3 Chord Trick (Legacy)

[Jules]

He’s kinda vague about the process but he basically says he came up with the idea and would really like to get Sting to sing in it. But as I said before, it’s a process. Mark has the ideas, shows them to the band, gives some directions and voila. At least that’s what happens in general according to the man himself.

The process about how a song starts with just MK voice and guitar and ends with a song full of instruments is so interesting, at least to me... A mystery how every part is created and from where it comes...

[Eddie Fox]

He’s kinda vague about the process but he basically says he came up with the idea and would really like to get Sting to sing in it. But as I said before, it’s a process. Mark has the ideas, shows them to the band, gives some directions and voila. At least that’s what happens in general according to the man himself.

The process about how a song starts with just MK voice and guitar and ends with a song full of instruments is so interesting, at least to me... A mystery how every part is created and from where it comes...

I think it all comes down to song is king. For example, let's say that Mark plays a song to the band for the very first time and tells Ian what he wants the drums to be like. Ian plays what Mark asked but then says "boss, I have an idea". They go through the song again but now Ian plays something different from what Mark had asked. It sounds way better to everyone, including Mark. So, what happens now? It's pretty simple: Mark won't say no if he likes it better. How could he? Last word being Mark's doesn't necessarily mean only his ideas make the final cut. What's the point in having such outstanding musicians at your disposal if they are there just to execute what you tell them to? Of course you count on them to bring something into your songs. This whole idea that Mark wrote every bit of TR is surreal to me because of that. 

[Love Expresso]

I agree. Mark said somewhere that the "Take Five" intro style and therefore the complete drumming on LAJADAS was an idea of Ianto.  Also the shanty-like background singing on the same song came from the band because "they were just there." He once said about Donegan's Gone that he planned it as a three-piece but Jim just came up with these little organ sounds. He promoted You Don't Know You Are Born on the radio with praising the drive and knowledge of Chad Cromwell's drumming that made the playing-out what it was. He explained that Rudiger found it's music more than 20 years later because of he 96ers.  I am pretty sure Richard's jazzy chords knowledge was a big part of this influence, and just the possibility to have an up right bass Player with Glen Worf made many things come alive the way we know it.  Guy once said he played bass on one of te KTGC tracks but when Glen Worf arrived he showed him how to do it properly. Sounds not like Mark gives many detailed instructions to a veteran studio Musician like Glen...

All small hints about the way they work if you are able to read between the lines and have some imagination from my point of view.

LE

[Love Expresso]

If you write a novel and it's a success and you have it released in 15 or 20 other countries, it means 15 or 20 translators have done their work and let the novel go through their brains before the release. They are mentioned for their work, they get paid for it, they might contribute, they even might make the book better with their translation when they are gifted skilled and motivated,  but the author is still the author. If a translator doesn't agree with these rules, he should stop translating and write his own novels.

LE

[Eddie Fox]

I agree. Mark said somewhere that the "Take Five" intro style and therefore the complete drumming on LAJADAS was an idea of Ianto.  Also the shanty-like background singing on the same song came from the band because "they were just there." He once said about Donegan's Gone that he planned it as a three-piece but Jim just came up with these little organ sounds. He promoted You Don't Know You Are Born on the radio with praising the drive and knowledge of Chad Cromwell's drumming that made the playing-out what it was. He explained that Rudiger found it's music more than 20 years later because of he 96ers.  I am pretty sure Richard's jazzy chords knowledge was a big part of this influence, and just the possibility to have an up right bass Player with Glen Worf made many things come alive the way we know it.  Guy once said he played bass on one of te KTGC tracks but when Glen Worf arrived he showed him how to do it properly. Sounds not like Mark gives many detailed instructions to a veteran studio Musician like Glen...

All small hints about the way they work if you are able to read between the lines and have some imagination from my point of view.

LE

I couldn’t have illustrated it better. Very good examples, LE.

[ds1984]

Musician are not always credited, sometime settlement outside of court and public scope are made. Sting was offered the choice and (wisely) decided to be credited.

We have example of what used to be considered as only a contribution, sometimes compensated by session fee, are now ruled as legitimate claim for credit and to name a few : Claire Torry, Matthew Fisher, or Bobby Valentino.

[Jules]

Alan has said something in Facebook that fits with this thread...

[dmg]

Alan has said something in Facebook that fits with this thread...

Think he needs to recharge his batteries - he's getting brain fade! 

[quizzaciously]

I agree. Mark said somewhere that the "Take Five" intro style and therefore the complete drumming on LAJADAS was an idea of Ianto.  Also the shanty-like background singing on the same song came from the band because "they were just there." He once said about Donegan's Gone that he planned it as a three-piece but Jim just came up with these little organ sounds. He promoted You Don't Know You Are Born on the radio with praising the drive and knowledge of Chad Cromwell's drumming that made the playing-out what it was. He explained that Rudiger found it's music more than 20 years later because of he 96ers.  I am pretty sure Richard's jazzy chords knowledge was a big part of this influence, and just the possibility to have an up right bass Player with Glen Worf made many things come alive the way we know it.  Guy once said he played bass on one of te KTGC tracks but when Glen Worf arrived he showed him how to do it properly. Sounds not like Mark gives many detailed instructions to a veteran studio Musician like Glen...

Not only being a session musician for Mark is a job, it's a huge opportunity for your career. How many musicians associates with MK only? You open up Wikipedia article about Jack Sonni and what it says literally is: Jack Sonni is a writer, musician and former marketing executive best known as "the other guitarist" in Dire Straits during the band's Brothers in Arms era. "The other guitarist", get it? I think it was an equal exchange between Alan and Mark. MK got his music arranged, Alan got HUGE boost marketing-wise. It's fair play!

[Stanko]

down to the main it's all about love over gold! simple is that!

[JF]

I'm positively sure Mark wrote the Walk of Life intro/riff, he's said it himself a couple of times in interviews.

It's tricky territory. When I think of Layla for instance the very first thing that pops up is the guitar riff - but Clapton didn't write that, Duane Allman did. For some reason I don't understand Allman was never credited for that...

Duane took the melody line in the old blues "as the years go passing by", and played it faster to get the riff. Maybe it's why he wasn't credited.

Gordon is credited for the piano outro, but Withlock claimed later that it was him who composed this part.I read it in an interview. Who says the truth, we will never know

[JF]

This whole idea that Mark wrote every bit of TR is surreal to me because of that.

fully agree. Even if Mark can play keyboard, it's obvious that many parts/bits/lines (call it what you want) were "composed" by Alan, but it was emulation between him and Mark during soundchecks, and I bet that each one gave ideas to the other.

[JF]

I agree. Mark said somewhere that the "Take Five" intro style and therefore the complete drumming on LAJADAS was an idea of Ianto.  Also the shanty-like background singing on the same song came from the band because "they were just there." He once said about Donegan's Gone that he planned it as a three-piece but Jim just came up with these little organ sounds. He promoted You Don't Know You Are Born on the radio with praising the drive and knowledge of Chad Cromwell's drumming that made the playing-out what it was. He explained that Rudiger found it's music more than 20 years later because of he 96ers.  I am pretty sure Richard's jazzy chords knowledge was a big part of this influence, and just the possibility to have an up right bass Player with Glen Worf made many things come alive the way we know it.  Guy once said he played bass on one of te KTGC tracks but when Glen Worf arrived he showed him how to do it properly. Sounds not like Mark gives many detailed instructions to a veteran studio Musician like Glen...

All small hints about the way they work if you are able to read between the lines and have some imagination from my point of view.

LE

I couldn’t have illustrated it better. Very good examples, LE.

yes 100% agree 

[JF]

Musician are not always credited, sometime settlement outside of court and public scope are made. Sting was offered the choice and (wisely) decided to be credited.

We have example of what used to be considered as only a contribution, sometimes compensated by session fee, are now ruled as legitimate claim for credit and to name a few : Claire Torry, Matthew Fisher, or Bobby Valentino.

yes indeed, Clare Torry for great gig is the best example in rock history. I read somewhere that she will now be credited on further releases. I don't have a "new" Dark side release. Can someone confirm ?

[JF]

I also read that now Yoko Ono will be credited for co-writing "Imagine".....
indeed where is the line ?