New DS Live Box Set, 3rd November 2023!

[Matchstickman]

Mark was a multi-millionaire after BIA. That much is a fact. OES tour as primarily a money-grab does not seem logical. He did not need it, and could have released a BIA live album or whatever to make easy money.

You weren't there.
People always want more money don't they. But IMO Mark thought he was doing something good for John, Alan and Guy and didn't forsee how miserable it was going to make him until it was too late and we had embarked on a 1.5 year journey.

Of course I was not there 🙂 Anyway, maybe Mark alluded to this in private, but I have never heard him say anything about touring for the sake of band members. Since Guy and Alan are included in the "Dire Straits are" lineup on OES, I would assume that they got a piece of the album pie (record sales). That note made a distinction between DS and the hired help, presumably for financial reasons and maybe because they had raised the issue after the BIA tour (Guy once mentioned on his forum how much Mark and John made then).

But, Mark being Mark, a new album entailed a new tour, and a new tour meant going bigger. I guess many things started to point in the same direction (tour, going bigger, stadiums).

The funny thing is that the OES record claims that DS are MK, JI, AC and GF, while Dire Straits Overseas and the other DS company (I think it was DS limited but I'm not sure) they were just MK, JI and Ed Bicknell.

With the OES record statement maybe they got something from the record sales, maybe just for production credits, as probably anything around DS were run by the two companies in which only MK, JI and Bicknell were part.

We need to ask Guy 

[Matchstickman]

"Hey, these guys are in the band, but they are not getting any of the money, so please buy a concert ticket, then they will" 

[Chris W]

It is said this tour was more for the rest of the band, to ensure his financial future, than to make money for Mark and John.

They WERE the band. Of course they wanted to make more money. The only other people who might have benefitted directly were Alan and Guy. I don't know what their deal was with Mark and John so I can't say. The rest of us had agreed a fee, which didn't change whether the tour lost money or made millions....which I think in the end it did.

[dmg]

It's no biggie....
I'm just saying on a very long tour where everyone went the extra mile to make it a success, largely rewarding Mark and John, it was notable that they never showed any appreciation for it, especially towards the end. It's just a point worth making.
It's easier to go the extra mile when everyone on stage is having a great time and your album is breaking records on the charts (Brothers In Arms).

As a long-time fan since the BIA period I have to say that I wish your experience of being a part of DS had been a better one.  You can be rest assured that your association has given a great deal of people many happy hours of listening pleasure over the years and I shall always remember my very first concert which was DS in Glasgow 13.09.91

[ds1984]

Bercy 1992 was my first international act I attended and it was with my favorite band.

It was a bit surreal for me to think that after all these years only been able to listen their live music through records, I was at last in the same room with Mark Knopfler performing in person.
You can imagine how emotional it could be.

I remember when R&J musical introduction happened I had the strange feeling that he was here doing the job.
Music was top notch but Mark's attitude was not what I was used when previously watching  Alchemy or the BIA broadcast from Wembley - and of course the Mandela show.
He had that night a cold attitude.
I later learnt that Mark wall ill during his Paris spring residency so maybe the medicine he got was the reason of the cold start.
It was not until Sultans that things started to get warmer to me, and I was blasted by the TR solo.
Solid Rock was another highlight.
I did not recognize it until the first chorus, I though at first it was a completly new song and I got a "whaou" effect.
Then I recongized it and the second "whaou" effect caught me with the extended ending part.

When I left I was happy, I had witnessed a great show.
I did not plan to attend another gig from that tour but when I got opportunity to buy a ticket to see them a mont later at Werchter I just did it.
I am now left with great memories beeing able to get 1st row on the left in front of John and Mark seemed in better mood than Paris.

So the inside hardness of that tour did not impact the musical quality.

I was there and witnessed that era : Dires Straits live in Europe was simply HUGE.
France was a strong place, ENCORES topped the charts in 1993, you could not escape YLT being aired by the radio.

[hunter v2.0]

Chris, I think we all appreciate the insight you share. It provides a better picture of what is/was going on.
What was the most positive thing that you experienced during that period and tour as a DS member, that you could carry with you in future, either as a person or as a professionel drummer  ?.

Excellent question.

[hunter v2.0]

Jesus, Mary and Joseph 

Welcome back Hunter!   

Why, thank you! 

[dustyvalentino]

Bercy 1992 was my first international act I attended and it was with my favorite band.

It was a bit surreal for me to think that after all these years only been able to listen their live music through records, I was at last in the same room with Mark Knopfler performing in person.
You can imagine how emotional it could be.

I remember when R&J musical introduction happened I had the strange feeling that he was here doing the job.
Music was top notch but Mark's attitude was not what I was used when previously watching  Alchemy or the BIA broadcast from Wembley - and of course the Mandela show.
He had that night a cold attitude.
I later learnt that Mark wall ill during his Paris spring residency so maybe the medicine he got was the reason of the cold start.
It was not until Sultans that things started to get warmer to me, and I was blasted by the TR solo.
Solid Rock was another highlight.
I did not recognize it until the first chorus, I though at first it was a completly new song and I got a "whaou" effect.
Then I recongized it and the second "whaou" effect caught me with the extended ending part.

When I left I was happy, I had witnessed a great show.
I did not plan to attend another gig from that tour but when I got opportunity to buy a ticket to see them a mont later at Werchter I just did it.
I am now left with great memories beeing able to get 1st row on the left in front of John and Mark seemed in better mood than Paris.

So the inside hardness of that tour did not impact the musical quality.

I was there and witnessed that era : Dires Straits live in Europe was simply HUGE.
France was a strong place, ENCORES topped the charts in 1993, you could not escape YLT being aired by the radio.

I happened to be in Clermont Ferrand on Bastille day in 1993 and they played DS all the way through the firework display.

[dustyvalentino]

Here is the Vox feature from 1992

IMG_20231218_105855 by Dusty Valentino, on Flickr

IMG_20231218_110021 by Dusty Valentino, on Flickr

IMG_20231218_110051 by Dusty Valentino, on Flickr

IMG_20231218_110111 by Dusty Valentino, on Flickr

[hunter v2.0]

Thanks, Dusty. Strange to see that again after so many years, and in light of how we know Mark now it is a pretty tough read.

[Chris W]

Excellent question.

I retired hurt after the tour. Hardly touched my drums for a few years. I was writing music for film & tv.
The most positive thing was my ongoing friendship with Chris White, who got me through the tour actually. Secondly the money I made and saved allowed me to only work on projects I wanted to work on from thereon.

Bandwise, I guess it taught me a new level of attention to detail. It was like playing in an elite orchestra, not a rock band.
Through the experience I became very critical of myself and often others (musically), which has been more of a curse than a positive. I was confident and professional going in. Afterwards I started to second guess everything I played.

[dustyvalentino]

Through the experience I became very critical of myself and often others (musically), which has been more of a curse than a positive. I was confident and professional going in. Afterwards I started to second guess everything I played.

This is very sad.

[Chris W]

It's just the reality of life.
It was 14 or so months out of 65 years. It's all good. I regret that it killed my joy of just playing carefree, but that's it.

[jbaent]

Excellent question.

I retired hurt after the tour. Hardly touched my drums for a few years. I was writing music for film & tv.
The most positive thing was my ongoing friendship with Chris White, who got me through the tour actually. Secondly the money I made and saved allowed me to only work on projects I wanted to work on from thereon.

Bandwise, I guess it taught me a new level of attention to detail. It was like playing in an elite orchestra, not a rock band.
Through the experience I became very critical of myself and often others (musically), which has been more of a curse than a positive. I was confident and professional going in. Afterwards I started to second guess everything I played.

I always thought that your time with Presuntos Implicados was just after the DS tour, Ammi wrong?

As a Spanish I'm very curious about your time with them.

[Chris W]

Yeah, I did a few short sessions in the early 90's, after DS.
One was Fredericks, Goldman, Jones in Paris - which was only about a weeks work.
The Presuntos live show, album and DVD was 1995. It was really only a couple of weeks rehearsal, a few days off, then another few days rehearsal, then the two shows which were filmed and recorded. I also did brief one day sessions on a couple of Presuntos albums, following that.
Over the course of 1992 to 2005 I hardly played drums, apart from the odd thing.