A Mark In Time
Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: JF on July 24, 2015, 10:39:09 PM
-
I am currently reading Antoine De Caunes' book " rock enamoured dictionnary" (not sure of the translation).
(apologises in advance for my bad english regarding the translations I tried from the book)
Hope it could be interesting for both MK and Dylan fans
A De Caunes' quotes from the book are in blue
Mark's quote about Bob from the itw is in green
During the 70ies and 80ies A.De Caunes was a TV producer and produced TV shows : "Chorus" and "Les enfants du rock".
Therefore, he has many many ancedotes about rock stars, and he has compiled them in this book.
he also talks about musicians he loves, and there are 8 pages about MK.
He explains that a man from Phongram refused to release the album saying that "it wouldn't interest anyone in France"
He also explains he fell in love with the first album and went to London ("Nashwille "club) to see them live:
"visually it was overwhelming (tank tops, haircuts, light-show for a fair...) but musically it was just perfect.twirling, virtuoso, aerian, funambulesque."
then he decided to do a show with them. "At the time the cost to make them go to Paris was around 1200€ (van, ferry, taxes, night at the hotel)"
He phoned ED Bicknell who involved the british company, so they could make the TV show, and the french company was obliged to release the album, and in a rush, so it costed the double ! " in a week they sold more than 100 000"
"I immediately became friend with mark. The band was délicieux. musicians were more used to modests pubs/clubs rather concert venues. their gear made me smile.instead of big trucks with tons of gear, it was a simple van for the band and the gear : drums, 3 amps and 4 or 5 guitars : the essential, the indispensable, the fundamental"
"sometimes Mark was hosted by us in our little flat. He was in real life exactly like on stage : simple, discreet, cultured, well-read, witty and laconic but charismatic like a hamster. When he was taking a guitar, the instrument came to snuggle in his arms naturally, like if his hands have been its natural case. He gave me some lessons, but with no real hope for me. He had never had any music lessons, he prefered "capture the spirit of the music rather than to reduce it to an academic approach"
"later, by hearing his other albums I rarely had again this electrifying emotion I had with the 1st album, mainly because I prefered its false simplicity, the blueprint of its production (Muff Winwood), compared to the emphatic overproduction on next albums, the most being Love over gold. I had the feeling that the little band who produced pure gems like Six blade knife or In the gallery had lost in the sea by becoming a luxury cruise liner, its "niaque" and its insouciance from early days"
"I would have loved to be the witness of the infidels sessions : the daily work between this 2 great laconics : the master and the disciple, the inspirator and the inspired,the meticulous perfectionist and the enchanting in person. Dylan is famous to record his albums in 2 hours, and Mark in 2 years by refine them, except he 2 first ones whose success gave him the means to spend the time he wanted in studio"
"Like he said later "Bob is someone far more disciplined as a writer and poet than in the studio.he is an absolute genius.a purely brilliant singer. But let's say that musically, it's more basic.Music is juts a vehicle for his poetry" (itw by Bll Flanagan)
"infildels is in my Dylanesque pantheon beside Blonde on blonde or blood on the tracks. Dylan rarely sounded as good. the sound on Infidels has something gracefully timeless. It grooves, and it's rare on Dylan's stuff.
"starting from Mark to reach Dylan. from all associations, it's the one that seems the most obvious, like pre written. Mark was often criticized to copy Dylan. But how deal with being an author in the end of 20th century, without not being influenced by the dylanien genious ?
on the bad side you could have hollow lyrics, and a poor poetic meaning.
on the good side (and Mark is among it) you have a phrasing, a taste for freedom in the way of telling stories. Which is augmented by an exceptionnal musicality both in rhythm and soloing"
I must say that this book is very much worth reading, but I doubt it has been translated in english.
-
Thank you for translating for us! That was really interesting.
-
Yes, thanks, enjoyed that!
-
Thank you, very interesting.
-
I am currently reading Antoine De Caunes' book " rock enamoured dictionnary" (not sure of the translation).
(apologises in advance for my bad english regarding the translations I tried from the book)
Hope it could be interesting for both MK and Dylan fans
A De Caunes' quotes from the book are in blue
Mark's quote about Bob from the itw is in green
During the 70ies and 80ies A.De Caunes was a TV producer and produced TV shows : "Chorus" and "Les enfants du rock".
Therefore, he has many many ancedotes about rock stars, and he has compiled them in this book.
he also talks about musicians he loves, and there are 8 pages about MK.
He explains that a man from Phongram refused to release the album saying that "it wouldn't interest anyone in France"
He also explains he fell in love with the first album and went to London ("Nashwille "club) to see them live:
"visually it was overwhelming (tank tops, haircuts, light-show for a fair...) but musically it was just perfect.twirling, virtuoso, aerian, funambulesque."
then he decided to do a show with them. "At the time the cost to make them go to Paris was around 1200€ (van, ferry, taxes, night at the hotel)"
He phoned ED Bicknell who involved the british company, so they could make the TV show, and the french company was obliged to release the album, and in a rush, so it costed the double ! " in a week they sold more than 100 000"
"I immediately became friend with mark. The band was délicieux. musicians were more used to modests pubs/clubs rather concert venues. their gear made me smile.instead of big trucks with tons of gear, it was a simple van for the band and the gear : drums, 3 amps and 4 or 5 guitars : the essential, the indispensable, the fundamental"
"sometimes Mark was hosted by us in our little flat. He was in real life exactly like on stage : simple, discreet, cultured, well-read, witty and laconic but charismatic like a hamster. When he was taking a guitar, the instrument came to snuggle in his arms naturally, like if his hands have been its natural case. He gave me some lessons, but with no real hope for me. He had never had any music lessons, he prefered "capture the spirit of the music rather than to reduce it to an academic approach"
"later, by hearing his other albums I rarely had again this electrifying emotion I had with the 1st album, mainly because I prefered its false simplicity, the blueprint of its production (Muff Winwood), compared to the emphatic overproduction on next albums, the most being Love over gold. I had the feeling that the little band who produced pure gems like Six blade knife or In the gallery had lost in the sea by becoming a luxury cruise liner, its "niaque" and its insouciance from early days"
"I would have loved to be the witness of the infidels sessions : the daily work between this 2 great laconics : the master and the disciple, the inspirator and the inspired,the meticulous perfectionist and the enchanting in person. Dylan is famous to record his albums in 2 hours, and Mark in 2 years by refine them, except he 2 first ones whose success gave him the means to spend the time he wanted in studio"
"Like he said later "Bob is someone far more disciplined as a writer and poet than in the studio.he is an absolute genius.a purely brilliant singer. But let's say that musically, it's more basic.Music is juts a vehicle for his poetry" (itw by Bll Flanagan)
"infildels is in my Dylanesque pantheon beside Blonde on blonde or blood on the tracks. Dylan rarely sounded as good. the sound on Infidels has something gracefully timeless. It grooves, and it's rare on Dylan's stuff.
"starting from Mark to reach Dylan. from all associations, it's the one that seems the most obvious, like pre written. Mark was often criticized to copy Dylan. But how deal with being an author in the end of 20th century, without not being influenced by the dylanien genious ?
on the bad side you could have hollow lyrics, and a poor poetic meaning.
on the good side (and Mark is among it) you have a phrasing, a taste for freedom in the way of telling stories. Which is augmented by an exceptionnal musicality both in rhythm and soloing"
I must say that this book is very much worth reading, but I doubt it has been translated in english.
Thanks JF for giving us the info on this book!!! I think that I'm going to buy it as French is my Mother tongue!!! I knew that Antoine De Caunes was the first to discover DS and the first to invite him on his program, Chorus!! I don't believe that Michel Drucker who is another very famous old Journalist here could have done the same!! In fact I haven't seen DS on any of his famous shows or am I wrong?? :thumbsup :wave
-
I don't believe that Michel Drucker who is another very famous old Journalist here could have done the same!! In fact I haven't seen DS on any of his famous shows or am I wrong?? :thumbsup :wave
yes right
these are the french TV shows with DS/MK that came to mind :
- "Chorus" 78
- "Les enfants du rock" 82 (itw with A De Caunes, and jam on nylon CA gibson guitar)
- itw with Brendan Crocker in "Rapido" 90 for the NHB release
- "24 heures" 91 (or 92 ?) for show at bercy during OES tour
- Guillaume Durand in 2002 (forgot the show name), playing Why Aye man
- RTL2 radio in 2004 playing 4 songs in acoustic with Luke Brighty
- "Taratata" 2009 playing Get Lucky
- "le grand journal" 2015 playing Beryl
maybe there are others ? don't remember them all
but sure he never played in any Drucker's show
-
I don't believe that Michel Drucker who is another very famous old Journalist here could have done the same!! In fact I haven't seen DS on any of his famous shows or am I wrong?? :thumbsup :wave
yes right
these are the french TV shows with DS/MK that came to mind :
- "Chorus" 78
- "Les enfants du rock" 82 (itw with A De Caunes, and jam on nylon CA gibson guitar)
- itw with Brendan Crocker in "Rapido" 90 for the NHB release
- "24 heures" 91 (or 92 ?) for show at bercy during OES tour
- Guillaume Durand in 2002 (forgot the show name), playing Why Aye man
- RTL2 radio in 2004 playing 4 songs in acoustic with Luke Brighty
- "Taratata" 2009 playing Get Lucky
- "le grand journal" 2015 playing Beryl
maybe there are others ? don't remember them all
but sure he never played in any Drucker's show
and I forgot a "culture rock" around 90 about DS history, but only with archives, no special itw
-
- "24 heures" 91 (or 92 ?) for show at bercy during OES tour
Recorded april 24th 1992
Answer is from AMARK INTIMECONCERTS : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K83cqmlN4gI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K83cqmlN4gI)
-
- "24 heures" 91 (or 92 ?) for show at bercy during OES tour
Recorded april 24th 1992
Answer is from AMARK INTIMECONCERTS : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K83cqmlN4gI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K83cqmlN4gI)
Thanks for the link ds1984!! I've seen it twice!! It's a great documentary, very well done!! Think that they already sold their tickets in front of the Stadium for over 200 francs in 1992!! That's amazing!!
-
I don't believe that Michel Drucker who is another very famous old Journalist here could have done the same!! In fact I haven't seen DS on any of his famous shows or am I wrong?? :thumbsup :wave
yes right
these are the french TV shows with DS/MK that came to mind :
- "Chorus" 78
- "Les enfants du rock" 82 (itw with A De Caunes, and jam on nylon CA gibson guitar)
- itw with Brendan Crocker in "Rapido" 90 for the NHB release
- "24 heures" 91 (or 92 ?) for show at bercy during OES tour
- Guillaume Durand in 2002 (forgot the show name), playing Why Aye man
- RTL2 radio in 2004 playing 4 songs in acoustic with Luke Brighty
- "Taratata" 2009 playing Get Lucky
- "le grand journal" 2015 playing Beryl
maybe there are others ? don't remember them all
but sure he never played in any Drucker's show
and I forgot a "culture rock" around 90 about DS history, but only with archives, no special itw
I do not believe JF that there are any other shows they were in!! I search on INA and found nothing else!!
-
Remember, I know nothing about this kind of stuff but didn't Antoine de Caunes once interview MK on one of A de C's programmes on British TV (back in the days of videocassettes)?
-
Remember, I know nothing about this kind of stuff but didn't Antoine de Caunes once interview MK on one of A de C's programmes on British TV (back in the days of videocassettes)?
Rapido Notting Hillbillies, french program aired by BBC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVIMobdXedU
-
Thanks ds 1984. It was good to watch this (I rather liked the NHBs) but I don't recall seeing any of that before but I could be completely wrong. As I said before, it's not really my area of knowledge or expertise but it could well have been an edition of RAPIDO, as I used to watch that quite a bit. I have a different "image" lodged in my "memory banks". Maybe he talked a bit about "Mr Bob" in the interview and that's why I vaguely recall something. On the other hand, perhaps everything is beginning to get scrambled up in my mind.
Was MK interviewed on any other editions of RAPIDO?
-
He was certainly interviewed by Tracy McLeod on a TV programme and I'm pretty sure it was Rapido. A de C began by saying there was possibly going to be a reunion of DS! I remember being very excited, because I thought it was all over! MK talked about his time in America and he sounded unhappy - I think about his situation at home. I remember feeling sorry for him and wanting to give him a hug!
The following week the programme was about Chris Rea and Chris talked about his friendship with MK and how they were both from the north-east and both family guys! I have never seen a recording of these on YT, but one day they might appear!
-
Remember, I know nothing about this kind of stuff but didn't Antoine de Caunes once interview MK on one of A de C's programmes on British TV (back in the days of videocassettes)?
Rapido Notting Hillbillies, french program aired by BBC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVIMobdXedU
Thanks for the link I've missed this one when I 've been threw the differents interviews AMIT has posted on YouTube!!! Really great one!!! :thumbsup :thumbsup
-
Thanks ds 1984. It was good to watch this (I rather liked the NHBs) but I don't recall seeing any of that before but I could be completely wrong. As I said before, it's not really my area of knowledge or expertise but it could well have been an edition of RAPIDO, as I used to watch that quite a bit. I have a different "image" lodged in my "memory banks". Maybe he talked a bit about "Mr Bob" in the interview and that's why I vaguely recall something. On the other hand, perhaps everything is beginning to get scrambled up in my mind.
Was MK interviewed on any other editions of RAPIDO?
MK is also interviewed by A.d.C in les Enfants du rock 1984, and there are some words about Bob, so maybe it is this one you remember twm ? but I doubt it was aired in the UK... :think
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACCRDNFpa2w
-
Thanks, jf but, although I haven't watched all of the programme you posted, it was not that interview that I recall.
I've had a quick look through some notes from around that time and found a reference to another MK interview. It was on the BBC 2 television channel on 28 September 1983, part of a programme in a series called "EIGHT DAYS A WEEK". The interviewer was Robin Denselow and the programme's producer was Michael Watts. It is clear that I didn't see the programme myself, as I refer to someone sending me the extract about working with Mr Bob on INFIDELS. I also noted Mr Bob's generous comments on MK's help with the album, as reported by several publications earlier in the year.
Is there a video of MK's "EIGHT DAYS A WEEK" interview in circulation?
I have, however, found another note and I'm pretty certain that this is the interview I had in mind. It was broadcast by Channel 4 television on 3 March 1984 in a programme called THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS. MK was interviewed not by Antoine de Caunes but by Paul Gambaccini. I noted that MK seemed to be distancing himself from the INFIDELS album, saying that it didn't come out the same way as his "roughs" (working tapes?). Rather surprisingly, the programme included about 90 seconds of Mr Bob's "Sweetheart Like You" video - surprising because MK doesn't appear in that at all.
Is there a video of MK's THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS interview in circulation?
-
MK is also interviewed by A.d.C in les Enfants du rock 1984, and there are some words about Bob, so maybe it is this one you remember twm ? but I doubt it was aired in the UK... :think
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACCRDNFpa2w
Very nice video, most of the interview was made in the Wood Wharf Studios in Greenwich, where the band used to rehearse from 1977 to 1986, same place where we see DS playing in the Arena documentary, which had windows with views to the banks of the river, with boats in the banks, and with stairs to go down...
The place is nice an apartments building, but it still says Wood Wharf and the stairs to go down to the banks, and the boats are still there, there are pics of it and it´s mentioned in my book :)
-
Thanks JF!