A Mark In Time
Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: allen on September 15, 2009, 02:01:35 AM
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(11 SEPT 2009)
I looked at this front page and was shocked to see the last time I up-dated it was in mid-March! Amazing how six months can get away from you. Actually, some people have written wondering if everything was alright and my wife has gently suggested that I should peck out a few new words. I think I just got caught up in summer and am only now getting back on task. So.....
All has been wonderful and I hope the same goes for anyone reading this. We had a great two weeks on the Gulf of Mexico, our usual summer holiday spot, kicking sand, swimming, etc. A couple of weeks after we returned we loaded up the the big truck again and moved our youngest son into an apartment to begin his junior year at university. Over the years, combined with our other children, this was our 11th such load in/out and hard to believe that after next year, it will be the last....we hope....though it is a tradition I'm sure we'll miss down the road. I've been giving the old Weber BBQ kettle a good workout as well as trying out some new indoor vegetable recipes....Eggplant Parmesan and Squash au Gratin. We've successfully grown loads of tomatoes this year and never have a shortage of fresh basil. There's nothing that says summer like tomatoes and basil. I've also improvised a stout stir-fry of fresh green beans, chicken, loads of fresh ginger and garlic, shredded carrots, onions, hot chilis, soy and vodka!!
Another great part of this summer has been spectator sport, watching the evolution of The Zut Alors first album. For those who may not know, that's my son Nick Bennett's group. He does the majority of the writing and singing as well as the guitar work along with various odds and ends. He's been recording it here at the house and various studios round town and it sounds fantastic. The songs are smart, melodic pop music and it makes me wonder why in the hell I couldn't think of melodies or guitar parts like that? The Nashville Scene, our local arts/politics/what's happening weekly, said last month, " 'The Killing Kind' (a song from their album) is one of the best tracks to emerge from Nashville in 2009." The Zut Alors record is nearly complete, but in the meantime he's released an EP and you can hear some of that music at myspace.com/thezutalors
Things have been busy in the studio again and this month I have committed to some live gigs round Nashville with various folks. The first has already taken place, a CD release show for my friend Kieran Kane's new CD Somewhere Beyond The Roses. I love this record and am tremendously proud to be part of it. A couple of people who were at the show took videos of two of the songs and posted them on You Tube. They're not tip-top quality, but you'll get a good idea of what we were up to if you go to these links: youtube.com/watch?v=GAzWkboeurI and youtube.com/watch?v=2iZhGyFZ9B0.
I'll be playing two shows this week with The Sweethearts of the Rodeo who have just finished a brand new record that I played on. The end of the month finds me with my pal Dave Peterson playing a show here in town at the International Bluegrass Music Association convention. The IBMA is bluegrass music's big event of the year and it will be the first time I've participated in it. While Dave is very well known in bluegrass music circles, it will be the straight country thing that we will be doing from his album Coming On Strong.
Mark Knopfler's new record, Get Lucky has just come out and I think it's great, really honoured to be on it. Of course I think they all are and am probably a little biased. I'm already looking ahead to next year when we'll all get together, dust off a few tunes and take to the road again. As for my own record, I have managed to drag myself in a few times over the last six months and do some recording for myself. I'm really down to the homestretch now and only have one more song to do. I had a meeting yesterday with an art director for the packaging so it really feels like the last threads are pulling together. I anticipate it being released next February.
We were heading in to spring when I wrote last and now we're staring at autumn. I promise not to leave this page so long again.
Cheers,
Richard
Nashville, Tennessee
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richard, we love you. looking forward to seeing you guys soon.
d.
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I've said it before and I'll say it again! He writes so well - you just know when you read his posts that he is a thouroughly decent guy.
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whoops, another one we all seemed to have missed:
Hello all,
Thanksgiving in the States has come and gone and we're on the fast track to Christmas. I can't believe how quickly this year has sped by. It's been a very busy autumn with various recording projects. One of particular note was the beginning of an album with Canadian folk singer and songwriter Dave Francey. Wonderful songs and this guy can really sing, the kind of a voice that a microphone loves. Our mutual friend Kieran Kane is producing and playing on it as well. Recorded in a similar way to Kieran's record I mentioned earlier in the year, completely live with Kieran and I handling the guitar duties, Fats Kaplan on fiddle and Lucas Kane on percussion. When the take is over....that's it! Great stuff.
I'm off to London for a week of recording with Delta Maid, a cool, rootsy female singer and songwriter signed to Geffen Records. I'll spend the week before Christmas in Old Blighty then back in time for the holiday. Great way to end the year.
This past month I put a serious push to finish my record and I'm pleased to say...it is done and I'm very pleased with how it's sounding. We're looking at a February 2010 release and I'll keep you posted right here on the web-site.
There is a wonderful radio show that originates from Nashville called "The Guitar Show" with Andy Ellis. Two hours weekly of all kinds of interesting guitar music and interviews with great players both above and under the radar. He interviewed me several weeks ago and seems like we talked for hours. The show has aired and is now archived on line at www.theguitarshow.com. Scroll down to the bottom of the Interviews page and click on my name. Along the way you will see plenty of those who are above the radar that will interest you. The program streams live at this site as well and is well worth your time.
I had the most ridiculous accident the day before Thanksgiving. My wife and I decided to get as much stuff prepped as we could before the big day. My job was to roast, peel and mash the sweet potatoes. After an hour in the oven I took them out and tested each with a long bamboo skewer, the kind you use for shish-kabob. When I was satisfied they were all sufficiently done, I put the end of the skewer between my teeth while I grabbed a knife to slit the potatoes open. I took hold of the first potato, burnt my fingers and drew my hand back very suddenly impaling it on the pointed end of the skewer, simultaneously ramming the end that was in my teeth into the back of my throat. After the bleeding stopped I looked up in there with a flashlight. Pretty sore but didn't look all that bad, so I went on with things until mid-day when I could no longer swallow. Got out the flashlight again and it all looked like a bad B-movie in there. Off to the doc. After he shook his head at my stupidity he took a look at it. I am not kidding when I say he gasped. Not what you want to hear from your sawbones. He determined there were no bits of the skewer left in the wound, gave me a tetanus shot, antibiotics and something for the swelling and sent me packing. Needless to say, my Thanksgiving dinner consisted of only the mushiest of side items which included the sweet potatoes that started the whole thing. As of today, the throat's still sore but on the mend. The upshot being: never, EVER put a skewer in your mouth. As I flounder round the final months of my fifth decade you would think I'd have already learned that. Still, it was a wonderful Thanksgiving and we have much to thank our lucky stars for and hope the same for you.
Richard
Nashville, Tennessee
(30 NOV 2009)
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Cool stuff Pottel, can't wait to hear that interview.
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just heard it. short though..
the knopfler interview is good too.
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and yet another one...
Richards' seems to be getting busy :-)
23 DEC 2009)
The holidays are well upon us and I want to take this opportunity to wish every one of you a warm, peaceful Christmas and the best of everything in the coming year.
I've just returned from London where I was recording all last week on a project for an artist named Delta Maid. Delta's signed to Geffen Records in the U.K. and is a young singer and song writer from Liverpool with a serious ear to American roots music of the 20s through the 60s. It was a joy to work with her and producers Craig and Cassell Leon. While the record is now nearly finished, it will not be released until late summer or early autumn of 2010 and then probably only in the U.K. Should be available stateside via Amazon.com.uk. Good catching up with friends in London after work for a few pints and some great dinners. We were coincidentally recording at British Grove Studio where we record Mark Knopfler's albums so it was like old home week seeing the crew and castaways of that wonderful recording facility.
Returning home to Nashville was a harrowing experience. We sat in the plane on the tarmac at Gatwick Airport in London for nearly 2 hours waiting for the plane to be de-iced before take off. Once we finally got off the ground it was an 8 and a half hour flight to the States, of course we arrived nearly 2 hours late and I missed my connection and had to hang round the Charlotte airport for another 4 hours until the next flight to Nashville departed. It was late when I arrived home at last. Still, I did get home, which is more than I can say for many travelling this holiday season.
I managed to squeeze one last recording session in this week before things finally wind down into Christmas and the new year. I'm looking forward to touring with Mark Knopfler next year as well as the release in February of my new record Valley Of The Sun.
Until the next time, here's to 2010,
Richard
Nashville, Tennessee
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Looks like he got a taste of what it's like to fly anywhere in America. It's always a nightmare.
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and now his whole site has gotten a refresh
and a new message:
http://www.richard-bennett.com/
(9 MAR 2010)
Greetings from London,
I arrived several days ago and have begun rehearsals for the up-coming Get Lucky Tour with Mark Knopfler. Today was just our second day back together since we recorded the album, but the band already sounds amazing. This is going to be a great show and tour, everyone in top shape and playing like demons.
Thanks to you all for the enthusiastic response to the new website, so many have sent notes commenting on how up-beat it looks and the ease of getting around on it. Also, the response to the new album has been wonderful, it is flying off the shelves at CD Baby. If you've heard the new record and would care to review it, either good or bad, go to cdbaby.com to do so. At the bottom of that page will be a link and your comments will be posted along with the others on that page. CD Baby likes and encourages that interaction and what makes them happy makes me happy.
My friend Henk Quintelier of Belgium conducted an in depth interview with me regarding my life and career for his website and I think it's a very good piece. If you're interested, this link will take you directly there.
Spring is just round the corner now. Back in Nashville it is sunny and in the high 60's and it's even sunny here in London, though not that warm. We'll all be working hard for the next few weeks, but not so hard that we won't hoist a pint or two at the end of the day.
Cheers,
Richard
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From Roseanne cash on Twitter:
http://plixi.com/p/76044709
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There's a new message from Richard. He's taking a guitar class ;D
"Here's to 2011
05-Feb-2011
Hi all,
The requests have been pouring in for me to update this page. Well, not exactly pouring, more like two...my wife and a friend from England. It has been a while and I can't really account for the time except we had good holidays and more snow on the ground this winter than I can ever recall. The schools were closed five days in a row. Now, Nashville doesn't get the kind of cold and snow like folks north and east of us do, but it takes only an inch to shut this city down. Every resident makes a headlong dash to the supermarket to stock up on white goods...milk, bread and toilet paper. On the way home they find the nearest substantial tree and drive straight in to it. Anyway, we've had plenty of it this winter. Being raised out west my blood's pretty thin and if it never gets below 70 degrees again, it would be just fine for me.
Lots of the usual going on, recording projects and slowly puttering my way through my own new record. What's really exciting is the release of my son's first album with his band The Zut Alors. Smart, modern and melodic pop music. Check it out at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ZutAlors. It's available as a download or nifty purple vinyl. Get one today.
I've begun a six week course at the Nashville Jazz Workshop taught by a fabulous guitar player named Mel Deal. It focuses on solo guitar playing, i.e. playing unaccompanied which isn't for the faint of heart. It's a tremendously challenging class but it has opened a few doors in my guitar education that have been closed far too long. Mel is a protege of the great Jimmy Raney who was one of the bebop guitar gods of the late 40s through the 50s. Raney was as good with a pen and his wit as he was a guitar player. I've included a wonderful piece that he wrote in the 90s after he'd left New York and moved back to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
Here's wishing everyone health and peace in this new year.
So long,
Richard"
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Richard at guitar classes! That's both highly impressive and seriously deflating at the same time! So much to learn......
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new message today (and not a word about the MK recording):
Spring Edition
22-Mar-2011
After what seemed like an eternity of grey skies, cold weather and rain, Nashville is now sunny, dry and in the 70s as we step in to spring. The grass is turning green again and the trees, while still bare, are loaded with leaf buds ready to burst. We'll no doubt have our share of spring rain to come as well as being right in the middle of tornado alley this time of year, but the first warmth of 2011 couldn't come too soon.
It's been a little slow on the work front though am heading into the studio for another round with Kellie Pickler and will begin a new record with Pieta Brown the top of April. Those who attended one of our U.S. shows of the 2010 Mark Knopfler tour know how talented and cool Pieta and Bo Ramsey are. Bo will be on hand to play guitar and produce and I'm really looking forward to seeing them both again to make some music.
My slower schedule over the last few weeks has allowed me much needed time to practise a few new concepts learned in the jazz courses I've been taking. Mel Deal, my guitar guru, mentioned that all the guys we hold dear were "complete players" of their respective instruments. I know first hand what he's talking about having listened to so many of their records, seen some of them live and had the very good fortune to have worked shoulder to shoulder with many of the great musicians in Los Angeles in the late 60s forward. I cannot claim mastery, but I'm a little more complete studying with Mel.
What I really want to bring to your attention is what both of my sons are doing musically. Many of you are aware of Nick's music, guitar playing, song writing and various band projects which you can listen to here:
http://nudity.bandcamp.com/track/blame-waltz
http://theZutAlors.bandcamp.com
Our son Jeremy, a senior at University of Tennessee, draws from a different textures than either Nick or I. He's an accomplished DJ, remix artist and has crafted a number of soundscapes from a stable of samples and organic sounds and instruments he's recorded himself. If you go to this site it will come up as SAURuS - that's him. You'll also see an eclectic array of influences. I really admire what he's done and you can hear some of Jeremy's work at Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/jjjeremy
Hope these next few weeks bring warmth, green and barbecues your way.
Richard
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I think it's v strange that there is no mention of MK's new album in Richard's note and that makes me feel this album is going to be something out of the ordinary. A solo album? It's all pure speculation - but that's what we do best isn't it?
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I think it's v strange that there is no mention of MK's new album in Richard's note and that makes me feel this album is going to be something out of the ordinary. A solo album? It's all pure speculation - but that's what we do best isn't it?
Or Mark will use trash polka muso for the next one and bye bye the 96's
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A solo album would be very interesting and different, but the band would be needed for the tour, or it would be pretty boring without all our favourites eg HFB, Marbletown, etc and Mark usually only plays a couple of songs from the new album anyway!
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I think it's v strange that there is no mention of MK's new album in Richard's note and that makes me feel this album is going to be something out of the ordinary. A solo album? It's all pure speculation - but that's what we do best isn't it?
Or Mark will use trash polka muso for the next one and bye bye the 96's
Nah,I dont think that its Richards 8) style to discuss something thats he's probably not officially been asked to do yet.I dont think he would like it to look as if he's taking it for granted that he will be involved even though he knows that he will ::) We met him in Newcastle in 09,a real gent if I ever met one 8) 8)
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Another possibility may well be that Mark is going to play all the guitars on this one, as was the case with Kill to Get Crimson. It's quite early on in the recording process right now so it could be a while before Mark brings the band in anyway ;).
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When Mark had to hire a studio the recording process was probably too stressing for him to get it finished in time. Now that he has solved the problem at BG he can decide : ok for the next song lets have a try with each of my 300 guitars and decide which ONE...
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When Mark had to hire a studio the recording process was probably too stressing for him to get it finished in time. Now that he has solved the problem at BG he can decide : ok for the next song lets have a try with each of my 300 guitars and decide which ONE...
Well, GH ands STP were not fast in the making ;D
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Nah,I dont think that its Richards 8) style to discuss something thats he's probably not officially been asked to do yet.I dont think he would like it to look as if he's taking it for granted that he will be involved even though he knows that he will ::) We met him in Newcastle in 09,a real gent if I ever met one 8) 8)
08.
But I agree with the rest. :) The folks who are still privileged to be part of the MK circle know how to act with discretion, makes me curious when I see how some others (one in particular) act.
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You mean Alan Sonni, right? :lol :lol ;D
LE
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You mean Alan Sonni, right? :lol :lol ;D
LE
Maybe I'm completely wrong, but I just sort of assume that MK frowns on these psuedo Dire Straits reunions, probably nothing he can do to stop it though.
But most of these people haven't worked with MK in donkeys years so from that point of view have nothing to lose, but in the case of someone who HAS worked with MK not too long ago, well, maybe they shouldn't hold their breath on getting another call.
All pure speculation on my part!
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Probably that Mark won't even care a single second about this.
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update from Richard tonight folks!
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Nothing new ir exciting :)
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Apart from
... We recorded a whole bunch of them in two weeks, getting through them in the least amount of time I can ever recall.
I think that's exciting!
LE
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Oh yes, they needed very few time to record in comparation with previous records... pretty exciting, yes.
MK songs doesnt need too time to be recorded, is that good? maybe...
:D
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I was more referring to the "whole bunch", Guy twittered something similar a few weeks ago, it seems that Mark has a lot of material this time. Makes me think of a double album again...
LE
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I dont think so, if they recorded everythinh in two weeks and faster than ever, it looks like a standard cd with songs easy to record (considering the huge talented and proffessional musicians he hire...) at least the part of the rest of musicians, as when they arrived, MK and Guy had lot of parts already recorded, and many overdubs can be done by the two of them when everybody is back home.
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Will buy the Pieta Album for sure I think.
Cool line up. Nearly the 96ers.
Incl. Chad!!!
Strange to see him play with Richard and Glenn but not with MK.
What happened 2005?
I think MK is angry with him. Cannot say.
Anyway the album sounds interesting.
Very well written Rich as always.
Thanks
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My theory is (of course it is only a guess) that Chad maybe had problems with this fairly big and extensive 2005 tour schedule. Australia, India, South Africa together with the usual US and Europe, it was really a big five-months-world tour with a lot of travelling involved. With having (whatsoever) problems at home, maybe Chad was not happy with staying away for so long, you could also call it homesick, and because of that they decided to go separate ways. If he wasn't able to concentrate on his work with Mark, and not being able to fulfill Mark's high standards, he probably had no other chance than leaving. Today, for Chad, it seems that Neil Young is a very comfortable alternative with touring in the US mainly (as far as I know of course).
Chad is a family man obviously, and not everybody is built to stand extended touring...
LE
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Update from Richard! He's gonna do a diary it seems.
London
24-Sep-2011
Hello again from London. I arrived early last Sunday morning, bleary eyed and not so bushy of tail but have made a quick transition to Greenwich Meantime. Along the way I've had a remarkable Bangladeshi dinner in Brick Lane and been keeping up with my quota of ale at the pub. Oh yeah, we've been rehearsing as well for the upcoming autumn tour with Mark Knopfler and Bob Dylan. Things have been clipping along brilliantly, everyone sounding great as always. I don't want to sound boastful, but honestly we could do a show tonight just after this week of playing together again. The greatest band going without a doubt.
By far the best time-off was last night after rehearsal when keyboard hero Jim Cox and I took the train to Blackheath to see The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. I've been a fan of the group for many years and have enjoyed their many clips on You Tube, but to attend a concert was something else and great luck that we happened to be in the city when they were doing a show. The Uke Orch is quintessentially British with a resounding sense of humour and are monstrously talented musicians and singers. Their repertoire runs the length of punk-rock, old blues, 1920s jazz, movie themes, legit classical pieces and an acapella/sea chantey version of Pinball Wizard that has to be heard to appreciate it's greatness. All done without drums, pianos, guitars, etc.... just ukuleles. Soprano ukes, concert ukes, tenor ukes, baritone ukes and a bass uke! Along the way they pulled out several miniature ukuleles, one smaller than the other, and proceeded to play great music on each. The last instrument fitting in the palm of the hand and used as a plectrum for one of the other ukuleles! If they're remotely close to your area and are giving a show.... go! Until then, you can enjoy them on You Tube.
If memory serves me correctly, Pieta Brown's new album "Mercury" is being released this coming week on Red House Records. Pieta and her husband Bo Ramsey opened the U.S. leg of the 2010 tour with us and we all think the world of them. When it came time to make this new record, Bo enlisted Glenn Worf and I along with Chad Cromwell and the five of us made what I think is a great record, all recorded live over the span of three days. I'm very proud to be part of this music with them.
Our first show of the tour is in Dublin on the 6th of October and we're on our way from there. I plan to get these Notes going regularly again once we've begun, so please come back and check in often.
So long,
Richard
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Will buy the Pieta Album for sure I think.
Cool line up. Nearly the 96ers.
Incl. Chad!!!
Strange to see him play with Richard and Glenn but not with MK.
What happened 2005?
I think MK is angry with him. Cannot say.
Anyway the album sounds interesting.
Very well written Rich as always.
Thanks
I never minded Chad being replaced as I was never a fan of his work anyway and we were all familiar with Danny. However the replacement of Danny this time round is curious - just shows you that loyalty counts for nothing these days; who was on call for any promo performance on radio/TV since the early 2000's? Now he's discarded like a used tissue. Shame. :-\
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While I like Danny's live work, I think he was way too subtle on the albums. There was more action with Chad, even if his playing often sounded slick but basic to me.
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I never minded Chad being replaced as I was never a fan of his work anyway and we were all familiar with Danny. However the replacement of Danny this time round is curious - just shows you that loyalty counts for nothing these days; who was on call for any promo performance on radio/TV since the early 2000's? Now he's discarded like a used tissue. Shame. :-\
This is just how music buissness works.
Almost 99 % sure that nothing personal between Mark and Danny and everything is fine.
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However the replacement of Danny this time round is curious - just shows you that loyalty counts for nothing these days; who was on call for any promo performance on radio/TV since the early 2000's? Now he's discarded like a used tissue. Shame. :-\
Absolutely. Well said. >:( >:(
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Same could be said for my cousin Bobby Valentino since McCusker turned up...
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While I like Danny's live work, I think he was way too subtle on the albums. There was more action with Chad
If I may, I quite don't agree. If you expect the album with Emmy - he played on Right now and Rollin on, Danny played on 2 albums, Kill to get Crimson and Get lucky. Those two albums were amongst the quieter MK has ever done, it explains why maybe Danny had never been able to express his horse power on the albums. Which may have been quite frustrating for him after all, but I can't speak for DC. Though, if you listen to Cleaning My gun or even So Far from the Clyde, you can hear Danny hitting the drums quite a bit.
Anyway, his eviction this year from the band is a shame
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The more the thing goes the less I understand all that fuzz toward DC replacement. He was great but no doubt that Ian will be great also. The main focus is the one and only Mark. The rest are just great musicians.
(btw I agree with Dusty, I miss Bobby V)
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My theory is (of course it is only a guess) that Chad maybe had problems with this fairly big and extensive 2005 tour schedule. Australia, India, South Africa together with the usual US and Europe, it was really a big five-months-world tour with a lot of travelling involved. With having (whatsoever) problems at home, maybe Chad was not happy with staying away for so long, you could also call it homesick, and because of that they decided to go separate ways. If he wasn't able to concentrate on his work with Mark, and not being able to fulfill Mark's high standards, he probably had no other chance than leaving. Today, for Chad, it seems that Neil Young is a very comfortable alternative with touring in the US mainly (as far as I know of course).
Chad is a family man obviously, and not everybody is built to stand extended touring...
LE
yesterday I saw Jonathan Demme 's Neil Young heart of gold which filmed Young's show in Nashville on 18-19/08/2005.
Nice to see and hear Chad who obviously found another job very quickly after his departure from the Shangri-La tour. :)
There's also Emmy singing backing vocals on this gig, and the first shot of the movie is "Shangri-La" ;), reffering to shangri-La studio of course, not to MK album ;)
I don't see the point with Danny.
Mark's musicians have always changed
I agree with ds1984 : these are just "backing musicians", and this is music business, not a party between friends...
I was never a fan of Danny's work.
To me, it remind of the OES era, which is IMHO the worst DS era. So when Mark introduce him from "DS days", I feel a bit uncomfortable with this, because in my mind, the "DS days" were all but the 91-93 days....
all in all as ds1984 said "The main focus is the one and only Mark", I don't think that other musicians have a great influence on his work. We all know that he do and play what HE want.
Think about Richard (which was the original topic :))
Yes a great and subtil guitarist, a nice chap, etc...
but if you listen to all studio albums....the main interesting guitar parts were all played by Mark (except Sucker row and Summer of love). Each time there's a special rhythm, a particular riff, a special lick, it is Mark.
Richard is only here to play some acoustic, tremolo strummed chords, and a little bit of lap steel or bouzouki
A strange thing is :
on KTGC, Mark played all parts, so we could have expected some special rhythm parts in his particular style (things like single handed sailor or Skateway), but it's the less Knopflerish album in terms of guitar style.
And when Mark play some special rhythm parts (e.g. 12 strings on Cleaning my gun, strat on Silvertown blues, strummed chords on Tele on Why ay man or So far from the clyde, etc...) he could play by his own, and don't really need another guitarist, but he ask Richard to play some additionnal parts, with no really interest : acoustic chords, few chords, a 2nd 12 string guitar.....
I don't understand why ask another guitarist to play just some aditionnal parts, while he play all parts on other albums ???
Maybe Mark don't want to play "ininteresting" guitar parts :o, so he ask to a session musician to do the" bad" job....like he did with David, Hal, Jack or Phil : the 2nd guitarist on Mark's studio albums was never "in the light."
However, Richard is great player, and obviously add some subtil touch live, but in studio......
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Same could be said for my cousin Bobby Valentino since McCusker turned up...
Yeah, but isn't Bobby gone with the wind? ;)
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Same could be said for my cousin Bobby Valentino since McCusker turned up...
Yeah, but isn't Bobby gone with the wind? ;)
Like it.
Richard plays great lead when he gets the chance, check out Summer of Love and Love and Happiness. Just my guess, but I reckon he's playing the riff on Do America too...
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Richard part on "I dug up a diamond" is awesome (live I found that it was even better than Marks's part).
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Richard's lead part on Born to run is also pretty cool.
I wonder, though - I have a feeling that Richard is not the "hot improvisational type". You know, I can't imagine Richard playing a blistering, heartfelt blues solo for instance. He seems too controlled for that kind of playing. Maybe that's why Mark likes having him around. (Never have to be nervous about Richard stealing the spotlight ;) .)
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Richie man is up early:
Dublin, Ireland
06-Oct-2011
It's was a great last week of rehearsals and a few days off in London that included a visit to the Imperial War Museum and The Tate Britain. The Tate currently has an exhibit of modern 20th Century British artists including an in depth look at the work of John Craxton, which I really loved. Several notable dinners, one being Poppie's of Spitalfields, the best fish, chips and mushy peas I've had in a great long while. Another high point of our days off was an in-store performance at Rough Trade Records of The Real Tuesday Weld accompanying Glen Duncan reading from his new novel, The Last Werewolf. Dark, smart and funny. If you're not familiar with Weld, go to You Tube and check out The Show Must Go On and Bath Time In Clerkenwell. There are loads more of vids after that. The Real Tuesday Weld is a real fave of mine.
We arrived in Dublin yesterday, did a little sound check at the O 2 Arena then beat a hasty path back to the bar for a few rounds of Guinness.
Tonight was our first show of this little jaunt round Europe and the UK. Unusual in that it is not our tour, but rather Bob Dylan's and Mark is the opening artist. What that means is we do 70 minutes then Bob does 70 minutes. Strange because it is so short from our usual set and I suppose the same holds for Bob as well. It was all very relaxed tonight and a great kick off to this tour. It felt like we'd never taken a break from the last tour, everything simply fell into place and sounded fantastic... even on this first night. The other cool thing about our shortened set is that we're doing a few new tunes that have yet to be released. We were all smiles on stage tonight and all smiles when we returned to the dressing room to find that our tour manager hero Pete McKay, had installed a barrel and tap of Guinness which was christened the Guinness Cow and made quick work of. Fortified with the creamy stuff we wandered out to see some of Bob's show catching Tangled Up In Blue, Don't Think Twice and a few others. Bob at 70 years old is a role model.. still rocking.
Tomorrow's another day off that we'll use to travel to Glasgow where we play the day after.
So long,
Richard
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The other cool thing about our shortened set is that we're doing a few new tunes that have yet to be released
Cool indeed, Mr B!
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Never have to be nervous about Richard stealing the spotlight ;) .)
I agree :)
I just don't understand why he's "needed" in studio "just" to play some additionnal parts which could be played by any other studio musician , or by Mark, without any big change in the overall sound.
IMHO, if Richard wasn't on studio albums, they wouldn't sound so different
Of course, Live is another thing, and I agree that he add some beautiful touch on live versions
Richard part on "I dug up a diamond" is awesome
yes, live :)
but in studio, its' only Mark.
Well that's what I reckon, but of course, can't be 100% sure :)
Richard's lead part on Born to run is also pretty cool.
yes, live again ;)
Richard plays great lead when he gets the chance, check out Summer of Love and Love and Happiness
Yes I agree, I pointed Summer of love in my post :)
And Love and Hapiness features his typical tremolo sounds, like on many other songs (maybe too many ;))
Just my guess, but I reckon he's playing the riff on Do America too...
I don't think so, sounds like typical Mark's fingerstyle to me
but of course can't be 100% sure :)
http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/gear-on-all-songs-for-all-albums-wiki/gear-on-album-sailing-to-philadelphia/#Track%206%20-%20Do%20America (http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/gear-on-all-songs-for-all-albums-wiki/gear-on-album-sailing-to-philadelphia/#Track%206%20-%20Do%20America)
However, it's never pointed, but I reckon that he's playing lead on Sucker Row
http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/gear-on-all-songs-for-all-albums-wiki/gear-on-album-shangri-la/#Track%203%20-%20Sucker%20row (http://www.mk-guitar.com/blog/gear-on-all-songs-for-all-albums-wiki/gear-on-album-shangri-la/#Track%203%20-%20Sucker%20row)
I can't see why Chuck Ainlay would have ommited a guitar :
http://www.mark-knopfler-news.co.uk/frameset.html (http://www.mark-knopfler-news.co.uk/frameset.html)
go to "releases" --> "shangri-la" (bottom) --> "Guitars used in the Shangri-La recording sessions"
Considering the fact that Mark used "sessions musicians" during his whole career, I don't see the point to have 2nd guitarist in studio, as Mark could have played all parts, and having a 2nd guitarist only on tours.
If you listen to LOG album : what is the interest to have Hal Lindes in studio ?
On Private Investigations, I can't hear what he 's playing. I reckon that Mark plays all parts.
But Hal is miming guitar on the clip ! I just find this a little bit ridiculous.
Same on OES : do you think that Phil Palmer add some "particular sound ideas" to the album ?
Many bands have only one guitarist which play all parts in studio, and then they bring up a session musician for gigs.
I guess that Mark could have done this way, but just an idea, and MHO :)
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update yesterday. not a word on marks work though...
he New Year
06-Feb-2012
I hope everyone had good holidays and a happy new year. It's been an unseasonably mild winter here in Nashville, topping the high 60's last week and the mid-50's this week. That's all good news for our Weber b.b.q. kettle and my thin blood, but something's not right. There are strange things afoot the last few years with the weather patterns everywhere. I'm just sayin'.......
My friend Bo Ramsey and I co-produced a wonderful album for singer and songwriter Iris DeMent just prior to Christmas. A collection of songs that is everything Southern from the heavy vines and death of a child, to dark gothic tales disguised in Sunday school piano saturated with Old Man River. We broke for the holidays then came back in January for a few days to finish up. I'm not sure when it will be released but I'll keep you posted.
I've also been doing some recording with Vince Gill again, this time he's producing Ashley Monroe. Ashley is one third of The Pistol Annies along with Miranda Lambert and Angelina Presley. All three are immensely talented songwriters, singers and artists individually as well as their combined success as the Annies. Due to that success, a major record label is in the process of signing Ashley and the recordings we did that Vince supervised are the beginnings of her album. As always it's nothing but a joy to work with Vince at his studio where we all set up in the same room facing each other and play live music together.
We got a call from Emmylou a couple of weeks back asking us to join her at The Ryman Auditorium for a special performance of The Grand Ole Opry. It was a combined celebration of her 20th anniversary as an Opry artist as well as the 20th anniversary of her live album At The Ryman. I was fortunate to have produced that record there with my pal Allen Reynolds back in 1991. At that time the Ryman was no longer a working venue for shows, the Opry having left for a modern theatre in 1974. The wonderful auditorium had fallen on very hard times, disrepair and was being used only as a destination for tourists to walk through and have a picture taken on the famous stage. It was in these squalid and somewhat unsafe conditions Emmy's album was recorded. When it was released 20 years ago it refocused the general public as well as the owner's of the Ryman to what a valuable venue it was, not only for it's past but also it's future potential. Shortly after, the Ryman Auditorium's structural problems were addressed and was completely restored making it a modern facility while keeping it historically sound. The Ryman is now packed every night with audiences enjoying all types of music and shows and The Grand Ole Opry returns each year in the winter to it's most famous home. Emmy's show the other night was fantastic with guests, Rodney Crowell, Vince, Shawn Colvin, Buddy Miller, Kimmie Rhodes and more. It was great sitting on those hundred year old oak pews, seeing and hearing all that music.
After a 6 month hiatus from my own record, I wandered back to my pal George Bradfute's studio and recorded a tune that I wrote last autumn while on tour with Mark and Dylan, a song that came to me on the Penarth Pier in Wales on a bleak and blustery afternoon. I actually called it Penarth while I worked on the tune, but have now changed the title. So, another one to throw on the pile that will eventually become the new album sometime this autumn.
I'll be heading into the studio to produce a new record for Phil Lee in March. I've done three records with him already and they're always great fun. Phil is a guy who writes songs with a wonderfully twisted angle and I'm a big fan of his.
My friend Dave Peterson and I have been talking about gathering some songs, players and studio time to make a record that I'll produce. Dave's one of the finest country/bluegrass singers going and couldn't be a nicer guy. Not sure if or when that will take place, but I sure hope it does.
That's about it for the time being. Here's wishing everyone a belated happy and healthy 2012. It's a mad old world but we're lucky stiffs to still be spinning round on it. Here's to another good turn.
Richard
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New Note from Nashville. :)
20-Apr-2012
What HAVE I been doing? For starters, I'm listening to a great new album as I peck this out, called It Ain't Necessarily So...a fantastic record of finger style acoustic guitar solos by my old buddy Howard Emerson. I met Howard while recording some sides for Eric Anderson back in Los Angeles so many years ago it doesn't bear thinking about. Howard was working with Eric at the time, came out to L.A. for the sessions and we ended up hanging out for a few days. Howard's made several great records over the years, but I have to say this one's my fave. Find out more about him at www.howardemerson.com.
Another record I'm completely in love with is the new one from The Pines, Dark So Gold. It's dark, melodic and hauntingly elegant. I won't try to explain any further except to say it's on Red House Records and you should check The Pines out at www.the pinesmusic.com
I played a rare Nashville gig last night with Iris DeMent at The Belcourt Theatre. The Belcourt was built in the late 20's as a movie house and over the years has served as the home to The Grand Ole Opry prior to the show's relocation to The Ryman Auditorium in the 1940's. Having produced Iris' new album, along with Bo Ramsey, it was a real honour to share the boards with her for a little live music. Actually, a lot of live music. We did a couple of dozen songs, a lot to learn, but well worth it. Dave Jacques played bass, Bryan Owings on drums, Iris playing piano and guitar and myself, all played on her new record and we we're joined by Richard McLauren who played steel and mandolin. Richard engineered the record. So it was a comfortable gathering and sounded great on stage. No word yet on when Iris' new record will be out but I'll let you know.
I've been doing some session work for folks as well as finally getting back to my own record. I have some new tunes going that I'm really looking forward to recording. I've also been producing and playing on a new album for my pal Phil Lee, three days of rough and ready recording that yielded a dozen songs that have a unique quality all to themselves. That combined with Phil's jaundiced eye view of the world and a brilliantly skewed sense of humour in his lyrics makes this the best Phil Lee record yet. We're not quite finished but as always I'll let you know when it's available.
There's a brand new book about the famed and fabled Wrecking Crew by Kent Hartman, tracing the story of those great L.A. musicians of the 60's who played on so many hits and the soundtrack to many of our lives. I was fortunate to have come up in the recording studios with those guys though just a couple of years past the time frame of their classic period. Still, from 1968 onward, I worked with them all. I spoke with the author a couple of years ago and I am apparently in the book, complete with photo. I haven't seen it yet but am awfully flattered to be mentioned in such historic company.
And speaking of books, it's the centennial of Woody Guthrie, born in Oklahoma in 1912. I recently read a brilliantly written and comprehensive biography of Woody called Rambin' Man by Ed Cray. Wherever you get you music, on line, download, record store... however, it's time to listen to Woody again. These are songs that speak to the very times we're going through now, much as they did in the Great Depression and World War II when they were written and recorded.
Hope you are all well and enjoying this early spring/summer.
Richard
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Nothing interesting for us :(
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Nothing interesting for us :(
Awww! I think a lot of the stuff Richard writes is interesting. Gives a good view into the world of a professional musician. That Richard worked with the Wrecking Crew is pretty amazing. Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzShxEa1LMo
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I mean, as a Knopfler fans ;D
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Hi,
Richard has updated his page with a "Summer Soon" post. Among other interesting news (about Sheryl Crow's new album, but also some sad news) I copied from his site the MK related part that AMITes are interested in the most I guess:
I've recently heard the final mixes of the album we did with Mark Knopfler last year and I feel like it's the best record we've all made together...stem to stern, from the songs, playing and singing to the recording and sound of it. Most probably know already that it's to be called Privateering and released in September. A generous helping of 20 songs and one to savour for many years to come.
Sounds good, doesn't it? Visit his page to read it completely!
LE
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I like when he said "one to savour for many years to come." Is this another Speedway? Of course, like Guy he always says its the best album they've ever done! :disbelief
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I think "the one" meant "the generous helping of 20 songs"? However, if you are nit-picking, you could sound out these lines that it could be indeed his last album for years.... but I am sure he just means the songs are SO great - which I do not doubt... As I said earlier: The new songs are companions for the rest of my life, some more, some less...
LE
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This is just the usual thing. Imagine Guy or Richard saying "the new album is pretty good but the one before this one was better..."
The new album is always the best one until it is not new anymore. From that point, the answer become "they are all too good to choose one".
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I'd not seen that bit of film about The Wrecking Crew, so that was interesting but does anyone know when the phrase "The Wrecking Crew" first came into use to describe these musicians?
The name seems to refer to almost any gathering of top L.A. session musicians these days but, for me, it will always be associated with Phil Spector's 1960s recordings, though I'm not sure it was used at that time. I have a copy of Rob Finnis's 1975 book "The Phil Spector Story", which I haven't read in a long while admittedly, and I don't recall a mention of "The Wrecking Crew" as a collective name for the studio session musicians. Maybe my memory is at fault.
Also, I was pleased to see Richard mention Woody Guthrie. The Ed Cray book he cites ("Rambling Man") is very good and probably the more comprehensive but I always enjoyed the earlier book, "Woody Guthrie - A Life", which was written by Joe Klein.
There's an album called "Woody Guthrie - Library of Congress Recordings" [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Congress_Recordings ], in which Guthrie talks to folklorist and collector Alan Lomax and plays a few songs. Recorded in 1940, these recordings were not released until 1964 on Elektra and then re-released by Rounder Records in the 1980s. I think the set was issued on CD by Proper in the UK (I seem to recall seeing this). These are not perfect audio and not pristine but, more importantly, they are not desiccated recordings. It's like a couple of old buddies, slightly drunk, chatting away about Guthrie's life and music. They kind of pretend that they've never met before and, when I first heard these recordings, I was all but mesmerised.
The classic Guthrie album, though, is "Dust Bowl Ballads" [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl_Ballads]. It is an album of songs on a single subject, the American Dust Bowl and its effects. Even though it refers to events over 75 years ago, its themes are timeless. The Dust Bowl and its effects can reveal a parallel in the economic strife and turmoil of today and maybe Guthrie's themes will be reflected in "Privateering". We shall see.