SPOILERS: John Illsley will publish a book about Dire Straits

[quizzaciously]

Aren’t you describing things that happened 30 to 40 years ago? Hasn’t the personell group been quite stable since then?

It's stable because it involves very loyal people! I will always remember a quote from Guy, that he and Mark never had a single argument in their whole career. This is something I don't understand, but OK. To me, discussion mater veritas est (thought thrives on conflict).

[MagicElliott]

It’s clear that Mark doesn’t like fame and it’s also clear that he is humble and self-deprecating.

I do wonder, however, if his attempt to be completely humble and self deprecating doesn’t come across well. Was it out of attempted humility that he didn’t go to the Hall of Fame induction? If so, it came across badly in my opinion. I doubt anyone though MORE highly of MK because of this than they did before.

The other thing that comes to mind is the well known interview when he describes hearing Telegraph Road in a bar and how much he hated it. If that’s completely true, why did he perform it still for so long. If he thinks it’s such a bad recording and everything, he should have dropped it years ago surely? Maybe a cover of Rave On (mentioned as being more preferable in that interview) would not have covered the “TR hole” in the show but if he REALLY dislikes TR as much as he claimed then why did he play it for so long?

[quizzaciously]

It’s clear that Mark doesn’t like fame and it’s also clear that he is humble and self-deprecating.

I do wonder, however, if his attempt to be completely humble and self deprecating doesn’t come across well. Was it out of attempted humility that he didn’t go to the Hall of Fame induction? If so, it came across badly in my opinion. I doubt anyone though MORE highly of MK because of this than they did before.

The other thing that comes to mind is the well known interview when he describes hearing Telegraph Road in a bar and how much he hated it. If that’s completely true, why did he perform it still for so long. If he thinks it’s such a bad recording and everything, he should have dropped it years ago surely? Maybe a cover of Rave On (mentioned as being more preferable in that interview) would not have covered the “TR hole” in the show but if he REALLY dislikes TR as much as he claimed then why did he play it for so long?

1. The official reason of Mark missing Hall Of Fame, if I remember correctly, was that they would say what Mark should do there and he won't stand when somebody tells him what to do. I'm pretty sure by that they would mean that Hall Of Fame wanted basically a Dire Straits reunion. Haha! This fact alone shows how stupid they are. They should've done the research and find out that Mark will do a Dire Straits reunion only through his dead body! If he'd just was invited and not forced to do anything, chances are he would collect the award.

 2. Mark never hated Telegraph Road, he just hated the overproduction of the album version. Because they worked so hard on it, and in the end, it loses in feeling live to "Rave On", which was recorded with a couple of microphones in a couple of minutes, completely live. He was complaining that overproduced studio recording can potentially be so overproduced, that it loses life, not that he's not a fan of the song.

[superval99]

Aren’t you describing things that happened 30 to 40 years ago? Hasn’t the personell group been quite stable since then?

It's stable because it involves very loyal people! I will always remember a quote from Guy, that he and Mark never had a single argument in their whole career. This is something I don't understand, but OK. To me, discussion mater veritas est (thought thrives on conflict).

It always amuses me when people say things like "50 years married and never a cross word"!    That says to me that one of them is "under the thumb" - afraid to give their own opinion.

[superval99]

It’s clear that Mark doesn’t like fame and it’s also clear that he is humble and self-deprecating.

I do wonder, however, if his attempt to be completely humble and self deprecating doesn’t come across well. Was it out of attempted humility that he didn’t go to the Hall of Fame induction? If so, it came across badly in my opinion. I doubt anyone though MORE highly of MK because of this than they did before.

The other thing that comes to mind is the well known interview when he describes hearing Telegraph Road in a bar and how much he hated it. If that’s completely true, why did he perform it still for so long. If he thinks it’s such a bad recording and everything, he should have dropped it years ago surely? Maybe a cover of Rave On (mentioned as being more preferable in that interview) would not have covered the “TR hole” in the show but if he REALLY dislikes TR as much as he claimed then why did he play it for so long?

1. The official reason of Mark missing Hall Of Fame, if I remember correctly, was that they would say what Mark should do there and he won't stand when somebody tells him what to do. I'm pretty sure by that they would mean that Hall Of Fame wanted basically a Dire Straits reunion. Haha! This fact alone shows how stupid they are. They should've done the research and find out that Mark will do a Dire Straits reunion only through his dead body! If he'd just was invited and not forced to do anything, chances are he would collect the award.

 2. Mark never hated Telegraph Road, he just hated the overproduction of the album version. Because they worked so hard on it, and in the end, it loses in feeling live to "Rave On", which was recorded with a couple of microphones in a couple of minutes, completely live. He was complaining that overproduced studio recording can potentially be so overproduced, that it loses life, not that he's not a fan of the song.

I haven't listened to the album version of TR for years, it is too over-produced for my taste.  I much prefer the live ones, even if there are some greenies.   

[Mossguitar]

Aren’t you describing things that happened 30 to 40 years ago? Hasn’t the personell group been quite stable since then?

It's stable because it involves very loyal people! I will always remember a quote from Guy, that he and Mark never had a single argument in their whole career. This is something I don't understand, but OK. To me, discussion mater veritas est (thought thrives on conflict).

Or because they all are economically and artistically independent of MK and have their own lives, carreers, tallents and dreams. (I agree with you on the Guy quote. Hard to understand.)

[PensaGhost]

Aren’t you describing things that happened 30 to 40 years ago? Hasn’t the personell group been quite stable since then?

It's stable because it involves very loyal people! I will always remember a quote from Guy, that he and Mark never had a single argument in their whole career. This is something I don't understand, but OK. To me, discussion mater veritas est (thought thrives on conflict).

Or because they all are economically and artistically independent of MK and have their own lives, carreers, tallents and dreams. (I agree with you on the Guy quote. Hard to understand.)

not a single argument after 35 years is impossible unless you are a yes man

[dmg]

Aren’t you describing things that happened 30 to 40 years ago? Hasn’t the personell group been quite stable since then?

It's stable because it involves very loyal people! I will always remember a quote from Guy, that he and Mark never had a single argument in their whole career. This is something I don't understand, but OK. To me, discussion mater veritas est (thought thrives on conflict).

Or because they all are economically and artistically independent of MK and have their own lives, carreers, tallents and dreams. (I agree with you on the Guy quote. Hard to understand.)

not a single argument after 35 years is impossible unless you are a yes man

Exactly, and Mark surrounds himself with them, even down to his manager.  This surely to the detriment of creativity, but it's his choice.

[hunter]

You don't bite the hand that feeds you.


I'm pretty sure Guy is on retainer or is a full-time employee.

[ds1984]

Mark is almost a normal man.

When you are the boss and assume to be one you may choose to have total control over YOUR choices.

This is why at some point when Mark decided that DS was OVER, ED did not survive the solo career longer than the first two albums...

Mark is the man who write the stuff and decide what input he is giving or not to others musician.

And Guy 99 % of the time is an employee that doesn't feel the need to tell the world he has different opinion than his boss when it happens.

We can also assume that Mark evolved, that his goals when he started DS, once they have been reached changed over the time.

None of us really know who is Mark apart he is an artist (and not your best pal).

[Robson]

I think the same. Thanks for this post ds1984:)

[Stanko]

skint in a material world. You have got to have no credit cards to know how good it feels

[KnopfleRick]

Mark is almost a normal man.

When you are the boss and assume to be one you may choose to have total control over YOUR choices.

This is why at some point when Mark decided that DS was OVER, ED did not survive the solo career longer than the first two albums...

Mark is the man who write the stuff and decide what input he is giving or not to others musician.

And Guy 99 % of the time is an employee that doesn't feel the need to tell the world he has different opinion than his boss when it happens.

We can also assume that Mark evolved, that his goals when he started DS, once they have been reached changed over the time.

None of us really know who is Mark apart he is an artist (and not your best pal).

I totally agreed with you. Great post! 

[Stanko]

[dmg]

As far as I'm concerned Ed was the one who cared about us the fans and the albums released under him contained plenty of what I would call Mark's trademarks.  Labelled "The voice and guitar of Dire Straits" they appealed to his army of loyal fans for obvious reasons.

When Ed departed and "yes man" PC came in we were met with a new brand of music that Mark wanted but with no regard to his loyal fans and perhaps even some great guitar-driven songs left out.

When it comes to touring just about every artist pleases their fans by playing favourite songs because they've been milestones in their lives.  Not our Mark!  He plays obscure ones from recent works leaving out his signature songs.

Now before Robson has a fit and Stanko finds a quote [only joking guys] ask yourself would any other artist do this and really get away with it unless they surrounded themselves with yes men?  That's why Ed bit the dust and sadly, for us he was one of the best things that ever happened to Mark.