Dire Straits Legacy?

[Eddie Fox]

Don’t wanna sound to harsh on him but if we don’t know what was Alan’s peak we sure know his valley is now…

[Jules]

Alan is currently working a lot as a studio musician with Trevor Horn, so he is not in his peak but still very busy in his profession and from time to time playing with DSL in which he is, don't forget about it, Marco Caviglia's band and all the rest are paid musicians doing their job, which is playing music.

So it is still work, not in any valley but following the stream, or his "walk of life",lol.

[dustyvalentino]

Don’t wanna sound to harsh on him but if we don’t know what was Alan’s peak we sure know his valley is now…

Lols. As jbaent says, he's doing OK for a 70-odd year old musician. As Alan himself says, he's never worked a day in his life in a "real job" - that's the way you do it!

The strange thing for me is that he kind of went under the radar in the 90s, you would think with a CV that read Clapton's musical director/arranger for Dire Straits he would have had some big gigs at that time.

[quizzaciously]

Don’t wanna sound to harsh on him but if we don’t know what was Alan’s peak we sure know his valley is now…

Lols. As jbaent says, he's doing OK for a 70-odd year old musician. As Alan himself says, he's never worked a day in his life in a "real job" - that's the way you do it!

The strange thing for me is that he kind of went under the radar in the 90s, you would think with a CV that read Clapton's musical director/arranger for Dire Straits he would have had some big gigs at that time.

I guess, not every musician is suitable for everything. If Mark Knopfler is great at playing the guitar, it doesn't automatically mean he would be a great studio musician, which he told a million times in interviews himself. It's a completely different skill set, mindset, and everything else set. A studio musician is somebody who works ALL THE TIME, like Hal Blaine.

As for never working a day on a real job — that's utter bullshit, sorry. Only people with psychological traumas and complexes could say that. Same as in Russia, it's considered bad to "work for a dude", as opposed to working on your own business, and you can often find businessmen in Russia who say they never even think about working for somebody.

If you never worked on a real job, then you don't know what life is, as simple as that. Go work on a farm, work as a paperboy, dig graves, go to the office from 8 to 6, and move furniture and audio equipment. I've had a fair share of bad and "real" jobs in my life, and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything.

[Jules]

Don’t wanna sound to harsh on him but if we don’t know what was Alan’s peak we sure know his valley is now…

Lols. As jbaent says, he's doing OK for a 70-odd year old musician. As Alan himself says, he's never worked a day in his life in a "real job" - that's the way you do it!

The strange thing for me is that he kind of went under the radar in the 90s, you would think with a CV that read Clapton's musical director/arranger for Dire Straits he would have had some big gigs at that time.

I read or heard Alan in an interview telling that after DS and Clapton band he was tired of touring and playing in that high level and he decided to stay working low profile, recording music for TV and doing sessions here and there.

Also Chris Whitten said something like that, in fact he moved to Australia to work on TV things after being with Macca and DS.

Looks like after climbing that peaks, they were exhausted and needed some lower demanding work.

[dustyvalentino]

Only people with psychological traumas and complexes could say that.

This is quite the leap.

[Jules]

Don’t wanna sound to harsh on him but if we don’t know what was Alan’s peak we sure know his valley is now…

Lols. As jbaent says, he's doing OK for a 70-odd year old musician. As Alan himself says, he's never worked a day in his life in a "real job" - that's the way you do it!

The strange thing for me is that he kind of went under the radar in the 90s, you would think with a CV that read Clapton's musical director/arranger for Dire Straits he would have had some big gigs at that time.

I guess, not every musician is suitable for everything. If Mark Knopfler is great at playing the guitar, it doesn't automatically mean he would be a great studio musician, which he told a million times in interviews himself. It's a completely different skill set, mindset, and everything else set. A studio musician is somebody who works ALL THE TIME, like Hal Blaine.

As for never working a day on a real job — that's utter bullshit, sorry. Only people with psychological traumas and complexes could say that. Same as in Russia, it's considered bad to "work for a dude", as opposed to working on your own business, and you can often find businessmen in Russia who say they never even think about working for somebody.

If you never worked on a real job, then you don't know what life is, as simple as that. Go work on a farm, work as a paperboy, dig graves, go to the office from 8 to 6, and move furniture and audio equipment. I've had a fair share of bad and "real" jobs in my life, and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything.

It does mean that if you work in something you love, doesn't feel like work, but pleasure you are being paid for.

[dustyvalentino]

Yeah, there's a saying in English, find a job that you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

[quizzaciously]

Yeah, there's a saying in English, find a job that you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

This is absolutely true, but it's not "never working on a real job". Mark worked on a normal and dirty job, for more than a day, and still eventually found his dream job. There's ambiguity about it: if never worked a day on a real job = always worked as a musician, then this is strange. What kind of a genius you are to all your life work as a musician? Teach me your ways, dude! If it means you found your dream job, that's good. Billions of people work on "normal" jobs, and by saying that you never were a part of this lousy crowd, you diminish everybody else's work and put yourself above people.

I might be too harsh on Alan, but he did everything he could to build this legacy (again, please excuse the term) for himself, when everything he says or does should be taken with a grain of salt. Maybe, this lack of experience in life (never working on "real" jobs, for instance) can actually lead to all these decisions he made. But I'll never like the guy, no matter what. But I always, however, praise his piano work.

[Jules]

Yeah, there's a saying in English, find a job that you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

This is absolutely true, but it's not "never working on a real job". Mark worked on a normal and dirty job, for more than a day, and still eventually found his dream job. There's ambiguity about it: if never worked a day on a real job = always worked as a musician, then this is strange. What kind of a genius you are to all your life work as a musician? Teach me your ways, dude! If it means you found your dream job, that's good. Billions of people work on "normal" jobs, and by saying that you never were a part of this lousy crowd, you diminish everybody else's work and put yourself above people.

I might be too harsh on Alan, but he did everything he could to build this legacy (again, please excuse the term) for himself, when everything he says or does should be taken with a grain of salt. Maybe, this lack of experience in life (never working on "real" jobs, for instance) can actually lead to all these decisions he made. But I'll never like the guy, no matter what. But I always, however, praise his piano work.

As Dusty says, it's just a say, not to be taken literally.

[Eddie Fox]

Re Alan, I meant playing with this band. It’s morally degrading imho. Still a great musician though, I’m sure his inbox is always full.

[Jules]

They are playing Alicante this summer, I already have my tickets.

Sadly it is true is the closer you are going to get to see DS, with MK retired and having Alan Clark and Mel Collins in the band, plus Danny and Phil from the hired guns of the OES, not any other tribute would be closer, in names, to the band.

In sound, most of the Spanish tribute bands (Great Straits, Real Straits or Alchemy tribute band) are musically superior as a band.

[quizzaciously]

They are playing Alicante this summer, I already have my tickets.

Sadly it is true is the closer you are going to get to see DS, with MK retired and having Alan Clark and Mel Collins in the band, plus Danny and Phil from the hired guns of the OES, not any other tribute would be closer, in names, to the band.

In sound, most of the Spanish tribute bands (Great Straits, Real Straits or Alchemy tribute band) are musically superior as a band.

That's why, I think, "original" musicians should never play in tribute bands. Come on, tribute bands are supposed to be made by fans, for fans.

[Robson]

They are playing Alicante this summer, I already have my tickets.

Sadly it is true is the closer you are going to get to see DS, with MK retired and having Alan Clark and Mel Collins in the band, plus Danny and Phil from the hired guns of the OES, not any other tribute would be closer, in names, to the band.

In sound, most of the Spanish tribute bands (Great Straits, Real Straits or Alchemy tribute band) are musically superior as a band.

That's why, I think, "original" musicians should never play in tribute bands. Come on, tribute bands are supposed to be made by fans, for fans.

I think so too.

[ds1984]

Tribute bands only need to be good, regardless of who is actually playing.

I have no problem with ex members being hired in tribute bands.
Remember that Phil Palmer is a pro musician.
That means he is looking for jobs to make his living.
Playing in a tribute band is a job.

IMHO where much of DS tibute bands are wrong is that they doesn't hire a good singer.