The Ragpicker's dream Tour 2003

[dmg]

I agree with dmg :
the paradox is that during DS days which was officially a "band" it didn't bother anyone that members were changing almost on each tour, and now that Mark is playing under his name as a "solo" artist, fans want to keep the same musicians we have since almost 20 years...

the reverse would have been more logical....

Yes.  When people say to me:  would you like a DS reunion?  I say: in what incarnation?  Then I explain about the history of the band, then they walk away before I give the final answer!   Well not quite, but it's always something confusing to ponder over because the original quartet only lasted two albums and after that it changed every couple of years and even by 1982 there were only two original members on the road!

[jbaent]

A Dire Straits reunion will have Mk, John Illsley, Guy Fletcher and I guess that Mk will pick up Ian as drummer, Richard as guitar and possibly Jim Cox as second keyboard and Nigel Hitchcock as sax.

Ian, Richard and Jim will add the musical security he needs, as long as the second guitar was a hired musician since David left, and Alan and Chris are on the black list since The Straits affaire.

[dustyvalentino]

I read that Fats plays pedal steel too

He could easily replace JM.  He does everything he does plus pedal steel.  The only thing John plays is the whistle and Mike plays that so...

It could be interesting if Mark decided to bring him in.  I see he gives Mark a mention on his web site.  We just need to see past the funny name to the musician underneath!

I hope that if mark decides to locate him he remembers to look for him under his new name, because since his crash diet he is now known as Slim Kaplin!

Nice try to get rid of Marbletown , dmg.
No more John, no more Marb.
However everyone is this band is a master, best in world, genius, wears spamy shirt, ... my feeling is John is the most important guy in the band.

On the 2010 MK introduced everyone as a musical genius, best etc except Danny and Guy. Make of that what you will.

[superval99]

I read that Fats plays pedal steel too

He could easily replace JM.  He does everything he does plus pedal steel.  The only thing John plays is the whistle and Mike plays that so...

It could be interesting if Mark decided to bring him in.  I see he gives Mark a mention on his web site.  We just need to see past the funny name to the musician underneath!

I hope that if mark decides to locate him he remembers to look for him under his new name, because since his crash diet he is now known as Slim Kaplin!

Nice try to get rid of Marbletown , dmg.
No more John, no more Marb.
However everyone is this band is a master, best in world, genius, wears spamy shirt, ... my feeling is John is the most important guy in the band.

On the 2010 MK introduced everyone as a musical genius, best etc except Danny and Guy. Make of that what you will.

Only Danny and Guy were in the DS line-up, that's all!   

[JF]

A Dire Straits reunion will have Mk, John Illsley, Guy Fletcher and I guess that Mk will pick up Ian as drummer, Richard as guitar and possibly Jim Cox as second keyboard and Nigel Hitchcock as sax.

Ian, Richard and Jim will add the musical security he needs, as long as the second guitar was a hired musician since David left, and Alan and Chris are on the black list since The Straits affaire.

in 2002, Mark chose to play with John Illsley, Chris White and Danny Cummings, but he called it "MK & friends" not a "DS reunion" (was it only because Alan was not there ? )
so if Mark will play again with John Illsley, I don't see why he would call it a "DS reunion" now...

[jbaent]

Mark and John are a DS reunion per se. The only remaining members from the original band, since David and Pick departure, the rest were hired musicians, even Alan and Guy, "recognized" as DS members at the OES booklet, just for legal issues.

MK choosed "and friends" in 2002 because he mixed the NHB and DS in just one concert and that "and friends" was the shortest way to announce the concerts and at the same time the best way to avoid the madness that would had been announce it as Dire Straits.

[JF]

Mark and John are a DS reunion per se.

I always thought exactly the same. To me, DS is Mark and John, and only Mark and John.

Therefore, the 2002 gigs were a DS reunion (at least a part of the gigs), but not called this way for the reasons you said.

So again, I can't see why a Mark/John reunion in the future would be called a DS reunion.


And it's the paradox I was talking about :

during DS days, fans were going to concerts to see mainly Mark and John, no matter who was the 2nd guitarist or the drummer

during solo days, fans are going to see Mark, with John McCusker, Richard, Glenn, etc...and would be disapointed if there would be members changes...

strange feeling isn't it ? 

[vgonis]

DS reunion! Where, where?  For me the DS reunion includes Pick as well. He played in all but 2 studio albums and the other two had guest drummers anyway (Omar and Jeff never played live with DS)

[JF]

You are right vgonis, but someone could argue that there has been DS incarnations (even if it was with "hired" musicians) without Pick, but none without John, that's making him the only member who can "claim" to "incarnate" DS with mark.

Of course we are discussing about line-up here, not about musical influence.

It's obvious that Pick or Alan had much more influence on DS music than John, but in term of longevity in the band...John wins 

I can't find the word, but I'd say that in "administrative" terms, DS is John and Mark 

[jbaent]

Historicaly, a DS reunion, if there is any, will have for sure MK and JI as the two remaining members, and the rest of musicians will be choosen by MK, as always was, after David and Pick departure.

And in that choosing, I bet that Guy will be there, for sure.

[ds1984]

A DS reunion without Alan would not be a real DS reunion, as Alan was the first key player and remained until the end of the band, unless Mark would go back to the original quartet - that is unlikely to happen.

[vgonis]

http://www.local-hero.org/markontour/tour/20031

http://prairiewedding.free.fr/the_canceled_tour.htm

 OK, since we can only dream about it, why not bring all the musicians that played either on a tour or at an alnum?
I like Alan's work so he is welcome! ;-) Of course he didn't play in the first 3 albums, but the rendition of songs in the later lives were staunning!