Special Q & A with Ed Bicknell - QUESTION THREAD

[olazabalrok]

Hi Ed and thanks for the opportunity to ask questions.

The closest thing to DS reunion must’ve been John Illsley’s wedding back in 99? What can you recall about that event?

What about offers for reunion, any particular stories about those? Festivals or one off events?

Thank you for your time and patience 😄

[qjamesfloyd]

Hello Ed, another question from a cousin. Do you remember or even know who wrote what parts of What's The Matter Baby? it is the only track credited to both Knopfler brothers, so, that in itself makes it unique, but was it a case of one writing the words the other the music? Also, was a studio version of it recorded?

[wayaman]

Hello Ed.
I was just thinking about you saying that MK used to say during the NA promo of the first tours there than "guitar George" was a coal miner from Leeds, but it wasn't true, but was just a rhyme between George and chords... Do you remember any other story that MK had been telling to the press that it wasn't true, or just partially?

[dr]

Hello Ed, another question from a cousin. Do you remember or even know who wrote what parts of What's The Matter Baby? it is the only track credited to both Knopfler brothers, so, that in itself makes it unique, but was it a case of one writing the words the other the music? Also, was a studio version of it recorded?

Hello, I am posting here a message on behalf of my friend Mimmo Carrata in reply to the James Floyd question. 

'If I may: Yes, What's The Matter Baby was actually recorded in studio.  Around 15 years ago I found two unreleased acetates recorded in 1979 with the studio version of What's The Matter Baby recorded on side B, a very powerful studio version.  The side A has the full alternate version of Solid Rock that was officially released on the soundtrack LP Riding High, but the version on the acetate is longer than that.  Both songs were recorded by the original band: MK, DK, JI, PW.  One acetate is a 10" and it was cut at the Trident Studios in London, the second acetate is a 7" with the same songs but the label is Audiodisc and it is autographed by Mark. 

A big hello to all my friends on Amit and to Ed. He won't remember about me, but we had a long chat at Ronnie Scott's in London in 1998 after a NHB concert, I think it was on 27.Jul, I asked him a lot of questions that he answered with enthusiasm, and for the next couple of years I used to send Damage Management some faxes for Ed with others DS/MK questions that Ed always kindly answered. I still have all your faxes Ed ! So Ed, many thanks for that, great memories for me, it was 25 years ago".

[Pottel]

Ed, Thank you for the ton of info you gave us

My Q: When you say 'dozens of unreleased DS songs' do you mean finished songs ? if so, can you reveal any title ?
and if there were some that you think should have been absolutely released?

Uncle Q: Is the rumor of about 20-25 OES concerts recorded for On The Night correct ? Who had the idea to mix
2 shows (Rotterdam + Nimes) for On the Night ? Did you agree with the decision (by MK ?) to leave out many important songs ?

Friend #1 Q: What MK's guitar sound you like most ?

Friend #2 Q: Any chance of a NHB live concert release ?

Friend #3 Q: Can you describe the relation between MK and money ?

Friend #4 Q: Any idea why MK has not released any video official live concert during the whole very long solo career ?

real road running??

[koobaa]

Dear Ed,
Love all the answers so far. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this! Here comes the "uncle" one.

How did the band present the new material to you? We know the story about the debut album but how about the rest? Did they invite you to their rehearsals and play you a finished product live once they figured out all arrangements, or did they record demos before going into the studio and played you those? We know that some songs evolved on tours, like TR or fragments of PI during the On Location tour. Did Mark play you the early drafts of the songs (i.e. on his acoustic only as he does these days when he gets the band together)? Did he ask for your feedback on these early versions? Did any song make a particularly strong impression on you when you first heard it? I imagine hearing something like BIA for the first time must have been special.

[dustyvalentino]

A reminder that all good things must come to an end and this Q&A ends tomorrow, 17th September.

Get your final questions in quick…

[TJ]

You mentioned that we get-a-lifers as a group have little knowledge of how a record deal works.  I confess to this.  My question is this:

I have read of other artists who were obligated by their contract to deliver a certain number of albums, even when the band was itself imploding.  What if DS had had say two records left on their deal (after On the Night)?  Could Mark have just said "here's an album of Rarities and B-Sides, and here's an album of half-finished crap" and the record company has to take it?  Can he say "There will be no further Dire Straits product" and terminate the contract? Or could he use a solo record to satisfy this?  How does this work (or how did it work back in the day)?

Did OTN complete Dire Straits' obligation to the record companies?  Were they just going one record at a time by that point?

Also:  My brother (JT) wants to know:  did you ever get to read Jack's unreleased book?  I can imagine it would make a nice counterpoint to John's well-polished account.

My dad (JJ) wants to know:  if you could manage one (other) act from modern history, who would it be?  Doesn't have to coincide with your career exactly.  Elvis, the Beatles, U2, Taylor Swift, anyone.

Thanks again for doing this Q&A, it's been fabulous to read.

[Brunno Nunes]

Hello Ed, another question from a cousin. Do you remember or even know who wrote what parts of What's The Matter Baby? it is the only track credited to both Knopfler brothers, so, that in itself makes it unique, but was it a case of one writing the words the other the music? Also, was a studio version of it recorded?

Hello, I am posting here a message on behalf of my friend Mimmo Carrata in reply to the James Floyd question. 

'If I may: Yes, What's The Matter Baby was actually recorded in studio.  Around 15 years ago I found two unreleased acetates recorded in 1979 with the studio version of What's The Matter Baby recorded on side B, a very powerful studio version.  The side A has the full alternate version of Solid Rock that was officially released on the soundtrack LP Riding High, but the version on the acetate is longer than that.  Both songs were recorded by the original band: MK, DK, JI, PW.  One acetate is a 10" and it was cut at the Trident Studios in London, the second acetate is a 7" with the same songs but the label is Audiodisc and it is autographed by Mark. 

A big hello to all my friends on Amit and to Ed. He won't remember about me, but we had a long chat at Ronnie Scott's in London in 1998 after a NHB concert, I think it was on 27.Jul, I asked him a lot of questions that he answered with enthusiasm, and for the next couple of years I used to send Damage Management some faxes for Ed with others DS/MK questions that Ed always kindly answered. I still have all your faxes Ed ! So Ed, many thanks for that, great memories for me, it was 25 years ago".

It's a very interesting thing to see, even more so if one day we all get the chance to hear this studio version of Whats The Matter Baby.

About the version of Solid Rock on side A of this recording, I wonder if it could be the Demo they recorded back in 79? On Bootleg 18.11.79 - Tivoli Theatre, Copenhagen, Denmark, (recently discovered) we can hear the demo of Solid Rock at the end of the show, the recording coming out of the band's PA, something I found very interesting at the time, because it means they could release it as a Single, who knows, maybe in late 79 or early 80. Hearing this recording is one of my dreams.🤩🙌🏻

[erjan]

First of all, thank you very much for taking the time to answer all those questions and for being so open! I may have missed it, but was there a specific moment that Mark told you he wanted to have a solo career and did he then ask you to manage it? Or was he contractually 'bound' to you at the time? If he asked you, did you realize what you were getting yourself into at the time?

[dustyvalentino]

Hi Ed

A question from my mum, Lusty Valentino. She says she met you after a gig in the 70s, and because my dad was working nights at the time you kindly took her home and fixed her Soda Stream.

Anyway, she is wondering if you knew the Spiders From Mars from back in your Hull days?

[stratmad]

Dear Ed,
here are two last-minute ones from two friends (who are totally unrelated to the Valentino clan):
Rusty wants to know about the famous red Schecter strat that was stolen. How did that happen, and did anyone ever find out what happened to it (or its parts)?
Crusty would like to know what inspired the decision to record MM in New York rather than in the UK. Was it the feeling of needing a fresh start, MK's love for all things American, money/strategic issues, studio quality or something else?
Once again, thank you very much for all your time and patience with all of us get-a-lifers! :-)

[Peter1981]

Just a very simple question, but i've always wondered; how tall is Mark? At the On the night show he always appeared really tall to me(over 6 foot something?)  but on other occasions/pictures/movies he could also be 5ft10 or 5ft11.
Thanks!

[Robson]

Ed did you meet Chuck Loyola, who, according to Michael Oldfield's book, came up with the DS logo (a red guitar with Dire Straits written on it) And would you agree to participate in a radio program?

[Billy’s Tune]

Hi Ed, a couple of easy ones…:

1. OES tour - what would you do differently if it was 1991 now (and you’d decided to stick with whatever the reason might have been), could it have been a happier better tour? More indoor arenas maybe like the 1991 stint?

2. Would you work with MK again?

Cheers!