Jack Sonni audio interview

[Banjo99uk]

I wonder if Jack hadn’t turned down Mandela would he have made it to OES? I doubt it myself.

[hunter]

I wonder if Jack hadn’t turned down Mandela would he have made it to OES? I doubt it myself.

I don't see why not. Provided he and Mark had stayed in touch. Phil Palmer is a much better guitarist, but his parts during the OES tour were fairly simple and nothing that Jack wouldn't be able to do. Phil having the charisma of a cruise ship waiter, I wish Jack had been part of that tour to provide some life on the stage.

[Pierre]

If you think really hard about it, Jack might have turned down Mark's offer. It may sound insane, but as we all know Vince Gill did it and kept his cool

Maybe Vince Gill knew how the story would end and chose to say no.
It's really hard to know who MK really is but I have the feeling he is not really a nice guy in the sense that if you want to last in this line of work you have to be tough.
- Fire those you don't want to work with anymore without a call... check
- Almost forget you ever had a little brother and basically ruin his dream of stardom      check
- Split a band because you're not in the mood anymore      check
- "start over" as successfully as before unhindered by any of your past decisions     check
- never pay attention to what your fan base would love you to do    check over time
- Play what you like only
- write a song or 2 to demolish your old pals because they are using something you chose to forget about

Manu Katché, a famous french jazz drummer, who played on the original Heavy fuel and Planet of New Orleans recordings, published a book about his career. What he has to say about MK is also revealing and reminiscent of the way MK treated Jack Sonni.
Katché said that he was hired to redo some of the drumming in the record. He talks about endless repetitions of the song until suddenly MK in the mixing room starts jumping around and clapping because apparently Katché had done something good. The thing is, Katché adds, MK hadn’t talked to him all day not even to say hi. So he didn’t know what he, MK, wanted. Next thing you know MK was taking him for a drink and asking him to join him for the On every street tour which Katché turned down not wanting to work for someone like that he says.
For those of you fluent in French, it’s here at the 9th minutes mark. The guy is in a talk show, promoting a book about the famous musicians he worked with.

[quizzaciously]

If you think really hard about it, Jack might have turned down Mark's offer. It may sound insane, but as we all know Vince Gill did it and kept his cool

Maybe Vince Gill knew how the story would end and chose to say no.
It's really hard to know who MK really is but I have the feeling he is not really a nice guy in the sense that if you want to last in this line of work you have to be tough.
- Fire those you don't want to work with anymore without a call... check
- Almost forget you ever had a little brother and basically ruin his dream of stardom      check
- Split a band because you're not in the mood anymore      check
- "start over" as successfully as before unhindered by any of your past decisions     check
- never pay attention to what your fan base would love you to do    check over time
- Play what you like only
- write a song or 2 to demolish your old pals because they are using something you chose to forget about

Manu Katché, a famous french jazz drummer, who played on the original Heavy fuel and Planet of New Orleans recordings, published a book about his career. What he has to say about MK is also revealing and reminiscent of the way MK treated Jack Sonni.
Katché said that he was hired to redo some of the drumming in the record. He talks about endless repetitions of the song until suddenly MK in the mixing room starts jumping around and clapping because apparently Katché had done something good. The thing is, Katché adds, MK hadn’t talked to him all day not even to say hi. So he didn’t know what he, MK, wanted. Next thing you know MK was taking him for a drink and asking him to join him for the On every street tour which Katché turned down not wanting to work for someone like that he says.
For those of you fluent in French, it’s here at the 9th minutes mark. The guy is in a talk show, promoting a book about the famous musicians he worked with.

I absolutely agree, young Mark seems to me the man with a character so tough so as strong his songwriting talent, I mean VERY strong. Of course, now he's a kind and old (grand?)dad, but we're all different when we're young. You don't need to work with him to know that he was tough, especially baked by evidence, stories, constant lineup changes, etc. However, with that said, John Illsley and few people like that, who've stayed until the end (or more like until now) are also telling us something.

It means that if you're really loyal, smart and skilful, Mark will "spare your life", but if you're dumb, overly ambitious or not interested, you got to go. In that sense, Mark is a very rational human being. Remember, Mark is the same guy who can write an awful song (in terms of its message) about his ex-band members, but at the same time plays with Danny Cummings, who also plays with all these people. So it goes to show that Mark just very cautious when it comes to people from his circle.

[hunter]

It would be really interesting to have a skilled psychologist do an analysis of all the interviews with Mark plus stories and anecdotes from other people.

[dmg]

Great interview.  Pity he had to come back from Oz. 

Thanks Hunter.

[KnopfleRick]

Great interview!
Thanks for sharing. 

Yes. I really want an autobiography book from Mark, because all the stories are absolutely insane from every conceivable standpoint. Travelling 1st class with a separate seat for the masters I can get it (that's MASTERS after all), but commercial flights on the tour itself — that was some shocking information. So Mark travelling by tube to his show in London is something that he did at the highest peak you can imagine (emotionally speaking), truly mindblowing. As Jack said, you'd never even imagine it, because you think that a group like this, in the 80s, playing stadiums and stuff, would tour in a private jet exclusively.

There are soooo many rumors cruising this planet about Mark Knopfler. I don`t care. The man himself only knows the reasons for the decisions he had made in the past.
There is no better storyteller than Mark Knopfler, so I am hoping sometime he will sit down - alone or with wife Kitty - to write down his memoirs. For his kids, his grandkids, his fans or at least to please himself.

[relaxcoustic]

If you think really hard about it, Jack might have turned down Mark's offer. It may sound insane, but as we all know Vince Gill did it and kept his cool

Maybe Vince Gill knew how the story would end and chose to say no.
It's really hard to know who MK really is but I have the feeling he is not really a nice guy in the sense that if you want to last in this line of work you have to be tough.
- Fire those you don't want to work with anymore without a call... check
- Almost forget you ever had a little brother and basically ruin his dream of stardom      check
- Split a band because you're not in the mood anymore      check
- "start over" as successfully as before unhindered by any of your past decisions     check
- never pay attention to what your fan base would love you to do    check over time
- Play what you like only
- write a song or 2 to demolish your old pals because they are using something you chose to forget about

Manu Katché, a famous french jazz drummer, who played on the original Heavy fuel and Planet of New Orleans recordings, published a book about his career. What he has to say about MK is also revealing and reminiscent of the way MK treated Jack Sonni.
Katché said that he was hired to redo some of the drumming in the record. He talks about endless repetitions of the song until suddenly MK in the mixing room starts jumping around and clapping because apparently Katché had done something good. The thing is, Katché adds, MK hadn’t talked to him all day not even to say hi. So he didn’t know what he, MK, wanted. Next thing you know MK was taking him for a drink and asking him to join him for the On every street tour which Katché turned down not wanting to work for someone like that he says.
For those of you fluent in French, it’s here at the 9th minutes mark. The guy is in a talk show, promoting a book about the famous musicians he worked with.

I absolutely agree, young Mark seems to me the man with a character so tough so as strong his songwriting talent, I mean VERY strong. Of course, now he's a kind and old (grand?)dad, but we're all different when we're young. You don't need to work with him to know that he was tough, especially baked by evidence, stories, constant lineup changes, etc. However, with that said, John Illsley and few people like that, who've stayed until the end (or more like until now) are also telling us something.

It means that if you're really loyal, smart and skilful, Mark will "spare your life", but if you're dumb, overly ambitious or not interested, you got to go. In that sense, Mark is a very rational human being. Remember, Mark is the same guy who can write an awful song (in terms of its message) about his ex-band members, but at the same time plays with Danny Cummings, who also plays with all these people. So it goes to show that Mark just very cautious when it comes to people from his circle.

Hey Pavel, which song are you referring to?

[hunter]

Hey Pavel, which song are you referring to?

"Terminal of Tribute to".

[quizzaciously]

Hey Pavel, which song are you referring to?

"Terminal of Tribute to".

That, of course, is the Terminal Of Tribute To. From the moment I saw the title I thought — what a strange title. But when you hear the lyrics, and oh my...
Good that Mark reused pretty much the same idea and released it on his newest album (Back On The Dance Floor), instead of putting it as a bonus track.

[relaxcoustic]

Hey Pavel, which song are you referring to?

"Terminal of Tribute to".

That, of course, is the Terminal Of Tribute To. From the moment I saw the title I thought — what a strange title. But when you hear the lyrics, and oh my...
Good that Mark reused pretty much the same idea and released it on his newest album (Back On The Dance Floor), instead of putting it as a bonus track.

Ah now it makes sense. Yea the song never kind of clicked on me, and just now I saw the lyrics, and all holy hell it’s probably the most “negative” song by Mark I know. Guess I’ll keep skipping it

[Fletch]

It's really hard to know who MK really is but I have the feeling he is not really a nice guy in the sense that if you want to last in this line of work you have to be tough.
- Fire those you don't want to work with anymore without a call... check
- Almost forget you ever had a little brother and basically ruin his dream of stardom      check
- Split a band because you're not in the mood anymore      check
- "start over" as successfully as before unhindered by any of your past decisions     check
- never pay attention to what your fan base would love you to do    check over time
- Play what you like only

While a blunt reading of these attributes is negative, the psychology of stubbornly following your own guiding star seems to serve artistic genius well in terms of the art that is produced. Thinking of Bob Dylan's career also.
A 'nice' guy may have tried to follow 80's trends, deliberately write hit singles to please fans etc etc.

[Eddie Fox]

Funny because in my opinion Mark’s  a very easy man to read. He’s controlling and knows what he’s doing. If you go along with that and do your job you’re good - and of course you have to deliver. Regarding Jack let’s not forget Mark toured with Clapton, recorded with Atkins and interacted with several top guitar players after the BIA tour an before OES was a thing. At some point in between he realised he wanted someone like Vince Gill or Phil Palmer to be next to him, a more professional approach if you will. The real problem here is not even calling Jack but we only know one side of the story so I won’t judge.