Ed Bicknell Interview

[Matchstickman]

Cool post from Ed! One could almost wonder if it's a joke, but the style seems to be his.

So it turns out that Terry plays on Walk of Life, but not John. What little we know, we mere mortals 

[TJ]

Also interesting to me that Mark is the one who thought Walk of Life was a throwaway b-side and Neil and the band (and Ed) had to talk him into including it.  The way I remember hearing it was that Neil hated it and didn't think it fit with the rest of the album and Mark and the boys overruled him.

[quizzaciously]

Cool post from Ed! One could almost wonder if it's a joke, but the style seems to be his.

So it turns out that Terry plays on Walk of Life, but not John. What little we know, we mere mortals 

We are very lucky fans, aren't we?

I'm just amazed that EB found time to react and write down some of the thoughts, and I have to agree with Chris here, most of the stuff discussed on this forum is simply guessing and deducing, and it's great to see actual people actually react to stuff. Mark rarely gives interviews, is not present on social media and couldn't care less about writing books, John's book is not highly detailed, Ed's book does not exist at all (and my money is on the book line being a joke). All we have is Guy Fletcher and old interviews. Nice. So at least Ed now understands the magnitude of the dire straits situation we've got here.

[quizzaciously]

Also interesting to me that Mark is the one who thought Walk of Life was a throwaway b-side and Neil and the band (and Ed) had to talk him into including it.  The way I remember hearing it was that Neil hated it and didn't think it fit with the rest of the album and Mark and the boys overruled him.

Surprisingly, Wikipedia gets this fact right: "Mark Knopfler had not originally intended "Walk of Life" for the album, but rather as a B-side to one of the singles. Dire Straits manager Ed Bicknell heard it when it was being mixed and convinced Knopfler to include it on the album at the last minute"

To be honest, Neil's version is kinda more plausible and makes more sense. From which planet do you need to arrive to think Walk Of Life is a throwaway B-side song? After writing it yourself? Like, what? Probably planet Knopfler. If it was a demo or something then maybe yes. But the way it sounds on the album is obvious instant hit. It could explain the random nature of bonus songs we have today if Mark is so unsure about his hits. That sounds like a good question to Mark.

[kempston_joystick]

What great insights from Ed.

Aside from the DS content, a book from Ed would be a great document about how the UK music industry evolved from the 60s through to the 21st century. There aren't many people still around who worked through that entire era who still have their sanity and/or memory.

[Mossguitar]

Best post ever! Thanks so much, Ed, Chris and Jbaent. Epic. Historic.

[JF]

Ed, if you read the forum, a BIG THANK YOU for all these infos 

and thanks to Chris and Julio for making this possible

and brilliantly written : funny and informative at the same time. I Loved it

[quizzaciously]

"Guy is the BEST guy out of many guys I’ve misguyded over the years." — Ed Bicknell

What a great line. And this is exactly my thoughts on Guy as well. I criticise him a big deal all the time because we probably have opposed tastes in everything, on the other hand, I respect Mark and understand he won't be working with an idiot for 40 years straight in a partnership lasting longer than his marriages, and I know I'm in the wrong, just sometimes can't help myself because the only idiot here is me. Not even starting to talk about Guy being practically the only window into MK world fans ever had for like 30 years.

[jbaent]

I'm very proud that Ed Bicknell decided, through Chris Whitten, to express himself writing to me.bindont know why I deserved such an honour, but it's a highlight for me as a Dire Straits fan, I always consider Ed as another band member, like George Martin was called the 5th Beatle, and I always defended that Ed had a big role, together with MK's talent, in the success of the band.

I also had the luck to cross my path with him twice at the RAH and he was very nice, kind and funny in both occasions.

[dustyvalentino]

I'm very proud that Ed Bicknell decided, through Chris Whitten, to express himself writing to me.bindont know why I deserved such an honour, but it's a highlight for me as a Dire Straits fan, I always consider Ed as another band member, like George Martin was called the 5th Beatle, and I always defended that Ed had a big role, together with MK's talent, in the success of the band.

I also had the luck to cross my path with him twice at the RAH and he was very nice, kind and funny in both occasions.

Ed knows a good man when he sees one Julio!

Ed gave me a set list at the end of the NHB gig in Stirling in 97, what a guy.

[Dutchessy]

"Guy is the BEST guy out of many guys I’ve misguyded over the years." — Ed Bicknell

What a great line. And this is exactly my thoughts on Guy as well. I criticise him a big deal all the time because we probably have opposed tastes in everything, on the other hand, I respect Mark and understand he won't be working with an idiot for 40 years straight in a partnership lasting longer than his marriages, and I know I'm in the wrong, just sometimes can't help myself because the only idiot here is me. Not even starting to talk about Guy being practically the only window into MK world fans ever had for like 30 years.

We should print and frame this post, to hang it on the AMIT wall... Quite an unique post from Quizzy

[jbaent]

I'm very proud that Ed Bicknell decided, through Chris Whitten, to express himself writing to me.bindont know why I deserved such an honour, but it's a highlight for me as a Dire Straits fan, I always consider Ed as another band member, like George Martin was called the 5th Beatle, and I always defended that Ed had a big role, together with MK's talent, in the success of the band.

I also had the luck to cross my path with him twice at the RAH and he was very nice, kind and funny in both occasions.

Ed knows a good man when he sees one Julio!

Ed gave me a set list at the end of the NHB gig in Stirling in 97, what a guy.

Thats the most beautiful thing I've been told, I never expected that from a Scotish, LOL

Thanks amigo!

[jbaent]

"Guy is the BEST guy out of many guys I’ve misguyded over the years." — Ed Bicknell

What a great line. And this is exactly my thoughts on Guy as well. I criticise him a big deal all the time because we probably have opposed tastes in everything, on the other hand, I respect Mark and understand he won't be working with an idiot for 40 years straight in a partnership lasting longer than his marriages, and I know I'm in the wrong, just sometimes can't help myself because the only idiot here is me. Not even starting to talk about Guy being practically the only window into MK world fans ever had for like 30 years.

We should print and frame this post, to hang it on the AMIT wall... Quite an unique post from Quizzy

Just do it!

[quizzaciously]

"Guy is the BEST guy out of many guys I’ve misguyded over the years." — Ed Bicknell

What a great line. And this is exactly my thoughts on Guy as well. I criticise him a big deal all the time because we probably have opposed tastes in everything, on the other hand, I respect Mark and understand he won't be working with an idiot for 40 years straight in a partnership lasting longer than his marriages, and I know I'm in the wrong, just sometimes can't help myself because the only idiot here is me. Not even starting to talk about Guy being practically the only window into MK world fans ever had for like 30 years.

We should print and frame this post, to hang it on the AMIT wall... Quite an unique post from Quizzy

Just do it!

*proceeds to hang only the part where I say I'm an idiot*

Seriously, misguiding people is ok. Misguyding Guy is normal, misguiding me is normal. Guy is not a weird tape-loving Hawaiian shirt lava-lamp maniac who loves to move microphones all the time. I'm not a psycho who trolls and bullies everyone on this forum and constantly criticises everything. We all have our weaknesses, but it's our strengths and light side we should ultimately be paying attention to.

[dustyvalentino]

I'm very proud that Ed Bicknell decided, through Chris Whitten, to express himself writing to me.bindont know why I deserved such an honour, but it's a highlight for me as a Dire Straits fan, I always consider Ed as another band member, like George Martin was called the 5th Beatle, and I always defended that Ed had a big role, together with MK's talent, in the success of the band.

I also had the luck to cross my path with him twice at the RAH and he was very nice, kind and funny in both occasions.

Ed knows a good man when he sees one Julio!

Ed gave me a set list at the end of the NHB gig in Stirling in 97, what a guy.

Thats the most beautiful thing I've been told, I never expected that from a Scotish, LOL

Thanks amigo!

It’s true, I’ve known you a long time and you are a great friend.

I love that we argue about all this stuff but we never fall out about it, because we realise that none of it really matters one bit.