SPOILERS: John Illsley will publish a book about Dire Straits

[Love Expresso]

MK has "a way with words". There is not one formula to write prose and one to write in a journalistic style. I have no doubt that MK could write something that would be a good read. His accurate and pedantic character never shines more than in every single word of his lyrics. It's awesome and there is a lot of work and thought in every syllable. It's just that you need to dive deeper into characters, times and places to make it good literature, let alone a proper novel. Songs are miniatures, much smaller and shorter than any short story and cannot be divided from and  judged without the musical level. It's a question of energy and devotion that it needs to dive into a novel's world, not one of skills when it comes to MK.

A work like John's would be no problem for MK to write. It would be better than anything from a paid journalist or ghost writer.

In my personal opinion, MK's lyric writing is more unique and more outstanding than his guitar playing. Many of his lyrics stand the test with poetry.

LE

[Robson]

Very good text Love Expresso
I think the same.

[jbaent]

MK has skills to write a book without any problem, but there is no problem anyway as any book, before being published, is revised by editors so if his style is not good enough, it will be polished before it's released.

[dustyvalentino]

Although we would lap it up, a book about MK's life would be pretty boring for most readers I'm afraid.

Even Clapton's book is boring and he's spent most of his life drunk/on drugs/being racist.

[jbaent]

Although we would lap it up, a book about MK's life would be pretty boring for most readers I'm afraid.

Even Clapton's book is boring and he's spent most of his life drunk/on drugs/being racist.

If a MK book might be boring, think about a John Illsley one 

[quizzaciously]

Although we would lap it up, a book about MK's life would be pretty boring for most readers I'm afraid.

Even Clapton's book is boring and he's spent most of his life drunk/on drugs/being racist.

If a MK book might be boring, think about a John Illsley one 

By the way, I don't think it would be boring. Unfortunately, I don't know that much about Eric that I know about Mark, but his life was quite extraordinary. Turning from an ordinary guy living in a flat with no furniture to recording with Bob Dylan in a couple of years. And that he was around 30 when the success hit. And how he met and played basically with all of his childhood heroes is also quite remarkable. He told some of these stories on his radio show and it was fascinating. A collection of stories like Richard Feynman's books would be amazing coming from a man who worked so hard and had so many really great and really interesting stories. I never knew Mark met Chet Baker in Paris! Mark met with everybody. And the fact that he was struggling like everybody else, and didn't want to become a musician, and hitchhiked everywhere... And even still you can get glimpses of MK visiting obscure places and meeting with all sorts of people all the time. Quite a life, anyway.

For most readers, probably, yes, it would be boring. But anyway, I think everybody agrees that Mark's talent and the way he made himself is something that could be underappreciated. Everybody just takes this all for granted, I think. That he just suddenly started writing hit songs and became famous.

[dmg]

Although we would lap it up, a book about MK's life would be pretty boring for most readers I'm afraid.

Even Clapton's book is boring and he's spent most of his life drunk/on drugs/being racist.

If a MK book might be boring, think about a John Illsley one 

 

Both right.  I think I'd nod off unless they could throw in a few juicy murders or something!

[jbaent]

I don't think Clapton's biography is boring. He lived quite a lot. Yes, he was most of his life on drugs, on alcohol and because of both things being an asshole. He almost kill himself with that addictions and caused a lot of damage around him, and also created some great records with his own songs and many covers of other artists, and colaborated with some of the biggest rock stars of all time. All the stuff about his life, personal and musical is interesting. It's totally understable that some didn't like him, but that doesn't made his life boring. I also think he was an asshole most of his life, and nowadays is being quite irresponsible, but I like the music he did and still do.

I think that is really a miracle he's still alive and, considering his illness, not as bad as he should be considering his life!

[quizzaciously]

I don't think Clapton's biography is boring. He lived quite a lot. Yes, he was most of his life on drugs, on alcohol and because of both things being an asshole. He almost kill himself with that addictions and caused a lot of damage around him, and also created some great records with his own songs and many covers of other artists, and colaborated with some of the biggest rock stars of all time. All the stuff about his life, personal and musical is interesting. It's totally understable that some didn't like him, but that doesn't made his life boring. I also think he was an asshole most of his life, and nowadays is being quite irresponsible, but I like the music he did and still do.

I think that is really a miracle he's still alive and, considering his illness, not as bad as he should be considering his life!

It reminds me how Brian May was at one time one thought away from committing suicide. All these guys are quite insane with their lives... I personally can't even imagine having the amount of fun and also sacrifaces they had to go through. Especially when the fame hit, the money hit and all. By the way, I'm a strong believer that money doesn't change people. Money just shows who they actually are...

[dustyvalentino]

I don't think Clapton's biography is boring. He lived quite a lot. Yes, he was most of his life on drugs, on alcohol and because of both things being an asshole. He almost kill himself with that addictions and caused a lot of damage around him, and also created some great records with his own songs and many covers of other artists, and colaborated with some of the biggest rock stars of all time. All the stuff about his life, personal and musical is interesting. It's totally understable that some didn't like him, but that doesn't made his life boring. I also think he was an asshole most of his life, and nowadays is being quite irresponsible, but I like the music he did and still do.

I think that is really a miracle he's still alive and, considering his illness, not as bad as he should be considering his life!

I liked Clapton and some of his music before I read the book.

I liked him less after reading the book, probably because it was so boring.

[Robson]

Eric Clapton Autobiography?

I read it quickly because I liked it.

[Robson]

"money doesn't change people. Money just shows who they actually are...

Very interesting observation.

[hunter]

All the factual stuff about DS and Mark is known, so just repeating that in prose is pointless. Reading what they ate for dinner during tours or where they played tennis or whatever is just dull


The book has to be personal and somewhat unfiltered, and as far as we know Mark, he just doesn't care for it. I found the stuff that Pick revealed during his many video interviews this winter very interesting. For instance how he was the experienced musician, Mark was the "woodshedder" [who practiced a lot] and John and David kind of struggled to keep up. That shed some new light on the early years. Pick's wife was Ed's assistant (I think) in the beginning, and on Pick's FB page she shares a lot of photos and personal memories. That kind of stuff gives a wonderful insight into band life during that era.


Now, a book written by Ed, that'd be something, but I guess there non-disclosure agreements in place that restrict him.

[Stanko]

well, after the beanstalk nothing is the same.
panta rhei!

[skydiver]

The cover of the audiobook is now fixed, too.
It's the same than the print version.
Hopefully the audio will be read by John himself.
I don't dare to dream that Mark will read the foreword.