STILL POPULAR: Mark Knopfler’s latest album, “Tracker,” has debuted at number three.
By Geoffrey Rowlands
It’s no surprise to see Mark Knopfler back in the UK charts. His latest album, “Tracker,” has debuted at number three.
Much more surprising for many music fans is the realisation that “Tracker” is 65-year-old Mark’s eighth solo album. Despite his numerous collaborations with artists such as Eric Clapton, Sting and Chet Atkins, plus producing albums for Aztec Camera, Bob Dylan and Randy Newman, Mark will forever be primarily known as the singer, songwriter and guitarist with English rock band Dire Straits.
Six massively successful studio albums, three live and three compilation LPs saw the band spend well over 1,100 weeks in the UK chart and win a string of awards. Their career initially spanned 1977 to 1988 before reforming again three years later but disbanding permanently in 1995.
“It’s been a long time since we last played together but I don’t mind people still associating me with Dire Straits,” smiled the affable Mark. “I feel proud to have been part of a band which was so popular. In fact, I should say well-loved rather than just popular. I think that’s why our songs are still played and our popularity endures.”
Mark’s decision to pursue a solo career saw the demise of Dire Straits.
“The band had just become so big. I still loved playing our songs but the sheer scale of our tours was dehumanising. I’ve always enjoyed talking with people, not being cut off from them. Breaking up Dire Straits was my way of getting back to some kind of normality in my life.”
He certainly sees himself as a regular person rather than a rock star.
“I’ve worked since I was 14. I did all kinds of things when I was young. I worked in a factory, in a warehouse, on a farm, lots of manual labouring. I got into journalism and then teaching. But music was always my passion. I played in various bands, firstly around my family home in the north-east of England and then in London.
“I played in a band called Brewers Droop who made an album and Cafe Racers were pretty good but none of them were really much more than pub bands. It was only after I moved in with my brother David and his friend John Illsley that things started to happen. We decided to form a band together, recruited Pick Withers as our drummer and Dire Straits was born.
“I know it’s easy to say this now but we really did have the feeling that we could be something special. We recorded a five-song demo tape and asked a BBC Radio London DJ, Charlie Gillett, for his opinion. He liked the tape so much he played one of the songs on his show.
“That song was Sultans of Swing. Two months later, we had a recording contract. Not so very long after that, Sultans of Swing was a top ten hit in Britain and America.”
While not officially a Mark Knopfler album, his solo career had effectively begun with the creation of soundtrack music and songs for the 1983 film, Local Hero. He scored several more film soundtracks before “Golden Heart” became his debut solo album in 1996.
Although not quite as successful as his work with Dire Straits, all but one of Mark’s albums have been UK top ten hits. The exception, 2004’s “Shangri-La,” peaked at number 11. "I suppose we’d all like to think we’re getting better rather than just getting older. Maybe this is reflected in the chart position. Either that or a lot of people regard buying my album as some small way to recapture their youth
http://www.gulf-times.com/entertainment/240/details/432991/mark-knopfler%E2%80%99s-still-got-it
