Danny Cummings about Drumming and Ian Thomas and more

[Jules]

I totally disagree with that 4/4 thing about Danny

[NicoMK]

I used to like Chad during the Golden Heart tour, not so much after that, at least live. I found him a bit monotonous and too laid back during the 2001 tour, just my 2 cent opinion of course.

I can clearly remember when I first heard Danny on stage. As I wrote before sorry, it was during the very first 2002 London show, what a mini tour and what a night, the one I will never forget ! Not only for Danny of course, but because I think he was sooo good in that band !!

During the following tours, he brought so much to the band's whole sound, no only in Speedway -- the one he will be mostly remembered --  but on many, many songs

[Rail King]

I miss Danny, too. And while I don't agree that he generally was the better drummer for Mark than Ianto is (just listen to Seattle, for instance

[dmg]

I won't mind if I don't ever hear it live again. There are enough great versions from, hey, 1978, and enough great new songs to play today.

It's his signature song and he has to play it.  If not for you, or any of us on here, then for the general fans that go and (rightly) expect to hear it.  They'll be disappointed enough when they don't get to hear MFN, BIA, WOL etc.  There's little enough guitar in the set these days and at least this number provides some room for improvisation.  But that's another topic, and it's been discussed before. 

[NicoMK]

I'd say he has a SOUND and a way to play drums that I had never heard before and haven't heard since he left the band.

This is why I like "Fingers pointing at the Moon" so much because I can hear those drums and technics again.

After the London shows in 2002, I remember thinking how I would love to hear him play "Telegraph Road" and the way he played it in 2005 (and after IMO) was fantastic -- so much power and energy!

I would have loved to hear Darling pretty, a song loved by many of us, or So far from the Clyde live with Danny (and the band), but it won't never happen again probably. 

There were some snippets of the DS legends playing with Danny last July on youtube. I think they sounded very good and the drums

[Rail King]

I won't mind if I don't ever hear it live again. There are enough great versions from, hey, 1978, and enough great new songs to play today.

It's his signature song and he has to play it.  If not for you, or any of us on here, then for the general fans that go and (rightly) expect to hear it.  They'll be disappointed enough when they don't get to hear MFN, BIA, WOL etc.  There's little enough guitar in the set these days and at least this number provides some room for improvisation.  But that's another topic, and it's been discussed before. 

Hmm, I see where you're coming from. But I don't like the idea of "general" fans that are entitled to hear any particular songs. No matter what kind of fan you are, you pay to hear Mark Knopfler play what Mark Knopfler likes to play. If someone can't live with that, they should maybe just decide not to go. And if they don't want to take any risks, they should check previous setlists in advance. That will give them a pretty good idea of what to expect. Personally, I think Mark's decision to drop some of these signature songs is a bold one, and deserves a lot of applause. He knows exactly that masses of people will be disappointed. He knowingly takes the risk of losing a big chunk of his audience. But maybe playing something that truly inspires him is worth more to him. I admire him for that (among many other things).

The worst concert I ever saw was Paul McCartney. He had a brand new album out but didn't play one single song from it. He played tons of Beatles songs instead

[dmg]

I won't mind if I don't ever hear it live again. There are enough great versions from, hey, 1978, and enough great new songs to play today.

It's his signature song and he has to play it.  If not for you, or any of us on here, then for the general fans that go and (rightly) expect to hear it.  They'll be disappointed enough when they don't get to hear MFN, BIA, WOL etc.  There's little enough guitar in the set these days and at least this number provides some room for improvisation.  But that's another topic, and it's been discussed before. 

Hmm, I see where you're coming from. But I don't like the idea of "general" fans that are entitled to hear any particular songs. No matter what kind of fan you are, you pay to hear Mark Knopfler play what Mark Knopfler likes to play. If someone can't live with that, they should maybe just decide not to go. And if they don't want to take any risks, they should check previous setlists in advance. That will give them a pretty good idea of what to expect. Personally, I think Mark's decision to drop some of these signature songs is a bold one, and deserves a lot of applause. He knows exactly that masses of people will be disappointed. He knowingly takes the risk of losing a big chunk of his audience. But maybe playing something that truly inspires him is worth more to him. I admire him for that (among many other things).

The worst concert I ever saw was Paul McCartney. He had a brand new album out but didn't play one single song from it. He played tons of Beatles songs instead

[superval99]

My nightmare scenario would be MK doing a "greatest hits" concert and it being a disaster!   I would much rather he played the songs he is comfortable playing at this stage in his life, even if they have less guitar in them than before.  Sometimes I cringe when he plays BIA  these days.  Best to remember these iconic songs as they used to be played.   

[superval99]

Edit:  bold and admirable, or from the other side of the fence:  selfish and arrogant.

It depends on who is being selfish and arrogant - MK for playing what he wants to play, or those who want him to play what he doesn't want to play.   

[LoveExpresso]

We are leaving the original thread here, but I might add that it was easier to be an MK fan in the 1990's.. I am not an unquestioning fanboy anymore. It seems that MK absolutely likes to be in his comfort zone. EVERY band in the world would sound great after playing all these songs hundred and hundred of times.. no experiments, no sophisticated and demanding changes.. only saftey-net music..
In 2011, I really admired MK for his decision (and it was bold indeed) to start the Bob-experiment without any Dire Straits song in the set and coming up with three GREAT NEW UNRELEASED tunes - indeed we learned later that these new songs weren't even recorded then.. So that was a great way of coming back and it was somehow the birth of this actual line-up (and therefore it is pretty sure that CBC, Priv. and Haul Away stay in every set with this band)

It must be easy to get the boys back - minimum effort, so to say. Rehearsals is more or less not really necessary and comes from the ultra safety feeling of Mark's. I would love the band to skip Marbletown or at least shorten it to 10 minutes maximum, but that will not happen. I would love to hear Sultans because the moment the audience cheers afterwards is priceless everytime. It seems MK skips it BECAUSE he thinks they only cheer at this old song, that is somewhat disrespectful against my new stuff, so I skip it..

Reading this, I guess I am between those two feelings. Well, it is not easy being an MK fan sometimes.. 

LE

[ds1984]

Thinking about it, I suppose all these guys are only on a one album or one tour type contract so they aren't really "dropped" but just not used again.

Jack Sonni has said in an itw something like "with Dire Straits you were hired for a job. It's a wonderful job, but when it's over, it's over"

however, with the 96ers, several musicians are NOT only on a one album an a tour since 20 years (Richard, Glenn, etc..) so the drummer has always been a case "apart" so to say

You have to consider that for the 2002 tour there would have been some major changes in the band. In 2005 back to the almost same 2001 line-up.

[ds1984]

It seems MK skips it BECAUSE he thinks they only cheer at this old song, that is somewhat disrespectful against my new stuff, so I skip it..

Only speculating.
I think (so yes also speculation) this is because he is not pleased anymore with the way he performs it... I don't get the with the "too much success rejection syndrome" idea

[Rail King]

I think (so yes also speculation) this is because he is not pleased anymore with the way he performs it...

Well, no one is, so who can blame him for that? Let's face it: He can't play it like he used to could. No problem with that, though, as long as he writes and plays great new songs.

[crimmer]

loved ianto's playing on sailing to Philadelphia and sonny in 2011, but 2013 just wished danny was back on with sultans , speedway, and even sonny didn't seem right either , but................ on to another tour:)))) where everything is played a tiny bit different from the last ,and I cant wait:)))))))))))))))))))) , just wish he would drop Romeo and Juliet and so far away!!

[yontwocrows]

@LE: normally i admire your logical approaches, but your comment is full with contradictions. I think you're lost in something called MK-Paradox. And i think this is the reason why you're fan. 
And in the 90's we were younger. And it was easier to have pure fan spirit, getting older you become more critical... So please don't hang on in the past.