Alan Clark: New Website

[Jules]

I like the fact that Alan says he showed mark some 'new' chords.... oh thankyou so much. I doub't that. Why don't these people just acknowledge the genius that MK is? He was bounds and leaps against so many other musicians of the time and now. There is no other Mark Knopfler

Actually famous walk of life keyboards chords were created by Alan himself, but as the song was written by MK he never had his credit for that. According to Guy "Its something you add to the songs as part of your job"

[ds1984]

I like the fact that Alan says he showed mark some 'new' chords.... oh thankyou so much. I doub't that. Why don't these people just acknowledge the genius that MK is? He was bounds and leaps against so many other musicians of the time and now. There is no other Mark Knopfler

Actually famous walk of life keyboards chords were created by Alan himself, but as the song was written by MK he never had his credit for that. According to Guy "Its something you add to the songs as part of your job"

Right but some still think that a genius will never have the need help from someone else to write some parts...

And regarding WOL it is IMO its worst contribution to a DS song, had'd better stayed in bed on that day.

[dustyvalentino]

Right but some still think that a genius will never have the need help from someone else to write some parts...

And regarding WOL it is IMO its worst contribution to a DS song, had'd better stayed in bed on that day.

Hmm, the keyboard part is the "hook" of that song, to be honest I don't think it would be a hit without it.

Indeed our friend Bobby Valentino had a court case that suggests AC may in fact be due some cash for his contribution?

http://www.bobbyvalentino.co.uk/bluebells-court-case-press.html

[Tally]

If memory serves me right, Guy a.k.a. Doc once stated that Mark wrote the WOL riff, be it true or not.

I have no doubt that Alan brought some new "chords" and musical ideas to the band. I'm not so sure that that made the hits and the band big, though.

[Love Expresso]

Everybody who was interested in music and read the relevant magazines/newspapers around the year 1980 (when Alan joined DS) should have been able to know what this band was about, referring the decisive role MK played. From the earliest beginnings every article stated clearly that MK was the "Boss", writing, playing and composing everything. And that was the point for me to open this thread: Why taking everything in, joining both the BIA and OES tour, but then 20 years later starting to complain. I am sure Mr. Clark never would have been asked to play with Tina or Eric if Mark would have chosen another keyboard player instead of him.

Quoted from Alan's page again:
One of the songs we recorded during the Love Over Gold sessions was Private Dancer, which didn't make the album (it sounded strange being sung by a bloke) but I later recorded it with Tina Turner for her album of the same name.  ...

... after MK gave his OK for using HIS song . Also all the other DS members were there, too!  But of course, HE, Alan, recorded it. This is the some kind of arrogant sounding tone that is annoying me.

However, how annoyed I should ever be by his style, it is interesting to see what comes up any more. It seems he has a lot more to tell.

LE

[dmg]

Everybody who was interested in music and read the relevant magazines/newspapers around the year 1980 (when Alan joined DS) should have been able to know what this band was about, referring the decisive role MK played. From the earliest beginnings every article stated clearly that MK was the "Boss", writing, playing and composing everything. And that was the point for me to open this thread: Why taking everything in, joining both the BIA and OES tour, but then 20 years later starting to complain. I am sure Mr. Clark never would have been asked to play with Tina or Eric if Mark would have chosen another keyboard player instead of him.

Quoted from Alan's page again:
One of the songs we recorded during the Love Over Gold sessions was Private Dancer, which didn't make the album (it sounded strange being sung by a bloke) but I later recorded it with Tina Turner for her album of the same name.  ...

... after MK gave his OK for using HIS song . Also all the other DS members were there, too!  But of course, HE, Alan, recorded it. This is the some kind of arrogant sounding tone that is annoying me.

However, how annoyed I should ever be by his style, it is interesting to see what comes up any more. It seems he has a lot more to tell.

LE

Very sad that Alan is coming across this way in his manner as some of MK's best work was done when Alan was in the band IMO.

[Love Expresso]

I am honestly sure that there was some creative and inspiring atmosphere in the band after David left and Alan and Hal joined in. And you can hear it in some of the songs of course very clearly. That is not my point. The high quality of Alan Clarks contributions to Dire Straits is free of doubt and should be regarded as valid for sure. But sometimes it seems better to remain silent.

LE

[dustyvalentino]

Making Movies was done without Alan, sounds pretty damn good to me and was step forward in terms of production and dynamics too.

I think saying that Roy Bittan "just overdubbed some parts" does him a disservice.

That said there is no doubt that the LOG album had some great arrangements, same with that tour and no doubt Alan played a big part in that. Of course we know that GF also moved things forward on BiA, by suggesting the intro on MFN for example (according to Neil Dorfsman), but Guy himself would never take credit I'm sure.

[dustyvalentino]

I am honestly sure that there was some creative and inspiring atmosphere in the band after David left and Alan and Hal joined in. And you can hear it in some of the songs of course very clearly. That is not my point. The high quality of Alan Clarks contributions to Dire Straits is free of doubt and should be regarded as valid for sure. But sometimes it seems better to remain silent.

LE

Seems strange that this stuff is coming out now. Perhaps the text is ghost written by someone who used to hold some influence in MK's set up but holds a grudge after being sidelined.

Also amusing his tip about those joining a "moderately successful band" - DS had already sold about 10 million albums by that point! Not so moderate IMO.

[ds1984]

With time things are changing and some claims were made well long after the recording and acknowledged : Procol Harum's "Whiter shade Of Pale" or Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig In The Sky"  both ended in front of the High Court and saw revised credits.

As usual afficionados we don't know what happens in the studio but speaking with musician, author, composer you learn a lot about some uses in the music buissness. Then we reach to some point that are hard to define : from what exact point a contribution should end to credits. This is no secret that sometime some musicians receive an extra wage for written comp but without public aknowledgment nor credit.

Interesting, regarding AC involvement in DS, is to compare how arrangments had grown between the actual MM recording and the following tour - stunning.

Speaking of the post 70's era I can't think of a DS reunion that would not include Alan as his influence on the sound signature of the band was so important. We all know that MK don't share writing credits (the only one being co-credited was because it was so much inspired by another song that it would be obvious plagiat) and he is now working with musician that stick with this but seeing some DS tune co-credited by Alan (as David previously struggled to) would have been no surprise to me. Just that to draw an absolute line that determine when a contribution is or is not elligible to credit is nearly impossible.

The Rolling Stones themselve have had some dispute and part reason that Mick Taylor left is also because he was fed up to write some stuff that ended credited only to Jagger/Richards.

Doing valuable contribution doesn't mean neither that you come with the core song or the idea, just that you give additional value to it and sometime with a blowing effect.

It does not sound well to hear Alan being not that enthusiastic about his DS era but it was no secret that he and Mark  were not inclined to work together after the OES recording.

And sometimes things work and sometime not. Alan to my hear has never had the acurate "blues" feeling within EC's band and the best things that happend is when he left to be back on record with DS. With the exception of the revised arrangment for the slowered WT tempo that highlighted the Mandela gig. But for the rest he was years lights of   the late Billy Preston...

[Love Expresso]

... but it was no secret that he and Mark  were not inclined to work together after the OES recording.

I Never heard about that.  Do you know some details? Or any source? Just curious... 

LE

[ds1984]

I started to read report from Alan dissatisfaction circa 1996, he was not that happy during the OES tour and in a more recent interview (circa KTGC - of course I can't put my hand on) he also confirmed difference taste about the music he likes to play and the one currently made by Mark.

[knopfling]

The AC website lists a contact email. Perhaps someone could email him and ask what he means about his contributions, dissatisfaction and showing MK new ideas, etc. He might answer.

[dustyvalentino]

Somebody invite him to come and join us, he would be very welcome.

Of course we don't know if the website email actually gets through to him...

[Love Expresso]

Yeah, you will probably end up talking to TK...

... too much fun,

LE