Dire Straits

[scudger99]

I was lucky enough to be at the gig where they recorded Alchemy Live, amazing live. I still have the original double album I bought after its release. Brothers in Arms is a very good album but I prefer Alchemy which is literally the best songs they produced from their first 4 albums. 

Yer double spawny bastard !  I prefer Alchemy too, even prefer those versions of the tracks to the studio recorded versions.  Romeo and Juliet is just something else.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Yer double spawny bastard !  I prefer Alchemy too, even prefer those versions of the tracks to the studio recorded versions.  Romeo and Juliet is just something else.

 

I was lucky to get tickets for the Hammersmith gig in London. I was stationed in Surrey at the time and our CO was given free tickets for it and the rest is history. Romeo and Juliet Live is a classic as is the whole album, my favourite track off it is "Tunnel of Love" though. 

[scudger99]

Absolutely loved the Carousel Waltz on there too, the little intro to one of the songs.  I'm sure it was Mel Collins on saxophone, what a fucking player he is.  He appeared with loads of artists in that era, including the likes of Tear for Fears.  I've got a couple of mates who have played guitar for quite a long time now, and the one guy they just can't replicate is Knopfler.  In their words "he's up there man, just too fucking good".

Gutted that I never saw them live, one of those bands that I hope will do a comeback/farewell tour one day.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Absolutely loved the Carousel Waltz on there too, the little intro to one of the songs.  I'm sure it was Mel Collins on saxophone, what a fucking player he is.  He appeared with loads of artists in that era, including the likes of Tear for Fears.  I've got a couple of mates who have played guitar for quite a long time now, and the one guy they just can't replicate is Knopfler.  In their words "he's up there man, just too fucking good".

Gutted that I never saw them live, one of those bands that I hope will do a comeback/farewell tour one day.

 

Intro to Tunnel of Love and featuring Mel Collins on the Saxophone as you said. Knopfler was given the title as one of the hardest working musicians and was always pushing the creative boundaries. Amazing when you look at some of the other musicians he has produced and worked with over the years, Dylan, Willy DeVille, Randy Newman, Lynott, Steely Dan, Van Morrison etc etc. 

 

Another good Sax Solo is Wesley McGoogan on Hazel O'Connors Will you, absolute class. 

[withnail71]

When i was a young teen, every house in britain had a copy of brothers in arms. Outstanding album.

[Bjornebye]

Got them on. Amazing. 

[razor]

Not Twisting by the Pool, I take it....

 

It's a secret indulgence of mine, but I love Private Investigations from Alchemy.

[Anubis]

Private Investigations is a great slow burn track. 

[Guest]

Love a bit of Dire Straits, I also have a lot of Mark Knopfler's solo albums and for the most part they are all great, laid back and mellow listening. 

[Strontium]

This is the first thing I think of when Dire Straits are mentioned

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vPUeB2ZqQU

[razor]

1 hour ago, Strontium Dog said:

This is the first thing I think of when Dire Straits are mentioned

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vPUeB2ZqQU

 

This is probably why I keep my love of Private Investigations off Alchemy a secret.

 

I grew up in the 1980s and Dire Straits were the most embarrassingly untrendy band on the planet - they were Princess Diana's favourite band.  It's like openly listening to Michael Bolton or something.  Something you just just don't do.

 

It's amazing that time can change things so much that even a cool, trendy young thing like Stig can post online that he's listening to Dire Straits.

[KMD7]

 

[VladimirIlyich]

Are they still getting money for nothing and their chicks for free?

[Dr Nowt]

Fashionable or not I’ve always really liked them and been to see Knopfler live twice.

 

The man is a serious, proper talent even though the music is obviously fairly middle-of-the-road.

[Bjornebye]

Middle of the road my arse. Diana had taste in music. Sultans of Swing is one of the finest tracks ever written and Brothers in Arms is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever to grace the ears of this horrible turd of a world. 

[Dr Nowt]

You might want to look up the definition of middle-of-the-road there mate.

 

Like I say, been a fan all my life so hardly knocking them.

[Bjornebye]

8 minutes ago, Dr Nowt said:

You might want to look up the definition of middle-of-the-road there mate.

 

Like I say, been a fan all my life so hardly knocking them.

 

 

I know what middle of the road means mate and you said they are 'obviously' middle of the road. Are they fuck. Ok its not Ebenezer Good esque pushing the boundaries with their lyrics but the music is excellent and far better than most thats churned out. Particularly in that MTV era. 

[Dr Nowt]

On 13/10/2018 at 19:07, Bjornebye said:

I know what middle of the road means mate and you said they are 'obviously' middle of the road. Are they fuck. Ok its not Ebenezer Good esque pushing the boundaries with their lyrics but the music is excellent and far better than most thats churned out. Particularly in that MTV era. 

Nothing I’ve said expresses that I think they’re average or don’t understand the quality of their music.

[PestiRed]

Never trust a band led by the bass player

[Bjornebye]

5 minutes ago, Dr Nowt said:

 

Nothing I’ve said expresses that I think they’re average or don’t understand the quality of their music.

 

 

'middle of the road' or do you just mean Knopfler? This needs discussing over a pint of tequila in a dingy bar with Rubble. 

[Bjornebye]

Just now, PestiRed said:

Never trust a band led by the bass player

He's having a go at The Beatles now. What next? The Flowers? The Birds? 

[PestiRed]

The Beatles are the exception that proves the rule

 

Bass players should be pretty boys, not the secret power behind the throne

[Dr Nowt]

18 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

'middle of the road' or do you just mean Knopfler? This needs discussing over a pint of tequila in a dingy bar with Rubble. 

You're assuming I mean middle of the road as an insult.  Dire Straits are generally inoffensive, non-extreme and hugely popular; middle-of-the-road.  Knopfler's a supremely gifted guitarist, song-writer and story-teller.  The whole band is immensely talented and obviously wrote a lot of stunning music. 

 

Other people's feelings that they're not cool or edgy have never had any impact on me loving what they do.  I'm aware my interests aren't generally on the cutting edge of culture and don't give a fuck about that.

 

That's it, that's all I was saying.  

[Bjornebye]

8 minutes ago, PestiRed said:

The Beatles are the exception that proves the rule

 

Bass players should be pretty boys, not the secret power behind the throne

Yeah because Flea, Mani and John Entwistle were pretty. 

[Bjornebye]

1 minute ago, Dr Nowt said:

You're assuming I mean middle of the road as an insult.  Dire Straits are generally inoffensive, non-extreme and hugely popular; middle-of-the-road.  Knopfler's a supremely gifted guitarist, song-writer and story-teller.  The whole band is immensely talented and obviously wrote a lot of stunning music. 

 

Other people's feelings that they're not cool or edgy have never had any impact on me loving what they do.  I'm aware my interests aren't generally on the cutting edge of culture and don't give a fuck about that.

 

That's it, that's all I was saying.  

Great post fair play.