New Norwegian interview - last big tour?

[Jarle]

The Norwegian broadcaster NRK just published an interview with Mark from BG with the following opening:

Mark Knopfler says life as touring musician is nearing the end when he now releases his ninth solo album.

Sad to read, really...

And it follows: The tours are probably the part of the artist career that will "kill me". I have to decide how long I can continue with it.

https://www.nrk.no/kultur/mark-knopfler-til-nrk_-_-jeg-kjedet-meg-i-dire-straits-1.14230793

I am a bit sorry to bring you this...

[TheTimeWasWrong]

Very sad indeed but I think we all saw it coming, he's turning 70 years old next year! I'm just incredibly happy there will be a tour next year and I might attend some more gigs than previous tours due to this news.

[straitsway75]

oh Mark 

[PensaGhost]

largely expected I guess

[dmg]

Pretty sombre interview altogether really. 

[Love Expresso]

Pretty sombre interview altogether really. 

Yes indeed. And suddenly the grumpy promo pics make sense. I really wonder if there are health issues that let him make the decision to be so open about this matter.

LE

[PensaGhost]

Pretty sombre interview altogether really. 

just like the promo pics

[Jarle]

I am a bit surprised that he says it this way. I always thought that he just would continue as long as he could, and then just stop without further notice. Now it seems that he is about to make a choice...

[quizzaciously]

Judging by the quality of recent tours it's a very wise choice, for which I respect Mark even more. He's Scottish after all, take a look at Sean Connery. He lives an extremely happy life without the need to play in shitty movies. I have to say, that looking at old musicians to me is a truly devastating experience. When you know that they're trying hard, but struggle and you can see it and feel it. Take a look at Brian Wilson, this is the man who should've stop touring worldwide a decade ago. It's like a boxer who stays in the ring for too long.

Mark should take a lesson from guys like Van Morrison, who doesn't have a "world tour" and he doesn't need to play only to support albums. I'm tired about his usual schedule and would be more happy to see him in smaller venues, etc.

Paul Simon played his final show of his final farewell tour on 22 September. And so what? He will be on TV on his birthday on Oct 13!

So end of world tours is not the end of the world, if you know what I mean. Take it easy!

[Love Expresso]

Yes but it's pretty "right-in-your-face" to suddenly hear him talking this way after all those hundreds of Interviews where he told us that he loves it and he will be doing it as long as he falls over. "It" seems to be without playing live in the future after 2019 it seems. So one last Chance to get good recordings of songs that he never played before. I was not sure if I would go, but these are new perspectives of course that change it all.

LE

[boriszhukov]

I think hes just being realistic. Hes got around 120 gigs+travel ahead. Add 3 -4 years til the next album and porential tour I guess he will have to see by then if he is healty and motivated to do another huge tour. Much less can also do.

[hunter]

After so many tours, so many shows, even when the touring has become extremely well planned, a lot easier and a lot more luxurious, it becomes routine. Been there, done that, kind of thing. And it gets boring. For people like Mark, creating is key, and touring therefore becomes a duty. In and out of planes and hotels, soundchecks, the static setlists, etc. It's a job. For sure it beats working at McDonald's, but when you're successful and wealthy and can actually choose to do whatever you want, why would you do boring work? Plus the man is turning 70 and has nothing more to prove, and he honestly doesn't owe anything to the fans either.

I applaud Mark's honesty, and I think we can expect some cool projects down the line now that he can free up resources by not having to tour as extensively. One era ends, and another begins.

[quizzaciously]

After so many tours, so many shows, even when the touring has become extremely well planned, a lot easier and a lot more luxurious, it becomes routine. Been there, done that, kind of thing. And it gets boring. For people like Mark, creating is key, and touring therefore becomes a duty. In and out of planes and hotels, soundchecks, the static setlists, etc. It's a job. For sure it beats working at McDonald's, but when you're successful and wealthy and can actually choose to do whatever you want, why would you do boring work? Plus the man is turning 70 and has nothing more to prove, and he honestly doesn't owe anything to the fans either.

I applaud Mark's honesty, and I think we can expect some cool projects down the line now that he can free up resources by not having to tour as extensively. One era ends, and another begins.

Interviews and musician's words convinced me that Mark organised last 2 or 3 tours solely for a purpose of writing songs on the go, so maybe he was able to find other ways to write more songs and can't rely on touring as much

I write some music occasionally and usually I'm best at it while nobody's home or I'm out of home, so I bet Mark will travel like crazy instead of touring. You still can find him in surprising locations and restaurants all over the world, so it makes sense. Portugal, Spain, Italy... I'd be more happy to live like that rather that to be able to go touring with sound-alike shows for 3-4 times in a row. Go Mark, go!

[PensaGhost]

Yes but it's pretty "right-in-your-face" to suddenly hear him talking this way after all those hundreds of Interviews where he told us that he loves it and he will be doing it as long as he falls over. "It" seems to be without playing live in the future after 2019 it seems. So one last Chance to get good recordings of songs that he never played before. I was not sure if I would go, but these are new perspectives of course that change it all.

LE

There's nothing worse to a musician than not being able to play at all and even just not being able to play as before is very tough.
Maybe he's thinking at it and he's a bit depressed.

[hunter]

Yes but it's pretty "right-in-your-face" to suddenly hear him talking this way after all those hundreds of Interviews where he told us that he loves it and he will be doing it as long as he falls over. "It" seems to be without playing live in the future after 2019 it seems. So one last Chance to get good recordings of songs that he never played before. I was not sure if I would go, but these are new perspectives of course that change it all.

LE

There's nothing worse to a musician than not being able to play at all and even just not being able to play as before is very tough.
Maybe he's thinking at it and he's a bit depressed.

If I understand the interview correctly, he says that, because he has made songwriting his priority, he has paid less attention to his guitar playing. So his lesser ability to play may be a result of age/health and choice.