Meeting with Mark Knopfler

[Love Expresso]

Yeah,

"tea break" was 2005, hurt back was 2010.

LE

[dustyvalentino]

Great stuff.

Sent from my Tab2A7-20F using Tapatalk

[Elin N]

I have probably written this before, but it is fun to relive it in my memory so here it is again. My first meeting with Mark was in 2002, when he was doing promo for The Rackpickers dream. I didn't have a ticket to the tv show he was a guest in, but went to the tv house to try my luck. I was there hours before the show, since I didn't know how early he would be there. Since I had no appointment and no ticket, I was told to wait outside (it was October and a cold day in Trondheim, Norway). After a while a man came out for a smoke, and he started to talk to me. His voice was familiar to me, he was the host for a well known radio program (Geir Hovig). More, he was going to interview Mark later that day. He invited me in, and Mark arrived not long after. I was the only fan there, and he understood that I wanted an autograph and a picture. I was like a stranded fish, in awe, and still don't remember who took the picure.

Mark &co walked on, while I was left in the lobby. I was introcuced to a man who worked with the tv show, and we went to the studio where Mark was talking to the host and a boy. He was showing the boy how he went to sleep playing the guitar, and he was in a good mood. This was not part of the show, but I know my picures are still online somewhere. I also gave the pictures to the boy's parents. I was sitting just a few meters away from him and felt I was in heaven!

Then it was time for the radio interview, and I was allowed to watch! I was so "high" by then that I didn't remember much of it, but I certainly enjoyed it  I remember Mark had some strange face expressions and I'm not sure if he enjoyed that interview as much as I..
The staff were amused by this crazy fan travelling half the country to see Mark, and invited me to do a small interview in another radio program.
Somehow I don't think this would happen today, it seems everything is more "cold" now, no room for human feelings and things like this. I had to catch my plane and didn't stay for the tv show, but had already got waaay more thanI had hoped for. Certainly a day to remember 

[Lis]

Wonderful!!  So happy for you!! 

[BrianT]

I have probably written this before, but it is fun to relive it in my memory so here it is again. My first meeting with Mark was in 2002, when he was doing promo for The Rackpickers dream. I didn't have a ticket to the tv show he was a guest in, but went to the tv house to try my luck. I was there hours before the show, since I didn't know how early he would be there. Since I had no appointment and no ticket, I was told to wait outside (it was October and a cold day in Trondheim, Norway). After a while a man came out for a smoke, and he started to talk to me. His voice was familiar to me, he was the host for a well known radio program (Geir Hovig). More, he was going to interview Mark later that day. He invited me in, and Mark arrived not long after. I was the only fan there, and he understood that I wanted an autograph and a picture. I was like a stranded fish, in awe, and still don't remember who took the picure.

Mark &co walked on, while I was left in the lobby. I was introcuced to a man who worked with the tv show, and we went to the studio where Mark was talking to the host and a boy. He was showing the boy how he went to sleep playing the guitar, and he was in a good mood. This was not part of the show, but I know my picures are still online somewhere. I also gave the pictures to the boy's parents. I was sitting just a few meters away from him and felt I was in heaven!

Then it was time for the radio interview, and I was allowed to watch! I was so "high" by then that I didn't remember much of it, but I certainly enjoyed it  I remember Mark had some strange face expressions and I'm not sure if he enjoyed that interview as much as I..
The staff were amused by this crazy fan travelling half the country to see Mark, and invited me to do a small interview in another radio program.
Somehow I don't think this would happen today, it seems everything is more "cold" now, no room for human feelings and things like this. I had to catch my plane and didn't stay for the tv show, but had already got waaay more thanI had hoped for. Certainly a day to remember 

Great story, sounds like you had a blast.

Brian

[sabicao]

Never 'really' met him. Somewhere in the mid 90's I went to a TV show because I knew he was going to be in it. The bit he was in it was awful (the show's host did a sh1tty job interviewing him).
I waited outside for him, but didn't have the courage to approach him. As a lot of people did in fact approach him and ask for autographs, I just stood there and watched from a small distance.

I take a great pride of not disturbing celebrities when I see one (not that it happens often, anyway), that ocasion was the first time I was tempted to try some kind of interaction with one.

I'm not sure I would want to meet him, now. How am I suppose to handle meeting someone you have an irrational passion for? This guy has been with me since I was 10. He has no idea the influence he's had on me for the last 30 years. I would not know what to say to him, and I surely would not want bother him just to tell him "I love your work", bla bla bla, he must have heard that millions of times before, and I would never be able to put in words the effect his music has in my life, so why bother trying?
Also, is it of any interest to a celebrity to hear a complete stranger babling nonsense in a starstruck state?

The only way I envision myself meeting him in a way that would not be a total embarassement for me was through another person, in a "normal people" event. Example:
A few years ago my sister's stepson went to a dinner at his friend's house. 6 people total in that dinner, in a regular home, normal people. Then somebody arrives a bit late to the dinner. It was George Michael. He joined the others at the table, normal people eating, drinking, and having a good time talking.

Everytime I remember that story I imagine it hapenning to me, just with MK instead of George Michael, and me instead of my sister's stepson. Wouldn't that be something?

[Pottel]

So well written!  Also love the George Michael story, as i have a similar case happen to me, on a far smaller "famousness" level ( someone famous in belgium and Holland) and it took me quite a while to be able to not behave starstruck.  It helped that she is a great " normal" person, so I got used to it and now it is just a friend. But extrapolating that to a George Michael Mark knopfler kinda level, wow

sent from my Samsung galaxy 7edge via tapatalk

[Elin N]

That is what we all dream about, to have MK as a surprise guest! 
I think a lot of us agree with you; what to say to him, what if it isn't perfect, what if I do something wrong, what if he says no, and so on. But he did seem to be alright with signing autographs that time when you watched, didn't he? Do you regret not asking him? If the answer is yes; try the next time    If he doesn't want to be approached, he will simply walk/drive past. It all depend on the situation, and I would never interrupt him or stand in his way. My impression is that most of the times he is very ok with meeting fans, smiling and joking. I think the guys who have been there with me can confirm this.

[knopflerized]

I got lucky to meet him several times.
The very first time (2004) was probably my best opportunity because I was ALONE with him...  I was much younger and SOOOO impressed that I was speechless! He was very kind with me, I had a pic, a signature on my cd cover, and kisses ( et oui !).
The other times I met him there were more fans, so he wasn't very happy...( )
If I had to meet him again, I'd prefer the same condition as the very first time.  Like jbaent I don't want to bother him, I prefer to be transparent than to be a parasite begging for autograph... Maybe it's because I already have a couple... and also because I grew up  haha

[Throttle]

I waited outside for him, but didn't have the courage to approach him. As a lot of people did in fact approach him and ask for autographs, I just stood there and watched from a small distance...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your touching story, infused with a delicacy and warm human feelings.
Thanks for sharing it with us.