What's The Matter Baby

[hunter]

I personnaly find My Bacon Roll quite fantastic, how to make a song about a topic that may seem silly at first glance but has a hidden meaning (about Brexit).
And it works really well live, the solo is outstanding !

You took the words right out of my mouth, herlock!    I think that the live version is miles better than the album, especially the solo and also the noodling at the end and the crashing guitar.  Much better than Ship of Dreams - David's voice isn't for me!

We're not discussing live versions or David's voice, but compositions and lyrics.

[herlock]

I personnaly find My Bacon Roll quite fantastic, how to make a song about a topic that may seem silly at first glance but has a hidden meaning (about Brexit).
And it works really well live, the solo is outstanding !

You took the words right out of my mouth, herlock!    I think that the live version is miles better than the album, especially the solo and also the noodling at the end and the crashing guitar.  Much better than Ship of Dreams - David's voice isn't for me!

We're not discussing live versions or David's voice, but compositions and lyrics.

I like My Bacon Roll studio version too. The lyrics are stronger that it seems, and the melody is quite moving.

[Robson]

I personnaly find My Bacon Roll quite fantastic, how to make a song about a topic that may seem silly at first glance but has a hidden meaning (about Brexit).
And it works really well live, the solo is outstanding !

You took the words right out of my mouth, herlock!    I think that the live version is miles better than the album, especially the solo and also the noodling at the end and the crashing guitar.  Much better than Ship of Dreams - David's voice isn't for me!

We're not discussing live versions or David's voice, but compositions and lyrics.

I like My Bacon Roll studio version too. The lyrics are stronger that it seems, and the melody is quite moving.

Another MK situational song:)

[hunter]

I give up, guys. Mark could smear a pile of horse sh*t on the wall, and you would worship it.

If you're not able to see the quality of David's writing (I'm not a fan, and I don't like his voice, but it's totally beside the point), then too bad.

[Robson]

"In my opinion, David's best songs are better than Mark's mediocre songs (especially lyrically)

Any examples?

I wouldn't call any MK song as mediocre, but I agree that David's best songs would fit perfectly with MK songs, some in musical terms, some in lyrics and some in both.

  That's a good thought.

[Rolo]

Very good DK songs.

- Easy Street
- Mending My Nets
- A Father And A Son
- Til Your Ship Comes In
- A Clear Day
- Knig Of Ashes
- Sometimes There Are No Words
- 4U
- Ship Of Dreams
- Drowning Pool
- The Heart Of It
- True North

[Rolo]

Funnily, David and Hal Lindes are collaborating a lot lately! They cowrote a song in one of the last David's records and Hal played guitar in some David new tracks lately.

They interact a lot in Facebook!

Yep!
Big shoes!

[herlock]

Funnily, David and Hal Lindes are collaborating a lot lately! They cowrote a song in one of the last David's records and Hal played guitar in some David new tracks lately.

They interact a lot in Facebook!

Interesting. It seems that in Dire Straits'world, those who left didn't resent at all their successors, even when they were less talented. Hal is less talented than David, but they get on well. Similarly, Terry is less talented than Pick, but the two seem very good pals. What about Mel Collins and Chris White (I think the former is more talented than the latter even if he was less present) ?

[herlock]

Funnily, David and Hal Lindes are collaborating a lot lately! They cowrote a song in one of the last David's records and Hal played guitar in some David new tracks lately.

They interact a lot in Facebook!

Interesting. It seems that in Dire Straits'world, those who left didn't resent at all their successors, even when they were less talented. Hal is less talented than David, but they get on well. Similarly, Terry less talented than Pick, but the two seems very good pals. What about Mel Collins and Chris White (I think the former is more talented than the latter even if he was less present) ?

Seems that Mel Collins was too wild so he couldn't be a permanent member. Can't remember if I read it on John's book or in interviews but he did things like run naked played saxophone by the hotel corridors and also in the room terraces and things like that, I guess Chris White was less problematic in that regard, lol

Lol !
On the small subset where you can compare them in DS (Mel didn't play a lot),I find that Mel is quite a smoother player. Listen to the Alchemy sax intro (the last part that is also in 1985 versions) or Two Young Lovers, clearly, Mel is the better player IMHO. Too bad he didn't stay. After all, Mark accepted Jack Sonni, which behavior was not exactly boring either

[hunter]

Mel's playing on the intro to TOL on Alchemy brings me to tears. Beyond beautiful.

[Robson]

Andy Green:
How did you wind up joining Dire Straits for the Alchemy tour?

Mel Collins:
I got called in to play on this track “Two Young Lovers.” I got on with Mark [Knopfler] very well. They were planning a tour and they wanted to include “Two Young Lovers” and they asked me to come along and do the European tour. I think we did 12 days at Wembley. And so I became part of Dire Straits for a short while.

In that time, I was working with everybody. I did a tour with the Stray Cats. I did one with Roger Waters on his first solo tour. When it came around to do Brothers in Arms, I just wasn’t around to do that. There’s always someone to take your place, so I lost the gig with Dire Straits until recently when I’ve been playing with Dire Straits Legacy.

[Jules]

Andy Green:
How did you wind up joining Dire Straits for the Alchemy tour?

Mel Collins:
I got called in to play on this track “Two Young Lovers.” I got on with Mark [Knopfler] very well. They were planning a tour and they wanted to include “Two Young Lovers” and they asked me to come along and do the European tour. I think we did 12 days at Wembley. And so I became part of Dire Straits for a short while.

In that time, I was working with everybody. I did a tour with the Stray Cats. I did one with Roger Waters on his first solo tour. When it came around to do Brothers in Arms, I just wasn’t around to do that. There’s always someone to take your place, so I lost the gig with Dire Straits until recently when I’ve been playing with Dire Straits Legacy.

Actually Chris White played on John's first record and in the Comfort and Joy MK's score so I guess they might had decided to call Chris instead of wild Mel, lol.

[Pierre]

"In my opinion, David's best songs are better than Mark's mediocre songs (especially lyrically)

Any examples?

An example of a good DK song (IMO): Ship of Dreams

An example of a mediocre MK song (IMO): My Bacon Roll

My Bacon Roll, one of the song I listen mainly for its lyrics (edit the solo is great too), a great song in my book, I was happy it made it to the tour setlist

I guess when it comes to songs we all have different opinion on what is a good song and fortunately so

I listened to most of David's song and there's a lack of simplicity at times that puts me off.

[MagicElliott]

"In my opinion, David's best songs are better than Mark's mediocre songs (especially lyrically)

Any examples?

I wouldn't call any MK song as mediocre, but I agree that David's best songs would fit perfectly with MK songs, some in musical terms, some in lyrics and some in both.

I would call Song for Sony Liston, Wherever I go, All that matters, among others, quite mediocre. But not My Bacon Roll...

One man’s trash……
I would never call Sonny mediocre. If STP has been described as a history lesson set to music, SFSL could surely be decided as a biography set to music. I do get that it’s probably a bit tireseome when it shows up so often on tour and I think I would have been annoyed if it replaced Sultans on the night I saw them in 2013. But I think it’s a good song.
Mediocre for me: Got to have Something, The Car was the One.

[hunter]

How about Hand in Hand? Can a song get more sappy and cheesy? Even a song of John's could easily have replaced that one!