Dire Straits - When It Comes To You (Live in Nîmes, France / 1992 / Visualiser)

[Chris W]

But why would Mark continue to promote and market a band that is effectively dead and while having a very successful solo career? I can understand that some people want to see more Dire Straits, but I think it's just a case of people being stuck in the past.
For myself, I would be much more excited about seeing the Henrik Hansen documentary than a Wembley '85 release.

It appeared to me that Mark was over DS on the first days of rehearsal for a more than Ione year world tour. He didn't really want to play MFN any more.
he never thought Sultans had been played properly (even before me), and that is partly because he asked his drummers to play very loud, and Sultans has a lighter groove (Pick talks about this).
Once the tour ended at Zaragoza and Mark embarked on his solo career I think he was mighty relieved.
When I say he doesn't want to revisit the past with it's negative memories, it isn't about personal stuff, it's that he moved on with his life and doesn't want to go back. I think on recent solo tours he reluctantly accepted he'd written some amazing songs for DS, and that they were important to his fans, so he put some back in the set.
He had zero interest in the R&R Hall Of Fame.

[Chris W]

I'm amazed also people feel so sorry for Mark and feel he hasn't been appreciated enough.
The guy never needs to work again. He's a multi-millionaire. He's widely regarded as a guitar god, even by many of his peers (Clapton etc).

[qjamesfloyd]

Sometimes I don't care, and sometimes I'm annoyed why MK is overlooked and rarely quoted. It's unfair and incomprehensible.

I know what you mean. Life's not fair and I have a liftime of following underrated artists, listening to underrated music and even choosing underrated occupations (like teacher, sound designer, editor, or even defender in football). Somehow, I always felt like fighting on the side of the underdog. But life is also extremely predictable and you're not going to become famous if you don't want to become famous. A known fame hater, Mark did everything he could to be as underrated as possible, and hence become the perfect "musician's musician". I usually don't care, too. Mainly becasue I talk about his music virtually every day and damn, can he write good songs. Good songs he writes, he can write good songs. Boy, what a songwriter.

I have always found the whole overlooked or underrated thing strange when used for Mark Knopfler, because both of those words really have nothing to do with Mark, the fame thing yes, but I think those things apply more to Mike Oldfield, who was painfully shy and introverted even before Tubular Bells, after that album was a success it made him even worse, hence him then shutting himself away in a house on the England/Wales border to write and record his next album by himself!! He is almost never quoted as being in the great guitarists list, even though he clearly is, and one of the greatest writers and musicians ever, so, really Mark is very popular and well known, but, he makes an effort to stay as low key as possible, I think I would do the same if I was in his situation, even more so now than in the Dire Straits heydays on the 1980's when Brother in Arms made it hard for him to not be known everywhere. He has had all that adoration back then, and he made the most of it.

[cannibals]

And his work is still played today by other artist. Sam Fender starting his tour a few days ago with GH on the setlist.

[dustyvalentino]

Bob Dylan is as popular as he ever was

Which isn't actually all that popular

When you look at cold hard sales figures, Bob isn't really that popular. Culturally significant, critically lauded etc, yes, but the fact is that Bringing Down The Horse by The Wallflowers (Bob's son's Jakob's band) sold more copies than any Bob release ever did.

[dustyvalentino]

DS is dead, and Mark wanted to fly under the radar. Like a silent fart. And now he's an old fart. An old silent fart. And you wonder why he's not in vogue?

Brilliant!

[Chris W]

By the way, lists are doo-doo.
They are by and large based on popularity. And moreover, music and creativity isn't a sport. It can't be measured, one player against another.
I HIGHLY doubt Mark cares about whether he's appeared on any 'best guitarist' top tens. He obviously didn't care DS were inducted into the 'hall of fame'.
Most of these things are marketing based.
Mark doesn't need to be affirmed as a great guitarist, or have Dire Straits awarded legendary status. The real reward is more tangible - a life long career in music, bank accounts bulging with funds, and a legacy of songs cherished by many.

[Love Expresso]

Bob Dylan is as popular as he ever was

Which isn't actually all that popular

When you look at cold hard sales figures, Bob isn't really that popular. Culturally significant, critically lauded etc, yes, but the fact is that Bringing Down The Horse by The Wallflowers (Bob's son's Jakob's band) sold more copies than any Bob release ever did.

Bob has many albums in his catalogue which sold more than 1,  1,5 or even more than 2 Million copies. He has also albums that hardly sold 80.000, but the pure amount of albums, the long time span of his career and some real classics sum up to many million (I read 125 million) sold albums which indeed translates into "popular" from my point of view.

LE

[Pottel]

Bob Dylan is as popular as he ever was

Which isn't actually all that popular

When you look at cold hard sales figures, Bob isn't really that popular. Culturally significant, critically lauded etc, yes, but the fact is that Bringing Down The Horse by The Wallflowers (Bob's son's Jakob's band) sold more copies than any Bob release ever did.

Bob has many albums in his catalogue which sold more than 1,  1,5 or even more than 2 Million copies. He has also albums that hardly sold 80.000, but the pure amount of albums, the long time span of his career and some real classics sum up to many million (I read 125 million) sold albums which indeed translates into "popular" from my point of view.

LE

also. the truly ENDLESS touring. i wonder if i would still go to so many MK shows as i have done would he have been as prolific as bob.

[dustyvalentino]

Bob Dylan is as popular as he ever was

Which isn't actually all that popular

When you look at cold hard sales figures, Bob isn't really that popular. Culturally significant, critically lauded etc, yes, but the fact is that Bringing Down The Horse by The Wallflowers (Bob's son's Jakob's band) sold more copies than any Bob release ever did.

Bob has many albums in his catalogue which sold more than 1,  1,5 or even more than 2 Million copies. He has also albums that hardly sold 80.000, but the pure amount of albums, the long time span of his career and some real classics sum up to many million (I read 125 million) sold albums which indeed translates into "popular" from my point of view.

LE

That suggests he has a RELATIVELY small but loyal fanbase.

[Chris W]

At the end of the day, Dylan is going to go down as one of the most important songwriters of the 20th Century.
Successful albums, unsuccessful albums etc I don't think an artist would care if they felt they'd made an historic impact on our culture, which Dylan definitely has.

[dustyvalentino]

At the end of the day, Dylan is going to go down as one of the most important songwriters of the 20th Century.
Successful albums, unsuccessful albums etc I don't think an artist would care if they felt they'd made an historic impact on our culture, which Dylan definitely has.

Correct, but I think we are discussing this in the context of the viability of "popularity" and the commercial viability of releasing archive material.

Dyland has been releasing any old crap (along with a some true gems) through The Bootleg Series for nearly 35 years.

[Rolo]

I'm amazed also people feel so sorry for Mark and feel he hasn't been appreciated enough.
The guy never needs to work again. He's a multi-millionaire. He's widely regarded as a guitar god, even by many of his peers (Clapton etc).

I don't think that we are sorry for Mark.
He made a life as a musician.
Very, very sucessfull musician.
Worked hard and built an empire for his own.

Mark could be the coolest guy in town.
He have all the artistic and speech freedom.
Instead of it, looks like that he hates to be an artist.

Most of our complain about DS is that, it reached the very limit as a product. There is a lot of things that could be released that could made the fans happier. As Ed said, MK's music is 100% supported by his die-hard fans (or something like that)

Even John seems to be much polited about his storyes.

[qjamesfloyd]

At the end of the day, Dylan is going to go down as one of the most important songwriters of the 20th Century.
Successful albums, unsuccessful albums etc I don't think an artist would care if they felt they'd made an historic impact on our culture, which Dylan definitely has.

Correct, but I think we are discussing this in the context of the viability of "popularity" and the commercial viability of releasing archive material.

Dyland has been releasing any old crap (along with a some true gems) through The Bootleg Series for nearly 35 years.

Yes, and the ironic thing is, I bet Mark himself bought all those bootleg albums.

[Chris W]

Again, as usual a lot of speculation to support people's impression of MK.