listen more than once to JJ Cale songs to detect their beauty. It's the same with this foreword obviously, so, yes, MK still has a way with words.

LE

[dustyvalentino]

Funny he mentions the development in Deptford in a homage to J.J.Cale.

Everytime I go to London with my "Knopfler gang" of friends we go to Deptford if we have time, and the last, in 2019 was very disappointing. Deptford always had something special, as a kind of island in London, with its own character, but that last visit, Deptford had changed to a cool area, with big buildings of cosy apartments, gyms, shops etc, as any other place in London, just another cool area of the city, probable far expensive that it used to be.

Yes, the Farrer House and the other similar buildings are still there, but everything surrounded has changed and doesn't look different to some neighborhoods in the central areas of London. Still not a so big change like when the Isle of dogs turned into the new financial district of Canary wharf or Silvertown changing to what it is now, but close.

Would this turn into a song?

Going back to topic, that driving through the place he used to live, and that hadn't changed so much when he and John went to unveil the plaque next to the flat where they lived back in the late 70's, he had memories of developing his guitar style listening to J.J records and that's why he wrote about Deptford in this forewords, which is nice to read as everytime he spoke about those years in his radio chapters.

Down along the river has fancy flats but Deptford High St is still pretty grungy and crappy

[vgonis]

Thank you Pottel for sharing the photo of the foreword. It would have been the only reason to buy the box, since I already have several editions of all of JJ's output and I lack both space and money after getting the DS live box.    I think that given the history of MK as a journalist, teacher, songwriter and person who was in the media spotlight for decades, and this being  written words, he chose to convey a feeling rather than providing new information. So it is a matter of expectations reading the foreword, but I get what LE is saying. It is way too small to begin with, yes, even for a foreword, but remember it is also one of their marketing points, so raising expectations. Unless of course, MK sat down one morning while drinking his tea and let out a stream of conscience. Oh well, I'd rather have some recordings of them two playing together, but whatever we get is fine.
Again Pottel, many thanks for sharing the photos!       

[Jules]

Funny he mentions the development in Deptford in a homage to J.J.Cale.

Everytime I go to London with my "Knopfler gang" of friends we go to Deptford if we have time, and the last, in 2019 was very disappointing. Deptford always had something special, as a kind of island in London, with its own character, but that last visit, Deptford had changed to a cool area, with big buildings of cosy apartments, gyms, shops etc, as any other place in London, just another cool area of the city, probable far expensive that it used to be.

Yes, the Farrer House and the other similar buildings are still there, but everything surrounded has changed and doesn't look different to some neighborhoods in the central areas of London. Still not a so big change like when the Isle of dogs turned into the new financial district of Canary wharf or Silvertown changing to what it is now, but close.

Would this turn into a song?

Going back to topic, that driving through the place he used to live, and that hadn't changed so much when he and John went to unveil the plaque next to the flat where they lived back in the late 70's, he had memories of developing his guitar style listening to J.J records and that's why he wrote about Deptford in this forewords, which is nice to read as everytime he spoke about those years in his radio chapters.

Down along the river has fancy flats but Deptford High St is still pretty grungy and crappy

But the surroundings of the flats are also quite cosy, I remember a market next to The Albany and last time there were some trendy coffe shops, gyms, shops and things like that... All the neighborhood changed, even the street where the LOG is, the buildings next to it now are cool places, or at least in 2019. My memory probably fails with the exact places I'm talking about but the general impression of those two spots (Albany and Farrer House) are of places like that.

[Pottel]

Thank you Pottel for sharing the photo of the foreword. It would have been the only reason to buy the box, since I already have several editions of all of JJ's output and I lack both space and money after getting the DS live box.    I think that given the history of MK as a journalist, teacher, songwriter and person who was in the media spotlight for decades, and this being  written words, he chose to convey a feeling rather than providing new information. So it is a matter of expectations reading the foreword, but I get what LE is saying. It is way too small to begin with, yes, even for a foreword, but remember it is also one of their marketing points, so raising expectations. Unless of course, MK sat down one morning while drinking his tea and let out a stream of conscience. Oh well, I'd rather have some recordings of them two playing together, but whatever we get is fine.
Again Pottel, many thanks for sharing the photos!       

nice to hear from you buddy. my pleasure!

[Pottel]

Well, my first impression was to be underwhelmed because it is so short. The fact that MK was chosen from all these guitarists influenced by JJ (Eric Clapton for example) maybe let me to expect something more spectacular, more detailed or  elaborated. But of course, the theme of MK's lines, driving through the night and feeling blue of something and the shortness of it indeed is like a JJ Cale song if you like.  JJ never was a big star or a guitar hero (although he was the real one), and his compositions and lyrics were metronomic and compact, so I guess JJ would have loved this foreword. "Less is more" seldomly fitted better to anyone than JJ.

You need to listen more than once to JJ Cale songs to detect their beauty. It's the same with this foreword obviously, so, yes, MK still has a way with words.

LE

what i founmd interesting is the lack of Clapton content, he is also NOT thanked, mark is.

[Barrow boy]

JJ cale along with Mark and clapton were the main characters of all the road trips that I remember from my childhood. By that time I couldn't appreciate them but as I grew I've rediscovered them and now they are essential to me. Especially Mark. Does somebody know when those pictures were taken?  Thanks for sharing!

[Pottel]

14.09.1985, South California, at a JJ show

[JF]

JJ cale along with Mark and clapton were the main characters of all the road trips that I remember from my childhood. By that time I couldn't appreciate them but as I grew I've rediscovered them and now they are essential to me. Especially Mark. Does somebody know when those pictures were taken?  Thanks for sharing!

and here, you can find somme other pics from this evening :

https://www.facebook.com/groups/direstraitsandmk/posts/10159419242424023/

[JF]

J.J. Cale was born on December 5, 1938.
he would have turned 85 today

A few words about the father of the "Tulsa sound" and one of Mark's great influences
👇👇👇
https://textes-blog-rock-n-roll.fr/j-j-cale-aurait-eu-85-ans-aujourdhui/

[Pottel]

JJ cale along with Mark and clapton were the main characters of all the road trips that I remember from my childhood. By that time I couldn't appreciate them but as I grew I've rediscovered them and now they are essential to me. Especially Mark. Does somebody know when those pictures were taken?  Thanks for sharing!

and here, you can find somme other pics from this evening :

https://www.facebook.com/groups/direstraitsandmk/posts/10159419242424023/

and those pics were made by Mike Kappus, JJ's manager. i did contact him, but he said the night was NOT recorded....historical failure imho...