A Mark In Time
Mark Knopfler Discussion => Mark Knopfler Discussion Forum => Topic started by: WaterofLove on December 20, 2015, 10:54:24 PM
-
Everytime I watch an interview with MK and someone points out the fact that he is one of the best guitarists through history he ALWAYS puts himself down, like saying he would be a guitar teacher's worst nightmare and that he doesn't know what he is doing and many other things. He comes across as very modest and humble, but is it really true that he sees himself this way? He HAS to know he is a brilliant guitarist? Is it just that he doesn't like the attention and ranking himself?
-
Mark is perfectly aware of his gift.
-
I think he knows his true value of this genius and is pretty smart to play it down as it only adds to his legendary status....There is a direct relationship between talent and modesty. Ho many crap artists do you see trying to get attention when they have no real substance as a writer / musician. MK is the polar opposite of style over substance...He is pure talent without any of the bullshit.....
Although interesting he is quick to react when an interviewer doesn't give him the credit he feels he deserves especially in regard to his soundtrack work. I remember MK saying that he can't do the "falling down the stairs music" and when interviewer accepted this without disagreeing MK looked a little miffed.
X
-
I like the Knopfler of the early days when he was obviously in search of some virtuosity.
-
I like the Knopfler of the early days when he was obviously in search of some virtuosity.
+1 :thumbsup
and I far far prefer the virtuosity from early days till Alchemy rather than the heavy rock demonstrative style from early 90ies
-
I found this secluded spot for response to the question taken from the topic "Rare MK pics".
...a while back I counted in his character at least 3 neurotic traits, associated with probable psychological traumas.
I would like to read your analysis...
So, that's what I can say about peculiarities of his nature.
At first, it's shyness coupled with a stutter. These features could appear as a result of emotional abuse in his childhood or early youth. I have no evidence, only some knowledge of basic principles underlying these states.
At second, there is the well-known difficulty of expressing his feelings. MK has a narrow emotional channel, working in the simplest possible mode: <on> and <off>. Either fully open, or sealed shut, without any intermediate position. And all these fine nuances of emotional expression cause him certain problems. He doesn't feel too good, pretending to be a star, and therefore prefers to stick to his familiar pattern to make himself feel safe. But it doesn't mean he is in no condition to feel at all. Nothing of the kind. He just can't express his emotions properly, arousing criticism from his ardent fans year after year. But this is his innate peculiarity, that can't be changed by force of will.
At third, such a thing as emotional eating disorder. He had suffered with anorexia for quite some time when colleagues reproached him for his obnoxious behavior. And at the same time the audience admired his fiery temperament. By the way, the reverse is also true, as has been mentioned earlier, he grows stout when all goes well.
-
Stutter? Anorexia? These are the things you discovered and mentioned in the other thread? Then please don't forget bipolar disorder and split personality, because of all the many characters in his songs...
Sorry by all respect but this goes way overboard from my point of view. What exactly is your qualification to claim these things?
Isn't it dangerous to create an "emotional abuse in his childhood" only because of the occasional stutter? I have seen hundreds of Interviews with him and stutter is not the first thing that comes to mind but eloquence, nice speaking voice and well-thought searching for words.
Far too many smokes and booze... that's what made him so thin in the early days I'm sure... And his love for good good and wine seems pretty healthy to me.
So all in all, I disagree.
LE
-
Self deprecation is a very British thing to do. Thats all it is I would say.
-
Self deprecation is a very British thing to do. Thats all it is I would say.
The thing is, you can't just see Mark say 'I'm a teacher's worst nightmare' and assume he's a modest guy. He just thinks deeper than that.
I can play something, of course, but there's literally millions of guitar players better than me out there, and this is just a honest look.
People often say to me things like 'you play good, man, wow, you play so good' or my favourite 'I wish I could play like you'. I LOL at it.
Self-deprecation plays its role here, but not so much. In case of Mark, his overall sound obscure all his technical capabilities.
For example, I make a lesson on how to play his part in 'I'll See You In My Dreams' 1987 version. And what I can say? Well...
It almost impossible. Literally the teacher's worst nightmare, because there's so much information. I can play it, but explain? Er...
In other hand, the lesson for Chet's part took me one weekend to pull out, because it's a straightforward virtuosity right there. On or off.
Same goes with Mark's songwriting. Many people will say like 'Mark is the best songwriter on the planet', but you know this is exaggerated.
And he knows this is exaggerated. There are thousands of good songwriters out there and dozens of almost-genius songwriters.
So Mark is not so modest so to speak, but rather have a very intelligent approach on explaining his own skills.
I'm Jack of all trades, master of none.
-
Thank you Throttle. I think this is a very interesting "take" on MK.
Just a couple of thoughts... I don't hear a stutter; however, that just might mean that it is not very prevalent. I do recall Ed Bicknell trashing MK by means of teasing him about a stutter. :disbelief :thumbsdown :disbelief
Also, it is very lucky for us that MK expresses himself emotionally through his songwriting, playing and singing. What a wonderful gift he has given us!!! :D :D :D
-
I don't hear a stutter; however, that just might mean that it is not very prevalent. I do recall Ed Bicknell trashing MK by means of teasing him about a stutter. :disbelief :thumbsdown :disbelief
Yes, I remember it. Such a mockery does him no credit.
Lis, I think that singing has served as a compensatory mechanism in this case and worked its magic.
-
I've never noticed a stutter. But he does have a speech impediment, struggling to pronounce the letter "R".
Also, he wasn't so modest in the DS days.
Sent from my Tab2A7-20F using Tapatalk
-
He does seem to have a slight speech impediment, but not a stutter as such. Also, regarding his weight - he started putting on weight around 1996 when he stopped smoking, so probably the smoking kept him thin, not anorexia!
-
He does seem to have a slight speech impediment, but not a stutter as such.
There is no contradiction here. The most common way of avoiding stutter is the substitution of one word for another.
Also a similar outcome is successfully achieved by verbiage and use cliches, boilerplate phrases.
Also, regarding his weight - he started putting on weight around 1996 when he stopped smoking...
...or after he married Kitty.
And yes, I know that "after" and "as a result of" aren't synonyms. :)
Don't get me wrong. I don't urge you to agree with me, that would be presumptuous of me.
I just clarified what I considered to be right.
-
Also, he wasn't so modest in the DS days.
This is very interesting I think. IMHO it seems like he had his days of humbleness as well as more of a cocky rock star well aware of his talents.
As much as I admire him for his humble and (as it seems) kind personality these days, I love watching him being the guitar god in the early 80's. The fire and hunger he showed then probably wouldn't have existed if he was as laid back about his talents as he is now. Just imagine him writing something as personal as LoG these days... ;D
PS: I still like the MK of today too.
-
I'm not sure he's a modest guy, or even a shy person. He just knows how to protect himself from the public eye and that's fair enough.
I do think he is a control freak though. He exercises absolute control over the music and each note he plays : someone once said to me he plays "licks" rather than goes with the flow, like Hendrix, who was very fluid as a guitar player. Not an insult, just different styles.
His controlling instinct can be seen from everything from changes in musicians to the set list. I think he also likes certainty, familiarity and doing what he knows the best he can. Look at the Borthers in Arms tour setlists : they played for almost a year without a day off and hardly changed a song.
Who am I to make these observations: no one. Just a few thoughts running through my head.
-
Ill have to keep an eye out for the "r" thing.....I must say I haven't noticed him sing a "a love-struck Womeo"...??!! ;D
-
Good point! It's very subtle and only seems to appear on certain words, I'll try to think of some examples. :)
Sent from my Tab2A7-20F using Tapatalk
-
https://youtu.be/vYzkJmBV3mo
Vock and voll vooby :)
Sent from my Tab2A7-20F using Tapatalk
-
Modesty in the music industry is a rare thing, and I am happy that Mark is modest, he doesn't have anything to prove anymore so he doesn't need an ego, which he clearly had at the start of his career. But Mark comes across clearly in most interviews compared to Mike Oldfield, who has had issues in the past.
-
Modest in the best possible version of the word! There is LOTS of selfconfidence in Marks eyes; I'm sure those eyes can still a storm.. I wish he would not talk himself down, yes, but what to do when been giving compliments? Say "of course, I'm the best"?
I have been working a bit with a well known man in my country. He is not a star, but everybody knows his name. In a way it has given me a feeling on how it is like to be well known, but he is the total opposite of MK in many ways, and of course faaaar from having the fame and name MK has. He can greet people with "isn't it wonderful to meet me?!", said without irony. It is just the way he is. I am so glad MK is not like that.
-
I heard someone today quoted Thelonious Monk, who said: "A genius is the one most like himself." If you approach Bob Dylan by the way, he's not so 'modest' like Mark. He's like hear 'You're the best songwriter out there' and all his face tells you 'Yeah, right', and he kinda agree. What about Mark? I think he's not genius so to say, but rather a normal person who works so hard it almost seems genuis, and his level of modesty is normal.
-
When told he/she is a genius an arrogant one agrees but a clever one plays it down with a smart comment.
-
While I shudder to think of the reaction if I crossed him in anything, I still see Mark as - at this point - an elder statesman of music (not strictly rock & roll) and think he conducts himself, largely, in interviews as a complete gentleman, and gentlemen do not toot their own horns. He gives credit where credit is due to other musicians. On the other hand, as I said (and evidenced by the revolving door in the past as to sidemen), he is nobody to mess with. I've seen looks from the stage towards miscreants in the audience that I was so, so glad were NOT directed at me! I think he was probably brought up with a good sense of responsibility and accountability. He's certainly made his bones with the various low-level jobs he had in the past to support his passion.