Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler Appreciation

[dan_smee]

Talk in another thread lead me to want to talk to people about Dire Straits more.

I've loved a select few songs for years, but only in the last little while have I gone through each album.

Mark Knopfler's genius cannot be overstated.

 

[bono_212]

He's so great, as are the Dire Straits.

Just having another Tina Turner night, as well (having a lot of those lately) and he did some great stuff for her. Private Dancer being the most obvious, of course.

 

[dan_smee]

I've had Making Movies on repeat today. Insanely good album


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[bono_212]

This song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YTh1Wsqo2c

 

[dan_smee]

This song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YTh1Wsqo2c

Yep - live version on the best of released in the late 90s is epic too


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[Axver]

Telegraph Road is far and away the finest thing Dire Straits ever did.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I have a weakness for 'Romeo And Juliet'.

 

[dan_smee]

Tunnel of Love, Telegraph Road, Brothers in Arms, Your Latest Trick and R+J. Don't ask me to choose!

 

[LemonMelon]

Love Over Gold and Skateaway need some love too.

 

[Axver]

Love Over Gold and Skateaway need some love too.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who appreciates Skateaway. No idea if it's particularly popular or not among fans, but it's not one I've normally heard namechecked. I'd rate it as the best off Making Movies.

And Love Over Gold, the entire album, is excellent. Without question the band's finest hour.

 

[gvox]

I heartily endorse this thread!


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[cobl04]

Probably one of our least-talked about bands, I'd say. I wonder why, I like them a lot. I've only got a best of, but love pretty much all those songs. The chorus in Romeo & Juliet is to die for.

Alchemy is also one of the best live albums I've ever heard. The version of Sultans of Swing on that is fucking immense.

 

[dan_smee]

I am struggling to think of a band more universally loved. So much more than just the talents of Knopfler too.


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[Axver]

Really? I've generally got the impression that Dire Straits are considered a bit lame and uncool, but not lame or uncool enough to be the subject of sustained vitriol.

Except for Twisting By the Pool, which deserves every bit of hatred it gets.

 

[dan_smee]

Really? I've generally got the impression that Dire Straits are considered a bit lame and uncool, but not lame or uncool enough to be the subject of sustained vitriol.

Except for Twisting By the Pool, which deserves every bit of hatred it gets.

Loved may be too strong, but I have never met a person, no matter how cool, that doesn't appreciate them on some level.

I am obviously discounting teeny-boppers. I'm talking people who like human-played music.


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[dan_smee]

My friends who are metal heads who don't like 'soft' music unanimously like Dire Straits.


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[phanan]

Love this band. The trifecta of Making Movies, Love Over Gold, and Brothers In Arms was a great run.

 

[cobl04]

I think my biggest gripe with this band is that the amazing prog intro to Money for Nothing gives way to one of the 70s' more predictable rawk tunes.

I am struggling to think of a band more universally loved. So much more than just the talents of Knopfler too.


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[dan_smee]

I think my biggest gripe with this band is that the amazing prog intro to Money for Nothing gives way to one of the 70s' more predictable rawk tunes.

Well, I suppose I'm trying to say that most bands have their polarising characteristics, and their haters. I really don't think these guys have many real haters.


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[LemonMelon]

There's a world of difference between "most loved" and "least hated."

But I see what Dan means, there certainly aren't a ton of vehement decriers of Dire Straits out there.

 

[cobl04]

Yes, happy to go along with that. "A band more universally loved" was a bit over the top though

 

[Kieran McConville]

I'm led to understand that even Crowded House, those cuddly teddybears, have a few assassins waiting in the bushes.

 

[cobl04]

LMP hates Crowded House.

 

[dan_smee]

Yeah, hyperbole and excitement got the better of me.


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[Kieran McConville]

I still really love Romeo & Juliet, and as a result of this thread will probably listen to Telegraph Road.

 

[dan_smee]

I still really love Romeo & Juliet, and as a result of this thread will probably listen to Telegraph Road.

Telegraph Road is Knopfler's 'The Prelude'. Epic, long, intricate, interesting all the way.


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[DaveC]

I think my biggest gripe with this band is that the amazing prog intro to Money for Nothing gives way to one of the 70s' more predictable rawk tunes.

Money for Nothing came out in 1985 on Brothers in Arms

I once wrote a 20-page term paper about Money for Nothing for my Rock and Roll History class. It was a "what is one song we did not discuss in class that we should have and why" type of thing. I got an A+, the only A+ term paper I wrote in all of college.

I also loved the Brothers in Arms album when I was a kid (like 3-4 years old). My dad had the vinyl and as soon as I figured out how to work it I put that record on almost every day and danced/jumped around to it start to finish every time. I have no idea why, I just really really really liked it (still do).

 

[An Cat Gav]

Really? I've generally got the impression that Dire Straits are considered a bit lame and uncool, but not lame or uncool enough to be the subject of sustained vitriol.

Except for Twisting By the Pool, which deserves every bit of hatred it gets.

I quite like Dire Straits but apart from Romeo and Juliet and Sultans, Dire Straits are universally considered the definition of uncool aren't they?

 

[An Cat Gav]

Money for Nothing came out in 1985 on Brothers in Arms

I once wrote a 20-page term paper about Money for Nothing for my Rock and Roll History class. It was a "what is one song we did not discuss in class that we should have and why" type of thing. I got an A+, the only A+ term paper I wrote in all of college.

I also loved the Brothers in Arms album when I was a kid (like 3-4 years old). My dad had the vinyl and as soon as I figured out how to work it I put that record on almost every day and danced/jumped around to it start to finish every time. I have no idea why, I just really really really liked it (still do).

I still really like it, Walk of My Life is my favourite. I was about 10 and my parents and aunts etc were all into it. I was just thankful that it wasn't Graceland which was their previous favourite, which I did and still do fucking hate.

 

[DaveC]

I think my biggest gripe with this band is that the amazing prog intro to Money for Nothing gives way to one of the 70s' more predictable rawk tunes.

I should also follow this up with the fact that Knopfler wrote the riff to be deliberately a knock-off of predictable late 70s rawk. He tried to copy Billy Gibbons' (ZZ Top) effects and tone exactly as a parody of that kind of style.