New DS Live Box Set, 3rd November 2023!

[dustyvalentino]

For what's worth Chris here is a verbatim excerpt from John's recent autobiography:

Other new faces in the touring line-up included Chris Whitten
on drums, Danny Cummings on percussion, with Chris White on
saxophone returning for his second tour. Chris Whitten was an excellent session drummer who we had met at AIR Studios, where he
had been working with Paul McCartney on the Flowers in the Dirt
album in the adjacent studio, and he had also drawn praise for his
playing on the Waterboys’ This is the Sea, notably on its best-known
song, ‘The Whole of the Moon’.

[Jules]

Well a lot of stuff was repaired when they mixed On The Night - except the drums.
I know the Basel show (direct broadcast) is a loved video by many.
John is ill advised criticising anyone in the band on camera, especially when he repeats multiple times "great show".
This sort of illustrates why the band had multiple sidemen over the years. You bust a gut to enable what many perceive as a peerless live show, then get picked on in an off the cuff remark afterwards.

I always got the feeling that John was never very enthusiatic about you joining in for the tour, for some reason. I remember watching him talking about it on the MTV Special 1991 and he just shrugs his shoulders and says "OK, he's on board".

I also remember Phil Palmer telling in his book that John made his best to make him feel like he wasn't welcome in his company, or wasn't worth of his company, can't remember the exact words Phil wrote, but the meaning was that.

My point of view is that John was on charge together with Paul Cummins of the economical aspects of the tour, so he was like "in other department besides being the bassist and MK's right hand.

What always like is to know about the gangs during the tour, you told us Chris that you use to hang around with the other Chris, for Phil's book we know, Alan, Guy and Danny were other gang, I guess MK was by himself or with the management, and John with Paul Cummins. We know Phil Palmer made a friendship with Peter Mackay, but what about Paul Franklin? Are those gangs right? I bet a long tour like this needs a lot of camadirie between the people involved.

[Jules]

Again, it's nonsense.
They could pick anyone from the UK drumming community.
They were disappointed that neither Porcaro or Katche agreed to do the tour.
I actually turned down the DS gig three times because I left McCartney to concentrate on studio work, but they kept chasing me.
You cannot go on a multi-million dollar tour for 14 months with a drummer you don't want to play with.
The actual tour was cancelled by 6 months due to the first gulf war, so they had time then to audition other drummers and find someone they preferred to me.
THEY DIDN'T!!!

The selection of musicians for this tour always amazed me, as this was the first time MK wanted highly regarded session musicians to be in the touring band and it is known that Vince Gill refused the role of second guitar player and also Jeff Porcaro and Manu Katche refused to be the drummers, I always wondered if there was anyone else asked before they signed Phil and you. Just for curiosity as both of you had a name and prestige enough to be first selections.

[jabbathehut]

Enjoying the set .Slowly working my way through it.Have one question,apologies if its been asked before but why does your latest trick appear twice in on the night.

[JF]

Enjoying the set .Slowly working my way through it.Have one question,apologies if its been asked before but why does your latest trick appear twice in on the night.

I would say lazyness ! the jus took the old masters and that's all !
they even don't put the setlist in the correct order !

[Jules]

Enjoying the set .Slowly working my way through it.Have one question,apologies if its been asked before but why does your latest trick appear twice in on the night.

Twice in OTN?

It is once in OTN and another in Encores which are different records.

[milicz]

That’s the reason I made this On the night playlist with The Bug on the right spot and closing with Solid Rock and Wild Theme

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tm39k7kQ7Z7wzZEuLqYCe?si=RXoGp2hpSTqoXRLxWRPzBA

Finally! I'm in the US and they haven't released the new versions, but I can play them via the playlist!

If anyone can do the same for the rainbow show it'd be appreciated...

Sent from my XQ-DQ62 using Tapatalk

[Rolo]

The selection of musicians for this tour always amazed me, as this was the first time MK wanted highly regarded session musicians to be in the touring band and it is known that Vince Gill refused the role of second guitar player and also Jeff Porcaro and Manu Katche refused to be the drummers, I always wondered if there was anyone else asked before they signed Phil and you. Just for curiosity as both of you had a name and prestige enough to be first selections.

i've read on a Guitar Player Magazine (i suppose) an interview with Vince Gill and he tells that Mark wanted him for the OES Tour.
He refused and MK got angry.
From the start, we know that Mark wanted Porcaro or Kacthé.
Porcaro refused and Manu has his public opinion about Mark saying that he is a prick.

Phil tells how he joined DS on an Aderton's TV video on YT.
He tells that, cause his contract with DS, he and Allan was unable to play on Clapton's MTV Unplugged.

I suppose that Allan didn't want to join the OES Tour because he kwen that would be the last DS tour and, because of that, he would loose his partnership with EC.
So, DS made the tour and AC never joined a major artist line-up again.

Chris already told us that the OES Tour was a pain in the ass.
So, everyone on the UK Drumming Community knews that work with MK & Cia was a hell.

I think its funny the role that JI was in the band.
He was, by far, the band's worst musician (or less talented).
Its a real pleasure to a bass player to play with an amazing drummer like Chris. And, seems to me, that JI didn't want to learn from the drummers.

Phil and Chris are top notch musicians and this is unquestionable.

[dustyvalentino]

Don't think I heard about NK getting angry with Vince. They worked together after this anyway.

I agree that John isn't a particularly great musician, but hey, sometimes in life it's better to be lucky than good!

[Rolo]

I agree that John isn't a particularly great musician, but hey, sometimes in life it's better to be lucky than good!

HAHAHA. Oh yes.
John has his value as a big financial part on DS.

[Robson]

On The Night - Tunnel Of Love.
Del Shannon's "Runaway" is great. On the Brothers In Arms tour, "Tunnel Of Love" lasted over 24 minutes (Uniondale) and had "Riders On The Storm" by The Doors and "Ghost Riders In The Sky" Maybe one day they'll find something from that tour and it will appear on an official album.

[Chris W]

I always wondered if there was anyone else asked before they signed Phil and you. Just for curiosity as both of you had a name and prestige enough to be first selections.

Like I said, I turned it down multiple times, not anything against DS, but I had had a couple of hit albums as a studio musician, I had just spent 3 years pretty much exclusively tied to McCartney and saw myself getting back into freelance studio work. The last thing on my mind was 1.5 years with DS.
John I is a strange bird. I don't think there was any time that DS were at Air Studios when I was there with Macca. I was told they saw me playing with Paul at The Knebworth Nordoff Robbins show and were impressed.

[Chris W]

What always like is to know about the gangs during the tour

One team was Guy, Allan and Danny C. Phil kind of kept to himself, but sometimes hung with Allan, Guy and Danny. I spent most of my time with Chris White and Paul Franklin. I saw them as the down to earth, not trying to be rock stars on the road, kind of guys.
Mark and John hung out. People like Paul Cummins and Ed Bicknell came out to occasional gigs, but weren't there a lot of the time.
I liked Paul Cummins, I liked John actually.
If you think the drums sound nervous, talk to me about it, or bring it up at the next sound check, don't mention it (and nothing else!!) to a tv reporter. It's crap. I think he was just trying to sound deep, knowledgeable. The drummer wasn't nervous.

[milicz]

If you think the drums sound nervous, talk to me about it, or bring it up at the next sound check, don't mention it (and nothing else!!) to a tv reporter. It's crap. I think he was just trying to sound deep, knowledgeable. The drummer wasn't nervous.

Since you've referenced this a bit I just took a listen.  Sounds like he's talking about himself and was projecting a little towards the band (maybe Mark).  The drums comment is almost a throwaway and he qualifies it right after that it sounded great.

My box set (vinyl) arrives today.  Can't wait to hear it.  Since the US version doesn't get released till 2024 I had to order from Germany.   

[Elin N]

CD box arrived today. Some complain about songs being in the wrong order and losing the feel of it being a whole concert, but now you have two separate On the night cds instead of one. Thankfully we have Spotify  I fell in love with DS through On the night, and as said before it is fantastic to have you "on board" Chris!

I was hoping for some "new" pics in the booklet, but no. I sorely miss the tour diary and to feel connected to the band. Nowadays is seems like BG is a super-ultra top secret fortress and no pics or information can be posted (see, I can complain too  )