Ed Bicknell Interview

[dustyvalentino]

starting now. shit, a work meeting has started...what to do now...?

Resign?

[iorch82]

I completely missed this

"Then MK saying he wrote a shit DS album"

Can anyone share the timestamp?

[rmarques821]

starting now. shit, a work meeting has started...what to do now...?

Play the interview for your work colleagues

[Pottel]

starting now. shit, a work meeting has started...what to do now...?

Resign?

done

[Rail King]

Highly entertaining and insightful interview, but two things I still don't quite understand:

1. Ed paints the One Every Street tour as a complete disaster in terms of human interactions. Isn't it strange that watching the concerts (one of them, Basel, in person, front row), I never got that impression at all? The playing was absolutely outstanding, and they often clearly did have fun. There was no lack of emotional moments (in a positive way) - just think of Mark playing You and Your Friend. Also, he did seem to show a lot of respect for the band, watching Danny/Chris during Calling Elvis, for instance, or having these wonderful interactions with Paul Franklin. If they really had such an awful time, who was struggling with whom? If Paul Franklin had to take sleeping pills to avoid everyone, why then was his playing so inspired? Why did Mark play so absolutely brilliantly, at the very top of his game, if he couldn't care less about the new songs and everything was just awful? I don't doubt that there were tense moments, but to say that the whole experience was just one huge disappointment is not what I see and hear when I watch and listen to One Every Street, the album, and the tour.

2. I still don't know why Ed was fired or ready to quit, as he puts it. "Strangest meeting ever", "Mark said something very upsetting" -- why and what, Ed? The only hints I have come from the song Let's See You, but that doesn't tell me much more, either. "Tonight we pushed the border just a little too far for comfort" -- understood, that's what I gather from listening to Ed. But how exactly? Ed says that the whole situation with Mark (until today) is just strange; he makes it sound almost inexplicable. But I have this feeling that he knows exactly why they broke up and no longer "drink". Also, I have a hard time believing that Mark just wrote to Ed from the tour with Dylan completely out of the blue. Ed's memory is amazing, but I also get the impression that he remembers (or tells) exactly what he wants to.

[JF]

1. Ed paints the One Every Street tour as a complete disaster in terms of human interactions. Isn't it strange that watching the concerts (one of them, Basel, in person, front row), I never got that impression at all? The playing was absolutely outstanding, and they often clearly did have fun. There was no lack of emotional moments (in a positive way) - just think of Mark playing You and Your Friend. Also, he did seem to show a lot of respect for the band, watching Danny/Chris during Calling Elvis, for instance, or having these wonderful interactions with Paul Franklin. If they really had such an awful time, who was struggling with whom? If Paul Franklin had to take sleeping pills to avoid everyone, why then was his playing so inspired? Why did Mark play so absolutely brilliantly, at the very top of his game, if he couldn't care less about the new songs and everything was just awful? I don't doubt that there were tense moments, but to say that the whole experience was just one huge disappointment is not what I see and hear when I watch and listen to One Every Street, the album, and the tour.

it's a job, and professionnal musicians can force to have a nice behaviour during 2 hours a day, especially if they know they are filmed ! it's like acting...

and to be honest, on many videos of the tour, I find Mark tired and bored to death

[Rail King]

and to be honest, on many videos of the tour, I find Mark tired and bored to death

Isn't that just Mark being Mark? I don't think someone can play THAT well when being tired and bored. Not even Mark. Just imagine what level of concentration such a show requires. Calling Elvis is not Broken Bones!

[dustyvalentino]

1. Ed paints the One Every Street tour as a complete disaster in terms of human interactions. Isn't it strange that watching the concerts (one of them, Basel, in person, front row), I never got that impression at all? The playing was absolutely outstanding, and they often clearly did have fun. There was no lack of emotional moments (in a positive way) - just think of Mark playing You and Your Friend. Also, he did seem to show a lot of respect for the band, watching Danny/Chris during Calling Elvis, for instance, or having these wonderful interactions with Paul Franklin. If they really had such an awful time, who was struggling with whom? If Paul Franklin had to take sleeping pills to avoid everyone, why then was his playing so inspired? Why did Mark play so absolutely brilliantly, at the very top of his game, if he couldn't care less about the new songs and everything was just awful? I don't doubt that there were tense moments, but to say that the whole experience was just one huge disappointment is not what I see and hear when I watch and listen to One Every Street, the album, and the tour.

it's a job, and professionnal musicians can force to have a nice behaviour during 2 hours a day, especially if they know they are filmed ! it's like acting...

and to be honest, on many videos of the tour, I find Mark tired and bored to death

Agreed.

PS I always thought it was "tonight we pushed the boat out" but can't be bothered to check

[Jules]

Incredible interview.

Bad part about being it so long and having so little time to listen to this is I had to listening it while working so I got lost many times as, no matter how well I think I understand English, I have to pay special attention and sometimes I lost that attention so I'm under the impression I lost many things.

Ed, come on, hire someone to write your memories, and told that person eveything so it can be translated to a book!

[the visitor]

Re OES tour, I think that it shows how professional and capable a band that they were at that time that they were able to carry on and proceed to deliver a quality performance.  But if you listen to recordings those earlier in the tour have more 'vibes' and energy, like Munich 1991 compared with the later 1992 shows which just feel like delivery of a well rehearsed performance to me.  Poles apart from BIA tour which actually was not as polished musically in places (think BIA...) however just sounded warmer and full of good energy.  All to my ears of course.

[the visitor]

Wolverhampton 1996 : pure energy and a wild crowd ! Vaison 96 for a soundboard though, this is top

[rmarques821]

Highly entertaining and insightful interview, but two things I still don't quite understand:

1. Ed paints the One Every Street tour as a complete disaster in terms of human interactions. Isn't it strange that watching the concerts (one of them, Basel, in person, front row), I never got that impression at all? The playing was absolutely outstanding, and they often clearly did have fun. There was no lack of emotional moments (in a positive way) - just think of Mark playing You and Your Friend. Also, he did seem to show a lot of respect for the band, watching Danny/Chris during Calling Elvis, for instance, or having these wonderful interactions with Paul Franklin. If they really had such an awful time, who was struggling with whom? If Paul Franklin had to take sleeping pills to avoid everyone, why then was his playing so inspired? Why did Mark play so absolutely brilliantly, at the very top of his game, if he couldn't care less about the new songs and everything was just awful? I don't doubt that there were tense moments, but to say that the whole experience was just one huge disappointment is not what I see and hear when I watch and listen to One Every Street, the album, and the tour.

I get exactly the opposite feeling. OES shows feel dark, heavy, robotic and everyone looks tired, bored and angry.

[Rail King]

Re OES tour, I think that it shows how professional and capable a band that they were at that time that they were able to carry on and proceed to deliver a quality performance.  But if you listen to recordings those earlier in the tour have more 'vibes' and energy, like Munich 1991 compared with the later 1992 shows which just feel like delivery of a well rehearsed performance to me.  Poles apart from BIA tour which actually was not as polished musically in places (think BIA...) however just sounded warmer and full of good energy.  All to my ears of course.

Interesting take. To me, the Brothers in Arms tour -- as great as the performances obviously were -- had a very "80s" sound (not surprising) which already felt awkward to me when I first heard it as a teenager in the early 90s. Whereas the 1991/1992 sound was a big step away from that -- not in the direction of what was to come in the 90s (Grunge, Britpop etc.), but uniquely well-rounded, full, polished and, yes, warm. It had a lot to do with the pedal steel and Mark's Pensa, I guess. In terms of sound, my favourite Dire Straits tours are the very first one and the very last one.

[Peter1981]

I agree, but have to see my introduction to DS was On The Night, so I'll always have a soft spot for that record.
The pedal steel and indeed the pensa makes it sound pretty unique, and more coherent to me than de BIA tour. Although I can feel the more 'joyous' vibe of that it also feels a bit more sloppy.
And the first 70's tours are phenomenal anyway, the first 2 records are my fav DS's.

Re OES tour, I think that it shows how professional and capable a band that they were at that time that they were able to carry on and proceed to deliver a quality performance.  But if you listen to recordings those earlier in the tour have more 'vibes' and energy, like Munich 1991 compared with the later 1992 shows which just feel like delivery of a well rehearsed performance to me.  Poles apart from BIA tour which actually was not as polished musically in places (think BIA...) however just sounded warmer and full of good energy.  All to my ears of course.

Interesting take. To me, the Brothers in Arms tour -- as great as the performances obviously were -- had a very "80s" sound (not surprising) which already felt awkward to me when I first heard it as a teenager in the early 90s. Whereas the 1991/1992 sound was a big step away from that -- not in the direction of what was to come in the 90s (Grunge, Britpop etc.), but uniquely well-rounded, full, polished and, yes, warm. It had a lot to do with the pedal steel and Mark's Pensa, I guess. In terms of sound, my favourite Dire Straits tours are the very first one and the very last one.

[Rail King]

This are the 1991/1992 vibes that I'm referring to when I say it can't have been quite as gloomy as Ed makes it sound.