Who Controls The Setlist?

[dustyvalentino]

There seems to be some confusion as to how the record business works. Basically you sign with a label and they pay for your studio time to produce an album and then they finance you to go on tour to support the album. The artist then works for the label and is paid accordingly. In no way does the artist use his own money to finance any of the project.Plus since the record company is footing the whole bill they have a lot of control over the setlist and the venues played in order to get the most for their investment. If you think I'm off base here I suggest you research it a little furthur.

zimbo you are 10 years late at least.

Moreover you take something that is true only for some as a generality.

Touring has become much more profitable now than it used to be. So for an artist such as Mark Knopfler no need to be record-company dependant. And this for a long time now.
What you are writing is true for less known, less popular, or young artist that don't have the finance of their own to do it but multi-millionaire Mark is fully free from that. He's lucky to be able to advance the money needed to put a tour on. For touring purpose Mercury has no input over Mark who decide how-when and where he is doing it.

And although Mark has a recording contract with Mercury, at least since OES, he does finance the recording of his album, that way he keep control over the production and give the final product to the record company which is reduced to a marketing and distribution role.

Correct, this has been the case since the OES album and tour, both of which were financed by MK and JI, hence nervous times for all when initial ticket sales in Australia were poor and shows were cancelled.

[Pottel]

No need to go in teacher mode zimbo. Mark finances his own records, hence the (fully owned) british grove studio.
I asked you to actually pinpoint the part on guy's forum where he explicitly says so. You have not.
Why not ask it yourself to prove it to us, if you are so sure?

[Simon]

Pottel - is it certain he finances his own records?  He may own the studio but he may also lease it to his record publisher/label when recording his stuff. That would be logical.

[Pottel]

Pottel - is it certain he finances his own records?  He may own the studio but he may also lease it to his record publisher/label when recording his stuff. That would be logical.

somewhere guy mentions Mark owns it fully (use the search function  )

[Ian Lewis]

MK is in charge as far as I am concerned.  Mark clearly does what he wants to do since StP.  The studio is a clear sign of that.  MK doesn't need to tour, he does it because he wants to.  Why would he tour and play songs the record company want to hear if he doesn't want to?

P.S.  What the hell is 'trolling'?

[schmonka]

Taken from the all knowing Urban Dictionary -

Trolling

"Being a prick on the internet because you can. Typically unleashing one or more cynical or sarcastic remarks on an innocent by-stander, because it's the internet and, hey, you can.
Guy: "I just found the coolest ninja pencil in existence."
Other Guy: "I just found the most retarded thread in existence.""

That seems to be one of many explanations.....but it doesnt seem a particularly endeering term.....
 

[Ian Lewis]

Taken from the all knowing Urban Dictionary -

Trolling

"Being a prick on the internet because you can. Typically unleashing one or more cynical or sarcastic remarks on an innocent by-stander, because it's the internet and, hey, you can.
Guy: "I just found the coolest ninja pencil in existence."
Other Guy: "I just found the most retarded thread in existence.""

That seems to be one of many explanations.....but it doesnt seem a particularly endeering term.....
 

LOL!  Not quite the definition I was expecting, but it gets to the point!

[Justme]

That discussion gets me to the point where he said something like "[...] success, (mumbling), I do recommend success for everyone [...]". This could be from the Kill To Get Crimson Bonus DVD or something like that, I don't remember exactly. But something in that sentence makes me think that MK is actually referring to independency and autarky as a result of success.

[peterromer]

I also believe MK controls it 100 % - and perhaps listen to good advice from Guy (why not)....  he once said in a Danish television interview on DR1, and this goes back to the 90

[dustyvalentino]

Hmm, have you been reading this thread Guy?!!!

http://www.guyfletcher.co.uk/index.php/getluckytour2010/14th_June_-_Bergen_-_Vestlandshallen

I know I talk a lot about the plane in the diaries and the luxury of the cars etc. but it all comes at a price and Mark chooses this option. Very few artists are fortunate enough or indeed actually prepared to fork out on these things which ultimately mean that as a band, we are in as good a shape as possible when we take to the stage each night. Judging by the reports, I think it shows.

If you are reading, thanks for everything!

[Love Expresso]

Hey, well spotted, Dusty! Greetings to Guy from over here!

A question that came up to my mind last night (!) was if the addition of Michael McGoldrick to the band is a new unforeseen expense factor... I think PC must have done his maths to let the band grow at eight members for more of the second half of the tour! And because it was in the middle of the night, my thoughts were quite blurry, and I thought, Hey, that is why he started the SimfyLive Thing in London! Rasing some additional money to pay the flute man! In that case, I am more than willing to download some more stuff! 

Don't beat me, as I said, it was around 2:30 am...

LE

[ingridswing]

And yes they do make big money since almost all the shows are sold out.

I don't think they're making so much money. Don't forget the overhead as Guy already pointed out in reply to a rather blunt question about how much they earn 

BTW: Guy also said: '"If Mark was in the greed game, we'd be playing arenas and stadiums, just like the Eagles, U2 etc.etc. " which I can't believe, either. In Germany the do play big stadiums e.g. O2World Berlin (appr. 15000 seats) and obviously decided not to play in cozy theatres like they did in the US. Why?  IMHO it's a bit make believe to think they could play arenas in the US if they only wanted to. I may be wrong but record sales of Mark's last few albums were quite poor - except for Germany and other European countries...

I am pretty sure Mark pays it all, and decides it all. Why does he play small arenas in the US, there are less fans overthere. Why does he do bigger venues in Europe: a lot of people want to come to the show and MK is pretty lazy and doesn't want to have a tour for 6/8/10 months.

I am sure MK just says to PCM: I want it like this and that and they organize it. He wants the same drivers as far as possible, he wants the same crew as far as possible. It's the way MK is. And making a lot of money ... I don't think so. How many people are employed, houw many buses, the plane, the Mercedeses, catering, tophotels.
All things cost a lot. I cannot imagine there is any profit in the US (1500 to 2500 people every night.  Who have to cover all costs including the venue!

[dustyvalentino]

I am pretty sure Mark pays it all, and decides it all. Why does he play small arenas in the US, there are less fans overthere. Why does he do bigger venues in Europe: a lot of people want to come to the show and MK is pretty lazy and doesn't want to have a tour for 6/8/10 months.

I am sure MK just says to PCM: I want it like this and that and they organize it. He wants the same drivers as far as possible, he wants the same crew as far as possible. It's the way MK is. And making a lot of money ... I don't think so. How many people are employed, houw many buses, the plane, the Mercedeses, catering, tophotels.
All things cost a lot. I cannot imagine there is any profit in the US (1500 to 2500 people every night.  Who have to cover all costs including the venue!

Tickets were more expensive in the US but I agree, can't be much profit after private jets and luxury hotels are paid for.

Don't agree about him being "lazy" though. Four months straight (strait?) at 60 with one day off a week is pretty hard going IMO.

[ingridswing]

Yes, but only 4 months. I agree that's not lazy, but he himself always says he is 

[Waterline Man]

I think its MK's gig as well,he probably confides in a few people that he trusts but thats very few I'd say???I found it strange on one of Guy's posts lately when he said that he had a mortgage or something like we all have mortgages to pay ,I would have thought that these guys were sorted for life at an early age