Why is Mark Knopfler so popular?

[Roland Dent]

Boy..I am amased at the detail and records located within this site.  I am interested just why he creates this tremendous interest in every detail of his career.  When SOS hit the charts in the UK back in '78 the uptake was slow, the next thing you know all the chattering classes who shop in Kensington High St in London have adopted him as a hero.  And this goes on and on and on...

Amasing!

[dmg]

I think it's because Mark has something distinctive, or rather a few things.  He has his distinctive guitar tone/style, vocal and even songwriting style too (in the early days especially).

There have always been bands/artists who can be described as dime-a-dozen and fall at the way-side after a year but the ones who survive tend to do so because they have a distinctive style IMO.

[Roland Dent]

So it's not just my opinion then...the depth in this forum is like the Marianna Trench.

[foma]

Well, Mark simply... deserved it!

I can take another interesting example. In classical music I love guitarist John Williams and absorb any information on him just because he's a such a cool guy! I read his biography book now. His interviews and quotes just as good as his music. Same thing with John Pizzarelli and Wynton Marsalis in jazz, same thing with Paul McCartney, with Django Reinhardt, with all the 'idols' if you want. I think It's like this quote from "The Catcher In The Rye":

"What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though".

So, I wish Mark was terrific friend of mine and I could call him up whenever I felt like it. I don't want to call Bob Dylan up, but to call Mark

[Roland Dent]

Camerado: wow you are in St Petersburg. I need you badly. You can access all the auto parts I need.

I always hoped I would meet up with some one on the internet from the RusFed.  I am a great admirer of your country.  I am Slavic too!  Well kinda..half of me.  My God your people had a rough time in WW2.  We had a K-9 pup from your way that we thought was a German Shepherd dog but turned out to be a wolf pup. The K9 teeth grew too long.  Not kidding you at all here.  This was back in 1943 I think.  Long epeic story.

But before I get my wrists slapped for going off topic, yes I see what you mean.  Personally I have never been to any of the MK shows but since I got this internet I was able to listen to all the stuff I had never heard.

May I put you on my buddy list please? 

[Roland Dent]

Excuse me your name is Coma?  Yes?

[Roland Dent]

FOMA..ok

[ingridswing]

Roland Dent: can you please check our forum rules. You signed in and accepted the rules we have.
See below for one part I copied for you. This is a nice community. We respect eachother very much, we like eachother very much and a lot of us have become friends a long time ago. We want to keep it this way, so please follow these simple rules of humanity. So no inflammatory postings, no stirring, no personal attacks, no calling names, pretty easy rules to follow. Thanks for your attention and I trust you will follow the rules in the future.


Expectations of all Members and Administrators
When we register to be a user/member of A.M.I.T. forum, we agree that we will not post any messages or topics that are threatening, hateful, obscene, vulgar, inflammatory, disrespectful or in violation of any laws/codes of conduct. In other words: - Be nice when you visit. Respect other user/ members, and all of the Administrators/moderators. Personal, attacks, Inflammatory-postings and stirring, will not be tolerated. Treat everyone here the way you expect to be treated yourself.

[Roland Dent]

I see what we have here. And so will eveyone else.

[Pottel]

Roland, it is simple, no need to drag ww2 out of the trenches, in a discussion totally unrelated. ( you wanna start an historical topic on ww2 and the Germans against the Russians and the Japanese against china, and the resto f the world, ...well, you get my picture, then pls, do so in "general topics".
Foam was probably not even born by the time you  retired, so it is not like he can discuss good ole' days with you.
Capisce?

[Roland Dent]

Understood.

[Pottel]

wonderful. now let's continue the actual topic, which, coincidentally, you started.
i do not think he's all that popular, and mostly coz he likes it to be the way it is.
it is well known he did not like the level of fame that came with the BIA album and to a lesser extent OES. compare his popularity with other artists having sold similar quantities of records, and you will realise he is not even close to their level of popularity, and he nurtures that. the other artists mostly nurture their level of fame.

[dmg]

wonderful. now let's continue the actual topic, which, coincidentally, you started.
i do not think he's all that popular, and mostly coz he likes it to be the way it is.
it is well known he did not like the level of fame that came with the BIA album and to a lesser extent OES. compare his popularity with other artists having sold similar quantities of records, and you will realise he is not even close to their level of popularity, and he nurtures that. the other artists mostly nurture their level of fame.

Other artists you refer to do have more fame but I think MK's fans are very loyal and are far more interested in the intricacies of his work than fans of most other artists.  Most other fans just want to know what they are saying on twitter today but with MK it's different - we crave the detailed knowledge about everything to do with his music.

[Ar (aka Enlight)]

I guess for the same reason that people who cannot handle "group think"  still get a kick out of signing in to forums.

Like you got an itchy back and you just cannot reach it..........you know the feeling?...I am sure you know....you can almost feel the itch now.
Well people who find Mark popular will find out that you need a back-scratcher..but they will never rub their back against a forum ,
especially not when it wears the name AMIT ! !

[Love Expresso]

Most other fans just want to know what they are saying on twitter today but with MK it's different - we crave the detailed knowledge about everything to do with his music.

Although I would not mind MK twittering... first hand news is always better than via John McC., Richard B. and Guy F., although they are all doing a great job of course 

LE