Manu Katch

[ds1984]

Wasn't the reason MK ended DS and became "solo", to give him the freedom to replace musicians according to the style of the music on the various albums, without being constrained by a static band?   
 

Of course it was one of the reason. DS was too limited for what Mark wanted them to play especialy when going toward more country / bluesy stuff.

Both Alan and John have admitted over the years that they were not into Mark's solo stuff taste.

[dmg]

Wasn't the reason MK ended DS and became "solo", to give him the freedom to replace musicians according to the style of the music on the various albums, without being constrained by a static band?   

 

I thought it was because the whole thing (the band) was becoming too big and he wanted to scale down.  DS were hardly a stable band anyway just Mark, John and the rest were probably hired musicians.  Not sure about Alan and Guy.

[ds1984]

Wasn't the reason MK ended DS and became "solo", to give him the freedom to replace musicians according to the style of the music on the various albums, without being constrained by a static band?   

 

I thought it was because the whole thing (the band) was becoming too big and he wanted to scale down.

Correct, Mark also stated that. There was several reasons for Mark to split the band.

[superval99]

Wasn't the reason MK ended DS and became "solo", to give him the freedom to replace musicians according to the style of the music on the various albums, without being constrained by a static band?   

 

I thought it was because the whole thing (the band) was becoming too big and he wanted to scale down.  DS were hardly a stable band anyway just Mark, John and the rest were probably hired musicians.  Not sure about Alan and Guy.

By "too big" I understood that he meant being too popular - ie not the actual size of the band - or have I got it wrong!   

[dmg]

Wasn't the reason MK ended DS and became "solo", to give him the freedom to replace musicians according to the style of the music on the various albums, without being constrained by a static band?   

 

I thought it was because the whole thing (the band) was becoming too big and he wanted to scale down.  DS were hardly a stable band anyway just Mark, John and the rest were probably hired musicians.  Not sure about Alan and Guy.

By "too big" I understood that he meant being too popular - ie not the actual size of the band - or have I got it wrong!

Their height or size of their bellies?

[sweetsurrender]

Wasn't the reason MK ended DS and became "solo", to give him the freedom to replace musicians according to the style of the music on the various albums, without being constrained by a static band?   

 

I thought it was because the whole thing (the band) was becoming too big and he wanted to scale down.  DS were hardly a stable band anyway just Mark, John and the rest were probably hired musicians.  Not sure about Alan and Guy.

By "too big" I understood that he meant being too popular - ie not the actual size of the band - or have I got it wrong!

Their height or size of their bellies?

  . hilarious. You made me laugh !!!

[Pottel]

Wasn't the reason MK ended DS and became "solo", to give him the freedom to replace musicians according to the style of the music on the various albums, without being constrained by a static band?   
 

Of course it was one of the reason. DS was too limited for what Mark wanted them to play especialy when going toward more country / bluesy stuff.

Both Alan and John have admitted over the years that they were not into Mark's solo stuff taste.

where did John ever say that?

[IrisRose]

A couple of observations:
Vince Gill also declined as rhythm guitarist.   
Mark makes the same observations about Steely Dan when he recorded a track with them.   He said he was put off by their coldness and their lack of any interaction with him.
In his defense, (always) there are uncommunicated and unknown details in any story.   In this case, I'm quite sure there are. Rkd in the last post makes this point.  Who knows what else was going on in his life.   Perhaps a marriage on the rocks---health---.    I don't want to speculate further on his personal life.   
Oh--and about the drumming:   during his special performance in Boothbay, Maine, back in 2006 (I think) he commented that the best drums were no drums at all.      

[IrisRose]

[/quote]

I thought it was because the whole thing (the band) was becoming too big and he wanted to scale down.  DS were hardly a stable band anyway just Mark, John and the rest were probably hired musicians.  Not sure about Alan and Guy.


[/quote]

I'm sure glad that Guy stuck around!!!!!!!

[ds1984]

Wasn't the reason MK ended DS and became "solo", to give him the freedom to replace musicians according to the style of the music on the various albums, without being constrained by a static band?   
 

Of course it was one of the reason. DS was too limited for what Mark wanted them to play especialy when going toward more country / bluesy stuff.

Both Alan and John have admitted over the years that they were not into Mark's solo stuff taste.

where did John ever say that?

Made some time after attending one Mk show in Marseille (April 6 2005).

[Jules]

Joop de Korte said to me by mail that during the OES sessions, and tour, MK wanted to go 110% proffesional, so they tried many musicians, and he was out of the band as percussionist, as MK wanted "a proffesional percussionist" instead of him, playing percussion for Dire Straits since 1980 behind the curtains...

I guess that MK thought that the right attitude in that case was having an assistant to deal with the proffesional musicians, so thats why he didnt talk to Manu, and probably to the other musicians.

Phil Palmer and Danny Cummings were other two proffesional musicians that played on the record, and apparently got the invitation by MK (probably via the assistant) to tour with DS.

I think that those years were difficult to MK, Joop de Korte also said to me that MK looked very very bored and tired since the very beguining, and everybody was very happy when the tour was over.

[holaknopfler]

Joop de Korte said to me by mail that during the OES sessions, and tour, MK wanted to go 110% proffesional, so they tried many musicians, and he was out of the band as percussionist, as MK wanted "a proffesional percussionist" instead of him, playing percussion for Dire Straits since 1980 behind the curtains...

I guess that MK thought that the right attitude in that case was having an assistant to deal with the proffesional musicians, so thats why he didnt talk to Manu, and probably to the other musicians.

Phil Palmer and Danny Cummings were other two proffesional musicians that played on the record, and apparently got the invitation by MK (probably via the assistant) to tour with DS.

I think that those years were difficult to MK, Joop de Korte also said to me that MK looked very very bored and tired since the very beguining, and everybody was very happy when the tour was over.

It probably had something to do with the NHB project; he clearly got completely fed up with Dire Straits

[dmg]

I think that those years were difficult to MK, Joop de Korte also said to me that MK looked very very bored and tired since the very beguining, and everybody was very happy when the tour was over.

I think it's sad to hear things like this.  For a man who is supposed to love music one would think playing in front of his adoring fans and being cheered every night wouldn't be something to get bored of.  To fill stadiums and get standing ovations every night is the dream of most artists.

[superval99]

I think that those years were difficult to MK, Joop de Korte also said to me that MK looked very very bored and tired since the very beguining, and everybody was very happy when the tour was over.

I think it's sad to hear things like this.  For a man who is supposed to love music one would think playing in front of his adoring fans and being cheered every night wouldn't be something to get bored of.  To fill stadiums and get standing ovations every night is the dream of most artists.

From things that MK has said in interviews in recent years, things were not going well with his marriage at that time and he admitted that he was running away, so I don't think he, or anyone, would have been very happy under those circumstances.  Maybe he was pre-occupied rather than bored.

The album itself probably reflects how MK felt at that time, indeed Phil Sutcliffe, in his liner notes (1996 remastered version), describes the album as "a dark and subtle ride.......with veiled hints and insinuations". 

[JF]

Wasn't the reason MK ended DS and became "solo", to give him the freedom to replace musicians according to the style of the music on the various albums, without being constrained by a static band?   

and the paradox is that the band during his solo carreer has been more "static" than during DS days....

almost same musicians since 96 while musicians changed at each tour in the 80ies