No Tour with the new album.

[2manyguitars]

I think you have to take into account that in the UK we treat our successful musical exports differently than they do in America.

If Mark was American his work would be far more lauded than it is....

I don't really think that is the case. You can easily roll off a list of British musicians who are highly lauded everywhere, McCartney, Jagger, Bowie, Sting, Annie Lennox, Clapton and Van Morrison, although the shine has come off the last two in recent years for non musical reasons.

And all of those people were slagged off to high heaven by mainstream music critics as soon as they became relatively successful. My point really is that we have a different attitude to success in the uk than elsewhere. While there are always exceptions to this its generally build them up to knock them down....

[Knut]

I find it funny that to some it's soooo important to make statements about MK being greater than "mr X". Like it's some sort of competition. Also, it sort of gives a vibe that says he's not ACTUALLY greater - you just wish he was. If he was greater, it would not be worth talking about to begin with as you'd have few to no people to argue with.

If MK really IS the best songwriter of the two, I'd like to see some serious proof of that. Not just us fanboys going all "it's so sublime and exquisite" or whatever fancywords we want to use. You might just end up with "oh, they're both great". At least I hope so

[Pottel]

well put Knut.

[2manyguitars]

I find it funny that to some it's soooo important to make statements about MK being greater than "mr X". Like it's some sort of competition. Also, it sort of gives a vibe that says he's not ACTUALLY greater - you just wish he was. If he was greater, it would not be worth talking about to begin with as you'd have few to no people to argue with.

If MK really IS the best songwriter of the two, I'd like to see some serious proof of that. Not just us fanboys going all "it's so sublime and exquisite" or whatever fancywords we want to use. You might just end up with "oh, they're both great". At least I hope so

It was more a debate about how artists are perceived. Especially the way the UK treats its musical exports vs the US. Obviously in reality its all subjective and probably some of the greatest songwriters and musicians of all time are unknown and completely ignored.

[dustyvalentino]

I think you have to take into account that in the UK we treat our successful musical exports differently than they do in America.

If Mark was American his work would be far more lauded than it is....

I don't really think that is the case. You can easily roll off a list of British musicians who are highly lauded everywhere, McCartney, Jagger, Bowie, Sting, Annie Lennox, Clapton and Van Morrison, although the shine has come off the last two in recent years for non musical reasons.

And all of those people were slagged off to high heaven by mainstream music critics as soon as they became relatively successful. My point really is that we have a different attitude to success in the uk than elsewhere. While there are always exceptions to this its generally build them up to knock them down....

Yes that's true, and MK addressed it in Good On You Son.

[2manyguitars]

I think you have to take into account that in the UK we treat our successful musical exports differently than they do in America.

If Mark was American his work would be far more lauded than it is....

I don't really think that is the case. You can easily roll off a list of British musicians who are highly lauded everywhere, McCartney, Jagger, Bowie, Sting, Annie Lennox, Clapton and Van Morrison, although the shine has come off the last two in recent years for non musical reasons.

And all of those people were slagged off to high heaven by mainstream music critics as soon as they became relatively successful. My point really is that we have a different attitude to success in the uk than elsewhere. While there are always exceptions to this its generally build them up to knock them down....

Yes that's true, and MK addressed it in Good On You Son.

Spot on Dusty. That was my point in the first place.

[jbaent]

There were some different panels with people like John Illsley, Rudy Pensa or Paul Crockford yesterday at Christie's, and someone asked Paul if there would be any live gigs to promote the new record and he said NO, and he went further and said something like "Go and pray".

Also Guy confirmed in his forum that live gigs, not only touring, was over for sure.

So that's it.

[Chris W]

I believe it's a health issue, or a being able to play guitar to a certain standard issue, not an audience issue.
Don't quote me on it, as it's only a hunch.
On musical exports, I think that has nothing to do with anything. The UK has always been 'cool' conscious, and a place where newness is more valued than legacy. Overall I think that's a good thing as it keeps the scene less stale.
For a very long time Mark has been out of step with music taste in the UK. A lot of successful UK artists are dance music influenced. Americana, folk, country etc have never been particularly popular in the UK.
In the beginning that worked for Dire Straits as when Sultans was released it sounded SO different to everything else on the radio.
It's the same with McCartney. He is still packing out huge stadiums in America, but hardly ever plays in the UK.

[Robson]

"For a very long time Mark has been out of step with music taste in the UK. A lot of successful UK artists are dance music influenced. Americana, folk, country etc have never been particularly popular in the UK"

I don't think he ever wanted it, but I agree. It's worth keeping in mind. Mark never experimented with sound like Sting, for example.

[Chris W]

Sure, he has probably valued respect and success in the USA more than anything.

Having worked in the UK for several decades, as soon as you have been around for a few years the music press get tired of you, and the new generation of music fans are less inclined to follow you.
It is notable that in Europe audiences span many generations, whereas in the UK a 70's or 80's era artist will attract an audience mostly of middle aged or older fans. It's just the way it is, and I'm ok with it.

[Stanko]

The fact is the majority of people just haven't come around. Yet.

Just take a look at the world you live and there you find the answers.

[Knopflerfan]

The word is out. Guy just on his forum about the next tour...

Sadly we may well have already done our final tour.

Did we really need Guy to tell us that? Bit obvious sadly wasn't it?

[Marnix]

For me it was in 2019 already clear that it was his last tour and I enjoyed it as much as I can. And I know with a new album a lot of people were hoping for a new tour but we have to be realistic.

[quizzaciously]

For me it was in 2019 already clear that it was his last tour and I enjoyed it as much as I can. And I know with a new album a lot of people were hoping for a new tour but we have to be realistic.

But why then he would change his speech from saying goodbye to saying "I'll play no matter what"? It was such a strange move from MK. Just mid-sentence change your mind and start telling the opposite, giving people false hope, a perfectly normal way of dealing with things, nothing strange.

[cannibals]

For me it was in 2019 already clear that it was his last tour and I enjoyed it as much as I can. And I know with a new album a lot of people were hoping for a new tour but we have to be realistic.

But why then he would change his speech from saying goodbye to saying "I'll play no matter what"? It was such a strange move from MK. Just mid-sentence change your mind and start telling the opposite, giving people false hope, a perfectly normal way of dealing with things, nothing strange.

He was clearly having second thoughts once the tour started and the reaction of the crowd did him very good. I think he is not fit anymore to do 75 shows and does not want to do 15 or so like Clapton...