Post by: JF on March 20, 2025, 11:49:39 AM
with the San Antonio concert in bonus
just few infos yet
vinyle version, 3CD version, Boxset ...
jsut saw it on a FB group, can't find the Fnac link yet
Post by: Love Expresso on March 20, 2025, 12:42:09 PM
LE
Post by: JF on March 20, 2025, 12:42:39 PM
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 20, 2025, 12:57:30 PM
2 x original West Germany CD (one spare as this is the best sounding version)
1 x 1996 remaster
1 x 2005 remaster/SACD
1 x original vinyl
1 x 2LP vinyl remaster
Have previously owned cassette and VHS versions.
Guess I'm buying again.
"That old cow, she wasn't milking anyhow..."
Post by: Jules on March 20, 2025, 01:04:45 PM
Post by: Robson on March 20, 2025, 01:15:20 PM
Post by: Love Expresso on March 20, 2025, 01:18:41 PM
I currently own:
2 x original West Germany CD (one spare as this is the best sounding version)
1 x 1996 remaster
1 x 2005 remaster/SACD
1 x original vinyl
1 x 2LP vinyl remaster
Have previously owned cassette and VHS versions.
Guess I'm buying again.
"That old cow, she wasn't milking anyhow..."
Exactly my list and yes, the same here!
LE
Post by: Pottel on March 20, 2025, 01:22:18 PM
FNAC annonced a Brothers in arms 40th anniversary edition to be released in may 20255MUST....HAVE.....
with the San Antonio concert in bonus
just few infos yet
vinyle version, 3CD version, Boxset ...
jsut saw it on a FB group, can't find the Fnac link yet
Post by: Pottel on March 20, 2025, 01:22:39 PM
Post by: JF on March 20, 2025, 01:26:22 PM
I'm a bit dissapointed is San Antonio what's included and not Wembley, I think that was a far better concert but I guess that's what they found so, it's ok they are doing something anyway!
yes indeed. At the now famous question "where are the tapes?" we can guess these are the only ones they found... :think
Post by: Jules on March 20, 2025, 01:31:38 PM
I'm a bit dissapointed is San Antonio what's included and not Wembley, I think that was a far better concert but I guess that's what they found so, it's ok they are doing something anyway!
yes indeed. At the now famous question "where are the tapes?" we can guess these are the only ones they found... :think
If I had to bet I would had gone for Wembley as it's known it was recorded multitracks with the Rolling Stones Mobile, but considering what Ed say about the big chances tapes are lost or erased, probably they just found that via Westwood archives...
Best thing it's it would be properly mixing in comparation with the bootlegs.
Post by: Love Expresso on March 20, 2025, 01:40:11 PM
LE
Post by: herlock on March 20, 2025, 01:45:47 PM
Yes, I wonder what the quality will be. At least I hope it will be properly mixed. We'll still miss SFA, TMTS, YLT, ID....
Post by: Robson on March 20, 2025, 01:49:02 PM
Let's hope for an as complete release as possible. It would be the first official Ride Across The River Live which alone would make me buy it.
LE
And Why Worry too. Yes, I know it was on Real Live Roadrunning :)
Post by: JF on March 20, 2025, 01:54:27 PM
Post by: Love Expresso on March 20, 2025, 02:16:47 PM
LE
Post by: Rolo on March 20, 2025, 02:38:25 PM
Again, nothing new.
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mclTlLfWbBnvSUG7GMPGoAK33uRhr0Uuw
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 20, 2025, 03:41:37 PM
link for the vinyle edition : https://www.fnac.com/a21409980/Dire-Straits-Brothers-In-Arms-Edition-Limitee-Coffret-Vinyle-album
109 euros is taking the piss.
Post by: Robson on March 20, 2025, 03:48:21 PM
Post by: Nick14 on March 20, 2025, 03:50:40 PM
Post by: shortfin on March 20, 2025, 04:02:48 PM
Post by: JF on March 20, 2025, 04:05:45 PM
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BoMivFsCJ/
Post by: JF on March 20, 2025, 04:29:09 PM
https://youtu.be/i61VqRlcQ3k
Post by: Robson on March 20, 2025, 04:35:08 PM
Post by: onceupon84 on March 20, 2025, 04:36:45 PM
Walk of life
https://youtu.be/i61VqRlcQ3k
Compared with bootlegs, Mark's voice is much better (not metallic sound). So we have some improvements vs Wolfgang's and other bootlegs.
Guitar is more present.
Some drums details not present on bootlegs.
So YES, NEW MIX!
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 20, 2025, 04:59:24 PM
Post by: Guitardave on March 20, 2025, 05:09:22 PM
Five separate nixes on the blu-ray...
When i saw “blu-ray edition” I was hoping for video of one of the shows, say Wembley ‘85 to be on there seeing as they’ve been drip feeding the videos on the youtube channel, but alas, it’s just 5 different audio mixes which seems like overkill to me.
I’ve pre+ordered the 3cd edition. So excited for this!
Post by: Klaus74 on March 20, 2025, 05:39:04 PM
Post by: wayaman on March 20, 2025, 06:02:29 PM
Walk of life
https://youtu.be/i61VqRlcQ3k
At least they got the right San Antonio, and not any of the wrongly labelled ones that are Houston...
Post by: knopfler1 on March 20, 2025, 06:12:01 PM
Post by: Marnix on March 20, 2025, 06:44:21 PM
This also explains why there was no BiA show in the Live 1978-92 box.
Really happy to have also an official BiA release in my collection now!!
Post by: Love Expresso on March 20, 2025, 06:54:08 PM
LE
Post by: onceupon84 on March 20, 2025, 07:40:55 PM
Walk of life
https://youtu.be/i61VqRlcQ3k
Compared with bootlegs, Mark's voice is much better (not metallic sound). So we have some improvements vs Wolfgang's and other bootlegs.
Guitar is more present.
Some drums details not present on bootlegs.
So YES, NEW MIX!
Remember that...
The Legends Series - Brothers In Arms from 2022 has the following set-list on the USB drive. Basically, maybe the company has Wembley and Sydney with perfect sound quality, like this new San Antonio '85.
If any has this USB release, please check if it is the same mix than this new release.
It is a mix between San Antonio, Wembley and Sydney better recordings available from pre-fm sources.
01 Ride across the river
02 Expresso love
03 One world
04 Romeo and Juliet
05 Industrial disease
06 So far away - Calypso
07 Private investigations
08 Sultans of swing
09 Why worry
10 Your latest trick
11 Walk of life
12 The man's too strong
13 Two young lovers
14 Money for nothing
15 Wild west end
16 Tunnel of love
17 Brothers in arms
18 Solid rock - with Nils Lofgren
19 Hank Marvin introduction
20 Going home
Tracks 01-04, 13-16: San Antonio, Majestic Theatre 16th August 1985
Tracks 05-06, 10: Sydney, Entertainment Center 26th April 1986
Track 07-09, 11-12, 17-20: London, Wembley Arena 10th July 1985
Post by: the visitor on March 20, 2025, 07:58:15 PM
The instrumentals on the Blu Ray sound interesting. Wonder if they would be made available in stereo. Hmmm.
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 20, 2025, 08:06:42 PM
Walk of life
https://youtu.be/i61VqRlcQ3k
Compared with bootlegs, Mark's voice is much better (not metallic sound). So we have some improvements vs Wolfgang's and other bootlegs.
Guitar is more present.
Some drums details not present on bootlegs.
So YES, NEW MIX!
Remember that...
The Legends Series - Brothers In Arms from 2022 has the following set-list on the USB drive. Basically, maybe the company has Wembley and Sydney with perfect sound quality, like this new San Antonio '85.
If any has this USB release, please check if it is the same mix than this new release.
It is a mix between San Antonio, Wembley and Sydney better recordings available from pre-fm sources.
01 Ride across the river
02 Expresso love
03 One world
04 Romeo and Juliet
05 Industrial disease
06 So far away - Calypso
07 Private investigations
08 Sultans of swing
09 Why worry
10 Your latest trick
11 Walk of life
12 The man's too strong
13 Two young lovers
14 Money for nothing
15 Wild west end
16 Tunnel of love
17 Brothers in arms
18 Solid rock - with Nils Lofgren
19 Hank Marvin introduction
20 Going home
Tracks 01-04, 13-16: San Antonio, Majestic Theatre 16th August 1985
Tracks 05-06, 10: Sydney, Entertainment Center 26th April 1986
Track 07-09, 11-12, 17-20: London, Wembley Arena 10th July 1985
Jules has it, he made it!
Post by: fan no more on March 20, 2025, 08:25:43 PM
Post by: herlock on March 20, 2025, 08:28:16 PM
Post by: Marnix on March 20, 2025, 08:47:06 PM
This set would be great, but they advertise it as San Antonio only, how to be sure that it is a combo?
According to Guy this is why they choose San Antonio
Yes, it’s recently mixed by me. San Antonio was chosen because the recording was better, technically. There were some room issues on the Houston show – it just didn’t sound as good.
Post by: herlock on March 20, 2025, 08:48:52 PM
RIP SFA, TMTS, ID...
Post by: fan no more on March 20, 2025, 08:52:05 PM
And Wembley? The best of the 3!
RIP SFA, TMTS, ID...
Don't you think that if they could have used and released Wembley, they would have done it?
Post by: herlock on March 20, 2025, 08:53:34 PM
Post by: Dutchessy on March 20, 2025, 09:23:03 PM
This set would be great, but they advertise it as San Antonio only, how to be sure that it is a combo?
Thats a previous 2022 release, i think together with that expensive mini replica dobro guitar. Maybe its the same mix as 2022?
Post by: Dutchessy on March 20, 2025, 09:25:52 PM
Post by: Robson on March 20, 2025, 09:38:53 PM
I bet Guy cut the full TOL as he did with PB :-X Let's hope its the full version...
I have the same question with Wild West End :)
Post by: Marnix on March 20, 2025, 09:43:01 PM
I bet Guy cut the full TOL as he did with PB :-X Let's hope its the full version...I have good hopes it will be a full TOL version also because its 1 Side of the vinyl set.
Post by: JF on March 20, 2025, 09:45:13 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgZy7KVOUM8
Post by: kaleo74 on March 20, 2025, 09:49:10 PM
I bet Guy cut the full TOL as he did with PB :-X Let's hope its the full version...I have good hopes it will be a full TOL version also because its 1 Side of the vinyl set.
It says: The 3CD deluxe box features the full studio album and a previously unreleased full-length live concert from the band’s Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio tour stop in 1985.
Post by: ds1984 on March 20, 2025, 09:49:50 PM
Post by: kaleo74 on March 20, 2025, 09:59:26 PM
Post by: richardmu on March 20, 2025, 11:22:34 PM
Listening to WOL on Apple Music (lossless) now and the mix is amazing! It’s a new mix for sure, there is more depth, love it!
The different from the bootlegs is very noticeable which makes me want to hear the whole thing.
Post by: dmg on March 20, 2025, 11:32:05 PM
I'm a bit dissapointed is San Antonio what's included and not Wembley, I think that was a far better concert but I guess that's what they found so, it's ok they are doing something anyway!
yes indeed. At the now famous question "where are the tapes?" we can guess these are the only ones they found... :think
If I had to bet I would had gone for Wembley as it's known it was recorded multitracks with the Rolling Stones Mobile, but considering what Ed say about the big chances tapes are lost or erased, probably they just found that via Westwood archives...
Best thing it's it would be properly mixing in comparation with the bootlegs.
There are a few 'rough edges' in the Wembley show so I would be guessing the San Antonio is more suitable. Back then Mark was playing great and most shows could be released without editing. The Wembley '85 show, though filmed, did have a few 'rough edges' and wasn't even the whole show. By the time of the NA leg they were all playing somewhat tighter and the arrangements were that little bit more polished.
San Antonio represents Mark and the band at their absolute peak and I'm glad they've chosen this show. All the highlights are great versions!
Post by: dmg on March 20, 2025, 11:35:01 PM
on bootleg, TOL length is almost 19 min (including 20s of applause)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgZy7KVOUM8
One of the very best versions - gold standard. Makes Alchemy sound like it's played by an amateur.
Post by: herlock on March 20, 2025, 11:43:16 PM
It is absolutely great of course, but I disagree with the Alchemy version sounding like being played by an amateur. Alchemy is not less well played, it is just simpler, shorter, more straight to the point, and some people prefer it that way.on bootleg, TOL length is almost 19 min (including 20s of applause)One of the very best versions - gold standard. Makes Alchemy sound like it's played by an amateur.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgZy7KVOUM8
I'm also quite fond of the '92 version we've got on the 2023 live box. Maybe also simpler and shorter than 85, but very touching.
Is there any bad version of TOL anyway?
Post by: dmg on March 20, 2025, 11:56:02 PM
It is absolutely great of course, but I disagree with the Alchemy version sounding like being played by an amateur. Alchemy is not less well played, it is just simpler, shorter, more straight to the point, and some people prefer it that way.on bootleg, TOL length is almost 19 min (including 20s of applause)One of the very best versions - gold standard. Makes Alchemy sound like it's played by an amateur.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgZy7KVOUM8
I'm also quite fond of the '92 version we've got on the 2023 live box. Maybe also simpler and shorter than 85, but very touching.
Is there any bad version of TOL anyway?
Well, I didn't mean it literally, however I've always thought Mark had progressed a large amount as a guitarist between the LOG tour and the BIA tour.
Post by: herlock on March 20, 2025, 11:58:32 PM
Post by: herlock on March 21, 2025, 12:14:06 AM
I also find TOL overall better in Wembley.
The Wembley show has this unique atmosphere... Maybe it is the video.
Post by: Knopflerfan on March 21, 2025, 01:58:30 AM
https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/dire-straits-brothers-in-arms-sde-exclusive-blu-ray-audio/
Ah yes the Bluray & 3CD edition will be fine.....
Post by: Knopflerfan on March 21, 2025, 01:59:11 AM
Five separate nixes on the blu-ray...
Goes without saying, that is the medium to purchase!
https://www.thesdeshop.com/products/dire-straits-brothers-in-arms-bundle-blu-ray-3cd-deluxe
Post by: Hoops McCann on March 21, 2025, 03:13:43 AM
It's not the live show that's a bummer - it's the fact that we get that instead of anything studio recorded that is unreleased. Alternate takes...outtakes...even instrumental...nothing...nada. I can give many examples of other artists where at least when they release an anniversary edition, they include something unreleased. But never for DS. :lol
Post by: olazabalrok on March 21, 2025, 08:01:03 AM
I bet Guy cut the full TOL as he did with PB :-X Let's hope its the full version...
I have the same question with Wild West End :)
Spotify shows the running time for ToL: 19:26 and for WWE: 9:16.
Post by: Dutchessy on March 21, 2025, 08:16:47 AM
I bet Guy cut the full TOL as he did with PB :-X Let's hope its the full version...
I have the same question with Wild West End :)
Spotify shows the running time for ToL: 19:26 and for WWE: 9:16.
Nice!!
Post by: Love Expresso on March 21, 2025, 08:40:19 AM
LE
Post by: TheTimeWasWrong on March 21, 2025, 09:39:23 AM
It's been discussed many times, also by Ed, but it still makes you wonder what more is in the vaults ;D
Post by: qjamesfloyd on March 21, 2025, 09:46:23 AM
Post by: TheTimeWasWrong on March 21, 2025, 09:47:00 AM
Post by: qjamesfloyd on March 21, 2025, 09:55:20 AM
#5 in CD's & Vinyl
#1 in Blues Rocck
#1 in Box sets (CD's & Vinyl)
So, it has a lot of interest, and look like being a popular release.
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 21, 2025, 10:27:57 AM
Like many others here, I have BiA over and over again. Even have it on the short lived Sony dual disc format with Chuck's 2.0 and 5.1 mix on DVD-A. That and the more recent Atmos release are the only worthwhile mixes chasing down, as they're from the multi tracks and not the same two channel mix that has been re-issued to death.
It's not the live show that's a bummer - it's the fact that we get that instead of anything studio recorded that is unreleased. Alternate takes...outtakes...even instrumental...nothing...nada. I can give many examples of other artists where at least when they release an anniversary edition, they include something unreleased. But never for DS. :lol
Great to hear from you! Hope you are well :)
11 years since our beers in NYC and I haven't been back :(
Ed has said that there wasn't anything extra to release from the sessions... the fact that they used Walk of Life, arguably the most commercial song on the record, as a B side of the first single, bears this out...
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 21, 2025, 10:28:57 AM
Really happy with the live show! I mostly listen to the 2.0 mix from Chuck these days, it's phenomenal! As long as Mark has the final word, I think there's no chance of getting outtakes or alternative takes.
It's been discussed many times, also by Ed, but it still makes you wonder what more is in the vaults ;D
The 2005 mix is compressed to hell and pales in comparison to the original 85 era CDs (IMO!)
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 21, 2025, 10:30:48 AM
I realized only now that there will be a repress of the single-LP original vinyl edition with the abridged versions. I wonder how well that one will sell. I bet it will no way sound better than the early german pressings I have got.
LE
The thing you have to remember is that Brothers in Arms was an obscure album that sold very little on original release, so those original LPs are very hard to come by now because so few were made in the first place.
Post by: Love Expresso on March 21, 2025, 10:41:25 AM
I realized only now that there will be a repress of the single-LP original vinyl edition with the abridged versions. I wonder how well that one will sell. I bet it will no way sound better than the early german pressings I have got.
LE
The thing you have to remember is that Brothers in Arms was an obscure album that sold very little on original release, so those original LPs are very hard to come by now because so few were made in the first place.
Ok :lol :hmm
I meant that since the complete versions are also available on vinyl, there should be no demand for the abridged versions. Original repress I get, but it will probably done by GZ Media anyway, so...
LE
Post by: Dutchessy on March 21, 2025, 10:59:34 AM
I'm not sure whether or not i should buy the Blu-ray as i don't have a Dolby Atmos system.
Post by: Love Expresso on March 21, 2025, 11:03:26 AM
LE
Post by: Dutchessy on March 21, 2025, 11:06:29 AM
Better buy it. You will probably have one in the nearer future. Also you are a fan and a collector, aren't you? ;D
LE
I'm not a fan :lol
Post by: Jules on March 21, 2025, 11:12:05 AM
Better buy it. You will probably have one in the nearer future. Also you are a fan and a collector, aren't you? ;D
LE
I'm not a fan :lol
I'm with LE, the bluray editions are very limited and if in the future it happens you have how to play them, you will regret not buying it when it came out.
Post by: vgonis on March 21, 2025, 11:22:42 AM
Although I expected an anniversary edition and I am somewhat happy with this, and the live addition seems to be a nice choice that echoes the wishes of many fans, even AMITers - if I remember correctly, I find it quite expensive. 110 Euros for the LP version! Buying 2/5 of the same again and again. Maybe put the instrumental version in these two vinyl discs / CD , instead. I don't know if the instrumental versions are going to be good for repeated listens, but at least they will be something new and different. I mean it was created for fans, since regular music aficionados will not go for an expensive edition with a concert, and even them already have choices of the standard BiA to chose from. So on the 50th anniversary which is a more round number, of half a century, we will be given the multi track and the chance to mix it ourselves...
And the peculiar thing is that I am going to buy, and probably listen to it once, because I already have listened to them both so many times I rarely even play the records as it is.
I would love to take the philosophical route, but I guess they know what they are doing with fomo and beads.
Yes, I know I am nagging for trivial things and the answer is choices. And they are a business so they have to do such things. This is why it is hard to express this.
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 21, 2025, 11:34:04 AM
I'll also be interested to see what the 1985 mix on the blu-ray sounds like. The original low volume CD sounds great but I can't help feeling they will be tempted to brickwall it...
Post by: Love Expresso on March 21, 2025, 11:53:09 AM
"Colour TV's"...
:lol
LE
Post by: Jules on March 21, 2025, 12:00:14 PM
The instrumental version will be good to hear (once).
I'll also be interested to see what the 1985 mix on the blu-ray sounds like. The original low volume CD sounds great but I can't help feeling they will be tempted to brickwall it...
The dvd-audio version that went out early 2000's together with the SACD was awesome. The best 5.1 surround mix of everything they released, far superior than the STP and SL ones.
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 21, 2025, 12:07:47 PM
The instrumental version will be good to hear (once).
I'll also be interested to see what the 1985 mix on the blu-ray sounds like. The original low volume CD sounds great but I can't help feeling they will be tempted to brickwall it...
The dvd-audio version that went out early 2000's together with the SACD was awesome. The best 5.1 surround mix of everything they released, far superior than the STP and SL ones.
It won the grammy, for whatever that's worth.
At the Christies auction they were playing the Atmos mix of the MFN compilation, would be great to have a blu-ray of that as well.
Post by: Jules on March 21, 2025, 12:18:58 PM
The instrumental version will be good to hear (once).
I'll also be interested to see what the 1985 mix on the blu-ray sounds like. The original low volume CD sounds great but I can't help feeling they will be tempted to brickwall it...
The dvd-audio version that went out early 2000's together with the SACD was awesome. The best 5.1 surround mix of everything they released, far superior than the STP and SL ones.
It won the grammy, for whatever that's worth.
At the Christies auction they were playing the Atmos mix of the MFN compilation, would be great to have a blu-ray of that as well.
I didn't like the Atmos version played at Christies... It sounded static to me, while the dvd-audio 5.1 sounded like sounds moving around me. The Atmos was curious as some sounds were coming from a certain speaker and so on, but I didn't feel like the sound was moving around me, while the previous did that effect.
Post by: Jules on March 21, 2025, 12:22:51 PM
Reading Guy's forum, I'm not sure if they didn't found the full Wembley audio or if they did and the quality wasn't good enough, but the Wembley full audio would had been something new, despite we have more than 90' of it already.
They could had release BIA again without anything so, this is good in the end, but feels a bit sad that they had to found the live material guided by fans that told Guy in his forum where to find it.
Post by: Robson on March 21, 2025, 01:37:57 PM
I bet Guy cut the full TOL as he did with PB :-X Let's hope its the full version...
I have the same question with Wild West End :)
Spotify shows the running time for ToL: 19:26 and for WWE: 9:16.
:thumbsup Great:)
Post by: the visitor on March 21, 2025, 03:49:47 PM
Having said all of this I'm sure I will buckle and buy the vinyl too though would like to see what quality is like. The MFN pressing was total crap but the last box set was pretty good. The marketeers will in all likelihood get their way with me.
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 21, 2025, 04:10:12 PM
https://louderthanwar.com/the-great-vinyl-record-buying-swindle-unexpurgated-version/
Post by: Love Expresso on March 21, 2025, 05:46:39 PM
This guy sums up the current state of the "vinyl revival" pretty well IMO:
https://louderthanwar.com/the-great-vinyl-record-buying-swindle-unexpurgated-version/
All true and well known, and to me it's understandable... vinyl was nearly dead, plants died and now the demand is heavily increasing... a couple of billion more people on earth since the 70's.
That's why I mostly buy records from the 70's, 80's and 90's used on a regular base. But this is DS/MK. It is almost a "question of honour" to buy it. I want to have it. I will buy the CD later probably anyway. The Live Box was indeed very well produced so there is always a chance.
LE
Post by: Marnix on March 21, 2025, 05:49:14 PM
Be happy that we get those live releases and enjoy it as much as possible.
Post by: Love Expresso on March 21, 2025, 05:55:48 PM
I know some fans are disapointed about the San Antonio bonus release. Ok its a wellknown bootleg just like Houston, Wembley or Sydney. At least we got now an official release of the BiA tour. I am looking forward to hear the full new mix of the show. A lot of fans were disapointed when the previous Live box didnt include a BiA show now we got an official live release and still people are complaining I really don’t get it.
Be happy that we get those live releases and enjoy it as much as possible.
I hardly saw any complaints? Au contraire, even dmg was pleased, which means something. ;D
LE
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 21, 2025, 05:59:01 PM
Post by: herlock on March 21, 2025, 06:13:59 PM
I know some fans are disapointed about the San Antonio bonus release. Ok its a wellknown bootleg just like Houston, Wembley or Sydney. At least we got now an official release of the BiA tour. I am looking forward to hear the full new mix of the show. A lot of fans were disapointed when the previous Live box didnt include a BiA show now we got an official live release and still people are complaining I really don’t get it.I love that we have this released, but i have always wanted video, not just audio...
Be happy that we get those live releases and enjoy it as much as possible.
Post by: Robson on March 21, 2025, 06:15:29 PM
Post by: ds1984 on March 21, 2025, 06:29:37 PM
I will only buy the San Antone live edition on CD and I will be happy with it (of course waiting for the next live release).
BTW apparently this even include a free version of the BIA studio album.
Post by: Love Expresso on March 21, 2025, 06:36:16 PM
LE
Post by: dmg on March 21, 2025, 06:38:47 PM
I actually find BIA better played in Wembley than in San Antonio. Some notes are missing in the latter...
I also find TOL overall better in Wembley.
The Wembley show has this unique atmosphere... Maybe it is the video.
I disagree about BIA although there isn't much in it.
TOL is much better in SA and uncut. I'm astonished anyone would argue otherwise.
Post by: herlock on March 21, 2025, 06:51:24 PM
Didn't understand your comment about BIA, not much in it?
Post by: dmg on March 21, 2025, 06:51:37 PM
I know some fans are disapointed about the San Antonio bonus release. Ok its a wellknown bootleg just like Houston, Wembley or Sydney. At least we got now an official release of the BiA tour. I am looking forward to hear the full new mix of the show. A lot of fans were disapointed when the previous Live box didnt include a BiA show now we got an official live release and still people are complaining I really don’t get it.
Be happy that we get those live releases and enjoy it as much as possible.
I hardly saw any complaints? Au contraire, even dmg was pleased, which means something. ;D
LE
Hey! [Much fist waving] :lol
Actually I'm really excited by this and think they've chosen exactly the right show for release. The only mistake I could spot in this show is a little misunderstanding at the very end of RATR between Mark and Chris, but you'd never know unless you knew how they usually end the song. It's a great show with all the solos nailed and the main songs with great versions.
Post by: dmg on March 21, 2025, 06:52:51 PM
TOL is uncut, yes, but I love Wembley so much, although much of the bridge is cut... Maybe I'm biased because of the video!
Didn't understand your comment about BIA, not much in it?
Sorry - both versions are roughly equal. Both excellent.
It's always good watching the video. I've seen the Wembley show much more than listened to any other.
Post by: cannibals on March 21, 2025, 07:14:54 PM
Post by: herlock on March 21, 2025, 07:25:28 PM
Listen and compare 2 sections:TOL is uncut, yes, but I love Wembley so much, although much of the bridge is cut... Maybe I'm biased because of the video!
Didn't understand your comment about BIA, not much in it?
Sorry - both versions are roughly equal. Both excellent.
It's always good watching the video. I've seen the Wembley show much more than listened to any other.
-Just after "starlight" : In Wembley Mark makes his LP weep more than in SA.
-In the rocking ending, just before Mark pauses to say thank you, Mark is still playing guitar in Wembley. I can't here him in SA, more like karaoke...
Post by: Rolo on March 21, 2025, 07:28:32 PM
I checked the DS's Spotify and YT channels and, to be fair, for a regular+ fan perspective, whats its being released, is very good indeed.
The Honky Tonk demos.
The long waited full Alchemy concert with Industrial Desease, Twisting By The Pool and Portobello Belle.
The whole recorded songs for On The Night.
The Rainbow Concert which is completey new. And with Phil on couple os songs is pure gold.
Now the Brothers In Arms 40th aniversary with the San Antonio live concert.... Very good indeed.
The DS website is very cool and fun.
On the YouTube channel have plenty of material that could be "too much" for a fisical release. However, suits very well for YouTube or "almost official" release. There are interviews, concerts and songs from 1978 until 1992.
MK's Youtube channel releases a lot of material. Live compilations for all possible tours. Interviews, NHB...
And I'm sure that will have plenty of "new" material waiting to see the sun thru the DS/MK's YT channel.
To a die-hard fan perspective, nothing of this, except the Rainbow Concert, are new for many of us.
We deal with bootlegs since forever and there is nothing really, really new for us.
Maybe the 'Italian Collector' could have some never-listened material that could surprise even Ed himself. However, this kind of material have a very strict audience and, yes, does not fit for a 'official release'.
To my perpective, these very rare material suits best for exclusively circulation.
Some of us dream about things that, at the moment doesn't have real commercial value. For those things, I bet they will be at YouTube at some point.
After this "research", In my opinion, there is nothing to complain.
For my taste, Alchemy decreased his "power" with the include of these songs (except Portobello)
Some songs like Fade To Black, to me, should have kept out.
To be fair, DS is on the right path.
Except that it does not communicate with the new audience anymore.
Post by: the visitor on March 21, 2025, 07:36:41 PM
I know some fans are disapointed about the San Antonio bonus release. Ok its a wellknown bootleg just like Houston, Wembley or Sydney. At least we got now an official release of the BiA tour. I am looking forward to hear the full new mix of the show. A lot of fans were disapointed when the previous Live box didnt include a BiA show now we got an official live release and still people are complaining I really don’t get it.
Be happy that we get those live releases and enjoy it as much as possible.
I hardly saw any complaints? Au contraire, even dmg was pleased, which means something. ;D
LE
Hey! [Much fist waving] :lol
Actually I'm really excited by this and think they've chosen exactly the right show for release. The only mistake I could spot in this show is a little misunderstanding at the very end of RATR between Mark and Chris, but you'd never know unless you knew how they usually end the song. It's a great show with all the solos nailed and the main songs with great versions.
On RATR I hope Guy has fixed the flute levels on this. In the mix on the bootlegs the volume is almost non existent of Chris White. Hope this is just a levels issue rather than a faulty mic issue... even though Guy says SA is better than Houston technically in terms of recording
Post by: Robson on March 21, 2025, 07:55:56 PM
Post by: Guitardave on March 21, 2025, 07:56:40 PM
I read that as “yes, but I can’t announce that”. I may be wrong. But it wasn’t a “no”. Fingers crossed…..
Post by: ds1984 on March 21, 2025, 08:21:39 PM
Someone on Guy’s forum asked him about the multi-tracks for San Antonio, and if they’d also found the multi-tracks for the Wembley show and he replied “I can’t comment on the Wembley show”.
I read that as “yes, but I can’t announce that”. I may be wrong. But it wasn’t a “no”. Fingers crossed…..
50/50...
BTW the Wembley show was also aired on radio so this is not only The Tube TV channel but also the D.I.R. Radio Network that may have multitrack audio tapes (and then sold to Wolfgang's).
Post by: Marnix on March 21, 2025, 09:32:10 PM
Someone on Guy’s forum asked him about the multi-tracks for San Antonio, and if they’d also found the multi-tracks for the Wembley show and he replied “I can’t comment on the Wembley show”.
I read that as “yes, but I can’t announce that”. I may be wrong. But it wasn’t a “no”. Fingers crossed…..
50/50...
BTW the Wembley show was also aired on radio so this is not only The Tube TV channel but also the D.I.R. Radio Network that may have multitrack audio tapes (and then sold to Wolfgang's).
Someone on Guys forum asked why not a Blu-Ray of Wembley and he replied
It’s hard to make a blu-ray of something that wasn’t recorded properly. As far as I’m aware the multitrack of this event is either not in existence or unavailable.
So i guess we can not expect a full official recording of Wembley
Post by: wayaman on March 21, 2025, 10:24:31 PM
There is only one concert that could have been a better choice. October 11, 1985 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York. :)
To be a choice is needed that was professionally recorded.
Post by: Robson on March 21, 2025, 10:35:37 PM
There is only one concert that could have been a better choice. October 11, 1985 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York. :)
To be a choice is needed that was professionally recorded.
Yes, yes, I know. It's just a dream ;)
Post by: kempston_joystick on March 22, 2025, 01:17:42 AM
Post by: cannibals on March 22, 2025, 07:43:20 AM
Also a good one
Post by: TheTimeWasWrong on March 22, 2025, 09:41:37 AM
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 22, 2025, 10:05:47 AM
I'll change my point of view about my "complains" about something "new".
I checked the DS's Spotify and YT channels and, to be fair, for a regular+ fan perspective, whats its being released, is very good indeed.
The Honky Tonk demos.
The long waited full Alchemy concert with Industrial Desease, Twisting By The Pool and Portobello Belle.
The whole recorded songs for On The Night.
The Rainbow Concert which is completey new. And with Phil on couple os songs is pure gold.
Now the Brothers In Arms 40th aniversary with the San Antonio live concert.... Very good indeed.
The DS website is very cool and fun.
On the YouTube channel have plenty of material that could be "too much" for a fisical release. However, suits very well for YouTube or "almost official" release. There are interviews, concerts and songs from 1978 until 1992.
MK's Youtube channel releases a lot of material. Live compilations for all possible tours. Interviews, NHB...
And I'm sure that will have plenty of "new" material waiting to see the sun thru the DS/MK's YT channel.
To a die-hard fan perspective, nothing of this, except the Rainbow Concert, are new for many of us.
We deal with bootlegs since forever and there is nothing really, really new for us.
Maybe the 'Italian Collector' could have some never-listened material that could surprise even Ed himself. However, this kind of material have a very strict audience and, yes, does not fit for a 'official release'.
To my perpective, these very rare material suits best for exclusively circulation.
Some of us dream about things that, at the moment doesn't have real commercial value. For those things, I bet they will be at YouTube at some point.
After this "research", In my opinion, there is nothing to complain.
For my taste, Alchemy decreased his "power" with the include of these songs (except Portobello)
Some songs like Fade To Black, to me, should have kept out.
To be fair, DS is on the right path.
Except that it does not communicate with the new audience anymore.
Good post.
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 22, 2025, 10:08:21 AM
Actually quite funny to me that 18 months ago there wasn’t an official complete recording of any DS tour. Now we have complete recordings from 79/83/85/92. Who would have thought?
Good post.
And if it came down to it, I’d rather have the live stuff than scraps of outtakes etc.
Remember we did actually get the full unfazed ending of Telegraph Road, anybody listen to that often?!
Post by: Brunno Nunes on March 22, 2025, 12:30:06 PM
Actually quite funny to me that 18 months ago there wasn’t an official complete recording of any DS tour. Now we have complete recordings from 79/83/85/92. Who would have thought?
Yes, it's true, but this only became a reality after decades and decades. Today, we have a lot of material, as my dear friend Rolo pointed out, however, it was a long wait. Every criticism I've seen about this aspect has always been related to the past history, since the times when the band was active. Personally, I always had the feeling that there were gaps, but now this is being repaired through the Live 78/92 box set, in the same way as the San Antonio 85 live set. Personally, I don't have that complaint today.
For a long, long time, I always found a bootleg recording more interesting because it reveals a more complete experience with a full show, always allowing you to gauge what the band was like at each historical moment through their tours. As we know, a version of Sultans of Swing on the LOG tour is very different from how it was played on the OES tour, the same goes for many other songs, this striking feature in DS live has always been something that has made them stand out a lot, creating a new live experience through new arrangements, has always been one of the things we all love about the band, it is in this panorama that so many incredible things happen through MK's guitar, this has always been a great fuel for me and so many other people, and now we have the opportunity to appreciate it officially through these releases.
Post by: Vesper on March 22, 2025, 01:06:21 PM
Listen and compare 2 sections:TOL is uncut, yes, but I love Wembley so much, although much of the bridge is cut... Maybe I'm biased because of the video!
Didn't understand your comment about BIA, not much in it?
Sorry - both versions are roughly equal. Both excellent.
It's always good watching the video. I've seen the Wembley show much more than listened to any other.
-Just after "starlight" : In Wembley Mark makes his LP weep more than in SA.
-In the rocking ending, just before Mark pauses to say thank you, Mark is still playing guitar in Wembley. I can't here him in SA, more like karaoke...
I always adored the rock ending of BIA at the Wembley show and it's a shame it dissappeared at some point.
I just did a quick check on one of the bootleg recordings of SA and I'm happy it's still there (allthough I agree with you the Wembley version is slightly better).
Post by: herlock on March 22, 2025, 01:44:04 PM
Indeed. Everybody says the best version of BIA is Mandela 88, but I disagree. Mandela is indeed wonderful, but those early (85) versions, with the Les Paul weeping, speed, energy, and rocking ending, have the edge. Never done like this since again. Too bad... Yes, the keyboards are a bit cheesy... But I love cheese! 😋Listen and compare 2 sections:TOL is uncut, yes, but I love Wembley so much, although much of the bridge is cut... Maybe I'm biased because of the video!
Didn't understand your comment about BIA, not much in it?
Sorry - both versions are roughly equal. Both excellent.
It's always good watching the video. I've seen the Wembley show much more than listened to any other.
-Just after "starlight" : In Wembley Mark makes his LP weep more than in SA.
-In the rocking ending, just before Mark pauses to say thank you, Mark is still playing guitar in Wembley. I can't here him in SA, more like karaoke...
I always adored the rock ending of BIA at the Wembley show and it's a shame it dissappeared at some point.
I just did a quick check on one of the bootleg recordings of SA and I'm happy it's still there (allthough I agree with you the Wembley version is slightly better).
Post by: herlock on March 22, 2025, 01:57:26 PM
There is really something special about this Wembley concert. Should have really beer released on blu-ray.
And to add insult to injury, they realeased on their official YT channel everything that was broadcasted on TV from this concert... except TOL and BIA, the most important songs of this tour. (and SR, but who cares). Shame!
Post by: jf9081 on March 22, 2025, 03:55:25 PM
The first track sounds fabulous. Out of curiosity I compared this Walk of life against the version of On the night, both technically and recording in my opinion this is from another planet!! great rhythm that I touch on the Schecter!
Post by: wayaman on March 22, 2025, 04:40:16 PM
Actually quite funny to me that 18 months ago there wasn’t an official complete recording of any DS tour. Now we have complete recordings from 79/83/85/92. Who would have thought?
We don't have any complete 83 recording, it has Portobello cut and there are more than 5/6 minutes missing and the link between Portobello and Tunnel.
We don't have any 92 full recording, just a mix of songs from here and there that don't do a complete concert. Actually in length is longer than an actual complete concert, but it doesn't fit with any complete and real concert concept.
Post by: Brunno Nunes on March 22, 2025, 05:00:48 PM
Actually quite funny to me that 18 months ago there wasn’t an official complete recording of any DS tour. Now we have complete recordings from 79/83/85/92. Who would have thought?
We don't have any complete 83 recording, it has Portobello cut and there are more than 5/6 minutes missing and the link between Portobello and Tunnel.
We don't have any 92 full recording, just a mix of songs from here and there that don't do a complete concert. Actually in length is longer than an actual complete concert, but it doesn't fit with any complete and real concert concept.
This is true about OTN, but since its conception, it was designed with this characteristic, the result of songs from four shows, two in Nimes and two in Rotterdam, 10 days apart. In this sense, Alchemy is more cohesive in revealing the most real experience of a DS show. OTN in the box is wonderful because it contains more songs, but it will never reveal a real Dire Straits show, only if it releases one of the shows in its entirety. Nimes or Rotterdam (May 92), Basel 92 or Nimes 92 (October) give us this experience that OTN lacks, but this is only important for completist fans like me, you and a minority, we are the exception of the exceptions, zero hope of that happening.
Post by: Robson on March 22, 2025, 05:17:42 PM
Actually quite funny to me that 18 months ago there wasn’t an official complete recording of any DS tour. Now we have complete recordings from 79/83/85/92. Who would have thought?
We don't have any complete 83 recording, it has Portobello cut and there are more than 5/6 minutes missing and the link between Portobello and Tunnel.
We don't have any 92 full recording, just a mix of songs from here and there that don't do a complete concert. Actually in length is longer than an actual complete concert, but it doesn't fit with any complete and real concert concept.
But these are details (also important to me). It's worth appreciating the fact that we officially have all the concert tours:)
Post by: wayaman on March 22, 2025, 08:09:03 PM
Actually quite funny to me that 18 months ago there wasn’t an official complete recording of any DS tour. Now we have complete recordings from 79/83/85/92. Who would have thought?
We don't have any complete 83 recording, it has Portobello cut and there are more than 5/6 minutes missing and the link between Portobello and Tunnel.
We don't have any 92 full recording, just a mix of songs from here and there that don't do a complete concert. Actually in length is longer than an actual complete concert, but it doesn't fit with any complete and real concert concept.
But these are details (also important to me). It's worth appreciating the fact that we officially have all the concert tours:)
No.
78 tour
80-81 tour
Post by: herlock on March 22, 2025, 08:11:20 PM
For 80/81 we have TOL from Dortmund 80 on the same album. Better than nothing... And we have Dortmund on official video, with great versions of Lions and News!
Post by: Robson on March 22, 2025, 08:44:17 PM
Actually quite funny to me that 18 months ago there wasn’t an official complete recording of any DS tour. Now we have complete recordings from 79/83/85/92. Who would have thought?
We don't have any complete 83 recording, it has Portobello cut and there are more than 5/6 minutes missing and the link between Portobello and Tunnel.
We don't have any 92 full recording, just a mix of songs from here and there that don't do a complete concert. Actually in length is longer than an actual complete concert, but it doesn't fit with any complete and real concert concept.
But these are details (also important to me). It's worth appreciating the fact that we officially have all the concert tours:)
No.
78 tour
80-81 tour
For me the concert from Rainbow sums up the first period of DS well. But you're right, 81-82 is missing, although aLCHEMY fulfills its role.
Post by: Brunno Nunes on March 22, 2025, 08:59:25 PM
Post by: Brunno Nunes on March 22, 2025, 09:40:51 PM
Post by: wayaman on March 22, 2025, 09:41:12 PM
For 78 we have live at the BBC with its angry sound.
For 80/81 we have TOL from Dortmund 80 on the same album. Better than nothing... And we have Dortmund on official video, with great versions of Lions and News!
That doesn't count as a full recording of each tour.
Post by: dmg on March 22, 2025, 11:01:09 PM
Listen and compare 2 sections:TOL is uncut, yes, but I love Wembley so much, although much of the bridge is cut... Maybe I'm biased because of the video!
Didn't understand your comment about BIA, not much in it?
Sorry - both versions are roughly equal. Both excellent.
It's always good watching the video. I've seen the Wembley show much more than listened to any other.
-Just after "starlight" : In Wembley Mark makes his LP weep more than in SA.
-In the rocking ending, just before Mark pauses to say thank you, Mark is still playing guitar in Wembley. I can't here him in SA, more like karaoke...
The power of simplicity and letting the song breathe. Allow your mind to fill the gap.
Post by: herlock on March 22, 2025, 11:02:51 PM
I thought you prefered complexity (TOL 85) over simplicity (TOL 83)...Listen and compare 2 sections:TOL is uncut, yes, but I love Wembley so much, although much of the bridge is cut... Maybe I'm biased because of the video!
Didn't understand your comment about BIA, not much in it?
Sorry - both versions are roughly equal. Both excellent.
It's always good watching the video. I've seen the Wembley show much more than listened to any other.
-Just after "starlight" : In Wembley Mark makes his LP weep more than in SA.
-In the rocking ending, just before Mark pauses to say thank you, Mark is still playing guitar in Wembley. I can't here him in SA, more like karaoke...
The power of simplicity and letting the song breathe. Allow your mind to fill the gap.
Btw in Houston the missing parts in San Antonio are there!
Post by: dmg on March 22, 2025, 11:06:03 PM
There is only one concert that could have been a better choice. October 11, 1985 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York. :)
San Francisco 13.09.85
NYC 03.10.85
Boston 06.10.85
But SA is still a great show, as most were on that leg of the tour. They didn't record every show back then though!
On a more serious note: it would be nice if they would make a special mention of Jack Sonni in the booklet, or even dedicate it to his memory.
Post by: dmg on March 22, 2025, 11:08:44 PM
I've enjoyed the San Antonio bootleg for years, actually a bit of a treat for me that this one got "the treatment." It's just a really fun performance, and the Walk Of Life mix is fabulous. Mark's guitar is cranked!
Isn't it! Never heard his guitar so high in the mix during WOL on that tour before and it sounds great. His vocal has a harshness to it to my ears anyway.
Post by: dmg on March 22, 2025, 11:11:23 PM
I thought you prefered complexity (TOL 85) over simplicity (TOL 83)...Listen and compare 2 sections:TOL is uncut, yes, but I love Wembley so much, although much of the bridge is cut... Maybe I'm biased because of the video!
Didn't understand your comment about BIA, not much in it?
Sorry - both versions are roughly equal. Both excellent.
It's always good watching the video. I've seen the Wembley show much more than listened to any other.
-Just after "starlight" : In Wembley Mark makes his LP weep more than in SA.
-In the rocking ending, just before Mark pauses to say thank you, Mark is still playing guitar in Wembley. I can't here him in SA, more like karaoke...
The power of simplicity and letting the song breathe. Allow your mind to fill the gap.
Btw in Houston the missing parts in San Antonio are there!
Alchemy TOL isn't simplicity as far as I'm concerned. The solo has too many notes and is all the less fluid because of it.
Post by: herlock on March 22, 2025, 11:16:08 PM
I see what you mean...I thought you prefered complexity (TOL 85) over simplicity (TOL 83)...Listen and compare 2 sections:TOL is uncut, yes, but I love Wembley so much, although much of the bridge is cut... Maybe I'm biased because of the video!
Didn't understand your comment about BIA, not much in it?
Sorry - both versions are roughly equal. Both excellent.
It's always good watching the video. I've seen the Wembley show much more than listened to any other.
-Just after "starlight" : In Wembley Mark makes his LP weep more than in SA.
-In the rocking ending, just before Mark pauses to say thank you, Mark is still playing guitar in Wembley. I can't here him in SA, more like karaoke...
The power of simplicity and letting the song breathe. Allow your mind to fill the gap.
Btw in Houston the missing parts in San Antonio are there!
Alchemy TOL isn't simplicity as far as I'm concerned. The solo has too many notes and is all the less fluid because of it.
Actually I wonder if Mark changed the end solo between 83 and 85, more progressive, just to be able to... rest a bit thanks to pauses in his guitar playing ! In Alchemy the end solo has no pause, Mark had to go straight to the end, and you an see him exhausted and out of breath in the end, needing the break before starting TR. This song is physically demanding!
Post by: fan no more on March 22, 2025, 11:30:51 PM
Post by: Robson on March 23, 2025, 12:02:18 AM
There is only one concert that could have been a better choice. October 11, 1985 Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York. :)
San Francisco 13.09.85
NYC 03.10.85
Boston 06.10.85
But SA is still a great show, as most were on that leg of the tour. They didn't record every show back then though!
On a more serious note: it would be nice if they would make a special mention of Jack Sonni in the booklet, or even dedicate it to his memory.
I mentioned about Uniondale because on this concert Tunnel Of Love is 24 min. (did this happen anywhere else?) I love it. But San Antonio is the most important right now!
Yes, I was also thinking about Jack Sonni. This concert should be dedicated to him.
Post by: olazabalrok on March 23, 2025, 07:02:29 AM
I see what you mean...
I thought you prefered complexity (TOL 85) over simplicity (TOL 83)...
Btw in Houston the missing parts in San Antonio are there!
Alchemy TOL isn't simplicity as far as I'm concerned. The solo has too many notes and is all the less fluid because of it.
Actually I wonder if Mark changed the end solo between 83 and 85, more progressive, just to be able to... rest a bit thanks to pauses in his guitar playing ! In Alchemy the end solo has no pause, Mark had to go straight to the end, and you an see him exhausted and out of breath in the end, needing the break before starting TR. This song is physically demanding!
Nah, just part of the theatre of the show, it's not like he's running around a stadium.
Post by: cannibals on March 23, 2025, 10:30:51 AM
https://thecircle.de/collections/dire-straits
Post by: dmg on March 23, 2025, 12:49:22 PM
I see what you mean...I thought you prefered complexity (TOL 85) over simplicity (TOL 83)...Listen and compare 2 sections:TOL is uncut, yes, but I love Wembley so much, although much of the bridge is cut... Maybe I'm biased because of the video!
Didn't understand your comment about BIA, not much in it?
Sorry - both versions are roughly equal. Both excellent.
It's always good watching the video. I've seen the Wembley show much more than listened to any other.
-Just after "starlight" : In Wembley Mark makes his LP weep more than in SA.
-In the rocking ending, just before Mark pauses to say thank you, Mark is still playing guitar in Wembley. I can't here him in SA, more like karaoke...
The power of simplicity and letting the song breathe. Allow your mind to fill the gap.
Btw in Houston the missing parts in San Antonio are there!
Alchemy TOL isn't simplicity as far as I'm concerned. The solo has too many notes and is all the less fluid because of it.
Actually I wonder if Mark changed the end solo between 83 and 85, more progressive, just to be able to... rest a bit thanks to pauses in his guitar playing ! In Alchemy the end solo has no pause, Mark had to go straight to the end, and you an see him exhausted and out of breath in the end, needing the break before starting TR. This song is physically demanding!
I think personally the solo has better dynamics and much nicer playing (especially on the slow pre-drum part) on the BIA tour. The build-up is slower into a more powerful crescendo. On the LOG tour the slow build-up was much shorter, then suddenly the drums would kick in and it just sounded less tasteful.
Of course you could be right and I couldn't see his knees holding out for another tour! :lol
Post by: noizpop on March 25, 2025, 08:16:04 AM
Post by: wayaman on March 25, 2025, 10:33:18 AM
I agree that the Stockholm one is amazing, with that duet between Jack and Chris White.
Post by: herlock on March 25, 2025, 11:04:31 AM
As I'm sure many around here, one of the concerts I've listened to the most in my life -first on cassette, then on CD and finally on vinyl- is Stockholm 85. Some of the performances of that show were superb; very powerful. And one of the ones I enjoyed the most is Wlid West End, especially because of Jack's guitar solo, very brilliant in his approach to hard rock. I'm very happy about the recent announcement, which I've been looking forward to with hope for no less than 35 years. However, I listened to San Antonio 85 again last night and, for some reason, Jack is uninspired in that solo. He seems to run out of ideas after every phrase, as if to say “how do I go on with this, what do I do now?”. In any case, I insist, I'm happy for the recording to arrive, some of the performances are sublime. I'm sorry that The Man's Too Strong is not here, but perfection doesn't exist, although I must admit that this boxset comes pretty close.How would you compare this solo to the one from Houston and Cleveland ?
Post by: wayaman on March 25, 2025, 11:42:42 AM
As I'm sure many around here, one of the concerts I've listened to the most in my life -first on cassette, then on CD and finally on vinyl- is Stockholm 85. Some of the performances of that show were superb; very powerful. And one of the ones I enjoyed the most is Wlid West End, especially because of Jack's guitar solo, very brilliant in his approach to hard rock. I'm very happy about the recent announcement, which I've been looking forward to with hope for no less than 35 years. However, I listened to San Antonio 85 again last night and, for some reason, Jack is uninspired in that solo. He seems to run out of ideas after every phrase, as if to say “how do I go on with this, what do I do now?”. In any case, I insist, I'm happy for the recording to arrive, some of the performances are sublime. I'm sorry that The Man's Too Strong is not here, but perfection doesn't exist, although I must admit that this boxset comes pretty close.How would you compare this solo to the one from Houston and Cleveland ?
Yes, the one from Stockholm has no comparison.
It's the best one.
Post by: herlock on March 25, 2025, 11:43:53 AM
Post by: wayaman on March 25, 2025, 11:45:29 AM
I mean, sorry. How would you compare San Antonio to Houston or Cleveland ? Would it have been better to release Houston rather than San Antonio ?
For me both are very similar and very plain. The US part was like louder pretending to be rockier but any European concert was better.
Post by: Brunno Nunes on March 25, 2025, 12:31:43 PM
By the way, something very relevant about these 40 years of the BIA album would be a documentary about the album and tour, interviewing everyone who participated in the legendary 85/86 tour, this should have happened before Jack left, it would have been perfect. Things from my dreamland! 🤌🏻😅
Post by: Robson on March 25, 2025, 12:59:07 PM
Post by: Brunno Nunes on March 25, 2025, 02:01:36 PM
Yes and several guest too players appeared during the tour: Eric Clapton, Paul Young, Hank B. Marvin, Sting, Billy Joel, David Sanborn, Branford Marsalis, Paul Brady, Dave Edmunds, Nils Lofgren, Francis Rossi, T-Bone Burnett, Pete Townshend.
Exactly, good point, this would be a very relevant act on this iconic tour. It's sad to see time pass and this not happen, while most of them are still alive, it would be a tremendous waste to miss this opportunity. I don't know why someone hasn't come along to make this real yet, we've already lost Jack, unfortunately.
Post by: Leprechaun on March 30, 2025, 08:03:49 AM
https://store.direstraits.com/product-category/bia-40/
Does someone what the difference is to the standard versions?
Post by: Love Expresso on March 30, 2025, 10:30:09 AM
LE
Post by: dustyvalentino on March 30, 2025, 11:52:31 AM
Post by: Love Expresso on March 30, 2025, 12:22:00 PM
LE
Post by: wayaman on March 30, 2025, 01:33:07 PM
On the official DS page an UK version of the 3CD and 5LP set is announced:
https://store.direstraits.com/product-category/bia-40/
Does someone what the difference is to the standard versions?
Because of the Brexit, European buying items from the UK would have to pay custom taxes, and same the other way, so they have two shops, one for UK and one for Europe. Don't they have another for the US?
Post by: Marnix on April 04, 2025, 09:09:47 AM
Post by: Dutchessy on April 04, 2025, 09:14:05 AM
Post by: Silvertown on April 04, 2025, 09:36:30 AM
They dropped Sultans of Swing from San Antonio on Spotify today
Thanks for the tip! Listening now. For the band just a normal day at the office, but what a version!
Post by: knopfler1 on April 04, 2025, 10:08:41 AM
I love how clear Jack Sonni’s guitar is in the mix. Alchemy is amazing but I always thought Hal’s guitar could’ve been a little louder.
Post by: Pottel on April 04, 2025, 10:35:44 AM
They dropped Sultans of Swing from San Antonio on Spotify todayweird, for me it is still greyed out...
but the album itself is available for me.
Post by: dustyvalentino on April 04, 2025, 10:40:48 AM
Post by: Marnix on April 04, 2025, 10:46:17 AM
Post by: Love Expresso on April 04, 2025, 12:25:43 PM
LE
Post by: dmg on April 04, 2025, 01:48:11 PM
They dropped Sultans of Swing from San Antonio on Spotify today
Easily best officially released version. Uploading the key track will hurt sales of the box though. Curious decision.
Good mix now. In the bootlegs the sax was too high in the mix, especially toward the end. Now it sounds more balanced.
Post by: ds1984 on April 04, 2025, 07:52:20 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzYwFcwhu5w
Post by: ds1984 on April 04, 2025, 08:12:54 PM
Mark guitar upfront in the mix is all the essence of that song IMHO.
Post by: the visitor on April 04, 2025, 08:26:36 PM
Hearing this gig in a completely different way. The solo section is insane, drums and guitar in unison and the breakdown and subsequent buildup is sublime.
Post by: Robson on April 04, 2025, 08:37:23 PM
Post by: Love Expresso on April 04, 2025, 09:26:30 PM
LE
Post by: TJ on April 04, 2025, 09:55:41 PM
Post by: Love Expresso on April 04, 2025, 10:33:46 PM
LE
Post by: dmg on April 04, 2025, 10:35:15 PM
What guitar was he playing (red Schecter?) Again, the guitar at Wembley sounded much better. Also I miss to have the wonderful So Far Away from Wembley as official mix...
LE
The white Schecter with Fender decal. Sounds great to me!
Post by: TheTimeWasWrong on April 04, 2025, 11:13:05 PM
What guitar was he playing (red Schecter?)
Sounds like the White Schecter. Does he still have it, btw? It was not part of the Christie's auction, right? I think he last used it on the KTGC promo.
Post by: the visitor on April 05, 2025, 12:19:03 PM
What guitar was he playing (red Schecter?) Again, the guitar at Wembley sounded much better. Also I miss to have the wonderful So Far Away from Wembley as official mix...
LE
There is a semi official "pre FM" release of much of the Wembley show as part of the Superstar Concert series. Comes up fairly frequently in ebay and discogs. This is probably the best you are going to get of this concert in the short term. Though I understand why you would want a full official release.
The San Antonio show doesn't seem to appear as a pre fm release (Houston does), only as bootleg and stream on Wolfgangs vault.
Post by: TheTimeWasWrong on April 08, 2025, 10:15:00 AM
Post by: Pottel on April 09, 2025, 09:13:28 PM
Post by: wayaman on April 11, 2025, 09:23:56 AM
https://dcs-spotify.megaphone.fm/PAN9828144864.mp3?key=5282d08dc7c8295014f33abe97050afe&request_event_id=85c4916e-a3ab-4d82-a33c-a5e8c940e767&session_id=922b2fd9-cfe4-4c2a-913d-83b2d5b1d855&timetoken=1744363319_3AA9615BDE8AF84A449EC9EE62304F93&s=09
Post by: Robson on April 17, 2025, 03:07:43 AM
Post by: Jules on April 17, 2025, 07:39:09 AM
Guy talking about it in a podcast:
https://dcs-spotify.megaphone.fm/PAN9828144864.mp3?key=5282d08dc7c8295014f33abe97050afe&request_event_id=85c4916e-a3ab-4d82-a33c-a5e8c940e767&session_id=922b2fd9-cfe4-4c2a-913d-83b2d5b1d855&timetoken=1744363319_3AA9615BDE8AF84A449EC9EE62304F93&s=09
Did anyone listened to this podcast regarding the BIA anniversary edition?
I didn't have time yet, hope to have time today or tomorrow...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2fqMz8OxFMvAUz93p3Y4gr?si=1QEhgSu3T_i8LV09fFaHUA
Post by: Pottel on April 17, 2025, 08:58:02 AM
I know the difference is small but I like to know exactly. The Brothers In Arms tour is 235 concerts or 248?i always had that as 248
Post by: Robson on April 17, 2025, 11:27:25 AM
I know the difference is small but I like to know exactly. The Brothers In Arms tour is 235 concerts or 248?i always had that as 248
Thank you. I asked about that because if I remember correctly Guy Fletcher mentioned 235.
Post by: dustyvalentino on April 17, 2025, 12:01:10 PM
Guy talking about it in a podcast:
https://dcs-spotify.megaphone.fm/PAN9828144864.mp3?key=5282d08dc7c8295014f33abe97050afe&request_event_id=85c4916e-a3ab-4d82-a33c-a5e8c940e767&session_id=922b2fd9-cfe4-4c2a-913d-83b2d5b1d855&timetoken=1744363319_3AA9615BDE8AF84A449EC9EE62304F93&s=09
Did anyone listened to this podcast regarding the BIA anniversary edition?
I didn't have time yet, hope to have time today or tomorrow...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2fqMz8OxFMvAUz93p3Y4gr?si=1QEhgSu3T_i8LV09fFaHUA
Even by podcast standards these hosts are very annoying.
I haven't got to it yet but it seems like they are going to splice in Guy from their previous podcast with him.
Post by: MK_live on April 17, 2025, 12:35:41 PM
http://oneverybootleg.nl/tourdates_1985_1986.htm
Post by: Marnix on April 18, 2025, 08:34:01 AM
https://open.spotify.com/album/4up10qvjUOuJ6oK3fmatTh?si=ply-JhMWQnKACmcv75Cf8Q
The mix sound quite balanced to me. I think they did a great job with this live recording. Looking forward to hear the whole thing
Post by: Love Expresso on April 18, 2025, 08:43:38 AM
This song is one of his greatest works, no doubt.
I always wondered what he says at the end, is it "I go?" And why would he say that?
LE
Post by: noizpop on April 18, 2025, 08:57:56 AM
Post by: Marnix on April 18, 2025, 09:02:03 AM
Thank you, love it!
This song is one of his greatest works, no doubt.
I always wondered what he says at the end, is it "I go?" And why would he say that?
LE
I hear like "yo" at the end what Mark says
Post by: Dutchessy on April 18, 2025, 10:30:30 AM
Post by: Love Expresso on April 18, 2025, 10:49:58 AM
LE
Post by: superval99 on April 18, 2025, 10:59:58 AM
Post by: Love Expresso on April 18, 2025, 11:01:56 AM
It's a very quick "thank yo". It does sound like "go", but it is "you".
Ok thank you very much! Hoped for you to read this. If it is explained by you, I believe it! :wave
LE
Post by: superval99 on April 18, 2025, 11:03:19 AM
It's a very quick "thank yo". It does sound like "go", but it is "you".
Ok thank you very much! Hoped for you to read this. If it is explained by you, I believe it! :wave
LE
:wave
Post by: Love Expresso on April 18, 2025, 11:14:46 AM
LE
Post by: cannibals on April 18, 2025, 04:36:53 PM
Guy talking about it in a podcast:Thanks for this. How i wish MK would do something like this.... Probably has no interest in anything relating to DS and let Guy do all this kind of promo things...
https://dcs-spotify.megaphone.fm/PAN9828144864.mp3?key=5282d08dc7c8295014f33abe97050afe&request_event_id=85c4916e-a3ab-4d82-a33c-a5e8c940e767&session_id=922b2fd9-cfe4-4c2a-913d-83b2d5b1d855&timetoken=1744363319_3AA9615BDE8AF84A449EC9EE62304F93&s=09
Post by: goon525 on April 18, 2025, 08:28:16 PM
Post by: Dutchessy on April 18, 2025, 11:54:44 PM
Why Worry now on all streaming services and YouTube. Is it going to be a song a week till release?
A song every 2 weeks it has been
Post by: Marnix on April 19, 2025, 09:36:34 AM
Post by: Knopflerfan on April 19, 2025, 09:46:51 AM
Post by: Robson on April 20, 2025, 12:15:21 PM
Post by: ds1984 on April 20, 2025, 12:55:28 PM
Post by: Robson on April 20, 2025, 01:11:51 PM
I took the same decision after listening SOS and up to now I am still patiently waiting
:)
I haven't listened to the Sultans yet:)
Post by: tomtom51 on April 20, 2025, 02:22:59 PM
Post by: JF on April 30, 2025, 11:52:08 AM
more photos here : https://www.facebook.com/TextBlogRNRoll/posts/pfbid033Hv1v1tfFjf7N8mGdAevUShQADT7rrcbiWRpuBuvcuTThdhkh7dwofoAZPhuMFg2l
There will be an article on franceinfo culture and a listening conference at the HIFI LINK Lyon store at the time of the release.
More information to follow very soon.
Stay tuned!
Post by: Jules on April 30, 2025, 12:08:23 PM
Post by: Pieter on April 30, 2025, 12:39:35 PM
Received it yesterday. Haven't had time to listen yet...
more photos here : https://www.facebook.com/TextBlogRNRoll/posts/pfbid033Hv1v1tfFjf7N8mGdAevUShQADT7rrcbiWRpuBuvcuTThdhkh7dwofoAZPhuMFg2l
There will be an article on franceinfo culture and a listening conference at the HIFI LINK Lyon store at the time of the release.
More information to follow very soon.
Stay tuned!
Amazing! How did you get the CD so soon? The official release date is the 16th of may right? Is it because of your listening conference?
Post by: dustyvalentino on April 30, 2025, 01:13:17 PM
I don't get all that UFO's at the San Antonio cover :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
Obviously an homage to the old Vertigo labels :)
(https://i.discogs.com/4rtb1BxPdO4cxQZRzO9Blw_4wcxlSMtUSiDp6rWvgtg/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:597/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTEyODc5/ODgtMTM4ODkyNzM5/My00MjczLmpwZWc.jpeg)
Post by: Marnix on April 30, 2025, 02:29:28 PM
Ride Across The River (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:10:30
Expresso Love (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:06:43
One World (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:05:06
Romeo And Juliet (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:10:30
Private Investigations (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:08:11
Sultans Of Swing (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:13:17
Why Worry (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:05:06
Walk Of Life (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:04:23
Two Young Lovers (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:05:00
Money For Nothing (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:08:01
Wild West End (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:09:16
Tunnel Of Love (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:19:26
Brothers In Arms (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:08:36
Solid Rock (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:04:36
Going Home (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:05:10
If i compare it the bootleg it's the full show without any edits in the songs
Post by: olazabalrok on April 30, 2025, 03:04:51 PM
Received it yesterday. Haven't had time to listen yet...
more photos here : https://www.facebook.com/TextBlogRNRoll/posts/pfbid033Hv1v1tfFjf7N8mGdAevUShQADT7rrcbiWRpuBuvcuTThdhkh7dwofoAZPhuMFg2l
There will be an article on franceinfo culture and a listening conference at the HIFI LINK Lyon store at the time of the release.
More information to follow very soon.
Stay tuned!
Thanks for the photos of the booklet. I wonder if we’ll get a video of the interview with MK and JI?
Post by: Pieter on April 30, 2025, 03:22:29 PM
The official track times of the San Antonio show.
Ride Across The River (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:10:30
Expresso Love (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:06:43
One World (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:05:06
Romeo And Juliet (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:10:30
Private Investigations (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:08:11
Sultans Of Swing (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:13:17
Why Worry (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:05:06
Walk Of Life (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:04:23
Two Young Lovers (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:05:00
Money For Nothing (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:08:01
Wild West End (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:09:16
Tunnel Of Love (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:19:26
Brothers In Arms (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:08:36
Solid Rock (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:04:36
Going Home (San Antonio Live In 85) 00:05:10
If i compare it the bootleg it's the full show without any edits in the songs
19 minutes of tunnel of love is some serious length :o
Post by: Robson on April 30, 2025, 03:42:11 PM
Post by: Love Expresso on April 30, 2025, 06:25:07 PM
LE
Post by: JF on May 01, 2025, 12:08:12 PM
Received it yesterday. Haven't had time to listen yet...
more photos here : https://www.facebook.com/TextBlogRNRoll/posts/pfbid033Hv1v1tfFjf7N8mGdAevUShQADT7rrcbiWRpuBuvcuTThdhkh7dwofoAZPhuMFg2l
There will be an article on franceinfo culture and a listening conference at the HIFI LINK Lyon store at the time of the release.
More information to follow very soon.
Stay tuned!
Amazing! How did you get the CD so soon? The official release date is the 16th of may right? Is it because of your listening conference?
it's because I work at a TV Channel, so I have several contacts in record companies
And I am going to write an article on french media "franceinfo" website. So that's why I get often stuff before official release
If you remember, I could lsiten to DTRW and ODR several weeks before their release :)
Post by: wayaman on May 01, 2025, 03:19:10 PM
I don't get all that UFO's at the San Antonio cover :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
Obviously an homage to the old Vertigo labels :)
(https://i.discogs.com/4rtb1BxPdO4cxQZRzO9Blw_4wcxlSMtUSiDp6rWvgtg/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:597/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTEyODc5/ODgtMTM4ODkyNzM5/My00MjczLmpwZWc.jpeg)
Well spotted, lol
Post by: K-alberto on May 01, 2025, 06:10:37 PM
it's because I work at a TV Channel, so I have several contacts in record companies
And I am going to write an article on french media "franceinfo" website. So that's why I get often stuff before official release
If you remember, I could lsiten to DTRW and ODR several weeks before their release :)
Who doesn't remember those glory days?? ;)
Please post your article also here! :thumbsup :clap
Post by: Robson on May 02, 2025, 02:39:08 PM
Post by: wayaman on May 02, 2025, 03:03:08 PM
JF is there any dedication or word about Jack Sonni?
In this link are pictures with all the text, and it can be read:
https://www.facebook.com/TextBlogRNRoll/posts/pfbid033Hv1v1tfFjf7N8mGdAevUShQADT7rrcbiWRpuBuvcuTThdhkh7dwofoAZPhuMFg2l
Post by: Robson on May 02, 2025, 03:10:01 PM
JF is there any dedication or word about Jack Sonni?
In this link are pictures with all the text, and it can be read:
https://www.facebook.com/TextBlogRNRoll/posts/pfbid033Hv1v1tfFjf7N8mGdAevUShQADT7rrcbiWRpuBuvcuTThdhkh7dwofoAZPhuMFg2l
Ok. Thank you.
Post by: K-alberto on May 02, 2025, 09:19:17 PM
JF is there any dedication or word about Jack Sonni?
In this link are pictures with all the text, and it can be read:
https://www.facebook.com/TextBlogRNRoll/posts/pfbid033Hv1v1tfFjf7N8mGdAevUShQADT7rrcbiWRpuBuvcuTThdhkh7dwofoAZPhuMFg2l
The Facebook link seems to be not accessible
Post by: goon525 on May 02, 2025, 09:45:36 PM
Post by: Robson on May 02, 2025, 10:00:30 PM
Doesn’t look like the pattern of a track being released fortnightly is being followed today, for what would be the last time!
Officially Walk Of Life and Why Worry. I don't know if officially Sultans of Swing, because it's available but not through the label.
Post by: the visitor on May 02, 2025, 10:25:16 PM
Doesn’t look like the pattern of a track being released fortnightly is being followed today, for what would be the last time!Probably too close to release date now. Was half hoping but I'm happy with that didn't expect 3 "singles".
Post by: JF on May 02, 2025, 11:48:49 PM
JF is there any dedication or word about Jack Sonni?
In this link are pictures with all the text, and it can be read:
https://www.facebook.com/TextBlogRNRoll/posts/pfbid033Hv1v1tfFjf7N8mGdAevUShQADT7rrcbiWRpuBuvcuTThdhkh7dwofoAZPhuMFg2l
The Facebook link seems to be not accessible
Yes I had to remove it this afternoon because Universal asked me to do so.
They change their commercial politics and said that nothing could be published before the release date :(
Post by: JF on May 02, 2025, 11:55:29 PM
JF is there any dedication or word about Jack Sonni?
No
Jack is only quoted one time in the long text, when it's said he was in studio during recording sessions
Post by: Robson on May 03, 2025, 12:16:19 AM
JF is there any dedication or word about Jack Sonni?
No
Jack is only quoted one time in the long text, when it's said he was in studio during recording sessions
I understand. Thank you.
Post by: JF on May 03, 2025, 06:31:01 PM
I listened with headphones.
I have to say that I ddid't listen to the San Antonio bootleg very much, so I can't really make the comparison
(when I want to listen to BIA tour bootleg, I pick up for "Cocaine" 22th december 85 or Uniondale, or Stuttgart, or Wembley, or Sidney...)
my first impressions :
- all is very clear : voices, guitars, drums, etc.. all is very distinctive and that's nice
- a pure gem is to hear clearly Mark's national on Romeo and Wild west end. Gorgeous
- instruments are well balanced and match with musicians' positions on stage : e.g. Alan is on the left Guy on the right, Chris on the right, etc... (some live albums are mixed from the musicians POV, some from the audience POV, this is the case for this one. I will write an article about that subject one day ;D)
- at the end of Walk of life I missed Alan's piano solo. We can barely hear it as it is burried in the mix. A shame imho
musically wise :
- many highlights : Sultans Ride across the river, wild west end, BIA...
- TOL is not the best version I heard. during the outro I miss some licks that Mark ususally played on this tour, but not here. shame
even the breakdown is not top notch imho
anyway it's nice to have a 19min long TOL well mixed
I must have at least another listen before I will write my article for french webiste franceinfo, I guess it wil be published on 16th may
Post by: herlock on May 03, 2025, 06:45:14 PM
And for me this is also true of BIA: In Wembley Mark's LP weeps more, like after "in the starlight", and also Marks sill plays during the beginning of the rocking ending, whereas he stops playing for a while in SA!
What would have been great to have to celebrate the BIA album would have been a combo complete Wembley/Sydney restored and remastered Blu Ray. Songs are much better played in Wembley than in Sydney, but Sydney has the calpyspo SFA, the long Why Worry, Industrial Disease and Your Latest Trick...
Post by: JF on May 03, 2025, 07:18:06 PM
Yes, I agree with you JF, for TOL I much prefer Wembley, richer and longer outro solo. I actually prefer the Rotterdam official 92 version to this SA 85 (Blasphemy, I know!).
And for me this is also true of BIA: In Wembley Mark's LP weeps more, like after "in the starlight", and also Marks sill plays during the beginning of the rocking ending, whereas he stops playing for a while in SA!
What would have been great to have to celebrate the BIA album would have been a combo complete Wembley/Sydney restored and remastered Blu Ray. Songs are much better played in Wembley than in Sydney, but Sydney has the calpyspo SFA, the long Why Worry, Industrial Disease and Your Latest Trick...
I don't prefer TOL from Wembley. the video version i edited during the breakdown
the version I prefer is Uniondale ! :P 8)
Post by: herlock on May 03, 2025, 07:26:29 PM
Post by: Robson on May 03, 2025, 07:59:08 PM
Yes, I agree with you JF, for TOL I much prefer Wembley, richer and longer outro solo. I actually prefer the Rotterdam official 92 version to this SA 85 (Blasphemy, I know!).
And for me this is also true of BIA: In Wembley Mark's LP weeps more, like after "in the starlight", and also Marks sill plays during the beginning of the rocking ending, whereas he stops playing for a while in SA!
What would have been great to have to celebrate the BIA album would have been a combo complete Wembley/Sydney restored and remastered Blu Ray. Songs are much better played in Wembley than in Sydney, but Sydney has the calpyspo SFA, the long Why Worry, Industrial Disease and Your Latest Trick...
Yes! So Far Away - calypso...
That's why I've always dreamed of Sydney, but of course I'm happy about the concert in San Antonio:)
Post by: JF on May 03, 2025, 08:17:31 PM
Yes the video is edited and that's a pity, but you were talking about the end solo, and I think Wembley's is better than SA's!
:thumbsup
I want the best overall version, that means, a great intro, a great breakdown and a great outro ;D
for my taste, Uniondale matches all three moments
Post by: Love Expresso on May 06, 2025, 07:52:19 PM
I can't put up scans and I have no digital access. It's volume 270 from May 2025. Check it out!
LE
Post by: Kris-b on May 06, 2025, 08:28:23 PM
Post by: Robson on May 07, 2025, 05:39:01 PM
Post by: TheTimeWasWrong on May 07, 2025, 05:47:42 PM
Is there a new release date? I was informed that it will be May 22nd :think
Spotify still says May 16th.
Post by: Robson on May 07, 2025, 05:51:52 PM
Post by: vgonis on May 11, 2025, 04:40:03 PM
Post by: vgonis on May 11, 2025, 04:41:14 PM
Post by: Billy’s Tune on May 11, 2025, 10:22:52 PM
Friday 16th may. 11pm. BBC radio 2.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002bsng
Programme details see below.
Also, it looks like 1978 live at the bbc is going to be broadcast plus last summers Mark Knopfler at the BBC special is on Saturday 24th May.
Celebrating 40 years of Brothers in Arms - a Rock Show special with Mark Knopfler
The Rock Show with Shaun Keaveny
At the dawn of 1985, Dire Straits were doing rather well. They had four moderately successful albums behind them, a solid fan base, radio airplay and a sturdy live reputation. However, little did they know that they were standing at the precipice of world domination in terms of rock n’ roll history…. the album they were about to release in May of that year would change the musical landscape for ever, as well as their lives.
Join Shaun Keaveny for a rare in-depth conversation with frontman, guitarist and songwriter Mark Knopfler at his studio in London about ‘Brothers In Arms’. The pair will discuss the origins of Dire Straits, the genesis of the album and how it was recorded, plus they’ll dissect some of its key tracks.
‘Brothers In Arms’ has a story like no other….it was the first album to sell a million copies in CD format….it was also the first to be certified ten-times platinum in the UK, as well as hitting the coveted No.1 spot around the world. It’s the eighth best-selling album ever in the UK and globally and it’s one of the best-selling albums of all time, shifting over 30 million copies. Listen as Shaun and Mark reveal the story behind those iconic songs and the effect it had on those who made it happen.
Show less
Release date: 16 May 2025
57 minutes
Post by: K-alberto on May 11, 2025, 11:57:24 PM
Post by: Pieter on May 12, 2025, 03:34:12 PM
Pieter
Post by: cannibals on May 13, 2025, 09:57:10 AM
For UK fans, bbc radio 2’s the Rock Show with Shaun Keaveney has a special edition next Friday, celebrating 40 years of BIA and apparently coming exclusively from British Grove Studios. The trailer says this is one of Shaun’s favourite albums from growing up.This will be great i think. Can we listen to this outside the UK?
Friday 16th may. 11pm. BBC radio 2.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002bsng
Programme details see below.
Also, it looks like 1978 live at the bbc is going to be broadcast plus last summers Mark Knopfler at the BBC special is on Saturday 24th May.
Celebrating 40 years of Brothers in Arms - a Rock Show special with Mark Knopfler
The Rock Show with Shaun Keaveny
At the dawn of 1985, Dire Straits were doing rather well. They had four moderately successful albums behind them, a solid fan base, radio airplay and a sturdy live reputation. However, little did they know that they were standing at the precipice of world domination in terms of rock n’ roll history…. the album they were about to release in May of that year would change the musical landscape for ever, as well as their lives.
Join Shaun Keaveny for a rare in-depth conversation with frontman, guitarist and songwriter Mark Knopfler at his studio in London about ‘Brothers In Arms’. The pair will discuss the origins of Dire Straits, the genesis of the album and how it was recorded, plus they’ll dissect some of its key tracks.
‘Brothers In Arms’ has a story like no other….it was the first album to sell a million copies in CD format….it was also the first to be certified ten-times platinum in the UK, as well as hitting the coveted No.1 spot around the world. It’s the eighth best-selling album ever in the UK and globally and it’s one of the best-selling albums of all time, shifting over 30 million copies. Listen as Shaun and Mark reveal the story behind those iconic songs and the effect it had on those who made it happen.
Show less
Release date: 16 May 2025
57 minutes
Post by: cannibals on May 13, 2025, 11:03:43 PM
Interview with MK.
Post by: Marnix on May 14, 2025, 08:46:33 AM
https://archive.ph/2025.05.14-050135/https://www.ad.nl/show/brothers-in-arms-was-het-begin-van-het-einde-voor-dire-straits-album-leidde-ons-naar-uitputting~ae73868f/
Post by: cannibals on May 14, 2025, 10:51:31 AM
Interview with Mark Knopfler in a Dutch newspaper:The good thing about the interview is that he confirmes he will make another solo record.
https://archive.ph/2025.05.14-050135/https://www.ad.nl/show/brothers-in-arms-was-het-begin-van-het-einde-voor-dire-straits-album-leidde-ons-naar-uitputting~ae73868f/
Post by: Marnix on May 14, 2025, 10:52:27 AM
Interview with Mark Knopfler in a Dutch newspaper:The good thing about the interview is that he confirmes he will make another solo record.
https://archive.ph/2025.05.14-050135/https://www.ad.nl/show/brothers-in-arms-was-het-begin-van-het-einde-voor-dire-straits-album-leidde-ons-naar-uitputting~ae73868f/
My thoughts also!
Post by: Jules on May 14, 2025, 11:24:07 AM
Interview with Mark Knopfler in a Dutch newspaper:The good thing about the interview is that he confirmes he will make another solo record.
https://archive.ph/2025.05.14-050135/https://www.ad.nl/show/brothers-in-arms-was-het-begin-van-het-einde-voor-dire-straits-album-leidde-ons-naar-uitputting~ae73868f/
My thoughts also!
Is there any English version of it?
I guess there would be more interviews supporting this new release.
Post by: TheTimeWasWrong on May 14, 2025, 12:48:43 PM
Post by: Jules on May 14, 2025, 01:25:41 PM
Just like he said he would go on touring until he fell over... ODR is the best record since Privateering but I still have a strong feeling it's the last one.
yeah, ODR was finished later 2023 (probably autumm), according to Guy there are no plans to record yet almost half 2025, I think what he said is more a wish than a fact. I hope I'm wrong.
Post by: superval99 on May 14, 2025, 02:18:15 PM
"There really is another album coming, but from me alone. "
I have a feeling that this may be a true solo album. I hope it is, because it is something I have wanted from MK for a long time.
Post by: Dutchessy on May 14, 2025, 02:21:59 PM
What MK actually said was:
"There really is another album coming, but from me alone. "
I have a feeling that this may be a true solo album. I hope it is, because it is something I have wanted from MK for a long time.
He means a solo record instead of a Dire Straits record
Post by: superval99 on May 14, 2025, 02:32:18 PM
What MK actually said was:
"There really is another album coming, but from me alone. "
I have a feeling that this may be a true solo album. I hope it is, because it is something I have wanted from MK for a long time.
He means a solo record instead of a Dire Straits record
I'm sure you're right. It's just me being too optimistic! :)
Post by: Rolleyway Man on May 14, 2025, 02:37:08 PM
What MK actually said was:
"There really is another album coming, but from me alone. "
I have a feeling that this may be a true solo album. I hope it is, because it is something I have wanted from MK for a long time.
He means a solo record instead of a Dire Straits record
I'm sure you're right. It's just me being too optimistic! :)
You should know by now that optimism isn’t allowed on this forum!
Post by: Elin N on May 14, 2025, 02:38:36 PM
Post by: Dutchessy on May 14, 2025, 02:38:39 PM
Post by: Dutchessy on May 14, 2025, 02:39:27 PM
The interview from Inthestudio can't possibly be all new? Most, or all, must be from when the album was released. There is something with his voice and how he talks about stuff, like the stories from Montserrat.
It sounds old indeed, like DS times.
Post by: Rolleyway Man on May 14, 2025, 03:07:52 PM
The interview from Inthestudio can't possibly be all new? Most, or all, must be from when the album was released. There is something with his voice and how he talks about stuff, like the stories from Montserrat.
It sounds old indeed, like DS times.
Yes, it’s definitely an old interview. I heard it on YouTube some time ago. I think it’s at least 20-25 years old. Perhaps 30.
Post by: Robson on May 14, 2025, 03:25:33 PM
Post by: Dutchessy on May 14, 2025, 03:48:45 PM
I guess I'm lost. Finally new or old?
The Dutch article is new, inthestudio seems way old
Post by: wayaman on May 14, 2025, 04:12:52 PM
What MK actually said was:
"There really is another album coming, but from me alone. "
I have a feeling that this may be a true solo album. I hope it is, because it is something I have wanted from MK for a long time.
Maybe he means the stp 25th anniversary? It's a solo album of him.
Post by: Robson on May 14, 2025, 04:16:59 PM
I guess I'm lost. Finally new or old?
The Dutch article is new, inthestudio seems way old
Thank you Dutchessy:)
Post by: Robson on May 14, 2025, 04:18:31 PM
Post by: the visitor on May 14, 2025, 09:33:25 PM
Anyone got their copy yet?
Post by: Billy’s Tune on May 15, 2025, 01:31:18 AM
1. An album of outtakes - but I think that’ll be left to Guy to sort in the distant future
2. The MK live box set - which surely Guy must be working on.
I really doubt there’s another true MK solo album, sadly. Plus ODR is a good way to bow out…
Post by: Jules on May 15, 2025, 08:00:51 AM
What MK actually said was:
"There really is another album coming, but from me alone. "
I have a feeling that this may be a true solo album. I hope it is, because it is something I have wanted from MK for a long time.
Maybe he means the stp 25th anniversary? It's a solo album of him.
That seems very likely, Guy said he was working on that, actually he mentioned an atmos mix but who knows if that "new" MK solo release comes with more than just the atmos remix...
Post by: Love Expresso on May 15, 2025, 10:38:51 AM
LE
Post by: Knopflerfan on May 15, 2025, 12:30:01 PM
Post by: Knopflerfan on May 15, 2025, 12:30:40 PM
Looks like my vinyl copy was dispatched today from HMV, not due till next Wednesday though. Might be waiting a little longer, but at least on the face of it in the post
Anyone got their copy yet?
Yep arrived today...
Post by: Rolleyway Man on May 15, 2025, 01:04:58 PM
Obviously the interview referred to above is translated from Dutch so I don’t know for sure, but I’m reasonably confident Mark was referring to a potential new studio album at the end there. Probably best not to get our hopes up in case he wasn’t, but he has said previously that he’d like to record more albums. Obviously an expanded reissue of Sailing to Philadelphia would be very welcome as well, but probably best not to get our hopes up too much about that either!
Post by: Marnix on May 15, 2025, 03:11:02 PM
Post by: the visitor on May 15, 2025, 04:09:35 PM
Just pickled up the 3cd at my local store. So I know what i’m gonna listen tonight
Nice. I shall have to refrain from listening on Spotify tomorrow but will see how things go...
Post by: Knopflerfan on May 15, 2025, 05:14:37 PM
Lovely 'Clean' sound too - who knows what the ATMOS version is going to be like! Cannot wait to hear that either...
Post by: Knopflerfan on May 15, 2025, 05:15:24 PM
Post by: Robson on May 15, 2025, 05:25:48 PM
Post by: Knopflerfan on May 15, 2025, 07:26:34 PM
Post by: Marnix on May 15, 2025, 07:56:54 PM
The mix is way better and brighter than the bootleg. I hear musical things I have never heard before. Guy did a great job if you ask me.
This show is a Nice addition to the earlier released Live 1978-92 boxset.
I am really happy this release
Post by: vgonis on May 15, 2025, 09:26:11 PM
Post by: KnopfleRick on May 15, 2025, 09:42:11 PM
Post by: qjamesfloyd on May 16, 2025, 08:35:56 AM
Post by: Jules on May 16, 2025, 09:02:44 AM
https://www.musicradar.com/artists/everybody-was-going-does-anybody-know-how-to-work-this-thing-how-guy-fletcher-and-a-classic-80s-synth-became-dire-straits-secret-weapon-on-brothers-in-arms-and-helped-to-turn-it-into-one-of-the-biggest-albums-of-the-decade
This video included there is very interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp3WgHYWvmE
Post by: Love Expresso on May 16, 2025, 11:45:33 AM
LE
Post by: wayaman on May 16, 2025, 11:54:12 AM
Vinyl box has arrived (at work). More later, BUT Made in Germany sticker on it. Nice.
LE
Pallas pressing?
Post by: Love Expresso on May 16, 2025, 12:14:06 PM
Vinyl box has arrived (at work). More later, BUT Made in Germany sticker on it. Nice.
LE
Pallas pressing?
Not able to figure that out at the moment.. it just says Made in the EU on the label.
EDIT: Optimal Media GmbH.
LE
Post by: Love Expresso on May 16, 2025, 12:50:35 PM
Records are running perfectly well and silent. Lined inner sleeves, spectacular good sound. Very good work by Guy and Mike.
LE
Post by: Marnix on May 16, 2025, 01:13:20 PM
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1Z2Mhqs4we/
Post by: Jules on May 16, 2025, 01:14:12 PM
Got immediately and totally stunned by Private Investigations. Wow!
Records are running perfectly well and silent. Lined inner sleeves, spectacular good sound. Very good work by Guy and Mike.
LE
I'm listening it in Amazon Music in ultra HD sound and it sounds totally amazing, crystal clear, you can listen to any instrument one by one, like I never did before!, I was so surprised to notice Joop de Korte is playing cymbals non stop after the part MK sings "She was made in heaven, heaven's in the world", I never noticed that, and Joop's cymbals are so listenable, together with his tambourine...
Same thing with Joop's cymbals non stop from "Well I feel so good 'cause I feel so good" to "Like a saxophone was made to go with the night", WOW
Post by: wayaman on May 16, 2025, 01:19:47 PM
Post by: jf9081 on May 16, 2025, 01:21:37 PM
Post by: KnopfleRick on May 16, 2025, 01:33:29 PM
Post by: Marnix on May 16, 2025, 04:03:31 PM
Win tickets for a listening event and interview with Guy Fletcher and John Illsley
https://uk-umg.com/um-forms/brothers-in-arms-listening-event.html?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKUJJRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHl7ulTRVMdE2a8xaKOoePNAWrDqvjpuzVY3Bs8JpX_5Kd0Pry9YMZtPtCbrY_aem_PaHLCH0eqdTnqFQDjzLTVQ
Post by: Robson on May 16, 2025, 05:21:32 PM
Post by: Brunno Nunes on May 16, 2025, 06:50:09 PM
How powerful this song is live, lucky for those who had the opportunity to witness this atmosphere live at the time
Post by: herlock on May 16, 2025, 07:24:37 PM
Post by: Love Expresso on May 16, 2025, 08:18:07 PM
LE
Post by: Love Expresso on May 16, 2025, 08:27:27 PM
Yes I decided to let go any common sense and get the full monty with this release, got all three. Can't wait for the instrumental versions on the Blu-Ray.
LE
Post by: Love Expresso on May 16, 2025, 09:31:37 PM
Every single version of this show is superior. What a blast the audience had during that tour.
LE
Post by: Pieter on May 16, 2025, 11:43:37 PM
The other thing is: I bought the brothers in arms in 2022 as a half speed mastered and I thought with this release, it will also be half speed mastered because it is on 2 vinyls instead of 1. So the past three years they made:
- half speed mastered 2lp vinyl
- mastered 2lp vinyl
- mastered 1lp vinyl
Why are there so many brothers in arms albums with different quantities. The more lp’s, the more I have to change the sides haha.
Besides that, the release is amazing! But now I have the original BIA, half speed mastered and normal mastered vinyl version… I guess I’ll have to use the dutch marketplace haha.
btw, The liner notes are also great, it is just a whole interview with Mark, John and Guy by Paul Sexton and they are just catching up memories about the whole making of BIA and the tour. Great new stories IMO.
Post by: shortfin on May 17, 2025, 09:35:45 AM
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b0CSq-BXFw1xPcrTPz709nJlpfbWjD6N/view?usp=drive_link (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b0CSq-BXFw1xPcrTPz709nJlpfbWjD6N/view?usp=drive_link)
Post by: Love Expresso on May 17, 2025, 09:49:49 AM
Same as with Once Upon A Time In The West, they take the high anticipation level out of the audience and lower it with a chill long jam to have a low fundament to build upon towards their own show climax. They are finally there, you see them, wait is over, now get into two hours of bliss by starting with a relaxed cool loong song to make you relax so all the show highlights hit better.
LE
Post by: Vesper on May 17, 2025, 11:10:04 AM
For UK fans, bbc radio 2’s the Rock Show with Shaun Keaveney has a special edition next Friday, celebrating 40 years of BIA and apparently coming exclusively from British Grove Studios. The trailer says this is one of Shaun’s favourite albums from growing up.
Friday 16th may. 11pm. BBC radio 2.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002bsng
Programme details see below.
Also, it looks like 1978 live at the bbc is going to be broadcast plus last summers Mark Knopfler at the BBC special is on Saturday 24th May.
Celebrating 40 years of Brothers in Arms - a Rock Show special with Mark Knopfler
The Rock Show with Shaun Keaveny
At the dawn of 1985, Dire Straits were doing rather well. They had four moderately successful albums behind them, a solid fan base, radio airplay and a sturdy live reputation. However, little did they know that they were standing at the precipice of world domination in terms of rock n’ roll history…. the album they were about to release in May of that year would change the musical landscape for ever, as well as their lives.
Join Shaun Keaveny for a rare in-depth conversation with frontman, guitarist and songwriter Mark Knopfler at his studio in London about ‘Brothers In Arms’. The pair will discuss the origins of Dire Straits, the genesis of the album and how it was recorded, plus they’ll dissect some of its key tracks.
‘Brothers In Arms’ has a story like no other….it was the first album to sell a million copies in CD format….it was also the first to be certified ten-times platinum in the UK, as well as hitting the coveted No.1 spot around the world. It’s the eighth best-selling album ever in the UK and globally and it’s one of the best-selling albums of all time, shifting over 30 million copies. Listen as Shaun and Mark reveal the story behind those iconic songs and the effect it had on those who made it happen.
Show less
Release date: 16 May 2025
57 minutes
Just finished listening the episode.
Nothing new really, but nice to hear Mark.
He sounds well to me, also a little less slow (I thought Mark sounded a little slow around the ODR promo period).
Post by: Pieter on May 17, 2025, 12:21:21 PM
Ride Across The River - surely the coolest opener to any concert by any Band ever?Yes it is a really good opener!! The transition to expresso love with the synthesizer is also great!! It is really nice to have a concert from the BIA tour in such a good quality!
Same as with Once Upon A Time In The West, they take the high anticipation level out of the audience and lower it with a chill long jam to have a low fundament to build upon towards their own show climax. They are finally there, you see them, wait is over, now get into two hours of bliss by starting with a relaxed cool loong song to make you relax so all the show highlights hit better.
LE
Post by: Markus on May 17, 2025, 05:15:27 PM
Post by: the visitor on May 17, 2025, 05:54:23 PM
Today I received my 3CD edition and I am thrilled. :thumbsup
I'm listening now... the release I'd been longing for years for and it doesn't disappoint. Really nice package too and quality pressing. Note that Guy is listed as Exec Producer on the credits. He's done us proud, didn't think I'd get much more out of a recording I knew but it's like night and day.
Post by: superval99 on May 17, 2025, 08:13:40 PM
Post by: Robson on May 17, 2025, 08:24:06 PM
Received my 3 CD version and have just begun listening. Ride Across The River sounds amazing and already I have goosebumps! Looking forward to hearing the rest of the concert. :P
Me too:) Expresso Love is also a great version. It all sounds beautiful.
Post by: the visitor on May 17, 2025, 08:45:46 PM
Post by: jf9081 on May 17, 2025, 08:46:19 PM
FABULOUS!
Post by: dmg on May 17, 2025, 10:40:05 PM
I started listening to San Antonio, amazed by the quality, it certainly offers new perspectives on the songs. Unfortunately, in RATR Live San Antonio, Chris brought the flute sound forward at 09:55, exactly at the moment when Mark makes the lick that signals that the song is going to end, in this case, he anticipated it, this flute sound was always after Mark's lick, who here had to back off, almost he basically didn't even continue.
How powerful this song is live, lucky for those who had the opportunity to witness this atmosphere live at the time
See post 95 on this thread.
Fortunately I don't think anyone will notice unless they've heard multiple versions as we have.
Post by: dmg on May 17, 2025, 10:48:47 PM
It's funny, I really like R and J on this release. The national sounds so clear and the instrumental bit at the end is perfect. Love the little attention to detail like how Terry's toms are panned in the mix.
I was going to comment on how pleased I am with the mix on R&J too! The sound of the National on bootlegs has never been great and this has been rectified here. Now we have the perfect R&J soundboard: vocals when Mark could be bothered and beautiful electric outro (unlike Alchemy).
And yes, this is the best DS live release...by a country mile. The band, especially Mark, were so far ahead musically of what they were on the LOG tour it makes Alchemy sound naïve.
Post by: TheTimeWasWrong on May 17, 2025, 11:03:34 PM
It's funny, I really like R and J on this release. The national sounds so clear and the instrumental bit at the end is perfect. Love the little attention to detail like how Terry's toms are panned in the mix.
I was going to comment on how pleased I am with the mix on R&J too! The sound of the National on bootlegs has never been great and this has been rectified here. Now we have the perfect R&J soundboard: vocals when Mark could be bothered and beautiful electric outro (unlike Alchemy).
And yes, this is the best DS live release...by a country mile. The band, especially Mark, were so far ahead musically of what they were on the LOG tour it makes Alchemy sound naïve.
Though I'm super happy with the release (I will comment on that later after a few more listens), I still prefer the LOG tour over the BIA tour. I really don't like the 80s sounds (Expresso Love intro, terrible digital drums, etc.). I think the sax is overused, and I definitely prefer Hal over Jack. I can't stand the guitar solo on Wild West End; it has nothing to do with 'song is king', but even besides that, it's just a terrible solo. Putting the change in amps/effects aside, I think MK's playing in '82/'83 is the best it's ever been.
Post by: Robson on May 17, 2025, 11:04:05 PM
It's funny, I really like R and J on this release. The national sounds so clear and the instrumental bit at the end is perfect. Love the little attention to detail like how Terry's toms are panned in the mix.
I was going to comment on how pleased I am with the mix on R&J too! The sound of the National on bootlegs has never been great and this has been rectified here. Now we have the perfect R&J soundboard: vocals when Mark could be bothered and beautiful electric outro (unlike Alchemy).
And yes, this is the best DS live release...by a country mile. The band, especially Mark, were so far ahead musically of what they were on the LOG tour it makes Alchemy sound naïve.
I don't agree that Alchemy sounds naive. This album sums up the first period of DS wonderfully.
Post by: Pieter on May 17, 2025, 11:12:37 PM
Agree with wild west end. Jack did a better job with the solo in two young lovers during the last show in Sydney.It's funny, I really like R and J on this release. The national sounds so clear and the instrumental bit at the end is perfect. Love the little attention to detail like how Terry's toms are panned in the mix.
I was going to comment on how pleased I am with the mix on R&J too! The sound of the National on bootlegs has never been great and this has been rectified here. Now we have the perfect R&J soundboard: vocals when Mark could be bothered and beautiful electric outro (unlike Alchemy).
And yes, this is the best DS live release...by a country mile. The band, especially Mark, were so far ahead musically of what they were on the LOG tour it makes Alchemy sound naïve.
Though I'm super happy with the release (I will comment on that later after a few more listens), I still prefer the LOG tour over the BIA tour. I really don't like the 80s sounds (Expresso Love intro, terrible digital drums, etc.). I think the sax is overused, and I definitely prefer Hal over Jack. I can't stand the guitar solo on Wild West End; it has nothing to do with 'song is king', but even besides that, it's just a terrible solo. Putting the change in amps/effects aside, I think MK's playing in '82/'83 is the best it's ever been.
Btw, I must say that I really like SOS on this recording!
Post by: herlock on May 17, 2025, 11:20:47 PM
No, Alchemy doesn't sound naive. It was more sober, with less cheesy synths. OUATITW is wonderful, TR is strong and emotional, Sultans is best without sax and strong guitar. TOL, although more straightforward than in 85, was still great, with longer sax intro.
The BIA tour has cheesy keyboards, is too 80...but so energetic. BIA was so strong in 85 (but not 86). MFN so powerful. TOL and Sultans so bad ass.
All DS tours were great, each in its own sweet way. I don't think one was better than the other. Just different arrangements. If you are in a "less is more" mood, '79 is perfect. If you are in "over the top" mood, BIA and OES tours rule. If you are in a reasonable mood, Alchemy is the way to go!
Post by: Robson on May 17, 2025, 11:36:41 PM
I love both LOG and BIA tours equally.
No, Alchemy doesn't sound naive. It was more sober, with less cheesy synths. OUATITW is wonderful, TR is strong and emotional, Sultans is best without sax and strong guitar. TOL, although more straightforward than in 85, was still great, with longer sax intro.
The BIA tour has cheesy keyboards, is too 80...but so energetic. BIA was so strong in 85 (but not 86). MFN so powerful. TOL and Sultans so bad ass.
All DS tours were great, each in its own sweet way. I don't think one was better than the other. Just different arrangements. If you are in a "less is more" mood, '79 is perfect. If you are in "over the top" mood, BIA and OES tours rule. If you are in a reasonable mood, Alchemy is the way to go!
:thumbsup
I agree.
Post by: JF on May 18, 2025, 10:18:48 AM
It's funny, I really like R and J on this release. The national sounds so clear and the instrumental bit at the end is perfect. Love the little attention to detail like how Terry's toms are panned in the mix.
the National sound is also gorgeous in WWE
Post by: Brunno Nunes on May 18, 2025, 02:05:48 PM
I haven't heard 100% of San Antonio yet, I've been very busy these days, but I'm completely delighted with what I heard, a very welcome release, definitely a great representation of an official show from the BIA 85/86 tour. I have never heard Resonante sound as beautiful and perfect as in this recording, R&J and WWE. RATR is impeccable, the only reason it is not 100% is because of little Chris's mistake, but 99% of the licks and arrangements that make up this song live are there. It is very good to have One World, along with RATR they are my favorite live songs from 85, in fact, it is the only live R&J with MK's guitar solo officially.
For me it is clear that Dire Straits here are at the peak of their power live, what energy this line-up provided on stage, it is very interesting to see the contrast with the LOG tour, the quantum leap they made in some aspects is impressive, whoever saw the band return in 91/92 must have been quite surprised by the format and approach, definitely a completely different band.
It's inevitable to stop thinking... :think
After 40 years, an official show from BIA's tour... I can't remember another band that didn't record and provide a live release from their peak moment in popularity, precisely with the album and tour data they had in real time, number one worldwide. Could it be that the logistics for this feat, within this context, were something unfeasible? The echoes of BIA and its tour remained strong until mid-1988 with the band's performance at the Nelson Mandela Tribute, awards on MTV even in 1987...
I believe that if San Antonio had been released in 1987 (a year after BIA's tour), it could have overshadowed Alchemy, especially if it had been filmed. I believe it would have been more impactful, the band had taken the old songs to another level of robustness and the new songs were incredible live, very powerful in general, just a thought. :wave
Post by: Brunno Nunes on May 18, 2025, 02:13:18 PM
1-San Antonio Live 85 comes to repair many gaps present in the famous show at Wembley 10/07/85, where songs are missing and some are mutilated, missing parts, PI's intro, part of MFN's intro, and the TOL interlude where Mark introduces the band. San Antonio was the right choice to be the official launch of the BIA tour 85, without a doubt.
2- San Antonio 85 is more real than Alchemy, and I don't even need to talk about OTN. Rainbow 79 and San Antonio are the only live releases of a Dire Straits show in its entirety. Amen!🙏🏻
Post by: JF on May 18, 2025, 02:59:05 PM
in fact, it is the only live R&J with MK's guitar solo officially.
you mean on electric guitar ? :think ???
The gig from RAH on the SOS comp limited edition features a R&J live version with electric guitar solo too (on Pensa)
Post by: TheTimeWasWrong on May 18, 2025, 03:02:27 PM
in fact, it is the only live R&J with MK's guitar solo officially.
you mean on electric guitar ? :think ???
The gig from RAH on the SOS comp limited edition features a R&J live version with electric guitar solo too (on Pensa)
Roadrunning tour 2006 as well.
Post by: Waldo on May 18, 2025, 03:05:06 PM
Other points of reflection I had with this release:
2- San Antonio 85 is more real than Alchemy, and I don't even need to talk about OTN. Rainbow 79 and San Antonio are the only live releases of a Dire Straits show in its entirety. Amen!🙏🏻
Boa tarde Brunno,
Regarding SA more real than Alchemy, are you refering to some MK's banters left out (TOL being the perfect example), the curious case of the altered PB end and SR coming from another gig ?
Appart from that, I believe Alchemy has always been regarded as one of the (very) few true live album.
But I'm kind of a purist too and I prefer a live album untouched, with mistakes than one "enhanced" in the studio.
The only thing I'm ok with is a mixing that allows you to clearly hear all unstruments.
Regarding the general sound and how it should sound there is no "single source of truth" as it depends on many factors" : the venue and where you are in it, the equipment, if you have noisy talkers/screamers near you, etc...
There was a tume I used to buy many official live CDs until I heard that most of them are re-worked in the studio, sometimes heavily.
I was kinda schocked when I read that even the Who's Live at Leeds was doctored !
Since then and before the many re-issues I managed to find a copy to download of the bootleg Live at Leeds Complete where everything is left as it is.
Post by: JF on May 18, 2025, 03:33:12 PM
https://www.franceinfo.fr/culture/musique/rock/brothers-in-arms-de-dire-straits-fete-ses-40-ans-avec-un-live-inedit_7248180.html
Post by: Pieter on May 18, 2025, 03:45:20 PM
I think it is Jack with a glass tube or did they have a lap steel guitar or something?
Post by: Brunno Nunes on May 18, 2025, 04:06:36 PM
in fact, it is the only live R&J with MK's guitar solo officially.
you mean on electric guitar ? :think ???
The gig from RAH on the SOS comp limited edition features a R&J live version with electric guitar solo too (on Pensa)
I'm referring to the electric guitar solo and I'm not including solo material, I'm referring to Dire Straits releases. Alchemy is done on an acoustic guitar and OTN is Paul Franklin. San Antonio we have Mark doing this solo with his wonderful Schecter sunburst! 🎸🔥
Post by: Brunno Nunes on May 18, 2025, 04:07:48 PM
in fact, it is the only live R&J with MK's guitar solo officially.
you mean on electric guitar ? :think ???
The gig from RAH on the SOS comp limited edition features a R&J live version with electric guitar solo too (on Pensa)
Roadrunning tour 2006 as well.
I'm not including solo material, I'm referring to Dire Straits releases. Alchemy is done on an acoustic guitar and OTN is Paul Franklin. San Antonio we have Mark doing this solo with his wonderful Schecter sunburst! 🎸🔥
Post by: Brunno Nunes on May 18, 2025, 04:30:45 PM
Other points of reflection I had with this release:
2- San Antonio 85 is more real than Alchemy, and I don't even need to talk about OTN. Rainbow 79 and San Antonio are the only live releases of a Dire Straits show in its entirety. Amen!🙏🏻
Boa tarde Brunno,
Regarding SA more real than Alchemy, are you refering to some MK's banters left out (TOL being the perfect example), the curious case of the altered PB end and SR coming from another gig ?
Appart from that, I believe Alchemy has always been regarded as one of the (very) few true live album.
But I'm kind of a purist too and I prefer a live album untouched, with mistakes than one "enhanced" in the studio.
The only thing I'm ok with is a mixing that allows you to clearly hear all unstruments.
Regarding the general sound and how it should sound there is no "single source of truth" as it depends on many factors" : the venue and where you are in it, the equipment, if you have noisy talkers/screamers near you, etc...
There was a tume I used to buy many official live CDs until I heard that most of them are re-worked in the studio, sometimes heavily.
I was kinda schocked when I read that even the Who's Live at Leeds was doctored !
Since then and before the many re-issues I managed to find a copy to download of the bootleg Live at Leeds Complete where everything is left as it is.
When I refer to Alchemy, in this aspect, it is only that historically there have always been four songs missing that were played: ID, LOG, TBTP and PB, which was fixed four decades later. Even so, Alchemy is the result of two consecutive nights, with a few cuts in some versions and a small overdub in Solid Rock, as we know. In parallel, San Antonio is the result of a single night from start to finish, there are no cuts in songs, no absence of music, no overdubs, there is an incredible mix and sound definition, this provides a greater sense of reality, this care and respect in preserving the integrity of the presentation in its entirety, giving us the opportunity to contemplate the show like the lucky ones who were there to watch the event in 1985, this is what truly makes it an authentic record of an era and closes the cycle, IMO.
Of course, like you, I am a purist, I value these aspects, but I fully recognize that most people do not care about this, I am a drop in the ocean. This time we were lucky, as they delivered San Antonio 85 impeccably, congratulations to everyone involved, especially Guy Flecher.
Post by: herlock on May 18, 2025, 04:37:56 PM
Besides Dortmund' 80, Paris 18.06.81 and Werchter were partially (?) filmed. I wonder what could be made of that. Lions, News, SKATEAWAY, Angel of Mercy and Where do you think you're going were outstanding. Let alone the very first versions of TR, valuable from an historical perspective...
Post by: Robson on May 18, 2025, 05:51:24 PM
I would love they also deliver a complete '81 show.
Besides Dortmund' 80, Paris 18.06.81 and Werchter were partially (?) filmed. I wonder what could be made of that. Lions, News, SKATEAWAY, Angel of Mercy and Where do you think you're going were outstanding. Let alone the very first versions of TR, valuable from an historical perspective...
Yes! Werchter 5.07.81 here: the echoes of Private Investigations in the song News.
Post by: Robson on May 18, 2025, 06:00:06 PM
Post by: Love Expresso on May 18, 2025, 07:04:07 PM
Now next: Vaison 1996 mixed by Guy the same way. Next year 30th anniversary of MK's first solo album. I am sure the tapes are somewhere. .. 8)
LE
Post by: Robson on May 18, 2025, 07:19:52 PM
Listened to San Antonio several times today, absolutely great, show, mix, set list, everything! Thank you Guy!
Now next: Vaison 1996 mixed by Guy the same way. Next year 30th anniversary of MK's first solo album. I am sure the tapes are somewhere. .. 8)
LE
Yes, it's a great idea. My God, 30 years? When 3 decades passed...
Post by: Dutchessy on May 18, 2025, 07:53:31 PM
Post by: KnopfleRick on May 18, 2025, 08:36:46 PM
Listened to San Antonio several times today, absolutely great, show, mix, set list, everything! Thank you Guy!
Now next: Vaison 1996 mixed by Guy the same way. Next year 30th anniversary of MK's first solo album. I am sure the tapes are somewhere. .. 8)
LE
Same here. It's been such a pleasure to listen to this fantastic SA gig. Mark and the band were on the top of their game.
And yes, Guy really did a great job. :thumbsup
Post by: Knopflerfan on May 19, 2025, 07:48:03 AM
Did somebody have heard something about SDE shop? Are orders already been sent out? I have only my confirmed order from March...
You should receive an email from SDE Shop to confirm a 'shipment from order'
I received an email from SDE shop on Friday and the Blu-ray is being delivered today....
Post by: dustyvalentino on May 19, 2025, 09:36:05 AM
I believe the SDE shop is a one man operation so I guess it takes a bit of time.
Post by: herlock on May 19, 2025, 09:37:43 AM
`Did somebody have heard something about SDE shop? Are orders already been sent out? I have only my confirmed order from March...
You should receive an email from SDE Shop to confirm a 'shipment from order'
I received an email from SDE shop on Friday and the Blu-ray is being delivered today....
You're lucky. I have received nothing since March, whereas it said "shipping on (last) friday". Makes me grumpy.
Post by: Love Expresso on May 19, 2025, 10:00:39 AM
LE
Post by: herlock on May 19, 2025, 10:33:55 AM
I ordered the bundle Blu-Ray + 3 CDs. I coudn't wait to listen to it, so I bought a copy of the 3CD standalone. Not very expensive, but still some money. A pity it takes so long and that the BR is only available through them !Listened to San Antonio several times today, absolutely great, show, mix, set list, everything! Thank you Guy!
Now next: Vaison 1996 mixed by Guy the same way. Next year 30th anniversary of MK's first solo album. I am sure the tapes are somewhere. .. 8)
LE
The people at SDE are very friendly, but with the ODR album,too, the delivery was weeks after the release, so patience is needed, unfortunatelly.
With the delivery of the ODR album, there was even the additional problem of a new VAT regulation with foreign countries for "small businesses" (called OSS-method) which further delyed the delivery, because all albums once arrived at customs (at least Germany) had to be sent back to SDE and then shipped again. This additional problem is now solved.
Post by: JF on May 19, 2025, 10:35:25 AM
I answered him that I thought it was "nothing" pronounced a different way...
what do you think ?
https://youtu.be/JRDgihVDEko?t=380
Post by: Pieter on May 19, 2025, 12:14:40 PM
I don't remember if it had been disscussed before, but a french fan said on FB that he heard "Money for knopfler" at 6:30 in MFN
I answered him that I thought it was "nothing" pronounced a different way...
what do you think ?
https://youtu.be/JRDgihVDEko?t=380
He is saying 'money for nothing' with a little pause and nonchalant in the nothing part.
Post by: shortfin on May 19, 2025, 12:46:45 PM
Dire Straits, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the release of Brothers In Arms, have released a reissue available on single vinyl and in two deluxe editions: Box 5LP and Box 3CD. For the occasion, Dr. Feelgood interviewed the legendary Mark Knopfler (there is also an audio file) to learn all the secrets of an album that has rightfully entered rock history.
Mark, it has been 40 years since the release of Brothers in Arms, the fifth of the six albums released by Dire Straits. Today, after 40 long years, what are the most immediate memories you have of that period?
‘Unbelievable, 40 years? When you're having fun, time goes by fast! It seems like 40 minutes to me. That's the most incredible thing for me, is how fast time went by. I had a great time. I enjoyed everything, and I have nothing but happy memories. I really feel like the luckiest person in the world. The fact that people still get pleasure from our music means a lot to me. I am happy that for many people our music is still a part of their lives: for work, to celebrate and they use it on different occasions, be it births, weddings, even at funerals. People use our music for their lives and that is a wonderful thing for me."
As much as an artist focuses on the creative and production side of things, I imagine that the thinking in the various stages of the product's evolution also goes towards the response that the public will give to your work. What expectations did you have? Did you imagine it would achieve such a sales success?
‘Absolutely not. It was a very unusual combination of circumstances. We were playing a lot live, we were touring a lot, and I think the band's reputation live was good. People wanted to see us play, it was a good time. Then, when we made the record, our record company was Philips, at that time Phonogram Philips in Europe. They had invented the CD player and releasing the album as a CD made the difference: they played it in shops in Europe and the public heard what it sounded like. From there came a lot of hits in America. The first single was So Far Away. I remember it well. It entered the charts in America. Then Walk of Life was another hit, a big hit in America. And then Money for Nothing. I think when you have a hit record or album in the States it makes a big difference everywhere. It was already a hit all over Europe and in different places, but when Steve Barron's video came out, that also made a big difference: it reached the masses, which was unusual I think, it was a really incredible moment. It was like being in the eye of the storm’.
Your musical choices did not take into account trends and what was in vogue in 1977 when the band was born. Compared to what was heard then, it was a unique and original band. I think it was also a particular choice to open the album with So Far Away and release it as the first single. Beautiful but certainly less impactful than Money For Nothing or Walk of Life, don't you think?
' That's true. It was intentional. I thought it was a better way to connect with people. It was a less demanding way to introduce them to our work, in continuity with the path we were on. But nobody expected it to go that way. Nobody was ready for that kind of reach back then. I don't know if you remember the shows we did back then. They weren't small club shows, they were big events. It was quite unusual for me to do such big shows back then.’
Money For Nothing involved Sting. How did the collaboration come about? Are you still in touch after all these years?
'Oh, yes of course, we still keep in touch. We were recording Money for Nothing in Montserrat in the Antilles, at Air Studios. I said to the guys 'ah how I wish Sting was here, I'd love him to sing this part'. I had seen that The Police had done an advert for MTV that said 'I want my MTV'. I thought I could turn it into a tune like the one Sting had given to Don't Stand So Close To Me. We were old friends. It came to me because we had done a lot of concerts together. At the beginning we shared a tour where we played quite a few gigs together, we were very close. I said, 'I wish Sting was here' and someone said, 'Oh but Sting is here on holiday. He's here right now'. He was surfing with his family and we called him. He came into the studio and immediately started recording the song. And it was great of course, . So it worked out great. It was perfect. And there are many other things on this record that went like that, extraordinary coincidences.'
Walk of Life is a song that pleases on first listen, upbeat, danceable... is it true that producer Neil Dorfsman thought it was too light to be part of a busy album like Brother In Arms?
'That's right, Neil didn't want it. But I liked it. It has cajun influences, me and the band liked it. Poor old Neil, he was outvoted. And then it was a big hit in the States and everywhere. It's one of those songs that gets played a lot, by different people for different reasons. It's fantastic.'
I particularly love the music of the Everly Brothers. Can you tell us the story of Why Worry and your collaboration?
"I've always loved the Everly Brothers. And I think when I was writing Why Worry I really had the Everly Brothers and definitely Buddy Holly in mind. I was so happy to know that the Everlys were going to record the song. During an American TV special with Chet Atkins I was part of the band that accompanied him. The Everly Brothers were guests on that show. And to be in the band while the Everly Brothers sing your song is an incredible experience, I can assure you. I grew up listening to the Everly Brothers and they will never be equal to any other for me. I absolutely adored the Everly Brothers. And I think they influenced so many artists, obviously the Beatles and thousands of other artists. And so it was really, really exciting. I'm very grateful to have been a part of that show.'
I own all the Everly Brothers albums, believe me. You grew up listening to and playing rock and roll, country, blues and folk music, many years later you collaborated with Bob Dylan. Music in the past was much more used than it is today to fight wars. In some ways Brothers In Arms deals with this issue. There are terrible wars going on right now but you don't hear any new anti-war songs. What has changed?
'I don't know. I'm not an expert on the subject. I think the way music has changed a lot over the years, of course. But I think there have always been limits on what DJs could actually play and what radio stations could play. I think when Bob Dylan was writing anti-war songs, the audience was bigger and in some ways there was maybe a bit more freedom. I think now the decisions made by commercial radio stations are more corporate, committee-driven and all that. But I think Maurizio you know more about it'.
Brothers in Arms was one of the first albums produced with digital recording. I guess I was aware that I was experiencing an epochal change. Today, the world of music, recording, production and distribution is completely different from 1985. Do you miss those times?
'No no nostalgia. Neil Dorfman, the producer, is a formidable engineer and he wanted to progress in this field and explore it. So it was really his decision, he wanted to go ahead and record that way. And that's also part of the flavour of that particular album. And I really think he achieved extraordinary results recording in that medium. I think he, Neil, was trying to achieve something that he had never been able to do before, sonically. And in many ways he succeeded, but I don't think he changed the way he recorded, especially in the sense that the kind of records I grew up with, and the kind of records I make now, are still essentially analogue recordings. So yes, it was an interesting time. Everything came together at that time to make that record sound that way. It was just a series of fortunate circumstances for us. That no one could have predicted.'
This morning I made a post on my social media that said I was going to talk to you today, I invited followers to write questions that they would ask you. Most of them said to say thank you, a huge thank you for making their lives better.
"Oh, I couldn't ask for more, a big hug to them. I cherish my relationship with Italy and the Italian fans. It is a source of great pleasure and joy for me. See you soon'.
Post by: Robson on May 19, 2025, 04:14:42 PM
Post by: Knopflerfan on May 19, 2025, 04:50:51 PM
Post by: Knopflerfan on May 19, 2025, 06:56:46 PM
Post by: Knopflerfan on May 19, 2025, 07:05:14 PM
Post by: Pieter on May 19, 2025, 07:11:51 PM
'Why Worry' sounds absolutely perfect, again so clean you can very clearly make out the beautiful guitar phrasing nicely balanced along with the keyboard, lead and backing vocals.
Great to hear! I am still waiting for the shipment e-mail. May I ask on what system you are listening the Blu-Ray?
Post by: Rolo on May 19, 2025, 07:39:12 PM
For physical releases, the boxsets are, indeed, very good.
However, for the Streaming Platforms, the albums should be released separately. For example, the Rainbow concert should be released as a unique album. If a person wants to listen to this album, he need to select the Live 78-92 compilation then choose the Rainbow songs.
The same is for the OTN, Alchemy and now... San Antonio.
Dire Straits released a bunch of "new" material in recent years and, for a new listener, who will discover the band thru Spotify, the only thing visible to this new listener are the same traditionals studio/live albums plus the compilations (with the new stuff).
In my opinion, the correct 'album page' should be:
Dire Straits
Communique
MM
LOG
Alchemy
BIA
MFN
OES
OTN
BBC
SOS
then:
EDP
BBC remastered
Rainbow
Full Alchemy
BIA 40th
San Atonio
MFN v2
Full OTN
Post by: Robson on May 19, 2025, 10:20:20 PM
Post by: vgonis on May 19, 2025, 10:59:23 PM
Did somebody have heard something about SDE shop? Are orders already been sent out? I have only my confirmed order from March...
Just today I got an email that it was sent. I guess soon you'll get yours too. And also today a thick boxset was delivered.
Post by: vgonis on May 20, 2025, 12:43:40 AM
This guy sums up the current state of the "vinyl revival" pretty well IMO:
https://louderthanwar.com/the-great-vinyl-record-buying-swindle-unexpurgated-version/
Missed your suggestion first time round, dusty. Just read it and he is spot on. My opinion exactly to the letter, and weirdly his musical choices as well - don't like Nirvana, but love Pixies' Trompe...
A lot can be said, but since this is not the right place...
My two cents on the 40th. Very nice sound of the live CDs, heard many things that were not clear in the previous incarnations. Very nice work from Guy!
Maybe now that the ball is rolling, with two new official live albums, and expanded OTN and Alchemy, we can expect more in the near future.
Post by: Love Expresso on May 20, 2025, 09:28:03 AM
LE
Post by: dustyvalentino on May 20, 2025, 09:37:44 AM
Got my shipping mail for the Blu-Ray. Somehow disappointing that they are not able to hit the official release date....
LE
They are a very small operation catering to a very small niche audience.
Also, Pottel messaged to complain because he is a bastard and the guy said they only received their stock on release day.
Post by: Love Expresso on May 20, 2025, 09:43:10 AM
LE
Post by: Dutchessy on May 20, 2025, 10:18:10 AM
Got my shipping mail for the Blu-Ray. Somehow disappointing that they are not able to hit the official release date....
LE
I still haven't. ;D
Post by: Pieter on May 20, 2025, 10:19:53 AM
- Soundbar with upfiring speakers;
- Teufel with seperate upfiring speakers;
- More expensive sets with speakers for a ceiling.
etc.
Post by: Love Expresso on May 20, 2025, 10:25:54 AM
LE
Post by: dustyvalentino on May 20, 2025, 11:48:54 AM
Post by: Jimbo on May 20, 2025, 02:27:37 PM
In my opinion, the only wrong thing about the recent DS releases is the digital/streaming albums.
For physical releases, the boxsets are, indeed, very good.
However, for the Streaming Platforms, the albums should be released separately. For example, the Rainbow concert should be released as a unique album. If a person wants to listen to this album, he need to select the Live 78-92 compilation then choose the Rainbow songs.
The same is for the OTN, Alchemy and now... San Antonio.
Dire Straits released a bunch of "new" material in recent years and, for a new listener, who will discover the band thru Spotify, the only thing visible to this new listener are the same traditionals studio/live albums plus the compilations (with the new stuff).
I totally agree with you, live albums should have been released separately, not in a box set.
I was just thinking about it yesterday.
The box set may be good for fans but for others absolutely not.
No one who is not a fan buys them.
They remain unknown live albums.
Post by: Knopflerfan on May 21, 2025, 07:47:16 AM
I have a 5.1 setup with a Yamaha AV receiver and a mix of speakers. So I don't get the full Atmos experience, but close enough. :)
Incidentally the BIA 5.1 mix is really good.........
Post by: TheTimeWasWrong on May 21, 2025, 11:53:00 AM
Of course, the live recording is the most interesting part about it, but I wonder which version the regular album is. Maybe I missed it here in the discussion. It's mastered by Bob, so I guess it's the 1996 remaster or the 2005 one?
Post by: Silvertown on May 21, 2025, 12:08:42 PM
Received the 3CD package yesterday. Though there's really nothing new to learn, I loved the booklet and the fact that they took at least some time to get together for it instead of putting some generic text in there.
Of course, the live recording is the most interesting part about it, but I wonder which version the regular album is. Maybe I missed it here in the discussion. It's mastered by Bob, so I guess it's the 1996 remaster or the 2005 one?
I am also wondering that!
Post by: dustyvalentino on May 21, 2025, 12:14:26 PM
Received the 3CD package yesterday. Though there's really nothing new to learn, I loved the booklet and the fact that they took at least some time to get together for it instead of putting some generic text in there.
Of course, the live recording is the most interesting part about it, but I wonder which version the regular album is. Maybe I missed it here in the discussion. It's mastered by Bob, so I guess it's the 1996 remaster or the 2005 one?
According to the guys at the Steve Hoffman forum who analyse all this stuff it's a new master. They reckon the mastering credit has just been pasted over.
Post by: Jules on May 21, 2025, 12:44:42 PM
Received the 3CD package yesterday. Though there's really nothing new to learn, I loved the booklet and the fact that they took at least some time to get together for it instead of putting some generic text in there.
Of course, the live recording is the most interesting part about it, but I wonder which version the regular album is. Maybe I missed it here in the discussion. It's mastered by Bob, so I guess it's the 1996 remaster or the 2005 one?
According to the guys at the Steve Hoffman forum who analyse all this stuff it's a new master. They reckon the mastering credit has just been pasted over.
Also according to Guy.
There are some messages talking about that in Guy's forum.
Post by: Marnix on May 21, 2025, 01:06:56 PM
In my opinion, the only wrong thing about the recent DS releases is the digital/streaming albums.
For physical releases, the boxsets are, indeed, very good.
However, for the Streaming Platforms, the albums should be released separately. For example, the Rainbow concert should be released as a unique album. If a person wants to listen to this album, he need to select the Live 78-92 compilation then choose the Rainbow songs.
The same is for the OTN, Alchemy and now... San Antonio.
Dire Straits released a bunch of "new" material in recent years and, for a new listener, who will discover the band thru Spotify, the only thing visible to this new listener are the same traditionals studio/live albums plus the compilations (with the new stuff).
I totally agree with you, live albums should have been released separately, not in a box set.
I was just thinking about it yesterday.
The box set may be good for fans but for others absolutely not.
No one who is not a fan buys them.
They remain unknown live albums.
You can also make for each live release of Dire Straits your own playlist and you can also search on Spotity for playlists to find these albums seperately
Post by: Rolo on May 21, 2025, 07:15:15 PM
In my opinion, the only wrong thing about the recent DS releases is the digital/streaming albums.
For physical releases, the boxsets are, indeed, very good.
However, for the Streaming Platforms, the albums should be released separately. For example, the Rainbow concert should be released as a unique album. If a person wants to listen to this album, he need to select the Live 78-92 compilation then choose the Rainbow songs.
The same is for the OTN, Alchemy and now... San Antonio.
Dire Straits released a bunch of "new" material in recent years and, for a new listener, who will discover the band thru Spotify, the only thing visible to this new listener are the same traditionals studio/live albums plus the compilations (with the new stuff).
I totally agree with you, live albums should have been released separately, not in a box set.
I was just thinking about it yesterday.
The box set may be good for fans but for others absolutely not.
No one who is not a fan buys them.
They remain unknown live albums.
You can also make for each live release of Dire Straits your own playlist and you can also search on Spotity for playlists to find these albums seperately
As I said:
... for a new listener, who will discover the band thru Spotify, the only thing visible to this new listener are the same traditionals studio/live albums plus the compilations (with the new stuff)
We KNOW about the DS releases.
However, for a Streaming Portfolio, In my opinion, the way that it is, is wrong.
Post by: Robson on May 21, 2025, 07:20:17 PM
Post by: KnopfleRick on May 21, 2025, 07:38:25 PM
I HAVE IT! Great joy! :)
:clap Enjoy!!! It doesn't get any better! :wave
Post by: Robson on May 21, 2025, 07:47:34 PM
I HAVE IT! Great joy! :)
:clap Enjoy!!! It doesn't get any better! :wave
Yes! Exactly! :) :wave
Post by: localhero1986 on May 21, 2025, 10:48:33 PM
Expresso love
Walk of life
Private investigations
Romeo and Juliet
Sultans of swing
One world
Ride across the river
Wild west end
Tunnel of love
Two young lovers
Money for nothing
Brothers in arms
Why worry
Solid rock
Going home
Glad I bought the 3 disc version and finally have a BIA copy (I barely have any orignal DS studio albums!), but I prefer alchemy and OTN. :hmm
Post by: Jules on May 22, 2025, 08:01:17 AM
Had a few listens to the 3CD box now and the sound quality is superb! Can’t complain about that. Setlist wise it has quite some skippers for me. I think I only listen to 6 out of the 15 live tracks and the first feeling I had with Wild West End is that it’s a copy-paste of R&J (or the other way round actually). :think Quite the same arrangement and for a newbee I think both songs sound exactly the same: saxophone intro, some national strumming, guitar outro, almost similar length. Also the sequence of songs feels very unnatural to me, I don’t know why but it doesn’t catch me in that sense giving the feeling listening to a concert with a start and end. Just a random bunch of DS songs. Complete lack of flow. The Sydney ‘86 record seems ro give me a more coherent concert feeling, but not completely. RATR is great, but it doens’t work as opener for me and TOL seems to miss some natural flow, already starting with the announcement “The song is Tunnel of Love”. Feels like MK says it too early resulting in a hard cut and AC not being finished yet. If I would need to reshuffle the songs, I’d go for this sequence:
Expresso love
Walk of life
Private investigations
Romeo and Juliet
Sultans of swing
One world
Ride across the river
Wild west end
Tunnel of love
Two young lovers
Money for nothing
Brothers in arms
Why worry
Solid rock
Going home
Glad I bought the 3 disc version and finally have a BIA copy (I barely have any orignal DS studio albums!), but I prefer alchemy and OTN. :hmm
Regarding the setlist, the NA leg of the tour had "One World" instead of "So Far Away", in Europe was the other way around, and also from the European leg, "The Man's Too Strong" is missing.
Post by: Love Expresso on May 22, 2025, 10:40:53 AM
Glad I bought the 3 disc version and finally have a BIA copy (I barely have any orignal DS studio albums!)
How did you manage to get into these holy place without even having all DS albums in at least three different formats? ;D ;D
LE
Post by: Robson on May 22, 2025, 01:23:49 PM
Post by: Jules on May 22, 2025, 02:00:54 PM
Brothers In Arms album finally sounds great to me. Always too quiet but now powerful. Is this another mastering? Guy Fletcher says no. I don't understand but I can see the difference.
Guy said yes! All the package was mastered by Miles Showell:
it was actually Miles who mastered the whole package. The dynamic range should be unaffected – as compared to the original
Post by: dustyvalentino on May 22, 2025, 02:08:44 PM
Brothers In Arms album finally sounds great to me. Always too quiet but now powerful. Is this another mastering? Guy Fletcher says no. I don't understand but I can see the difference.
Guy said yes! All the package was mastered by Miles Showell:
it was actually Miles who mastered the whole package. The dynamic range should be unaffected – as compared to the original
The nerds at Steve Hoffman have done the analysis and say that the dynamic range is worse, on the CD anyway.
Post by: localhero1986 on May 22, 2025, 02:28:01 PM
Glad I bought the 3 disc version and finally have a BIA copy (I barely have any orignal DS studio albums!)
How did you manage to get into these holy place without even having all DS albums in at least three different formats? ;D ;D
LE
My parents have all CDs. I only have a full collection of MKs solo work. Shame on me! :lol
Post by: Dutchessy on May 22, 2025, 03:38:45 PM
Glad I bought the 3 disc version and finally have a BIA copy (I barely have any orignal DS studio albums!)
How did you manage to get into these holy place without even having all DS albums in at least three different formats? ;D ;D
LE
I guess he knows the boss here ;) ;D
Post by: kempston_joystick on May 23, 2025, 12:13:07 AM
Brothers In Arms album finally sounds great to me. Always too quiet but now powerful. Is this another mastering? Guy Fletcher says no. I don't understand but I can see the difference.
Guy said yes! All the package was mastered by Miles Showell:
it was actually Miles who mastered the whole package. The dynamic range should be unaffected – as compared to the original
The nerds at Steve Hoffman have done the analysis and say that the dynamic range is worse, on the CD anyway.
The streaming service tracks on the 40th Anniversary Edition appear to be identical to the BIA tracks that have been up for several years now.
Post by: Kris-b on May 23, 2025, 11:08:59 PM
Post by: dustyvalentino on May 23, 2025, 11:57:39 PM
https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/
I don’t think they differentiate between the different versions.
Post by: MagicElliott on May 24, 2025, 09:39:45 AM
Post by: Love Expresso on May 24, 2025, 10:52:39 AM
LE
Post by: Fletch on May 24, 2025, 11:54:41 AM
Glad I bought the 3 disc version and finally have a BIA copy (I barely have any orignal DS studio albums!)
How did you manage to get into these holy place without even having all DS albums in at least three different formats? ;D ;D
LE
My parents have all CDs. I only have a full collection of MKs solo work. Shame on me! :lol
;)
I had Paul McCartney albums before I had Beatles record! There's no shame in any of our journeys!
Post by: Fletch on May 24, 2025, 11:57:20 AM
This clip is worth a rewatch. https://youtu.be/P09mQBNMY8o
You could not even walk into a hifi store in 1990 without this CD being played (at least thats how I remember buying my first hifi stack with a CD player).
The same in 2002 for a Playstation 2, every store had the Ace Combat game playing a Top Gun style landing on an aircraft carrier to sell the console, it was great marketing, and it worked on me! :)
Post by: Love Expresso on May 24, 2025, 12:47:27 PM
LE
Post by: Vesper on May 26, 2025, 12:18:41 PM
Brothers in Arms entered the German charts again on second place! Not the anniversary album but the original one.
Nr. 2 in the Netherlands
https://dutchcharts.nl/weekchart.asp?cat=a
Post by: Dutchessy on May 26, 2025, 01:52:42 PM
Brothers in Arms entered the German charts again on second place! Not the anniversary album but the original one.
Nr. 2 in the Netherlands
https://dutchcharts.nl/weekchart.asp?cat=a
The 496th week!
Post by: Markus on May 26, 2025, 04:56:11 PM
Deutschland #2
Niederlande #2
Schottland #2
Österreich # 2
Schweiz: 5
Belgien (Wallonisch) #7
Belgien (Flämisch) #8
GB: #8
Italien# 13
Schweden #19
Neuseeland #25
Island #32
Australien #33
Irland #45
Griechenland #62
Post by: dustyvalentino on May 26, 2025, 06:49:15 PM
Post by: tobi777 on May 26, 2025, 07:02:41 PM
Post by: herlock on May 26, 2025, 07:05:38 PM
Post by: Robson on May 26, 2025, 10:05:04 PM
Post by: Singlehandedsailor93 on May 26, 2025, 10:36:46 PM
Post by: Pookie on May 27, 2025, 12:05:10 PM
Post by: Hoops McCann on May 28, 2025, 02:15:03 AM
Post by: qjamesfloyd on May 28, 2025, 11:24:25 AM
Post by: localhero1986 on May 28, 2025, 10:44:23 PM
Post by: Jules on May 29, 2025, 07:45:11 AM
A GH tour release would be great! If we’d have any choice, I’d go for one of the Irish shows. The folky guys were there and nice rarities like PB, NCD V&R, AWITN. So nice! I’d prefer that over the BIA SA live release. :lol
Guy mentioned he's mixing STP in atmos for the 25th anniversary. Hope atmos is not the only special thing they are working on for it.
Post by: Robson on May 29, 2025, 09:29:13 PM
Post by: TheTimeWasWrong on May 29, 2025, 10:06:55 PM
Post by: Robson on May 29, 2025, 10:51:59 PM
Royal Albert Hall, London, UK, 23rd May 1996
Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada, 3rd May 2001
Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, UK, 24th July 2002
Post by: Brunno Nunes on May 30, 2025, 01:03:42 AM
Post by: Jimbo on May 30, 2025, 02:39:19 PM
There seems to be something different about the One World entry in the instrumental version compared to the normal album version. Has anyone noticed? It looks like a small cut.
I don't know what you mean by "small cut", for me OW (which I like) is a fusion-jazz-rock song with slap bass played by Neil Jason.
The main differences are
1) the bass that, even without the slap, is played very decisive making the song ... more "DS sound",
2) and a very well thought out and executed introduction.
Maybe I prefer the live version.
Post by: JF on May 30, 2025, 04:37:04 PM
There seems to be something different about the One World entry in the instrumental version compared to the normal album version. Has anyone noticed? It looks like a small cut.
I don't know what you mean by "small cut", for me OW (which I like) is a fusion-jazz-rock song with slap bass played by Neil Jason.
The main differences are
1) the bass that, even without the slap, is played very decisive making the song ... more "DS sound",
2) and a very well thought out and executed introduction.
Maybe I prefer the live version.
the live introduction is of course taken on the bridge harmonic progression
and it has a little "shuffle" flavour at the end of the intro
Post by: Robson on June 01, 2025, 07:53:41 PM
Post by: garfield on June 03, 2025, 02:20:12 PM
Post by: Maxx on June 03, 2025, 02:57:29 PM
Does anybody know who played the guitar solo at the end of Wild West End (San Antonio)? It's not really MKs style as far as I can hear. Maybe Jack Sonni played it?
Yep, it's Jack!
Very nice version of the song over all, especially the end part with Jack's solo. Would have been fantastic to have it on video.
Post by: cannibals on June 03, 2025, 07:10:09 PM
Post by: dustyvalentino on June 04, 2025, 10:35:27 AM
Post by: Love Expresso on June 04, 2025, 10:57:39 AM
LE
Post by: MagicElliott on June 04, 2025, 11:48:17 AM
Post by: JF on June 04, 2025, 12:12:56 PM
And the MFN outro that moves over in WWE was that always that way? I thought it was longer. :think
arrangements evolved during the tour.
at the beginning of the tour, WWE doesn"t have the keyboard/sax intro
some weeks/months after San Antonio, the end of WWE featured a key change during the solo
Post by: dustyvalentino on June 04, 2025, 01:02:16 PM
Is the instrumental stuff on Spotify? Can’t find it.
Blu-ray only I believe.
Post by: cannibals on June 04, 2025, 01:12:17 PM
And the MFN outro that moves over in WWE was that always that way? I thought it was longer. :think
arrangements evolved during the tour.
at the beginning of the tour, WWE doesn"t have the keyboard/sax intro
some weeks/months after San Antonio, the end of WWE featured a key change during the solo
I always thought the synthesizer part at the end of MFN was much longer before moving on to the next song....
Post by: dustyvalentino on June 07, 2025, 04:11:32 PM
https://youtu.be/xj8JSGF_zdI?si=pCZdmn98nQEB3Q8F
No mention of DS but the section from 17:30 on is of particular interest to those of us who wonder WHERE ARE THE TAPES?
Post by: ds1984 on June 08, 2025, 01:20:13 PM
Post by: Brunno Nunes on June 08, 2025, 01:35:28 PM
This gentleman puts together reissues:
https://youtu.be/xj8JSGF_zdI?si=pCZdmn98nQEB3Q8F
No mention of DS but the section from 17:30 on is of particular interest to those of us who wonder WHERE ARE THE TAPES?
Sad end... whoever had the wisdom and sense of preservation kept their copy somewhere safe, not leaving it 100% in the "care" of the record companies.
The lack of leftovers from certain recordings in a release like BIA's 40th anniversary may be related to this fact or simply the band not having any leftover recordings. But, from any album???? In the release of the OES album by Mofi, we have a new take on Planet of New Orleans, different from the official release; the version of Sailing to Philadelphia, present in the 2007 compilation, has a longer solo, Darling Preaty in the same compilation has a different vocal from the version on the GH album... anyway... where did they get these takes from? I believe there must be some interesting things for die-hard fans, as we are 0.001% of the audience that consumes DS and MK music, the chances are the most unlikely of having the pleasure of contemplating all the material, we are very lucky with the Live 78/92 box, especially Rainbow Theatre 79, an authentic nugget of gold, pure gold. If we had the complete footage of this show that closes the band's first cycle, it would be even more incredible.
Post by: Robson on June 08, 2025, 02:53:50 PM
Post by: Ingrained on June 08, 2025, 05:47:08 PM
This gentleman puts together reissues:
https://youtu.be/xj8JSGF_zdI?si=pCZdmn98nQEB3Q8F
No mention of DS but the section from 17:30 on is of particular interest to those of us who wonder WHERE ARE THE TAPES?
Thanks, that interview is very interesting to hear just how chaotic the cataloging has been in the industry. It paints a picture that things are very “scattered”.
I’ve often wondered if the unused Alchemy footage even made it out of Limelight Productions hands at all, whether the contract was considered completed, delivered and the unused footage thought of as surplus to requirements. Maybe it’s even quietly sitting in someones loft or garage that couldn’t bear to see it thrown away, in a box, in the dark, just waiting for the flick of a switch and the magic of a light bulb to bring it back to life…...
Post by: Chris W on June 09, 2025, 09:57:05 AM
I know people remastering albums from the late 70's and it is proving to be a very complex operation.
If you are recovering unreleased material from an album recorded on early digital (large machines with digital tape), you probably need a well maintained, fully working digital tape machine from the early 80's. They were so big and expensive not a lot were ever made and installed I think.
Post by: herlock on June 09, 2025, 09:59:59 AM
Post by: Brunno Nunes on June 09, 2025, 04:51:06 PM
I wonder what the chances are to get a quality show from 1981. Paris and Wertcher were somehow recorded, but all we've got so far is a small video broadcast from Paris and a horribly recorded radio broadcast from Werchter. But who would have guessed about San Antonio 85 and Rainbow 79?
Rainbow 79 is such a fascinating thing, I'm still in shock about the release of this recording, how lucky we were, very lucky.
Post by: Robson on June 09, 2025, 05:15:46 PM
Post by: Peter1981 on June 09, 2025, 11:45:15 PM
This gentleman puts together reissues:
https://youtu.be/xj8JSGF_zdI?si=pCZdmn98nQEB3Q8F
No mention of DS but the section from 17:30 on is of particular interest to those of us who wonder WHERE ARE THE TAPES?
Sad end... whoever had the wisdom and sense of preservation kept their copy somewhere safe, not leaving it 100% in the "care" of the record companies.
The lack of leftovers from certain recordings in a release like BIA's 40th anniversary may be related to this fact or simply the band not having any leftover recordings. But, from any album???? In the release of the OES album by Mofi, we have a new take on Planet of New Orleans, different from the official release; the version of Sailing to Philadelphia, present in the 2007 compilation, has a longer solo, Darling Preaty in the same compilation has a different vocal from the version on the GH album... anyway... where did they get these takes from? I believe there must be some interesting things for die-hard fans, as we are 0.001% of the audience that consumes DS and MK music, the chances are the most unlikely of having the pleasure of contemplating all the material, we are very lucky with the Live 78/92 box, especially Rainbow Theatre 79, an authentic nugget of gold, pure gold. If we had the complete footage of this show that closes the band's first cycle, it would be even more incredible.
Post by: olazabalrok on June 10, 2025, 03:30:55 AM
I'm very curious about the alternate Planet of New Orleans version; can we find it anywhere? Doesn't seem to be on youtube....
Oh, it’s still there:
https://youtu.be/DeEy1PMhITU
It’s just the line ”the other planet” is now actually included as was in the original lyrics.
Post by: dmg on June 10, 2025, 03:28:29 PM
I'm very curious about the alternate Planet of New Orleans version; can we find it anywhere? Doesn't seem to be on youtube....
Oh, it’s still there:
https://youtu.be/DeEy1PMhITU
It’s just the line ”the other planet” is now actually included as was in the original lyrics.
It was actually always included but the vocal track was just too muted to really make it out in the first chorus. In the second chorus it was always quite clear.
Post by: olazabalrok on June 11, 2025, 07:23:51 PM
I'm very curious about the alternate Planet of New Orleans version; can we find it anywhere? Doesn't seem to be on youtube....
Oh, it’s still there:
It’s just the line ”the other planet” is now actually included as was in the original lyrics.
It was actually always included but the vocal track was just too muted to really make it out in the first chorus. In the second chorus it was always quite clear.
You have a special copy?
Post by: localhero1986 on June 12, 2025, 03:15:20 PM
Post by: dustyvalentino on June 12, 2025, 05:02:41 PM
What I honestly don’t get is why they cut Portobello Belle on the Alchemy release, but include over 1,5 minute of applause after Sultans of Swing on this SA live album. Why? :think
I guess after the backlash he got on the cuts he made to the box set Guy thought twice about cutting anything.
Post by: JF on June 12, 2025, 05:24:41 PM
What I honestly don’t get is why they cut Portobello Belle on the Alchemy release, but include over 1,5 minute of applause after Sultans of Swing on this SA live album. Why? :think
the "standing ovation" is full part of the song isn't it ? ;D
and when it's over Mark says a quick "thank you"...but the funny effect works only if you heard the 1,5 minute before ;D
Post by: Robson on June 12, 2025, 09:21:34 PM
Post by: dmg on June 12, 2025, 11:08:56 PM
What I honestly don’t get is why they cut Portobello Belle on the Alchemy release, but include over 1,5 minute of applause after Sultans of Swing on this SA live album. Why? :think
My guess would be there was a mistake by someone in the band.
Post by: goon525 on June 12, 2025, 11:22:24 PM
The Compact Disc needed a big win—and fast. During its first few years in the marketplace (footnote 1), the format wasn't living up to lofty expectations. Part of the problem maybe was that most of the CDs released up to that time came from analog sources.
But then on May 17, 1985, the CD's savior arrived: Brothers in Arms, the fifth studio album release by British rock stalwarts Dire Straits. Trumpeted as one of the first "full digital recordings" in the pop/rock oeuvre, Brothers in Arms was an undeniable smash international hit from a band that had struck it big already. Exactly 40 years later, it remains a benchmark recording and a top seller.
Is there anyone out there who doesn't know this album, with that rowdy introduction leading into the huge, cynical No.1 single, the oft-misinterpreted "Money for Nothing"? That of course was followed by the lovelorn travelog "So Far Away," "Walk of Life," a jaunty rockabilly shuffle, then the eerily foreboding title track. Brothers in Arms was the first album to sell a million CDs, and it has since sold at least 29 million more worldwide, nine million RIAA-certified copies in the US alone. Seizing their platinum opportunity, Philips sponsored the band's hugely successful 200-date 1985–'86 world tour (footnote 2). The album spent nine weeks at #1 on the US Billboard 200 chart and 14 weeks in the UK. On the enduring strength of Brothers in Arms, Dire Straits strode the boards as international renowned superstars until they called it quits in 1992.
"Brothers in Arms has certain sonic qualities and qualifications that helped it reach critical mass," Mark Knopfler, the Straits' chief songwriter, lead guitarist, and lead vocalist, told me for this Stereophile feature (footnote 3). "Phonogram was our record label parent (footnote 4). Philips owned them and made CD players, and they put those two eventualities together. I think what happened was, people would walk into a hi-fi shop to hear a CD player, and they would hear Brothers in Arms on those CD players. That sold a lot of CD players—and we sold a lot of CDs (footnote 5). Marry that with how people were feeling about the new CD technology, the Steve Barron video for 'Money for Nothing' with those new computer graphics, and a couple of hit singles, and you got an album that turned into a big snowball going down a very long hill."
Sounds good—but even downhill on a shiny low-friction CD, it wasn't the easiest sledding.
Brothers in SPARS
The consumer-electronics industry took immediate notice of the just-in-time arrival of Brothers in Arms. "There was an issue back in the early days of CD," observed Marc Finer, who served as Sony's director of product communications during the CD's gestation and the ensuing launch period. "To most critical listeners, many of the initial releases just didn't sound that good. ... Going back to October 1, 1982, when the first 25 CD titles went on sale in Japan, they were, for the most part, analog remasters. The question about the source material, and the provenance of the recordings, was so critical in the pro-audio community."
Brothers in Arms delivered what many golden-eared pros and music fans were waiting for. "The recording itself was phenomenal," Finer told me. "It was a great recording by a great band, and it was Mark Knopfler's vision that drove it. ... This was the proof piece. Brothers in Arms was the first all-digital recording that delivered on the promise of digital, and it totally turned around some of the greatest skeptics about CD from a sound-quality or an audiophile standpoint. It was a night-and-day difference in terms of how those previous CDs had been perceived in the marketplace, particularly in the pop and rock genres."
Not everyone was sold. "For analog-philes, DDD was the mark of the Antichrist. More than a few true believers would rather have root canal than be subjected to the horrors of an all-digital recording—I'm not kidding," noted Ken C. Pohlmann, author of The Compact Disc Handbook, in an interview (footnote 6). Pohlmann told me that Brothers in Arms was one of the first albums to be multitracked digitally on Sony digital tape and mixed to DAT—digital audio tape. Hence, the original 1985 CD garnered the "full digital" DDD designation, according to the SPARS code requirements at the time." (footnote 7)
Why did Brothers in Arms do so well on CD? "For starters, the LP version wasn't helped by the fact that it was abridged, running about 10 minutes less than the CD," Pohlmann continued, "but I think the bigger reason is that Brothers in Arms dispelled the early notion that CDs were 'cold' and 'harsh'; Brothers in Arms is anything but. Any listener—even with those imperfect, first-generation CD players—could hear the sound was warm and smooth, and it was clean. This was unprecedented. LPs had warm and smooth figured out, but 'clean' was very much a relative quality. Brothers in Arms on CD emphatically had all three. The CD allowed listeners to relish every detail of Mark Knopfler's heartfelt vocals and precise fingerwork on his guitar. It's a cliché, but the Brothers in Arms CD was like you were there. One could argue that it lifted the analog veil and revealed Knopfler's true talent for the first time—and his career has benefited ever since." (footnote 8)
In interviews, Knopfler's bandmates needed to step back to appreciate the album's impact. "When we were making it, we had no idea it would be heralded in the way that it has been," said keyboardist Guy Fletcher, who still frequently works with Knopfler (footnote 9). "It was quite a difficult process recording it because we were using new technology. We were using one of the very early digital ½" tapes, and we did have some problems with FM synthesis and other things not playing back properly, so it was fraught with issues and trepidation. But I do have to say that Neil Dorfsman did the most tremendous job making it sound the way it does, because Brothers in Arms is a completely unique album in terms of the way it sounds."
Alan Clark, Fletcher's partner on keys, observed, "A big difference between digital and analog is, what makes analog sound the way it does is distortion—even the slightest amount of distortion—and digital lacks that distortion. Digital can be a bit clinical, but the trick is to add distortion to the digital. That's where a good engineer comes in, and Neil Dorfsman did it right for Brothers in Arms."
Ride across the studio
Recording sessions commenced in November 1984 at AIR Studios in Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. Neil Dorfsman, the engineer for the band's 1982 hit, Love Over Gold, repeated that role for Brothers in Arms and was now also Knopfler's coproducer (footnote 10).
It was Knopfler's idea to go digital. At the time, AIR boasted a Neve 8078 console. The two coproducers were also eager to deploy Sony's highly touted PCM-3324 Digital DASH 24-track recorder, which used ½" tape and made 16/44.1/48 recording and playback possible.
Recording Brothers in Arms was an intimate affair. The tightly quartered 20' × 25' recording space at AIR Montserrat was sparse, with limited isolation options. Guitarist/vocalist Knopfler set up shop with original bassist John Illsley, drummer Terry Williams, and Clark on piano and Hammond B-3, along with then-newest band addition Fletcher, who sported a rig comprising a Yamaha DX1 synthesizer, some Roland keyboards, and a Synclavier. Follow-up sessions took place later at Power Station in New York City, partially because three tracks were lost to defective digital tape. At Power Station, an SSL E Series desk joined in with that all-important Sony PCM-3324 24-track recorder, mainly for choice overdubs like Michael Brecker's expressive sax solo on the jazzified "Your Latest Trick"—itself briefly lost in the digital ether but thankfully retrieved—along with brother Randy Brecker's trumpet on "Trick" and Mike Mainieri's vibes on "Why Worry."
Longtime King Crimson/Peter Gabriel bassist Tony Levin was enlisted to add Chapman Stick—and possibly bass (footnote 11)—to "Why Worry." Levin told Stereophile, "I came in for a few hours, for just the one song. I'd worked before with Mark and Neil on the film score for Local Hero (footnote 12), and I knew how talented Mark was with his distinctive guitar approach and great writing. It was nice to be involved with such a special album."
Jack Sonni had met Knopfler while working at Rudy's Music Stop on 48th Street in New York City, and the two became fast friends. Knopfler asked Sonni to play the blistering guitar synth heard on "The Man's Too Strong," and he also joined the band on guitar for the entire 1985–'86 tour. "Brothers in Arms is a sonic delight, no doubt," Sonni told me in a phone conversation we had back in July 2013. "I'm so honored to be a part of that album. It's a real artistic achievement." (footnote 13)
Footnote 1: The world's first CD made its debut on August 17, 1982. It was manufactured at a Philips factory in Langenhagen, just outside Hanover, Germany.
Footnote 2: I saw the Brothers in Arms tour at Poplar Creek in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on August 3, 1985. The face value of my pavilion-level ticket for that show was $15.
Footnote 3: Knopfler and I conducted a lengthy interview in 2024 about his 10th solo studio album, One Deep River (British Grove/Blue Note). We also discussed Brothers in Arms in anticipation of this article.
Footnote 4: In Europe and other international territories, Brothers in Arms was released on the Phonogram label Vertigo, but it was released on Warner Bros. in the United States.
Footnote 5: I bought my first CD the night I bought my first CD player. That CD was Brothers in Arms. Until now, I didn't know I was a Brothers in Arms cliché.—Jim Austin
Footnote 6: Pohlmann is professor emeritus of the music engineering department at the University of Miami. He also wrote the monthly Signals column for Stereo Review starting in 1982 and continuing long after 2000, when Stereo Review became Sound & Vision. Signals ran all the way to S&V's final print edition, October/November 2024.
Footnote 7: Strictly speaking, there was an analog step. Mastering was credited to John Dent at The Sound Clinic in London and Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk in NYC. Ludwig mastered Brothers in Arms for CD; the mastering was done in the analog domain.
Footnote 8: A mildly contrarian perspective: My memory of my first evening with my new CD player (Magnavox, maybe?) and Brothers in Arms is surprisingly vivid. This would have been several months after the album's release. I had owned the LP for a while and knew it front to back. The absence of hiss and groove noise was something completely new, and I was enthralled. But in my memory today there's a glaze to the sound, which I don't hear now when I listen today to exactly the same CD. It must have been that cheap CD player.—Jim Austin
Footnote 9: Fletcher served as Knopfler's coproducer on One Deep River.
Footnote 10: Dorfsman also engineered Knopfler's 1983 Local Hero soundtrack.
Footnote 11: It's likely true, as widely reported, that Illsley broke both elbows in a fall while jogging near the Central Park reservoir and had to be replaced, by Levin and also Neil Jason of the Saturday Night Live house band. Levin and Jason are both acknowledged in the liner notes with "special thanks." The band, though, has never officially acknowledged Illsley's injury.
Footnote 12: Levin played bass on two Local Hero tracks: "Smooching" and "Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero."
Footnote 13: Sonni passed away in August 2023, at 68. He had been playing in DSL: Dire Straits Legacy alongside fellow former Straits bandmembers Alan Clark, Phil Palmer, Mel Collins, and Danny Cummings. DSL resumed touring earlier this year.
Post by: vgonis on June 13, 2025, 12:06:32 AM
So anyone remembers Illsley admitting breaking both arms while jogging?
Post by: dustyvalentino on June 13, 2025, 10:27:11 AM
@goon525 Interesting facts, put together in a pretty fashion. Although nothing new, I like the way he adds his personal perspective and doesn't make it too technical.
So anyone remembers Illsley admitting breaking both arms while jogging?
This was amongst that pile of scans I shared the other week:
(https://i.ibb.co/xSPTTJLx/JI-wrist.jpg)
Post by: Peter1981 on June 13, 2025, 12:48:37 PM
@goon525 Interesting facts, put together in a pretty fashion. Although nothing new, I like the way he adds his personal perspective and doesn't make it too technical.
So anyone remembers Illsley admitting breaking both arms while jogging?
This was amongst that pile of scans I shared the other week:
(https://i.ibb.co/xSPTTJLx/JI-wrist.jpg)
Post by: Ingrained on June 13, 2025, 12:59:11 PM
What I honestly don’t get is why they cut Portobello Belle on the Alchemy release, but include over 1,5 minute of applause after Sultans of Swing on this SA live album. Why? :think
If Alchemy, the film, is ever updated and released to include all the new songs, then including the full length version of Portobello Belle would make it much more appealing to people that already own the Live Boxset, as it would add (another) unique selling point. Maybe the PB extended solo would also be deemed good enough, or interesting enough at least, once working alongside footage as well.
Post by: dustyvalentino on June 13, 2025, 02:01:46 PM
This is a great read! Did you post the whole interview/scan somewhere? I can't seem to find it...@goon525 Interesting facts, put together in a pretty fashion. Although nothing new, I like the way he adds his personal perspective and doesn't make it too technical.
So anyone remembers Illsley admitting breaking both arms while jogging?
This was amongst that pile of scans I shared the other week:
(https://i.ibb.co/xSPTTJLx/JI-wrist.jpg)
This and more than 100 other magazine scans...
Post by: Peter1981 on June 13, 2025, 11:57:09 PM
This is a great read! Did you post the whole interview/scan somewhere? I can't seem to find it...@goon525 Interesting facts, put together in a pretty fashion. Although nothing new, I like the way he adds his personal perspective and doesn't make it too technical.
So anyone remembers Illsley admitting breaking both arms while jogging?
This was amongst that pile of scans I shared the other week:
(https://i.ibb.co/xSPTTJLx/JI-wrist.jpg)
This and more than 100 other magazine scans...
Post by: vgonis on June 14, 2025, 12:27:17 AM
Post by: JF on June 15, 2025, 12:06:41 PM
What I honestly don’t get is why they cut Portobello Belle on the Alchemy release, but include over 1,5 minute of applause after Sultans of Swing on this SA live album. Why? :think
My guess would be there was a mistake by someone in the band.
can't hear any notable mistake in the bootleg version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAaoO5Lu4Rw
Post by: Love Expresso on June 15, 2025, 12:20:57 PM
LE
Post by: JF on June 15, 2025, 12:26:43 PM
It was just endless jamming and noodling without any musical value. Disn't even like the shortened version, let alone the far too long one. Good job by Guy.
LE
fully disagree. To my taste, this sax/guitar duet is a highlight of the show
imho, it's not 'noodling", it's a very constructive solo with THAT lick far more complex than the Sultans one for example
and I love the build up, it creates a gorgeous climax, and then ou have musicians introduction which is nice, and then it continues to TOL... so a very great moment in the concert, imho
Post by: wayaman on June 15, 2025, 01:47:09 PM
For me when listening any bootleg of the period was a highlight.
Post by: Robson on June 15, 2025, 01:49:38 PM
That's why we need the album Dire Straits - Rarities live 1978 - 1992 :)
Post by: Brunno Nunes on June 16, 2025, 03:59:49 AM
Post by: Ingrained on June 16, 2025, 08:49:01 AM
A future Alchemy scan, update and restoration would not be a cheap process and would need to be recuperated as best as possible.
Also, they may have simply considered it not worth including in the context of the Live Boxset, but they could maybe consider it integral to an Alchemy rerelease.
A future Alchemy update, I hope would be 100% uncut, as the show in that era feels so well balanced. The concert/show worked as a whole and was clearly designed and thought out that way. Not just a selection of songs.
Post by: JF on June 16, 2025, 09:44:17 AM
I can't stop repeating: cutting Portobello Belle at Alchemy was a sacrilege, a great missed opportunity to deliver the show as it was presented by those who were there. I'm one of those people who, whenever they listen to a bootleg from the LOG tour 82-83, always consider Portibello Bello to be a great moment of the show, totally exclusive, because it provides an atmosphere that has never been repeated. The song became epic, gained a very creative arrangement, in my opinion, remarkable passages, Mark's singing interpretation is always with great emotion, Alan shines with piano and Hammond, Mel's interventions enrich the dynamics of the song, unique tone. The final duet between Mark and Mel is a very fun moment, followed by the presentation of the musicians and the atmosphere of the transition to TOL, all of this is a tremendous exclusivity that once again leaves us with the bitter taste of absence in audio and video.
+1000 :thumbsup :clap