Chris Whitten interview

[the visitor]

I found this interview with Chris Whitten where he talks about how he got the gig with Dire Straits and quite candidly about his experience. Sounds like he never really wanted to do the gig and got pushed into it by his manager .. and didn't even like Dire Straits songs. And guess what.. you can tell on the recordings from that tour.

I never understood why they didn't use Terry, he clearly loved the music and played with passion. The interview also confirms what we thought about Mark and drummers....


Listen to Who the hell is Chris Whitten? by Darko.Audio podcast on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/9ZxSu

[kaleo74]

Manu Katché said the same thing about Mark during the recording of OES, that he was difficult to work with and that he was so perfectionist that it was exhausting.

I remember reading somewhere an interview with Mark where he said that he would advise anyone who wanted to get involved in this kind of industry to have a great drummer.

I think working with Mark is like working for Ferrari or Bentley, every little detail is important and that's what makes the final product just perfect.

[KnopfleRick]

Manu Katché said the same thing about Mark during the recording of OES, that he was difficult to work with and that he was so perfectionist that it was exhausting.

I remember reading somewhere an interview with Mark where he said that he would advise anyone who wanted to get involved in this kind of industry to have a great drummer.

I think working with Mark is like working for Ferrari or Bentley, every little detail is important and that's what makes the final product just perfect.

I totally agree with you.
Even the smallest detail can change something average into something extraordinary.
And Mark Knopfler is a master of details. This is what makes his work so special.

Thanks for the interview!

[Jules]

I found this interview with Chris Whitten where he talks about how he got the gig with Dire Straits and quite candidly about his experience. Sounds like he never really wanted to do the gig and got pushed into it by his manager .. and didn't even like Dire Straits songs. And guess what.. you can tell on the recordings from that tour.

I never understood why they didn't use Terry, he clearly loved the music and played with passion. The interview also confirms what we thought about Mark and drummers....


Listen to Who the hell is Chris Whitten? by Darko.Audio podcast on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/9ZxSu

wow, almost two hours of interview...

I found he talks about DS between minute 39.54 and 47.50 more or less, I don't know if he talks again about DS.

[herlock]

Funny that he says the same thing than Pick in his interviews: the sound was too loud, and he couldn't stand it. He talks about the PA system he had to be able to hear his drums when all guitars were roaring, and that he ended almost deaf. Pretty similar that what Picks said about the OL tour. And this was less loud than the OES tour...
Sad that he didn't like DS and confirms that Mark was an ogre.
He said he became a zombie. And we know that even Mark couldn't stand it either in the end. DS had become a monster and had to die.
Paradox of this tour, extreme technicity, world-class musicianship...but little soul.

[quizzaciously]

[koobaa]

That's pretty awesome playing for somebody who actually doesn't like the music!

[quizzaciously]

That's pretty awesome playing for somebody who actually doesn't like the music!

Obviously, he hates it because he's recording videos like this after all these years

I might be biased because I listened to On The Night for days when I was 15 and later on, but I always loved the drumming of this guy. So many times I even played air drums along with him! Certainly, I can't understand how the fact that "he doesn't like the music" can affect the sound of the song. He may not love the song, but damn, he loves what he's doing.

[koobaa]

I am no drummer but if I didn't like the music I could not play it with such engagement. Come on Chris, admit it - you love it!

[PensaGhost]

same grimaces after 30 years, he liked my youtube comment 

[Jules]

I am no drummer but if I didn't like the music I could not play it with such engagement. Come on Chris, admit it - you love it!

When play drums is your work and you got a call from a big name you don't like, you should say yes unless you have something better. Usually play for a big name brings you more work as it adds prestige to you as a proffesional drummer.

Same goes with any other proffesional player of whatever instrument.

[PensaGhost]

Chris Whitten commenting the video:

"Yeah, same grimace"

"I liked OES because of Jeff and Manu. Jeff's playing was the main reason I agreed to do the long tour. "

"I was lucky that Danny was so good. He was fun to play with. Robert Collins mixed the out front sound and by all reports he did an amazing job!"

[NicoMK]

Chris Whitten commenting the video:

"Yeah, same grimace"

"I liked OES because of Jeff and Manu. Jeff's playing was the main reason I agreed to do the long tour. "

"I was lucky that Danny was so good. He was fun to play with. Robert Collins mixed the out front sound and by all reports he did an amazing job!"

Great!

That's a nice video that he did. I've always wondered, once a musician knows a song, plays it a million times, does he know it for life or does he have to rehearse after some time off? For example, did Chris rehearse the song prior doing this video? Dunno -- will ask him then 

[PensaGhost]

Chris Whitten commenting the video:

"Yeah, same grimace"

"I liked OES because of Jeff and Manu. Jeff's playing was the main reason I agreed to do the long tour. "

"I was lucky that Danny was so good. He was fun to play with. Robert Collins mixed the out front sound and by all reports he did an amazing job!"

Great!

That's a nice video that he did. I've always wondered, once a musician knows a song, plays it a million times, does he know it for life or does he have to rehearse after some time off? For example, did Chris rehearse the song prior doing this video? Dunno -- will ask him then 

know for life

[quizzaciously]

Chris Whitten commenting the video:

"Yeah, same grimace"

"I liked OES because of Jeff and Manu. Jeff's playing was the main reason I agreed to do the long tour. "

"I was lucky that Danny was so good. He was fun to play with. Robert Collins mixed the out front sound and by all reports he did an amazing job!"

Great!

That's a nice video that he did. I've always wondered, once a musician knows a song, plays it a million times, does he know it for life or does he have to rehearse after some time off? For example, did Chris rehearse the song prior doing this video? Dunno -- will ask him then 

know for life

It depends solely on the difficulty level. If it's terribly complicated, no way any human being would remember anything after 30 years. However, if that something rather simple, that you can recollect fast in real-time, of course, that's with you forever. I think the basic grooves and ideas Chris could easily remember by heart. Because, as he said, a lot of it is just The Rosanna shuffle and some hi-hat grooves.