ATTENTION! The below post is from Ed Bicknell, thanks again Ed!
All,
Following the exchanges prompted by my last contribution I have a few comments which I’m not going to make reply specific so as to save Dusty rerunning the posts endlessly ( sometimes to drop in just a few words ) .
Nor am I going to get into correspondence about the main points I was making ie about the bonkers idea of giving tapes ( in whatever format) to fans to mix or whatever and then distribute.
That has been beaten senseless I think and as we are all agreed will never happen anyway.
To those who responded in detail, thank you.
I get what your saying but it's a dead issue ..I was writing about the idea in principle and although I stand by what I said, my response was a good example of why writing in annoyance/irritation is never a good idea.
So just picking up from the TOWN CRIER image of Dusty’s uncle Elmer Buchanan somewhere in Scotland announcing Blue Nile gigs ( ie from reply 172 ) ..
When I stepped down as M’s manager I made a promise to myself that I would not get involved in, comment on or “interfere" with anything that PC or MK or JI did AFTER that date and I have stuck to that.
But because I agreed to the Q and A on this site it was inevitable that I would comment on various issues and scenarios that have occurred over the last 25 years and try as best as my memory would allow to correct some of the factually incorrect and frequently deluded information that pops up regularly on the AMIT site.
As a general point I cannot recall which shows were recorded, in what fashion or who by, let alone the location of multi tracks or whatever, a subject which has gripped my intellect unceasingly because I'd LOVE to know if any recording exists of the rewritten lyric to “ The Man’s Too Strong” from the BIA tour.
Now THAT would be worth finding…tabloid fodder of the first order!
ALL of the releases of compilations since 2001, assorted live material and the 78-92 Boxed live set, have taken place AFTER I quit, so have had nothing to do with me and other than any comments I may have made, I know nothing about them.
As must be clear by now, I make a distinction between the AMIT “fans” and the general music public, and I do understand that what you guys/ladies are interested in getting hold of is different to what the general listener is interested in or even cares/knows about.
If I had been involved I might have done things differently but I don't know what PC/MK/GF have to work with and where they’ve accessed stuff from.
The criticism I read about how all that’s been handled is uninformed …I can understand your frustration but I don't have enough information to accurately comment so I won’t.
I was however HUGELY amused to see that within a few hours of posting my comments, almost miraculously a BIA 40th anniversary album including the 85 San Antonio show is to be released ( replies 201/206 ), ironically from the dullest town in Texas.
You have read my constant references to “ where are the tapes?”
What I should have made clear is that I’m referring to the material that our contract partners ( Phonogram UK ) would..or should…have stored , logged and made sure were looked after in a manner which saved tapes etc from degrading, getting lost/stolen, being damaged and so on.
That did not happen as efficiently as it might hence all this muddle about where they might be and who owns eg the Canal Plus broadcast referenced in this thread which belongs to them .since they paid for it.
Phonogram ( or Warners ) were not involved AT ALL in the recording of that San Antonio show and for sure neither I nor DS organised it so it must have been a third party, Westwood One perhaps?
Whoever it was would have kept the tapes because “he who pays, owns” so I can only assume that’s where the source for the BIA release has come from, the one Guy has remixed, NOT from the “where are the tapes” scenario I have been referring to .
I have zero memory of any shows other than those you already know about that might have been recorded. I'd completely forgotten that the 1979 Rainbow shows were taped, I assume for the Arena documentary?
I’d forgotten Phil Lynott was there let alone played, those shows JUST scraped by, M wanted to cancel and all of us were exhausted, fed up, pissed off..the 79 near disaster I’ve alluded to.
So listen to them in that context.
I will say that “something new” coming from DS, especially if it’s 30 year old live stuff, is, I’m sure, of zero interest to the general public.
NO ONE cares as a few of you seem to accept ( the classic “silent fart” comment although that was applied to M …just hilarious ).
So the sales such as they are depend on the die hard fans ..you and a relatively few others, not the 36 million plus who bought BIA, 25 million + of which DIDN’T buy OES and the way, way fewer who haven’t bought his solo stuff ( I accept not everything can be measured in numbers).
Just one point I have to respond to ( reply 188 from Pavel ).
Please be assured that neither Chris W or I have any interest in “ defeating stupid fans”.
That’s just silly …..we are trying to HELP and the other AMITS get the facts and motivations correct, tell it like it WAS, not how you THINK it was.
I don't categorise anyone as being “stupid" when they don't have the information, only when their incorrect opinions are borne out of complete ignorance resulting in nonsensical speculation, the consequence of the “delirium” Brunno describes ( I completely get that ).
There’s a difference, or should I just not bother and let what is incorrect stand ( too late now)?
Which brings me to my last point and I’m going to state something blindingly obvious.
There are two issues with this site ( and sites like it ).
Language and geography.
Imagine that instead of writing back and forwards emails, someone organised a DS/MK Convention and invited Chris, myself, others and imagine they all turned up ( not MK ..I don't think that would float his boat) and you were able to ask questions DIRECTLY.
Do you think for one minute that the “violence” Pavel rather exaggeratedly describes would occur?
That the dialogue would become as confrontational as it seems to rather too often , usually when based on speculation not fact?
No. Of course not.
With a few exceptions you would find out all you want to know ( or at least think you want to know) , the good manners we all have would play their part and the Dire Straits Experience would come along for a modest fee and I could sit in and have a drum battle with young Chris which he’d win on “ MFN “ ( his favourite) and I’d win on “ Railroad Working” ( mine).
Barbados would be quite a good choice of venue, def not the US right now..
Over to you…...
