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Author Topic: Tommy Mandel's story  (Read 29732 times)

Jackal

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Tommy Mandel's story
« on: March 09, 2011, 04:19:28 PM »
Mentioned this in the Ron Eve thread. Thought I'd make a new thread of it. Mandel is writing a book about his experiences in the music industry called ""Famous A**holes I Have Known".. (or) I'll Never Work Again.. The Real Story of my life in the Biz...And what I've learned from it". Actually it's a working title, and you can email suggestions to him about the title.

Chapter 6 is called "Herr K", probably "Herr Knopfler". It's not active yet, as he writes "Tommy Mandel, keyboard sideman to the greats: Mark Knopfler, (whom we diss at a later date), Bryan Adams, (not bad for a boss,) ..." http://www.tommymandel.com/mybookch1.html . Chapter 7, Prince Charles and Lady Di, starts with "(this chapter continues, in a mellower vein, some of my Dire experiences with the Straits, 82-3!)". Seems like the guy had some serious issues with DS and MK ...

In chapter 7, he writes:

"Dire Straits played the Prince's Trust in 1983, a yearly concert in London, where Prince Charles and Lady Di used to invite their favorite artists to perform, the proceeds benefiting Charles' favourite (!) charities.After a "pep talk" from "the Prince's Roadie", probably Scotland Yard, or whatever James Bond's branch is, ("Don't address the Prince directly, wait to be spoken to," etc.), we all lined up in a reception line, and with Peter Townshend in his blue Bar Mitzvah suit as Presenter, met the couple. Prince Charles was jolly, interested in our work, and a fine conversationalist. "What exactly IS a synthesizer?" he asked me, the only obvious Yank in the group. "A combination of a computer and an organ, sir" was my answer. After the show, he excitedly complimented me on my stage energy. (Being on stage with a fabulous band, in front of a killer keyboard rig, and not being allowed to touch a key for the first four minutes of a great song like "Sultans of Swing", which originally had no keyboards on it, and now was supposed to support 2 whole keyboard maniacs, left me in a state of rhythmic frustration, which I used to soothe by jumping up and down in time to the beat. Townshend told me he found it distracting but that his wife quite liked it. After my first show with the band, Illsley had said to keep doing it; I guess the Straits tended to be a bit cerebral about the show, and a little visceral motion was a welcome addition.) So Prince Charles is ushered up to me and asks, "I admired your energy....how do you stay so fit?!" I just told him I ate a lot. It didn't seem right to burden his Royal Highness with my everyday band-generated frustrations. He was also amazed at how much like a real piano my synthesizer sounded. Apparently, from his royal box, keyboard player #1, Alan Clark's stage position was obscured from sight. Luckily, Alan happened to be right by me, and I graciously introduced the true Dire Straits pianist to his Prince and future King, bowing out of the picture.
  Lady Di was a bit of a tease, and her eyes are among the most hypnotic that I have ever fallen into. They have a million silver blue sparkling pebbles, and one is tempted to count them all. Later one finds that he has been staring vacantly, oblivious to the rest of the world around him. On the other hand, she IS a big woman, and when her magnificent eyes are not trained on you, there is something equine to her appearance. So she goes to me, "How long have you been with the group?" When I, with what I thought was humility, told her that it had not been a long stint, and that I did not even merit a replacement, so insignificant was I, she took it as me saying that no one could ever possibly replace me; she raised an eyebrow, impressed with my self posession and cheek. "Mmmmm," she hmmed.
  George Martin was at the Dominion Theatre as well, and looked very distinguished and silvery; I did not approach him. What could I say?
    Actually, I should have asked him if the harpsichord solo on "In My Life" is really recorded one hand at a time, at half speed, which is my theory." http://users.rcn.com/tmandel/mybookch7.html

What do you think?

Offlinetunnel85

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2011, 05:31:49 PM »
"Famous A**holes I have known"...
Not a bad title for an autobiography. But why does Tommy Mandel pretend he is famous ?


Love Expresso

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2011, 07:18:58 PM »
Well, I remember him fooling around at the keyboard rig during the Alchemy Video like a maniac and I can affirm: This guy had some serious problems, obviously!  :lol

LE

Rollergirl

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2011, 07:54:09 PM »
"Famous A**holes I have known"...
Not a bad title for an autobiography. But why does Tommy Mandel pretend he is famous ?

he doesn't pretend he's famous, he says he has known some famous people

Offlinetunnel85

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2011, 11:17:15 PM »
Of course he doesn't say he is famous.
Obviously he is the main character of his book, which means the title is wrong unless he considers himself as a famous guy.  ;)

OfflinePottel

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2011, 12:23:26 AM »
chapter 6 Herr K. has no link to it, but based on what was written in chapter 7 i believe he has already written something.
can anyone check his site to see whether he may have "misplaced" that chapter??
any Knopfler, Floyd or Dylan will do....

Jackal

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2011, 02:07:07 AM »
I used Google Customized Search to search his site, but it is not there.

Offlinedustyvalentino

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2011, 10:19:27 AM »
Seems fairly clear that right through the DS era, MK was at best a "hard taskmaster" and a worst a total bastard.

However, you can't really argue with the results - he knew what he wanted, he got it, and he was hugely successful in the process.

Like all of us he has no doubt changed in the last 20 years though and he is obviously a lot more laid back these days though.
"You can't polish a doo-doo" - Mark Knopfler

Rollergirl

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2011, 10:57:10 AM »
Seems fairly clear that right through the DS era, MK was at best a "hard taskmaster" and a worst a total bastard.

However, you can't really argue with the results - he knew what he wanted, he got it, and he was hugely successful in the process.

Like all of us he has no doubt changed in the last 20 years though and he is obviously a lot more laid back these days though.

Well said again, Mr V, you're keeping your mum busy these days!

Jackal

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #9 on: March 10, 2011, 11:25:19 AM »
Has always interested me the way bands (in particular) work. It's impossible to have complete democracy. Someone's got to pull the strings and give directions. But I think it takes considerable leadership skills to lead, have your vision realized and at the same time maintain a healthy and friendly relationship within the band.

As for Mark, he probably was really paranoid, for want of a better term, back in the day. He had a vision and that vision had to be realized no matter what. And when people have other ideas that go against your artistic direction, that can cause a lot of frustration. I have experienced the same thing sometimes with some fellow players. To not be a complete schmuck, you go with what the majority want, but inside you're just thinking "this doesn't work, this doesn't work". It's a fine balance. Must be a lot easier for Mark these days, where there is no question that he is the leader, and all the guys know it. At the same time, he's eased up a lot, so everyone is happy I think.

----

About Mandel's book though, and Jack Sonni's for that matter, it is kind of intriguing to get a peek into the early days of Dire Straits. But then I'm thinking, this is a bit like reading the glossy gossip papers. You're looking into something a bit dirty, something private in a way, at least this negative stuff. And I don't see anything that could come to light that either hasn't been told before or that would actually enhance my perception of Mark and Dire Straits, if you know what I mean. Particulary now that we see that Mark is a different guy than in those days.

Offlinetunnel85

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2011, 11:51:21 AM »
MK was definitely not easy at that times - just look at the turnover in band  ::) - and Tommy Mandel is probably right to be eager.
I don't think TM's attitude is fair though, not because of MK but because he is spitting on every people who gave him a chance one day.
Can't just be always the other one's fault.

 

Offlinedustyvalentino

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2011, 12:06:16 PM »
"You can't polish a doo-doo" - Mark Knopfler

Offlinetunnel85

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #12 on: March 10, 2011, 12:21:35 PM »
So Joop de Koorte is Tommy Mandel.
Double work and only paid once. I better understand his eagerness now.  ::)

Offlinedmg

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #13 on: March 10, 2011, 12:41:25 PM »
MK was definitely not easy at that times - just look at the turnover in band  ::) - and Tommy Mandel is probably right to be eager.
I don't think TM's attitude is fair though, not because of MK but because he is spitting on every people who gave him a chance one day.
Can't just be always the other one's fault.

 

Yes, there's a good phrase he may want to bear in mind here: "if you can't think of anything nice to say about anyone don't say anything at all."
"I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order."

Offlinedustyvalentino

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Re: Tommy Mandel's story
« Reply #14 on: March 10, 2011, 01:11:32 PM »
I would be very interested to hear Jack's story.

Very strange that MK goes from mentioning him in front of 20 billion people or whatever to ditching him altogether.
"You can't polish a doo-doo" - Mark Knopfler

 

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