Which of MK´s (or DS) musicians is most successful in terms of sales

[peterromer]

Hi
Which of MK´s (or DS) musicians is most successful as composer in terms of sales of their own material ?
I would guess that it is John Illsley. Then you have Guy Fletcher, David Knopfler, Richard Bennett, Alan Clarke, Phil Palmer and John McCusker. JM has done some stuff together with Mike. Alan and Phil did the 3 Chord Trick.

John, Guy, Richard and David has made several albums so that must count for a certain amount of good sales I would assume.



   

[Jules]

Hi
Which of MK´s (or DS) musicians is most successful as composer in terms of sales of their own material ?
I would guess that it is John Illsley. Then you have Guy Fletcher, David Knopfler, Richard Bennett, Alan Clarke, Phil Palmer and John McCusker. JM has done some stuff together with Mike. Alan and Phil did the 3 Chord Trick.

John, Guy, Richard and David has made several albums so that must count for a certain amount of good sales I would assume.



 

I think that David could be the second, as he has 16 or 17 solo records (can't remember how much really...) and John Illsley is about to release his 8th...

[quizzaciously]

I think all of them are pretty niche and I never listen to any MK-related artist's albums more than once, with the exception of Richard Bennett. I just love his stuff! It's been on my playlist for more than 15 years now. I think from any other MK artist he has the most recognisable and well-established style. His sound is amazing, songs (or should I say tunes) are great and enjoyable to listen to, even though it's just instrumental music. I love his touch and style a lot! David? I don't know. Just not my cup of tea.

So David is probably the most successful in that regard, but my vote goes to Richard Bennett. Guy is the second, love his songs like "Different World", that's song is insane, "Inamorata" was also nice. Coincidentally, both feature MK on guitar.

[superval99]

I would say that John is the most successful, but Guy is my favourite and I love all of his albums, so far.   I have tried to like Richard Bennett, but everything sounds very samey.   I have a few of the folkey boys albums, including the trio (john McC, Mike McG and John Doyle) and enjoy listening to them now and again. David's music does nothing for me, but I think he is 2nd.

So, John is probably the most successful, David is 2nd, but Guy is my favourite.

[dustyvalentino]

Richard Bennett had some co-writes with Neil Diamond so he is probably the most financially successful.

[Klaus74]

What about Chris White ? I only know his pretty-good and groovy Solo-Album Shadowdance from the early 1990s, but i think there is nothing more. Are there any professional recorded material by Pick Withers, released by his name, or by Hal Lindes ? And what about Terry Williams and Jack Sonni ?
 

[Rolo]

I'm pretty sure that DK is the second.
He has some "successful" audience in Germany for example.

John is a rocker. He capture some DS/MK elements and fill the spaces in terms of show setlists. He cares about die hard DS fans.

David has good stuff. His firsts albums are... hmmm...not so good.
After Wishbones, DK has making some nice works. The Ship Of Dreams album, im my opinion, is his best work.
He is the "poor" brother, because of that, his albuns are not so well recorded/produced.

[crimmer]

chris white on van morrisons lock down live filming

[quizzaciously]

chris white on van morrisons lock down live filming

Looks nothing like Chris White! Or he did some plastic surgery?
Amazing music from Sir Van by the way, can't get wrong with him.

[benlitmaath]

So David is probably the most successful in that regard, but my vote goes to Richard Bennett. Guy is the second, love his songs like "Different World", that's song is insane, "Inamorata" was also nice. Coincidentally, both feature MK on guitar.

Pavel, i'm not sure about that. I seem to remember that David had to sell his beloved black Stratocaster to fund his new album.
The guitar is somewhere in France if i'm not mistaken. There's a video on Youtube where some guy plays it

[quizzaciously]

So David is probably the most successful in that regard, but my vote goes to Richard Bennett. Guy is the second, love his songs like "Different World", that's song is insane, "Inamorata" was also nice. Coincidentally, both feature MK on guitar.

Pavel, i'm not sure about that. I seem to remember that David had to sell his beloved black Stratocaster to fund his new album.
The guitar is somewhere in France if i'm not mistaken. There's a video on Youtube where some guy plays it

Yes, you're right... It's a tough topic indeed. Being a musician is tough, especially being a musician associated with another musician. Almost everybody on this thread is known because of MK. Don't get me wrong, some amazing players here, but who on Earth would buy Guy's album without his work for MK? Or John?

Guy on his forum says all the time he wants something original and don't want to discuss covers and whatnot. But not everybody was born to be an original musician or songwriter. I never understood that urge to make something original just because you play music. I'm a good example, I don't earn money from music so I can't care less about being original. I play somebody else's stuff and am happy with it. But others strive for originality.

I know I steer this topic in the wrong direction, but where else I can talk about that?

[peterromer]

chris white on van morrisons lock down live filming

No, that is not Chris White. Must be wrong tagged for that video.

Yeah maybe Richard is actually the most successful. Personally I also think its all the same tunes more or less.

[quizzaciously]

chris white on van morrisons lock down live filming

No, that is not Chris White. Must be wrong tagged for that video.

Yeah maybe Richard is actually the most successful. Personally I also think its all the same tunes more or less.

I don't know man. My mum says all Mark's songs sounds the same, I guess it just your prefrence. Obviously, for instrumental music you have even less expression than with voice, but Richard have quite a wide range of styles. He's got great ballads like "A Face No More", or "Tawny". Some pure rockers from the first album like the opening track, a lot of pretty hard core swing and bebop in Code Red Cloud Nine album. Folk music, movie-like music, some strings here and there, he's got a lot. And his melodies are very memorable, I think that's the most important thing for instrumental/jazz player. I mean it's not just scales back and forth, it's actual well written melodies.

I think in contrast with Chet Atkins, who, while being a genius and prolific guitar player, let's face it, made a lot of really cheesy and easy listening music, Richard clearly just enjoys guitar and write some beautiful melodies and never recorded something to please a wider audience. And I think recognizable style (also know as "all songs sond the same" argument) is actually a good thing. That's, at least, a style! It means a lot.

[dustyvalentino]

So David is probably the most successful in that regard, but my vote goes to Richard Bennett. Guy is the second, love his songs like "Different World", that's song is insane, "Inamorata" was also nice. Coincidentally, both feature MK on guitar.

Pavel, i'm not sure about that. I seem to remember that David had to sell his beloved black Stratocaster to fund his new album.
The guitar is somewhere in France if i'm not mistaken. There's a video on Youtube where some guy plays it

Yes, you're right... It's a tough topic indeed. Being a musician is tough, especially being a musician associated with another musician. Almost everybody on this thread is known because of MK. Don't get me wrong, some amazing players here, but who on Earth would buy Guy's album without his work for MK? Or John?

Guy on his forum says all the time he wants something original and don't want to discuss covers and whatnot. But not everybody was born to be an original musician or songwriter. I never understood that urge to make something original just because you play music. I'm a good example, I don't earn money from music so I can't care less about being original. I play somebody else's stuff and am happy with it. But others strive for originality.

I know I steer this topic in the wrong direction, but where else I can talk about that?

I disagree that being a musician is tough. If it’s that tough they can get a “real” job, down a coal mine or something.

In reality they don’t know they’re born…

[qjamesfloyd]

People might know my love for Mike Oldfield, and his instrumental work and guitar has more expression than most, in fact his singing is the least of his musical expression, and I think with Mark, it's his guitar and song writing, his voice is good to, but not his most expressive trait.