Daily Mail 'DS Legacy' - 3rd August 2021

[NicoMK]

There were personal family related problems which made it impossible for him to stay with the band during the 2005 tour. He left mid tour and was replaced by Danny Cummings. People ask for it every two years or so but we never got knowledge about what kind of problems he had. Pretty soon after that he became part of Neil Youngs touring band, obviously a chance he could not resist. Maybe travelling outside the US was a problem for him so that Neil Young was the right choice. (That's my guess only).
As usual with Mark, there was never a new try or approach between Chad and MK as Danny stayed until 2010. There was an interview with Chad not too long ago in which he spoke shortly about it.

LE

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/chad-cromwell-drummer-interview-neil-young-mark-knopfler-joe-walsh-1112767/

He talks about it here. He still doesn’t reveal the personal reasons but it seems there’s no bad blood.

Seems like he really doesn't want people to know the true reason he left, and I'm happy with that. I read it like "my reasoning was pretty stupid/insane, but Mark handled it". I mean if it was your typical family stuff he'd probably tell by now, right? The most amusing part anyway always was how Danny Cummings was able to blend in with the band in such a short time!

The timing of Chad's departure was somewhat bizarre as he left the band after the Australian shows, during a ten day break and before the start of the European tour. He was due to rejoin the band on May 3rd but it never happened. I won't complain because I had seen Danny during the 2002 shows and I knew that he would bring the band to another "rock and roll" level,  which he did brilliantly.

What must have happened during the 10 day break is that MK sent tapes of the show to Danny who rehearsed on his own at home or something like that. He already knew some of the songs that he had played during the 2002 shows and during some promo shows.

It takes real guts to take over a drummer like Chad on such a short notice, in front of 10000 people and playing with MK's band and Danny did a fantastic job and I cherished every second of it.

I've said it before but he saved the 2005 tour. It is why Mark's decision to replace him was unfair to say the least, at least to my eyes.

[Love Expresso]

I don't know if unfair is the right word. Danny was on Kill To Get Crimson and on Get Lucky and on the 2008 an 2010 tours. So he really took some profit out of it. MK owes him nothing although it was great from Danny. Shows how great and professional he is. But he knew MK already from OES times so I guess there is a bonding between them which can't be destroyed by musical decisions. Which was visible as he played on that last Whatever album.

LE

[NicoMK]

I don't know if unfair is the right word. Danny was on Kill To Get Crimson and on Get Lucky and on the 2008 an 2010 tours. So he really took some profit out of it. MK owes him nothing although it was great from Danny. Shows how great and professional he is. But he knew MK already from OES times so I guess there is a bonding between them which can't be destroyed by musical decisions. Which was visible as he played on that last Whatever album.

LE

Yes you're right, he stayed with Mark for 5 years and it was a major opportunity for him, in that way he owes Mark nothing. But what would have happened if he had said no to Mark in 2005 or if he hadn't been available?  I guess that Mark and Co would have been in some MAJOR trouble. And for five years he did a tremendous job, he was not a "B" drummer. It's why I called it unfair. They are professionals after all and things like this happen everywhere very often but it's bittersweet to me and I'm sure it's been for Danny too at least for a while, but I can't speak for him. I still think that's it's been a major loss musically speaking but I'm happy that MK and Danny are still good friends (apparently). And he's the only ex band member to have rejoin the band after having to leave it...

[Love Expresso]

It's generally interesting to know how band and management plan possible loss/failure/breakdown of band members during tours. It rarely happens but it's always possible. Do they have a list of replacement musicians, are people asked to stay at home during the tour for the case that if? It's clear that every replacement totally changes the band chemistry on and off stage, but it's better to fulfill the tour contract even with other members than to cancel I guess.

Danny was available, it was no question to me that he said yes. We can be happy that he WAS available. To me, the day they asked him led to the best creative years of MK's solo career.

LE

[Jules]

Also think that Danny is a proffesional percussionist very demanded for sessions, "being in a band" means he has to let pass a lot of jobs with other artists, maybe he wanted to be back to studio sessions and leave the touring band when he left the MK band in 2011, and when MK hired him for the DTRW record, he asked him if was available for touring, and he was...

Being a session player, say no to sessions because you are permanently in a touring band means not only that you are losing jobs, but also that other would take that jobs and there is a chance you loose future ones because someone else is taking them...

[quizzaciously]

It's generally interesting to know how band and management plan possible loss/failure/breakdown of band members during tours. It rarely happens but it's always possible. Do they have a list of replacement musicians, are people asked to stay at home during the tour for the case that if? It's clear that every replacement totally changes the band chemistry on and off stage, but it's better to fulfill the tour contract even with other members than to cancel I guess.

Danny was available, it was no question to me that he said yes. We can be happy that he WAS available. To me, the day they asked him led to the best creative years of MK's solo career.

LE

Can't talk about replacement musicians without this man: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmie_Nicol

They have spare amps, guitars, all the effects and such, no surprise they have spares for musicians. The only thing you can't replace is MK himself

[NicoMK]

It's generally interesting to know how band and management plan possible loss/failure/breakdown of band members during tours. It rarely happens but it's always possible. Do they have a list of replacement musicians, are people asked to stay at home during the tour for the case that if? It's clear that every replacement totally changes the band chemistry on and off stage, but it's better to fulfill the tour contract even with other members than to cancel I guess.

Danny was available, it was no question to me that he said yes. We can be happy that he WAS available. To me, the day they asked him led to the best creative years of MK's solo career.

LE

I'm happy we are quite a few to think this way LE 

(And of course DC had to say yes, that's an opportunity of a lifetime).

[NicoMK]

Also think that Danny is a proffesional percussionist very demanded for sessions, "being in a band" means he has to let pass a lot of jobs with other artists, maybe he wanted to be back to studio sessions and leave the touring band when he left the MK band in 2011, and when MK hired him for the DTRW record, he asked him if was available for touring, and he was...

Being a session player, say no to sessions because you are permanently in a touring band means not only that you are losing jobs, but also that other would take that jobs and there is a chance you loose future ones because someone else is taking them...

Yes but Danny also toured in 2008 with George Michael so I guess these monster musicians can handle their agenda well.

[Jules]

It's generally interesting to know how band and management plan possible loss/failure/breakdown of band members during tours. It rarely happens but it's always possible. Do they have a list of replacement musicians, are people asked to stay at home during the tour for the case that if? It's clear that every replacement totally changes the band chemistry on and off stage, but it's better to fulfill the tour contract even with other members than to cancel I guess.

Danny was available, it was no question to me that he said yes. We can be happy that he WAS available. To me, the day they asked him led to the best creative years of MK's solo career.

LE

I guess that they might have a list of names, or they just use contacts for that. I still remember when McGoldrick or McCusker wasn't available for the GL tour in North America and was quickly replaced by Tim O'Brien, who was known by both the Macs because of The Transatlantic Sessions programs and concerts...

Danny Cummings wasn't available when he jumped into MK's band in 2005, he was touring with George Michael , and left that tour to join MK's one, or at least that's what Phil Palmer wrote in his book, as Phil was also touring with George Michael at the same time than Danny. Or maybe Danny just accepted temporaly in a gap during the George Michael tour, and when was asked by MK to remain as the drummer for the rest of the tour, he left the George Michael one...

[Jules]

Also think that Danny is a proffesional percussionist very demanded for sessions, "being in a band" means he has to let pass a lot of jobs with other artists, maybe he wanted to be back to studio sessions and leave the touring band when he left the MK band in 2011, and when MK hired him for the DTRW record, he asked him if was available for touring, and he was...

Being a session player, say no to sessions because you are permanently in a touring band means not only that you are losing jobs, but also that other would take that jobs and there is a chance you loose future ones because someone else is taking them...

Yes but Danny also toured in 2008 with George Michael so I guess these monster musicians can handle their agenda well.

We don't know his agenda, but my guess is that while touring with MK he had to say no to multiple sessions and, being MK the number one, that would had made him have second thoughts...

[Love Expresso]

That's news to me and would sound unfair, to use the word again, against George Michael from my point of view because George then had the same problem as Mark? Do we know more about it? Who replaced Danny in George Michael's band?

LE

[Love Expresso]

Okay a quick internet search shows no George Michael tour in 2005 but only some Live 8 gigs. So it seems there was not such a big problem to George and Phil was not very reliable.

LE

[Jules]

Okay a quick internet search shows no George Michael tour in 2005 but only some Live 8 gigs. So it seems there was not such a big problem to George and Phil was not very reliable.

LE

Don't have the book right now to check, I see George Michael had a 2006-2008 tour, so maybe Danny was to be in that tour but had to say no in order to be with MK, and that's what Palmer doesn't remember correctly? Dunno, but it's written in his book that Danny left the George Michael band for a tour to be with MK...

[NicoMK]

George Michael was as important in Danny's life as MK is and Danny is a true gentleman so I can't see him leaving GM's band in a middle of a tour, even to be Mark's drummer. Plus it would have left GM in the same situation as Mark so... no.

I haven't read Phil's book and I don't know the man but are some informations re. Mark and Co really reliable??

[Jules]

George Michael was as important in Danny's life as MK is and Danny is a true gentleman so I can't see him leaving GM's band in a middle of a tour, even to be Mark's drummer. Plus it would have left GM in the same situation as Mark so... no.

I haven't read Phil's book and I don't know the man but are some informations re. Mark and Co really reliable??

I'm sure that John Illsley's book is not going to be reliable either... musicians that had recorded and played so much tend to mix certain things of their career...