Dire Straits - (M.K.) 'The other side of the tracks TV special' - (edit)

[@shahrul1962]

Mark Knofler is one of the best song lyricist ever....so underrated. At the ripe age of 70+, he can still sing his songs that he did more than 40 years ago, much slower in most cases, but never losing the beautiful melodies of those songs. And his voice....omg, no one sings as well at his age. Mark...you are one of a kind.

[@lessehead]

"I look forward to everything. There's nothing I'm not looking forward to." What a beautiful man.

[@billmyers991]

Mark's Sun will still be shining 100years from now

[@towneford1]

He's brilliant and honest. My favorite guitarist of all time.

[@devilsoffspring5519]

Some people can be great rock artists without being "big rock stars" in the usual sense. Not many though :)

[@davidharding200]

Alchemy. One performance. No overdubs. And it’s phenomenal.

[@devilsoffspring5519]

Actually, Alchemy was recorded live and very heavily edited/produced in a recording studio, just like any and every "live" album. Lots of editing, effects, reverb, equalization, and general producing added to the original live recording. It would sound awful otherwise. Alchemy is a great live ALBUM, and what made it great is the overdubs/editing/equalizing/tweaking/PRODUCTION. I turned 6 years old in 1983 when I convinced my parents to buy the Alchemy double album for me on my birthday. Fucking awesome drumming on Sultans :)

[@MrComarter]

How do you know that?

[@sheridenney7405]

He is one of the nicest human beings and so humble. In my book he is the most brilliant guitarist and lyricist on the planet. He truly is all about the music. Love him!

[@amandajstar]

Also a highly intelligent man -- that comes shining through, as well.

[@billstetler6769]

His humility is outstanding. Need more like him

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

"Outstanding humility"?

[@syncro16se]

"Oh girl it looks so pretty to me just like it always did Like the Spanish city to me when we were kids" ~Tunnel of love Absolutely beautiful

[@jamescuttsmusicjcm5013]

agreed.

[@kiwitihi4606]

When you point your finger cuz your plan failed you you'll have three more fingers pointin' back at you (yeah) bro is a poet

[@devilsoffspring5519]

@@kiwitihi4606 It's "Cause your plan fell though." And Mark Knopfler is **NOT** a "bro," bro.

[@kiwitihi4606]

@@devilsoffspring5519 This comment you wrote singlehandedly made my day more worse, It was also painful to read, now I think I have blindness. Also who hurt you? 💀💀💀

[@alexjewell2351]

This is fab given that this interview was recorded before Brothers in Arms had even been unleashed. A modest and musically humble guy about to release one of the greatest albums of the 1980's. All the previous albums had been building up to it though.

[@benjaminluscombe7199]

I think a big part of MK's success his the confidence and belief he has in his decisions. He does what he wants and knows what's right for his albums/song choices/tours etc. You can sense it in his responses by this point.

[@fongy200]

"I Donn't know where i'll be tonight, but i always tell you were i am' Rockaway Mark.

[@davidnorman4923]

I love his attitude! His surprise at having a song at number 2 in the charts! Classic!

[@leeenfield4018]

7:20 Interviewer..."I saw that show (Hammersmith Odeon, London, Alchemy recording) ...I can't recall anything horrible" M.K. "It was fine". Understatements of the century.

[@annetteturner5972]

I was there. It was more than fine!

[@abracadabra-he5fn]

A very nice man, outstanding guitarist (the most gifted one, in my opinion) and fine poet; his pout turning into smile was charming, his stage presence was so captivating: a living legend, no question

[@alexmaranza6385]

Number one. Forever, wherever.

[@danaherd]

I look forward to everything... there is nothing I am not looking forward to.-- Awesome attitude (he is a great role model)

[@charlottefarine6444]

yep great phrase to finish the video!

[@thegreata.m4590]

Boy does young Mark remind me of Chris Martin. Very similar mannerisms and pondering responses to questions. The guy is a genius.

[@AnneDowson-vp8lg]

But he's much more sensible than Chris Martin, who always strikes me as an idiot, plus Coldplay music is so boring.

[@omriarbely5580]

the world is in dire need for more people like this great yet modest man

[@das250250]

In dire need for another strait man like knopfler?

[@charleslebek6684]

I think he's pretty irreplacable!

[@devilsoffspring5519]

Strait from Mark himself, Alchemy actually really is a real live album! That's awesome! (and yes, Mark, it *IS* very good!)

[@NagoyaHouseHead]

Oh yeah, the boy can play ...

[@dejaliloquy]

A true legend

[@lh7369]

Young mark knopfler was beautiful. Makes me proud to be from the North East UK

[@devilsoffspring5519]

Goofy, smiling young guy with a receding hairline is "beautiful", you must be female and older. Mark Knopfler was a great artist, but it's hilarious hearing him described as "beautiful" AFTER the fact (and after the money!) :) Same guy, working at a job, no studio equipment around him, not talking about "The Tour" and all that... Woman says "Oh, you're not MY type..."

[@karenwoo9068]

@@devilsoffspring5519 Beautiful is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone has different ideas of what they think is beautiful or handsome. I personally think Mark is very handsome because he has imperfect features which I think make a man more interesting looking. He is not classically handsome, but he IS handsome. I prefer his good looks over a pretty boy any day!

[@AnneDowson-vp8lg]

I agree with you, Karen, Mark is handsome, I always thought so. He is very attractive and charming. I love his blue eyes and fleeting smile. Just because a man is losing his hair doesn't make him unattractive. Men just don't realise what women can see in other men. And he has been married 3 times. ​@@karenwoo9068

[@AA-kb8vy]

@@devilsoffspring5519 not at all - he looks charming, it’s interesting to watch him and he has a pleasant timbre of voice and a manner of conversation that “draws you in.” Even if you imagine that this is an ordinary unknown guy, you want to stay and chat a bit longer.

[@AA-kb8vy]

@@devilsoffspring5519 By the way, I’m wondering why you call him "goofy"?... he talks about normal things...

[@CaptChaos1964]

I watched this when it was broadcasted and it was the moment that got me into the Straits, amazing to see it again after all these years, I went out the week later and bought Alchemy on vinyl of course.

[@EgoShredder]

3:56 - Perfection is a fools errand. Mark is right, it is more about creating magic special moments, than getting some sterile technically perfect performance take.

[@cyclesgoff9768]

Indeed, indeed and that is why protools and DAWs of that ilk have thrown a bucketful of bleach over everything.

[@msmusiclover4658]

So right my friend, so right. I have had the pleasure of seeing Mark play on most of his tours since his beginnings. Each gig has been unique, the versions of each song are given a different touch each time. That is musical genius, allowing their music to grow and not stay note for note always the same. This is why as lovers of Mark´s music, we never get tired of listening to him. I am writing books myself and MK was in my dedication in the first book. His music has become essential listening for me. Musical therapy. Imagine hearing always the same version of a song, I have so many versions from recorded albums, live albums and own recordings, that I choose which special magic moments I want to listen to at that moment in time. He is without a doubt quite the finest songwriter, singer and guitarist that I have had the pleasure to listen to. Even now, I check back on this interview which I saw in its day, as I in my book talk of what maybe my mother´s reactions to reading my first book. I quote Mark´s Mum here, with the getting a lot of your chest bit as I believe that is just what my mother will say about my first book. Just checking back on the dates prior to publishing my second book.

[@msmusiclover4658]

You see why it is good to check back before quoting, I felt sure it was this interview where he was asked that question. So which was it then? My mistake at least it won´t go into print in my book!!

[@cyclesgoff9768]

Mr Gambachinni IMHO is the best interviewer in the Rock/Pop genre. One of our best men 🇬🇧🇺🇸

[@imgoodatmoaning9561]

Yes seems genuinely knowledgeable and interested in the people he interviews.

[@Edvigelacivetta]

I love how he nervously laughs at his own jokes

[@devilsoffspring5519]

He's Mark Knopfler, not Eddie Murphy :)

[@cdcchi]

I love that part, "If I ever get to 60...."

[@mjmk8928]

Well hes 10 years past 60 now,hes 70& said in the 2019 LAST CONCERT,this is it,no more touring,im getting too old for the traveling,im tired......😞

[@IsmailsGuitarWorld]

@@mjmk8928 THATS KINDA SAD FOR ME

[@danielsharon524]

That was certainly an interesting part given he's well past 60 now & did get to be quite "Jazzy."

[@danielsharon524]

@@mjmk8928 I thought about going to a show on that tour but just don't like the crowds anymore (saw so many concerts, sports events, etc. live in the day). Maybe should've made an exception.

[@wolfgangmarkusgstrein8522]

Marks biggest problem in those days was his troubled relationship with Pick Withers. Much to often ignored by the outside World and even by Mark himself, Pick was THE ingredient to their music. His (melodic) drumming matched perfectly to Marks playing style.

[@andyjones125]

Wolfgang, you're absolutely right about Pick being THE ingredient. His drumming was just essential to DS, and - no offence to Terry Williams - I just lost interest in DS when Pick left. A truly original, and very inventive drummer who played for the song, not himself. I'm sure he's a complete natural - but it sounds like he really put a lot of thought into what he played. That's how his drumming always came across to me anyway. I wasn't aware of friction between Pick and Knopfler though...

[@boomshakalaka7615]

Mark knopfler was the ingredient to dire straits .

[@wolfgangmarkusgstrein8522]

@@andyjones125 Pick once played in my Pub (1990?). He was with the Dave Edmunds Band, I guess? To me it seemed that he was disgusted of Mark. It may be a subjective opinion but thats the conclusion I drew out of our meeting. I'm with you when it comes to Terry Williams. He was a total basher. I mean his drumming on Alchemy has only one height > Telegraph Road, but it's ruinous at Sultans Of Swing. For me, his recruitment is one of the most fatal mistakes in Rock, made by a band chief. Sorry fans!

[@palynch7459]

Pick was amazing, pick and mark were quite close at the start but as marks influence in the band grew , it did cause problems, in John illsley s book , he told a story about the song where do you think your going , one night they were playing it on the communique tour , pick controlled the speed of the outro at the end , instead of picking up the pace, he slowed it down, as you can imagine it didn't go down well

[@jmc250373]

@@aubindemontfalcon5967 Omar Hakim in Brothers and n Arms sounds like MIDI drums, and Terry’s parts are the only ones worth remembering as far as drumming goes. Terry Williams is a VERY human drummer, which is what’s really exciting. Who cares about total precision? It seems to me that Mark had too many people telling him that Terry was not ‘precise’ enough, which is why he ended up ostracizing and eventually getting rid of him. Huge mistake. One may really like Pick, but he absolutely didn’t have what Terry had plenty of, and vivecersa.

[@susanszewczuk]

Beautiful ❤️😊

[@mjmk8928]

Gorgeous

[@aubindemontfalcon5967]

I agree with Mark about the nonsense of the "live" records that aren't really live because some producers re-record everything in more "favourable conditions"... On the opposite, the Alchemy album was a real live record, recorded with mikes around the scene and that was all.

[@stellarcompanion]

So much achievement and he hadn't even released Brothers in Arms yet.

[@Moyetniishiswa2000]

Yep it all went down hill from here. Brothers in Arms a huge commercial success, but not a patch on any DS album that came before it.

[@jamescuttsmusicjcm5013]

@@Moyetniishiswa2000 Brothers in Arms is an epic track.

[@jaythornton9929]

That live album is the best album ever bar none

[@palynch7459]

Agreed

[@jeffreyjacobs390]

I often wondered if Mark knew how fortunate he was to BE GREAT, HAVE SOMEONE LISTEN - MUCH LESS AGREE, SEE & HEAR THE EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY THEREIN !? He should feel now that special sensation of having done what few have ..... regardless of how good, due the skill would warrant them getting. Clapton, Jimmy Page, Stephen Stills .... rare ability, compositional / performance skills so great CAN & SHOULD BE SATISFIED with what they managed to achieve - it is what defines you, your efforts and perfection is not possible for any beyond Christ ! GBjj

[@lonepoulsen5802]

Young Mark so cute ❤❤❤❤👍

[@right-hand1388]

I love this mans tricks !

[@Phil1982]

Well when he was 60 he released the Get Lucky album. Not psychedelic jazz but classic Knopfler really! Saw him play what would be his final gig and in Newcastle of all places i 2019. We didn't know at that time he was retiring from touring but it just seemed a little something special went into that gig which with hindsight was a clue that it was a swansong. Its pretty depressing to see your heroes getting old. To think in 10 years time we may well have lost all of the greats. 😔

[@fongy200]

Knopfler's precision enables him to not be able to worry about the perfect take, that and a band that are tight and like other good bands know when the improve is happening , when to wind it up and so on. The band were exellent Mark had assembled a good group of musicians who all need to be given credit, Mark Knopfler wasn't Dire Straits on his own.

[@Al.icia11]

Beautiful man . Not a bad guitar player either 😉

[@mjmk8928]

Beautiful face beautiful soul

[@avalondreaming1433]

He's gorgeous

[@dvoradahan7950]

נגן הגיטרה הטוב בכל הזמנים

[@davidnorman4923]

Mark played on Time out of mind on Steely dan album Gaucho would love to hear more about that session!

[@pallhe]

"It wasn't like being chucked in at the deep end, it was like being thrown into the Pacific from a helicopter." Great quote. Well, at least they used what he played, so they can't have been very displeased with the result. I wonder about all the great solos that were never used on Steely Dan's records. Are they in Fagen and Becker's solo heaven?

[@LexwellLavers]

Dylan is all about the work and not personal relationships. That's not unusual for most people who work any job. Dire Straits is one of the most underrated bands in Rock history. Mark has one of the most diverse vocal styles of any singer. Like Dylan, Reed and Iggy .. they craft a very unique vocal for the song.

[@Wannessa75]

Eu não sei explicar o porquê! Esse rapaz, Mark Knopfler, me chama tanto a atenção! Independentemente do que ele foi, famoso! Ele me atrai tanto, através de sua inteligência! Tão culto e...ao mesmo tempo irreverente quando jovem, na época que ele era de uma Banda britânica de rock, é tão concentrado no que fazia! Ele era tão determinado! Ao mesmo tempo tão perfeccionista, que chegava a provocar um certo "cansaço " em seus colegas e amigos músicos! Tão talentoso, compunha com tanta coesão e tocava com doçura e tamanho sentimento, que a sua maneira de tocar rock, soava com romantismo! ...e tão charmoso , com o seu sorriso fácil! Um típico europeu, loiro de olhos azuis e estatura alta. Tão simples em seu perfil de ser! O vi pela TV pela primeira vez quando eu tinha 12 anos, em um clipe da MTV! Fiquei apaixonada com aquele rapaz escocês, que viveu no norte da Inglaterra! Independente de ser famoso e conhecido! Como gostaria de poder abraca-lo naquela época! E dizer o quão importante ele é! Não apenas como músico e professor, que ele foi! Mas como pessoa, é dizer que o quão ele é importante! Sei de suas decepções amorosas! Está nas letras de suas canções mais antigas! Mas que ele conquistaria fácil alguém especial novamente! ...e assim foi! Hoje, sei que ele está com uma idade avançada, mas formou uma família linda! E filhos lindos! Te desejo, Mark Knopfler, muita saúde e paz em sua vida! E lucidez, para compor mais lindas canções! Nunca irá saber que me inspirei em sua linda voz, rouca e grave, combinada com seus maravilhosos solos de guitarra, mas meu espírito em sonho, chegará em um momento até você! ...não vai perceber, mas pensamentos fortes e sentimentos verdadeiros chegarão até você! Um beijo e um abraço forte de uma fã do Brasil!🇧🇷💞

[@AnneDowson-vp8lg]

He was born in Scotland, but his mother was English, from Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England, and his father was Hungarian Jewish. When he was 7, the family moved back to the North East of England. He may have had a Scottish accent then, but he has a slight North Eastern accent now, and considers himself a Geordie which is the nickname for people from that area.

[@dvoradahan7950]

מרק, איש מיוחד במינו, עיניים טובות, אינטלגנט, גאון במוזיקה, חזק בסולו גיטרה, כמה גדול ככה צנוע אנחנו אוהבים את זה❣️

[@Sanglierification]

i was looking for this!!!!!

[@jinkertsun]

I’ve seen Mark about a dozen times and heard a fair few ‘greenies’ at certain times. It’s how it is. Mark thinks perfection doesn’t exist. Of course he’s right but near enough is sufficient where Marks playing is concerned.

[@aubindemontfalcon5967]

Yeah but he worked hard for that ! You get better and better with practice and in the end you know some mistakes are not so important, because you know what the essential things are. I like this attitude.

[@John_Doe....]

16:04 - 17:05 that's beautiful...

[@mjmk8928]

You seem nervous Mark,you stuttered when,when,when,when.....but you did fine,your speaking voice is rockhard sexy,i vibrate everytime i hear you talk,damn boy

[@tuguybear930]

Heard "Sultans of swing" "Romeo and Juliet" "Tunnel of Love" played at a picture theatre during the intermission around 1980 I think. My ears nearly fell off my head.

[@AnneDowson-vp8lg]

Yes, I remember that intermission film. I had been thinking Dire Straits must be American, even though Sultans of Swing was about London, but when I heard Tunnel of Love and the lines about the Spanish City and Cullercoats and Whitley Bay, I knew they must be English and come from the North East, because I used to go to the Spanish City funfair. I don't like the rides that much, but hearing the rock music was brilliant, as before September 1967 when the BBC started Radio One, it was rarely heard on radio and TV.

[@AnneDowson-vp8lg]

I saw that same film. I thought they were American until I saw it. But in Tunnel of Love they sing about the Spanish City funfair in Whitley Bay in the North East of England.

[@AnneDowson-vp8lg]

Oops sorry I didn't know that I had already sent a reply to you.

[@amandajstar]

I certainly agree with Mark about the 'perfection' idea -- in that way he agrees with the Grateful Dead and stands opposed to the thinking of (primarily) Ronnie van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Artistry is not something an AI machine could reproduce flawlessly, and one's aim as an artist is not to become an AI machine.

[@melperry3576]

they should interview the past members, to find out what mark was really looking for, a lot of good musicians fell by the way side

[@Gibson1976uk]

I use to play on stage a lot and sometimes hit the odd ‘wrong’ note :) I would smile, finding it funny! I would get annoyed when someone pointed it out afterwards though?? and say I should smile and keep a straight face, pretend nothing happened? I would say ‘I don’t care what others think, if they want to go on stage and be a manikin face :) it’s up to them!! I have no issues with laughing at myself :) it’s also good to play things different each time, I know I personally don’t like getting into being robotic! doesn’t have to be played note for note from a cd!! Just go with the flow! Have fun!

[@lonepoulsen5802]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙂

[@SRDhain]

Mark Knopfler's so unique in his approach and playing. And he sounds superb; precise with so much feeling..🎸 Equally as musical, Vince Clarke & Eric Radcliffe wrote the theme tune for this show.

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

I think Paul Gambaccini is funny and he's a great interviewer.

[@lawrencebishton9071]

Sheeeeel don

[@IsmailsGuitarWorld]

MY SCHECTER MAN!!!!!!!!!!!

[@zortzsborgnine3983]

Sure, he was 'Looking Forward' to getting out of that interview at the very end and and just said anything... lol..

[@mjmk8928]

You keep on rubbing your lips,haha so very cute

[@johnrainer8996]

"If I get to 60... a wild psychedelic jazz band or something." Lol.

[@imgoodatmoaning9561]

John Rainer he got that wrong

[@davidnorman4923]

Ironically he mentioned Toto and used Jeff porcaro on the final dire straits album on every street! Knopfler might not be a perfectionist but he seems to play it right first time which Toto did most of the time on albums they worked on!

[@danielfisch389]

Good Dylan impersonation there... Slow train and Infidels are great albums

[@aubindemontfalcon5967]

Ah yeah... "Jokerman"... Such memories !

[@charlottefarine6444]

psychedelic jazz band when he's 60 :P

[@srprice2383]

Charlotte Farine Turned out to be Val Doonican.

[@oldfart4751]

He's 69 this year.

[@timtimminz]

I'd kill to hear Mark's rough mixes from Infidels.

[@danielfisch389]

There are bootleg recordings from those sessions in the web...

[@timshearer5092]

@@danielfisch389 Meant the tracks that Mark mixed, before Bob redid everything.

[@bpw8139]

@@timshearer5092 Pretty sure they are on youtube. I heard them once and there was 2 or 3 different versions of many of the songs. Some I thought were much better than the final released versions.

[@mjmk8928]

Would love to be this mans guitar so he could strum&pluck me

[@강남인]

기타 리스트로 토탈리즘

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

Jeez, look at that ashtray _hack hack argghhlllghh_ Anyway, Mark's wearing the same shirt as in the pub scene in _Alchemy_

[@srprice2383]

Psychedelic album turned out to be Val Doonican.

[@АндрейКривонос-й7ф]

Марк - фантастический музыкант !!!🎸🎸🎸🎤🔥🎶 С любовью и уважением из Украины !!!💞🇺🇦🎸

[@cdcchi]

He does a great Bob Dylan imitation.

[@34hedgehog]

... or Bob does a great Mark Knopfler imitation!

[@mjmk8928]

He was marks inspiration elvis was too just as well

[@ugmodude]

Could the host be any smarmier?

[@vianbask980]

I love Mark Knopfler's music and with this interview, I kinda love the man, too. Very real man. I 'm just wondering if he can jam with another great musician that I slso love: Joe Satriani. I'm just eager to know what these 2 great musicians and great souls can orchestrate together. I so hope they'd get together and enchant us.

[@SashanMusArt]

Joe Satriani “I was sitting down making bracelets at the Liquid Bracelet Factory in Berkeley, California, when I first heard Mark’s guitar coming over the radio. It was 1978, and Dire Straits had just released their debut album. His sound was so pure and fresh, and personal too. It was as if he was sitting right in front of me singing and playing. Fantastic! I love how you can hear and almost feel his fingertips on the strings as he’s playing. His touch is unmistakable, no matter the amp tone he’s got dialed in. And the vibrato is all his. I❤MK

[@RoverWaters]

17:06 in actuality he was wrong about himself, cause he did picked and then lost interest

[@MrFacePeck]

Rover Waters he’s still making music you know...

[@Billbill80s]

That sweater top that the guy is wearing really does not suit his age.

[@joannehack7588]

🇺🇦

[@garygracious9902]

The BeeGees were number 1 ..

[@garyginther6742]

It's very distracting when he (M. K.) is constantly touching his chin and lower lip. He looks like a shy little boy who doesn't know the right answer. And the interviewer constantly asks questions based on a certain premise being true. I didn't agree with many of the interviewer's premises and prefaces, but M. K. just assumes they are all correct. He looks forward to EVERYTHING?? That's a sheltered life he lives. And that's youth talking. Does he look forward to getting sick, and dying? To that happening to his loved ones. Ahh, I remember youthful naivete. It was good seeing M. K. in his youth. Very intelligent, but he seemed very shy and deferential to an interviewer who didn't know what the heck he was talking about half the time.

[@karenwoo9068]

I don’t think Mark led a sheltered life. His family was not rich, and he worked very very hard to get where he did with Dire Straits. His success was not handed to him on a platter. I am 70, and I look forward to everything, to every day, whether it’s doing something ordinary like sitting on my deck and reading a book, or traveling to one of the many places on my bucket list. I have lost, and my husband has lost, many relatives at a young age, either to cancer, a mysterious illness, or sudden and unexpected heart attacks. I have had 2 major surgeries within the last 5 years, and yet I still look forward to every day, to everything.

[@aapddd]

I look forward to absolutely nothing.

[@janineradford8091]

Remember in the Arena video early on he was trying to protect his privacy but very hard to do with sometimes facing to do multiple interviews multiple days

[@janineradford8091]

Many interviews for days on tour

[@shahrul1962]

Not a good analysis of a man, just from one interview session.