Phil Palmer book

[PensaGhost]

quoting the long lines extends the length of the thread significantly☝️

so why did you it

[Stanko]

quoting the long lines extends the length of the thread significantly☝️

so why did you it

facts are not subject to debate

[dmg]

people often says that Mark was at his peak in term of guitar playing during the OES era
I disagree

why most people think he was at his best ? because he played fast ?

I find that for example rhythm guitar parts on setting me up, single handed sailor or skateway are far more difficult technically than all guitar stuff on the OES album
I also find that the twiddy bits on sultans are easier to play than outro lick on lady writer

To me "Mark at his peak" is not intro licks on Heavy fuel live, or the TR solo played fast; neither calling Elvis
His guitar skills peak is for example the lick doubled by the sax on Portbolleo Belle in 83

during OES era, Mark was very show off, palying licks guitar-hero-like, but it was more doing the show, rather than really "guitar-skills" in my humble opinion
ending licks on Once upon a time live on Alchemy impress me far more than any solo on the OTN album, or even bootlegs from 91-92

I think that this "mark at his peak in 91-92" thing is a wrong vision imho

I think I disagree there, for me it's not so much Mark's guitar-playing peak than his creativity peak you're talking about if I get what you're saying.
I am pretty sure in 1991 he could still play every note of his first albums but having "evolved" in his musical path he was choosing different way of playing stuff.

Mark keeps repeating that playing with Chet Atkins helped him develop his guitar vocabulary. His Neck and Neck album is (for me) some kind of peak in his guitar-playing ability, his phrasing and technique and, to some extend, in his musicality.
Mark was also quoted, by the mid 80s as saying that he though he had evolved beyond merely saying "hello" in his guitar language, he could now say "Hello, how are you?" with a guitar, or something along that same humble line.

Also I have a problem when considering a musician's peak so early in his carreer especially when considering how long MK's carreer is.
Let's not confuse favourite era with best musical ability. (I am not saying that you do JF)

For me MK's guitar peak was 1996 album and tour. As varied pieces as "Don't you get it" and "Je suis désolé" (a true gem) are both stunning on a guitar level. (one has a very fast solo and the other a very subtle guitar part)
1996 tour was musicaly the most stunning for me. The musicality of Sultan's solos was second to none, his playing was neat, varied and soulful with hardly any mistakes.

I think he wrote better songs after 1996, and still today but his playing has never been as consistant (for me). Sadly I think his motorbike accident did some lasting harm.

All that said, it's only a matter of opinion. Some may rightly think he is at his peak now for numerous valid reasons, one being his experience. Alchemy era is of course wonderful too.
 
And then again creativity and musicality are very subjective topics.

quoting the long lines extends the length of the thread significantly☝️

True.

[herlock]

I tend to agree with JF.
In terms of ability, I think Mark was already at his peak in 1978, and he remained at this peak at least until 2005. There was no room for improvement, really, he was a god from start, the first DS album is perfect...
He just felt bored to play always the same way, so the style varied a lot throughout the years. But I'm pretty sure he would have had to ability to play in 1978 like in 1992, and vice-versa, had he wanted to.

I agree that the OES tour was too much of a show-off exercice. As if Mark was so bored and not into it that he wanted to compensate by playing crazy stuff. Take TR, for instance. The end solo is out of the world, granted, but that's not doing justice to the song. Too fast, too rocky, too much for what TR had to deliver. No feeling in vocals, no intro, atrocious pedal steel, cheesy sax... Hardly the best versions. Yes 1996 was so much better, more "back to basis" while still very skillful. But Alchemy has the best vocals ever, with skillful guitar at the same time. One the best TR of all times..

And 2019 was so unexpectedly good, because he knew what he could play and what he couldn't, and what he chose to play was outstandingly delivered. WAM, STP, MFN, even BIA for some of them were the best ever. Speedway was still great. And the feeling was still there - take the new ones, who else could manage to get a crowd sing "Have you got my bacon roll" ? And take Matchstick man. A minimalist song about his past, bringing us to tears. Mark's equivalent to Beatles' Yesterday - a great example of l"ess is more"...

[dustyvalentino]

Also agree with JF, the other thing I would add is that is that he was mainly playing the Pensa with distortion during this time.

Much easier to play fast with distortion. I’m much more impressed with his clean fast playing in the Alchemy era. This is his peak for me.

[Stanko]

Also agree with JF, the other thing I would add is that is that he was mainly playing the Pensa with distortion during this time.

Much easier to play fast with distortion. I’m much more impressed with his clean fast playing in the Alchemy era. This is his peak for me.

on a funny note, but yet true, the easiest to play is when there is nobody nearby to hear my notes 

[hunter]

What I meant by "peak" earlier is Mark's technical proficiency and dexterity, which means playing difficult stuff fast and fluently. (Although, that does not mean better musically.) Also, around that time he had spent much time with Chet and expanded his vocabulary quite a lot. I feel that from the 90s onwards he really lost interest in learning new things on the guitar, and basically woodshedding. Obviously he picked up stuff along the way, from Richard for instance, but not like he used to.

[Jules]

It's very curious that after the DS tour, he went to work primarily in Italy, and from time to time in the UK...

[straitsway75]

It's very curious that after the DS tour, he went to work primarily in Italy, and from time to time in the UK...

I think the main reason was the fact that he was married to a roman woman and then in the roman scene he collaborated for many years with renato zero, a very popular Italian singer 

[PensaGhost]

yes he lives in Rome and has collobarated with many italian projects, albums or soundtracks for movies