Ed Bicknell Interview

[Brunno Nunes]

Good interview, thanks for sharing.

Information about the BIA tour is good, and I note Eds comment that he thought that was the best incarnation of the band in terms of line up. I'd agree : the most energy and excitement in my opinion in MKs career.

What is also interesting is that the MFN video was filmed on tour in Budapest.  You'd hope they took the opportunity to film the whole concert, from memory that is in the very early part of the tour.

I actually doubt it, expensive to film and they just needed a few clips for the video.

Good interview, thanks for sharing.

Information about the BIA tour is good, and I note Eds comment that he thought that was the best incarnation of the band in terms of line up. I'd agree : the most energy and excitement in my opinion in MKs career.

What is also interesting is that the MFN video was filmed on tour in Budapest.  You'd hope they took the opportunity to film the whole concert, from memory that is in the very early part of the tour.

But they are taken from different moments of the show, I mean different music, or that suggests foram feitas filmagens diverse

A long time ago I analyzed the images of the band on stage in the MFN video and I noticed some interesting things, there were many cameras from different angles filming the whole band and the most interesting thing is that looking calmly you can see that they filmed other moments from the show and we did the mix, because we get to see scenes of Mark and John wearing different clothes, different, but definitely, on the same show. There is a short scene where John wears his red jacket (certainly a scene early in the show), but most of him is wearing a white tank top, towards the end of the show when MFN is playing. The scene that shows Mark without the dark blue blazer and John with the white shirt, surely is in Solid Rock or Going Home, end of the show, this implies that a good part of the show has been recorded, who knows in its entirety. maybe...

[Brunno Nunes]

Here

[Brunno Nunes]

It's just one more curiosity that I never published and I thought it appropriate to do it here now.  It doesn't mean much, but it shows that they also filmed other songs from the concert in Budapest at the beginning of the BIA tour 85.

[the visitor]

Brunno you really know your stuff, thanks for that info.  So we can conclude with some certainty at the very least different parts of the concert were filmed, if not the whole thing.

[dmg]

So much to chew over.  Brilliant and entertaining storyteller.

[dustyvalentino]

It's just one more curiosity that I never published and I thought it appropriate to do it here now.  It doesn't mean much, but it shows that they also filmed other songs from the concert in Budapest at the beginning of the BIA tour 85.

Interesting stuff, it could just be two songs though!

[mariosboss]

An excellent interview and it backs up what Pick Withers has also said in the past regarding Dave Knopfler. I could be wrong but didn't John also mention it in the book (Pick and Mark the outstanding musicians but John didn't put himself in that bracket as well as Dave?)

Regarding Sid McGinnes this is old news. He played on Making Movies and some of his work is quite exciting. Expresso Love for example, superb. In regards to crediting him there are many many many albums from all eras that for one reason or another don't give full credits to the performers. Could be related to previous contracts, the way the person is paid, to protect the brand. This is probably an example of Dire Straits just keeping it simple. No need to credit other musicians if you pay them a flat fee and Sid probably appeared on numerous albums from other artists anyway. Most session musicians aren't credited anyway on albums. There can't have been any bad blood hence the excellent performance on Letterman. Suprised that the exceptional Hal Lindes didn't try to emulate Sid's parts but remember the band was a dictactorship lead by Knopfler, so he may have wanted Lindes to give something a bit different. What I will say is from the early peformances with the american in the band (1980-81) he was nowhere near loud enough in the mix. This was sort of rectified by the time Alchemy came out and it had to be during the massive Brothers In Arms tour.

Also It's actually quite common for debut albums to not feature the respective bands drummer, due to them being very green. Loads of examples, where session musicians (or even drum machines) have replaced the original drummers, but there's no need to mention it in the sleeve. Makes the respective drummer look bad or it just could be due to contactual reasons. Obviously Pick is all over the first three albums but sadly barely plays on Love Over Gold.

[herlock]

Pick barely plays on LOG?? who plays, then?

[Jules]

Actually looks like there is a great vibe between MK and Sid McGinnis in that video.

Who knows what happened, he is mentioned in the Michael Oldfield book, then John mentions him too and now Ed Bicknell so it seems that is very likely Sid played in MM but strange he's not credited while Roy Bittan is...

By the way, I saw Sid playing with Peter Gabriel in a Rockpalast from his first solo tour as well.

I'm wishing Ed Bicknell writes a biography not only for DS or MK but because everything he knows about music, all his quotes in Led Zeppelin and Peter Grant books are gold, like when he and Peter Grant scared to death Paul Crockford during the first NHB tour!

Read it here: https://www.amarkintime.org/forum/index.php?topic=2347.msg152892#msg152892

[Jules]

Pick barely plays on LOG?? who plays, then?

He means you can't listen the Pick we were used to, as he wasn't playing on his usual style and sounded like any other drummer would sound, not in his usual style.

[herlock]

Pick barely plays on LOG?? who plays, then?

He means you can't listen the Pick we were used to, as he wasn't playing on his usual style and sounded like any other drummer would sound, not in his usual style.

OK, thanks!

[mariosboss]

Pick barely plays on LOG?? who plays, then?

He means you can't listen the Pick we were used to, as he wasn't playing on his usual style and sounded like any other drummer would sound, not in his usual style.

OK, thanks!

No sorry that's not what I meant although you are right he wasn't playing his usual style because a lot of the album involved drum programming. Sorry I thought that was common knowledge. I mean Love Over Gold IS my favourite album of DS and look i'm no big fan of drum programming but listen to Telegraph Road and Industrial Disease. The "Dr Parkinson" part.... come on... listen to it properly. It's not Pick playing on a kit, or if he is it was only partially recorded on the kit and then programmed. The only songs that sound live are the title track Love Over Gold and one of my favourite songs of all time It Never Rains. But Telegraph Road and Industrial Disease, nah sorry to break the bad news. Pick was still involved of course. But that was partly the reason he left. His role diminished. The band were expanding and broadening the sound. The landscape had changed. The band were beginning to get louder and a different beast. Pick was also getting a bit tired of Knopfler. He still has lots of respect for him but that's how it is sometimes.  Best wishes to you all this weekend.

[herlock]

It's true that TR sounds much more live on Alchemy (well, I that's what a concert is about 😂), with Terry doing a fantastic job on drums. On the album and even on the early 1981 versions Pick sounds a bit dry...

[dustyvalentino]

Hmm, quite an interesting allegation, would be good to hear Pick’s thoughts on it.

[superval99]

I am surprised to see that hunter has left the forum. I enjoyed reading his contributions and I'm sorry he is no longer here.  Sorry to be off-topic btw!