Hmm, quite an interesting allegation, would be good to hear Pick’s thoughts on it.
They are not allegations whatsoever. Pick is my source.
And that source can be checked where?
An interview from Pick not long ago which explains his thoughts regarding his latter years in the band . I'm surprised that many of you didn't pick up on it but again I suppose you are all mostly Knopfler fans not fans of Dire Straits.
what is it you are looking for? serious discussions? or just trolling around? if it is the first, WELCOME, if it is the second, may as well drop off
Apologies to you all if I seem a little "off." I am a huge Dire Straits fan and i've followed this forum for many years. Some great, knowledgeable people on it who are always on the look out for links to various interviews from past to present.
I didn't feel like joining until recently even though I often have opinions, just becuase I know it would consume a lot of my time, as Dire Straits were the first band I really loved as a kid, 4-5 years of age. I went onto follow various rock bands including Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, The Police, UFO.... I suppose I perhaps have harder influences than many of you. All those influences were through my father who used to play me albums from start to finish on his technics record player. He owned many japanese versions of the albums from the acts above (including Dire Straits debut album, Comminique and Love Over Gold. At the age of 6 or 7 I was obsessed with the Dire Straits sound and the various members. In England they weren't that fashionable and very rarely did I see them on the TV. It changed a little around 1985/86 and of course Live Aid is an absolute joy. Seeing not only Knopfler in action but Terry Williams, the energetic Jack Sonni RIP and Alan Clark.
Of course many of you are from different backgrounds, perhaps into folk and country... so his solo career must be a joy to you all. There have been flashes for me, but sadly i'm more into the band. I appreciate Knopfler was the band, BUT still he needed the musicians around him. So I sometimes feel sad at the criticism of some of his former band mates - Chris Whitton, the lack of praise for Hal Lindes and Jack Sonni. Knopfler no doubt is a world class songwriter and guitarist, but it doesn't mean he isn't flawed. No human is, but it's difficult for some of the posters to take when there is critisism against his character. Genius's don't have to be difficult people. You can be nice and a genius, but anyway I appreciate the legend that Mark is.
In terms of my favourite album of his it's got to be Love Over Gold followed by Making Movies. So it came as a shock to me when I listened to a podcast with Pick Withers last year with regards to his latter years with the band. He spoke about drum machines and the band becoming too loud and perhaps into genres he wasn't particularly keen on. Industrial Disease, a song I particularly like, was apparently worked on a drum machine. He also mentioned Telegraph Road. It's sad in a way as I used to often visualise Pick playing these songs in the studio. But there are many secrets in the music industry. Many many albums that aren't what they seem. Def Leppard's Pyromania for example used Drum machines. Rick Allen hardly played anything on it.There are hundreds of other examples.
Finally just to add some context, for many years I worked less than half a mile away from British Grove, Knopfler's studio in Chiswick and I even came across his solo band collegues at the Mawson's arms once.... well I recognised Guy Fletcher but unusually I didn't have the guts to talk to him. Sadly that pub has closed... I remember that area well with the smell of honey/hops in the chiswick air. When the company I worked for sadly moved from Chiswick I said my goodbye's to British Grove, I realised that I could have been a "fanboy" and hung around the streets around the studio at any point... I sort of regret it but I was often afraid to meet Knopfler just in case... I didn't want my high opinion of him to be tarnished.
Best wishes to you all and again apologies for the tone of my previous messages.
