A Mark In Time
Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: jbaent on August 27, 2015, 10:05:59 AM
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Hello everybody
This is something I wanted to write about for quite a long but as it´s something I don´t want to happen, I always let it go, but we all know that it will, so...
I still remember the news about MK motocycle accident, and the sad feelings about it, and, everytime any musicians that I like dies, like Gary Moore, Rick Wright , etc, my wife always asks me the same question:
What will happen the day MK dies with all of you, fans? what would you do?
It´s clearly something I don´t want to think about, and surely you neither, but, uncounciously I start to think a bit about it, and obviously I stop at the moment, but...
... attend the funeral?
... visit the grave in a near future?
... do nothing at all?
Obviously the first one won´t happen, as it will be keep in private, but if there is any chance... I think it´s not something for a fan, so I will never ever consider it.
The second one, when visiting London or Newcastle in the future... maybe, I don´t know. I would have mixing feelings about being sad and want to show my respects, but, what for? I don´t know...
Do nothing at all, looks like the thing to do, but... people visit Elvis Presley, Phil Lynnott, Jim Morrison etc graves, leave flowers...
I hate when my wife asks me that question everytime any musicians I like dies :-\
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It's a topic that crosses my mind now again. Assuming I outlive MK a part of me will die when he dies. He is such an important part of my life. I think I will just go somewhere quiet and light a candle / put some of his music on...
Let's hope it is a long long way off though.....
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Actually it´s curious that, from the many bands I like, Dire Straits is one in which all their ex members are still alive...
I also hope it´s a long long way, I still feel scared when I recall the motocycle accident news...
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Do nothing at all, looks like the thing to do, but... people visit Elvis Presley, Phil Lynnott, Jim Morrison etc graves, leave flowers...
I hate when my wife asks me that question everytime any musicians I like dies :-\
In the last couple of years some of my favorite musicians died. And every time they did there would be dozens of newspaper articles about celebrities paying their respects, countless distasteful twitter and facebook posts that are filled with exaggeration and self promotion. I would be very sad if that happened with Knopfler as well. Considering his attitude towards fame and "celebrity", it would probably be best to do nothing. I think he would be quite happy if he is only remembered as a great musician and songwriter, nothing more and nothing less.
I think I will just go somewhere quiet and light a candle / put some of his music on...
That's probably the best way to pay your last respects to the man who was all music. He is not a celebrity like so many other musicians, so I think he wouldn't like the things that are going on with Elvis fans for example. And Morrison's grave was turned into a pilgrimage destination. Best thing to do is to respect him by listening to his music, and that way he never dies.
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......I think I will just go somewhere quiet and light a candle / put some of his music on...
That's what I would do. I hope it's a long way off, though!
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Hi Jbaent,
I don't think aboutMK dying at the moment, he is only 66, so statistically he will have a lot more years to come. But this year I started thinking about what when MK stops making new CD's and stops touring. However he may be in good health at that time, it makes me sad to think about it.
Especially in the past 10 years I met many nice people at concerts, I like the excitement before the release of a CD and before the tour. I love the friendship during tours.
There would be a big hole in the world when he stops. At least for me. For 37 years now he is an important part of my life.
What to do if he dies, I don't know. I don't think there will be a possibility to attend the funeral. Like being in a hall with a big screen to be with fans and show respect for what he did. Of course we are not friends or family, so other options are not in question, I agree with you. Visiting a grave, maybe I would. But it's not really something I am into. Do nothing is .... well nothing. It won't feel good I think. I think I would want to have a remembranceday with fans. Maybe organize something in London where people can get together and celebrate his life. Of course months or maybe a year after he died.
Well let's first focus on the tour to come. Hope he will have enough inspiration to make another CD and do another tour. He is only 66. When he and we are lucky we could have a lot more music to follow from him.
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You have touch upon something I saw about to post Ingrid. My friend is a huge Doors fan, as much as I am DS/MK fan. He has visited the grave of Jim Morrison in Paris and he meets up with friends that he knows and has met on the forums etc.
It would certainly be a way for the AMIT family to get together and, as you say, celebrate his life and music but also to meet each other again!
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Very interesting although sad topic!
I went through part of this feeling in the "long" period of uncertainty after the OES tour when it was unclear if he would ever release another album or if he would call it a day. It felt like an eternity. It was a similar thing between Golden Heart and STP.
What would I do without a new addition to the catalogue of his unparalelled music?
What I experienced was, I could very well live with his existing music so far, because it didn't loose its deeply touching beauty for me. I also appreciated his soundtracks if I wanted a change.
In short: MK lays his soul into his music and by listening to it, all you love about him is present. So once he'll be gone, much of his genius will live on in his music. But I'll certainly miss his smile and the unique feeling when he comes on stage...
As a consequence of these "dry" times, I cherish every new release since then, even every new collaboration as an additional gift to my musical survival kit. Other artists simply don't do it for me the way MK does, so I will not be able to compensate a possible loss of MK by listening to other good music.
I think that will be the way I will have to take it when the day finally comes.....in 40 or so years...
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I'm going to be blunt and unsentimental, I've often thought about this... I remember the days at work when someone would walk into the office and announce that Steve Irwin or Michael Jackson died...
I don't think my hero would even close to the same amount of attention as those, but I would depart from my work and go somewhere quiet....
The blunt part, I'm ashamed to admit, will be an expectation for the record companies to cash in and allow me to buy every bloody outtake and guitar lick the man performed inthe 70s/80s... I'm ashamed but that's the truth.
It's a morbid topic, but I've pondered it, Bobs getting old too... Some Sad days lie ahead. Who are the musical geniuses replacing Bob & Mark? :(
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Who are the musical geniuses replacing Bob & Mark? :(
That is a good question. Haven't found too many young songwriters today worth the listen. I am sure they exist but they rarely surface since they are buried deep under today's shallow popular music.
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Just like Ingrid and dmg, I think it would be lovely to meet up with friends from this forum, perhaps on the anniversary of the day he died, to remember him and the music which meant so much to us. I just hope I'll still be here! ;)
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I would want to have a remembranceday with fans. Maybe organize something in London where people can get together and celebrate his life. Of course months or maybe a year after he died.
That´s the best idea, choosing a London spot of special significance for his music and gather there. Hire a tribute band, and enjoy their music!
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The choice of the tribute band should be made carefully...
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The best thing at fan reunions would be special guest Guy telling things he is not yet allowed to tell from the studio and the road.
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I think Mark's the resilient type and could live until he's 110. Hopefully he's stopped touring by then ...
I'd be a little sad to hear the news, but as I'm not "his biggest fan", I won't burst out in tears and buy a truckload of chocolate either.
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Oh my gosh... I am in tears just thinking about this. Yes, we would still have his music, but this would be a very dark time in my life.
I hope he continues to write, record and tour for many more years.
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Good albeit sad question.
I think I will:
1/Write and publish a personal article to tell in details how MK's music changed my life;
2/Try to have my children know and enjoy his music to keep the memory alive.
3/Lobby so that a 10 bluray box, with all existing video/audio available material, is released.
4/if I can, try to convince Clint Eastwood to incarnate MK in a great biopic movie :)
5/of course, gather with AMIT friends as much as possible...
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Sort of like Liz, I will cry, but only for an hour or so. Then I will play his music nonstop for like a week, with many tears and laughs in between. After the week is over, I will be ready to rejoin society and keep my personal contacts with MK alive in my memory, and never stop playing his music. There is a connection between our souls through his music that can't be describe, but that I can safely say we will rekindle in the next world!!
Saul
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Good albeit sad question.
I think I will:
1/Write and publish a personal article to tell in details how MK's music changed my life;
2/Try to have my children know and enjoy his music to keep the memory alive.
3/Lobby so that a 10 bluray box, with all existing video/audio available material, is released.
4/if I can, try to convince Clint Eastwood to incarnate MK in a great biopic movie :)
5/of course, gather with AMIT friends as much as possible...
You know Clint Eastwood is 20 years older than MK? ;)
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Good albeit sad question.
I think I will:
1/Write and publish a personal article to tell in details how MK's music changed my life;
2/Try to have my children know and enjoy his music to keep the memory alive.
3/Lobby so that a 10 bluray box, with all existing video/audio available material, is released.
4/if I can, try to convince Clint Eastwood to incarnate MK in a great biopic movie :)
5/of course, gather with AMIT friends as much as possible...
You know Clint Eastwood is 20 years older than MK? ;)
I know. This was not a serious one.:) just think that Clint would be ideal to portray an old MK.- grumpy as hell, but with an golden heart hidden deep inside, as in Gran Torino
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I watched Torino again the other night. A great example of another artistic legend at the top of his game at a ripe age. Thumbs up Clint! & Stay on my lawn.
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I too agree that a meet-up be it an anniversary when the inevitable occurs would be great, but for me the music will live on until I too pass. Plenty of Knopfler music already planned for my own:wave
Anyway enough of the negative onto the positive - the next album and tour - yes I know he is the US next!!!!
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There is a joke I use a lot, linked with the movie "The Sixth Sense", you know... "On occasions... I listen death people... in my ipod!"
It´s scary when I check how many of them are already dead, they win the living ones for sure!
Music will last forever, but when your favourite musician means so much to you, is linked with so many memories of your life... your feelings about it are deeper.
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I think there really is nothing wrong with visiting a grave. It doesn't have to be a Elvis or Morrisson weird idolisation kind of stuff
Simply paying a visit to a beloved human being with all the respect he deserves is ok I guess.
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I just suggest we could think about meeting on his birthday to celebrate his music, not in the (far away) day he dies...
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I just suggest we could think about meeting on his birthday to celebrate his music, not in the (far away) day he dies...
We do when he is on tour, meeting and celebrate his music ;)
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I think that we are past the sensitive age where a death would devastate us in a great degree. We have a much more pressing life that does not allow time to grieve. And certainly a change in priorities. It will certainly be a blow though. But if we think about it, many favorite ones have left the building the past decade (like Gary Moore, JJ Cale, etc) and though I was sorry, it wasn't the emotional wave that I thought I'd have. Early on in the eighties and early nineties I even felt post dated grievance for people I didn't know they were gone already (like Graham Chapman that I found out about his passing 5 years later), but now, for me, it is just a part of life. After all we hardly know these people, don't we? We just love their music and the fact that they are making it. It is a common trip with passengers that they touch our lives but not the other way around.
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I think that we are past the sensitive age where a death would devastate us in a great degree. We have a much more pressing life that does not allow time to grieve. And certainly a change in priorities. It will certainly be a blow though. But if we think about it, many favorite ones have left the building the past decade (like Gary Moore, JJ Cale, etc) and though I was sorry, it wasn't the emotional wave that I thought I'd have. Early on in the eighties and early nineties I even felt post dated grievance for people I didn't know they were gone already (like Graham Chapman that I found out about his passing 5 years later), but now, for me, it is just a part of life. After all we hardly know these people, don't we? We just love their music and the fact that they are making it. It is a common trip with passengers that they touch our lives but not the other way around.
As I am quite a few years older than MK, I may not be around myself when that very sad day arrives, but if I am still alive I know that a very big part of my life will have gone. MK's music is with me every single day and he feels like a dear friend, even though he is totally unaware of it! I have been sad many times when I hear of the death of other musicians, actors, etc, but MK means much more to me than others and there is no doubt that I will be very sad indeed.
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MK is not just a musician I listen to, he is like Val says, a dear dear friend. Of course it is totally one way and he has no idea who I am but he is part of my identity and has had the biggest influence on my life than any other person. It is Mark's personality that elevates him from a mere musical hero to that of some kind of guiding light in my life...The way he conducts himself is amazing and that is the reason I am so in love with the whole "mark Knopfler" thing....if he was otherwise I would not feel the same way towards him and his amazing songs.....
When he goes, there will be no words to describe my grief...it may take years to come to terms with but I will treasure the memories he has left....
X
You wrote almost exactly how I will feel if I'm still alive when he'll pass away but I think that, for the sake of his family, it will not happen until he's over 80 or maybe 90!!! :thumbsup :wave
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Clint is also one on my idols 8)
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The blunt part, I'm ashamed to admit, will be an expectation for the record companies to cash in and allow me to buy every bloody outtake and guitar lick the man performed inthe 70s/80s... I'm ashamed but that's the truth.
don't feel ashamed Fletch, I feel the same.
I am not ashamed to admit that I would be far far far more excited by an official release of let's say demos from 1st album/communique or On location tour stuff, or BIA tour stuff, or mandela gig, or a comp of all b-isdes unereleased stuff, or whatever, rather than a new album...maybe some will find this sad, but it's true for me
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Another big Clint fan here!
But this is a rather macabre thread. :-\
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The blunt part, I'm ashamed to admit, will be an expectation for the record companies to cash in and allow me to buy every bloody outtake and guitar lick the man performed inthe 70s/80s... I'm ashamed but that's the truth.
don't feel ashamed Fletch, I feel the same.
I am not ashamed to admit that I would be far far far more excited by an official release of let's say demos from 1st album/communique or On location tour stuff, or BIA tour stuff, or mandela gig, or a comp of all b-isdes unereleased stuff, or whatever, rather than a new album...maybe some will find this sad, but it's true for me
And the market is how big? Lol.
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Clint who?
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Clint is also one on my idols 8)
Well I would say that sadly he was until his recent extreme political views... I did not want to see American Sniper, first time I skip a movie from Clint, but I know I would have been disappointed by the one-sided stand. I prefer to remember Gran Torino as the masterpiece from a great actor and director...
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That Clint! Well,I like what he said about opinions being like A$$0. Everybody has one. As for his political view, if I were to stop enjoying art due to the artists opinions for politics, I would have stopped listening to Neil and Lynyrd, Bob, and countless others. And Clints masterpiece could be GT, but Letters from Iwo Jima is a close second. Still the movies I enjoy Clint as an actor are the Sergio Leone westerns and the spawn westerns after.
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Clint is also one on my idols 8)
Well I would say that sadly he was until his recent extreme political views... I did not want to see American Sniper, first time I skip a movie from Clint, but I know I would have been disappointed by the one-sided stand. I prefer to remember Gran Torino as the masterpiece from a great actor and director...
I also disagree with his political points of views, and not only his recent ones, but what makes him fascinating is the fact he is a constant questionned man : extreme republican, pro-bush ? yes, but director of Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima which are oviously "anti-militarist" films. Racist, extremist in Dirty Harry ? yes but on the opposite in Magnum force. Viril, a little bit machist in some films ? yes but all the opposite in The Bridges of Madison County, The Beguiled or The Gauntlet, etc...
I like Gran Torino, but it's not my fav
I prefer :
Bird
Honkytonk man
The Bridges of Madison County
Pale Rider
Unforgiven
High Plains Drifter
Mystic River
I didn't see American sniper, and indeed I am not really "excited" to see it, but I would say it's one of many sides of Mister Clint
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The Sniper film was a poorly done Hurt Locker wannabe.. didn't enjoy it, on the other hand I didn't find it overly 'one sided' after hearing all the hype & controversy about the facts.
Unforgiven is my Brothers In Arms, and Mystic River would be like Infidels.. :) I bet Clints rejected B-sides are good too.
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Clint is also one on my idols 8)
Well I would say that sadly he was until his recent extreme political views... I did not want to see American Sniper, first time I skip a movie from Clint, but I know I would have been disappointed by the one-sided stand. I prefer to remember Gran Torino as the masterpiece from a great actor and director...
I also disagree with his political points of views, and not only his recent ones, but what makes him fascinating is the fact he is a constant questionned man : extreme republican, pro-bush ? yes, but director of Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima which are oviously "anti-militarist" films. Racist, extremist in Dirty Harry ? yes but on the opposite in Magnum force. Viril, a little bit machist in some films ? yes but all the opposite in The Bridges of Madison County, The Beguiled or The Gauntlet, etc...
I like Gran Torino, but it's not my fav
I prefer :
Bird
Honkytonk man
The Bridges of Madison County
Pale Rider
Unforgiven
High Plains Drifter
Mystic River
I didn't see American sniper, and indeed I am not really "excited" to see it, but I would say it's one of many sides of Mister Clint
A great post JF ! indeed this duality is fascinating... We could talk about Mark's duality too... Rock and roll star or quiet man ? Humble or arrogant ? Super fast guitar player or laid back ? Advocate of free recording or "finger of death" ? Tyran or leader by example ? :)
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Another big Clint fan here!
But this is a rather macabre thread. :-\
Don´t tell me that you never thought about it when you hear that this or that musician/actor/etc died...
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Another big Clint fan here!
But this is a rather macabre thread. :-\
Don´t tell me that you never thought about it when you hear that this or that musician/actor/etc died...
Prefer not to think about it to be honest. Decent chance MK could outlive me and then it won't be an issue. :)
American Sniper is far from Clint's best work but politically it's not what you would expect. Not really about the rights and wrongs of war, more about the impact on soldiers and their families.