Biografia - inglese - Mark Knopfler's World

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Mark Knopfler was born in Glasgow, Scotland on August the 12th,1949. He was almost 7 years old when the Knopfler family settled in Newcastle, in the north-east of england. Mark attended the grammar school of Gosforth. Since when he was a kid, he was fascinated by the sound of his uncle's harmonica and by the piano.Later, when he was a teenager he put his eyes on a red Fender Stratocaster, just like Hank Marvin's,but in the end he had to settle with a 50 pounds Hofner Super Solid (the one in the picture), that was a lot of money at that time. Like many other students-musicians of 1960, he improved musically playing in early bands-many of them remained in oblivion-and he listens to such guitarists as Scotty Moore, Jimi Hendrix, Django Reinhardt and James Burton. When he was sixteen he performed on tv with his schoolmate Sue Hercombe.

At school, Mark showed his talent for the english language, and in 1967 he went at the Harlow Technical College to study journalism for one year. At the end of the course he ensured a job in Leeds as a junior reporter of the Yorkshire Evening Post. Two years later he decided to enhance his studies and so he started studying in Leeds University. While living in Leeds, he meets Steve Phillips.

(in foto con i Notting Hillbillies, primo da sinistra), locale cantante e chitarrista blues

(In the picture,the Notting Hillbillies,from the left Steve Phillips,Mark Knopfler,Guy Fletcher and Brendan Croker)

Mark had already written many articles and reviews about the musical scene in Leeds,but meeting Steve Phillips had been a curious coincidence, because Mark's boss name was also Steve Phillips. During the years, some misunderstanding came out, and in some unauthorized biographies about Steve Phillips (the musician) someone said that the same Steve Phillips also worked as a journalist. Obviously, it was just a case of homonymy with Mark's chief. Pursuant to the story, Mark and his chief Stephen Phillips went to see Steve Phillps playing in Leeds, and when he wrote a review about this event, the first words in his article were "Steve Phillips meets Steve Phillips"

Steve and Mark find to have much in common on a musical point of view, and then they create a duo called The Duolian String Pickers. In the daytime Mark keeps working as a journalist and studying at the university, while Steve works as renovator of paintings and furniture in the City Art Gallery and in the Temple Newsam House of Leeds. They play together for five years, and some of their jobs of that period are collected in 1996 Steve's album"Just Pickin'". "He was a good guitarist", ironically says Steve about the young Knopfler, "He was in a B.B.King way". Steve introduces Mark to Lonnie Johnson's blues guitarist technique and to the thin harmonies of the country guitar, parts that Mark starts to melt in his/her executive style. This has been in fact a very important phase in the Mark's progression as a guitarist. And in this period, while living in Leeds, that Mark makes his first record. Recorded in a room turned in a studio in the Pudsey, the single is Summer's Coming My Way, and it is characterized by the presence of Steve Phillips on the twelve strings guitar. The other musicians taking part to this very first and rare recording are Dave Johnson (bass guitar) and Paul Granger (percussions). Johnson, Granger, and the singer Mick Dewhirst will play with Mark in a called group Silverheels.

After graduating in Leeds University, in 1973, Mark goes to London to succeed in the music scene of that period. He replies to many press announcements and finally he gets a great chance: he overcomes an audition and he plays for three months with a blues band called Brewer's Droop (see picture)

He records his guitar parts in three songs at the Dave Edmunds Rockfield Studios in Wales.

The band's drummer is Pick Withers, who became a professional when he was 17, and very experienced at that age. When he left Brewer's Droop, Mark gets a job as a teacher at the Loughton College in Essex, where he remains for two years, living in a rent house in Buckhurst Hill, giving, sometimes, guitar lessons in a local school, The Staples Road School in Essex.

Later, his brother David joins him to stay in London for a couple of weeks. At that time, the Knopfler brothers stay up late to practice some songs. Unconsciously, the lay the foundation of those who later will be known as Dire Straits. In the mid 70s David moves to London, while Mark creates a band with his friends from Loughton College, the Café Racers (see picture).

David takes a flat at Farrer House in Deptford Crossfield Estate, in the south-east of London, with a bass player named John Illsley. John reminds his first meeting with Mark: "I had been out all night and it was about 10 o'clock in the morning. I went in the kitchen and I prepared myself a cup of tea, then i went in the living room and I found a guy lying down on the floor with his head laid on a chair. He was sleeping, dressing jeans and leather boots with a guitar laying on his belly" David often talked to John about his brother, and John quickly realizes that the guy sleeping on the floor was Mark Knopfler. It didn't take a long time before John finds himself again on the stage with Mark. Before a performance, Café Racers bass player got sick, and John replaced him.

Mark and John immediately create a great harmony, and they start a profitable work relationship. They both realize that the Cafés Racers have limited outlooks. In April of 1977 Mark leaves his apartment in Buckhurst Hill and moves to David and John.

Mark and John in front of the Farrer House,where they shared,in 1977,an apartment with David.

The memorial plaque of their first concert together,

also visible in the first picture, placed on the 3rd of December of 2009 by the Performing Right Society (PRS)

to celebrate Mark's, David's, John's and Pick's first concert.

A very rare picture of that first concert,held in front of the Farrer House for a patronal feast

During the introduction ceremony,Mark reminds:"that was my bedroom,and from there,through the window and the rear balcony, we made a cable run to the stage on the road to bring electricity to the instruments, while John waited for some people to come". David reminds that on that day,the 9th ofJuly,1977,the played for one hour in front of 200 people.Pictures taken in the site"oneverybootleg.nl"

John soon realizes about Mark's great talent, both as a guitar virtuoso and composer. During the summer of 1977, David, John and Mark often reunite to practice Mark's songs. But something is still missing: a drummer. Reminding of his short experience with Brewer's Droop, Mark thinks he knows the right drummer for the kind of music they're developing. Since 1973 he was impressed by Pick Withers, so he decides to invite him at Farrer House. Withers accepts and he soon works well together with the four musicians, so they start having concerts under the name of Mark's old band, Café Racers. John remembers: "playing with Pick Withers was great, I never played with anyone that good". Later, a friend of Pick's will suggest a new name for the band: Dire Straits, because of the serious economic problems that Mark and his partners had in that period. Now, everything is ready for the beginning of this new adventure.

In the picture, Dire Straits final formation in 1977

Hard rehearsal session and live concert will come after. The band moves by John's car, a station-wagon hardly containing the band's equipment in its luggage compartment. Payments are enough to have just a beer at the end of the performance. On the 27th of July of 1977, Dire Straits record the already known 5 demos, that will be included in their first album: Wild West End, Sultans Of Swing, Down To The Waterline, Sacred Loving and Water Of Love.The necessary money to record the tracks and rent the studios had been borrowed from friends and other acquaintances. In October (maybe earlier), they record Southbound Again, In The Gallery and Six Blade Knife for the BBC, and finally,on the 9th of November, they complete the demos with Setting Me Up, Eastbound Train and Real Girl. The most part of these songs are inspired by Mark's experiences in Newcastle, Leeds and London, and they will be included in Dire Straits' first album. "Southbound Again", for example, is a very introspective and autobiographical song. The main character of this song is forced to move many times towards south, just like Mark Knopfler did, when he moved from Glasgow to Blyth when he was a kid, then to Leeds to study and to work, and then to London to follow his ambitions as a musician. "Down To The Waterline"is about his memories of his life in Newcastle. "In The Gallery"is a homage for the sculptor Harry Phillips (Steve's father), ignored by the critics while he was alive, and then hypocritically recognized and reevaluated after his death. "Lions", "Wild West End" and "Eastbound Train"were written during Mark's first days in the english capital. These pieces achieve great success, also thanks to the great respect that a famous radio deejay had for Mark, such Charlie Gillett,who made the notes of "Sultans Of Swing" sound over and over again. After two months, Dire Straits sign a contract with Phonogram. In a while, the first album, entitled like the band's name, is produced and will have a good commercial achievement (12 million copies sold), in spite of its subtle and elegant textures, less aggressive than the punk trends of those years. The album is at the first place in France and Australia, second in the Usa and fifth in England. Mark uses two Fender Stratocasters (one of '61, the other of '62) a Fender Telecaster Thinline and an acoustic guitar to record the album.

In the picture, the album's cover and two pictures of Charlie Gillett (a vintage one and a current one)

Two men will be essential to launch this new band in this period: John Stainze and Ed Bicknell. John Stainz is a man from Phonogram and he is the first who listens to the demos recommended by Charlie Gillett (they say he was showering when he listened to "Sultans Of Swing" for the first time) and he contacts Ed Bicknell to be invited to meet the new band and arrange some concerts. But Ed Bicknell doesn't know Mark, and John prepares for a meeting at Dingwalls Club, in northern London. It's the 13th of December, 1977. Ed remembers: "They were playing "Down To The Waterline".The first thing I noticed is that there was no need to stay in the bottom of the room to protect ears from the high volume.They were very relaxed,moments earlier i listened to the Ramones,and they were really deafening.The second thing I noticed was the red Stratocaster that mark was playing.It made me immediately think about Hank Marvin, my idol in the '60s". After listening to 2 or 3 songs, Ed decides to manage the band, and he will be Dire Straits manager until their break-up in 1995. Furthermore, he will play the drums with Notting Hillbillies in 1990's album "Missing....Presumed Having A good Time".

In the picture, Dire Straits final formation in 1997 and Ed Bicknell

In the following year, Dire Straits arrange their first series of concerts in North America. Tickets are sold-out, and it is a great success of sales and audiences. Mark and his partners perform in front of millions of people in just 38 days. Bob Dylan is present at Los Angeles performance, and he is so impressed to invite Mark and Pick to play in some tracks of his album "Slow Train Coming". On December of 1978, the recording sessions of the new album "Communiqué" get started at the Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas. The album is distributed in June of 1979. It reaches the top of the sales charts in Germany, and the third place in England. This album, carried by the singles "Lady Writer" and "Once Upon A Time In The West", sells more than 7 million copies all over the world, whereof 3,6 million in Europe, and will be awarded twice with the platinum record in France and Canada and three times in Switzerland. The cover (picture) was created by an advertisement agency that worked for Phonogram, the Grant UK advertising. The basic idea was a success and is judged as the best of the year at the NME awards of 1979. The album's first track, "Once Upon A Time In The West" is a disapproval to violence and to modern society's moral deterioration. The main character in"News" is an independent and charismatic man, leading an unscrupolous existence until he will die in a car accident. This song is dedicated to former member of Beatles, John Lennon. The other tracks will also achieve a great success and are very requested in the live concerts. This albums confirm Knopfler's elegant and lyrical composing style.

But something is starting to turn in the band,and the following year will bring deep chages both in the line-up and in the musical style.

Communiquè

Making Movies is the band's third recording, and it will be published on the 17th of October in 1980. Produced by Mark Knopfler himself, together with Jimmy Iovine, recorded in New York, where Mark will move those years. This album marks an important transition: the songwriting show jazz, blues, country and folk influences, as well as a strong and elaborate rock mark, as in "Solid Rock" (which will be part of the live concerts schedule). The arrangements include, for the first time, keyboards, played by Roy Bittan of the E-Street Band. Lyrics were more polished, with a more narrative mark, like short romances in music. One of the most meaningful example is "Tunnel Of Love", the album's opening track. However, the album's most famous song is "Romeo And Juliet", a song about lost and non-returned love, which received great admiration by many musicians and singers-songwriters. "Making Movies" also upholds the artistic separation between the Knopfler brothers.In clear disagreement with the rest of the band about the guitar parts and about the less democratic balance, David leaves the project during the recording sessions. In an interview given to an italian weekly magazine, he said: "I was at break point, the stress reached a limit who blocked me from continuing. The experiences you make in your youth help you to follow a dream, to live an adventure, along with other mates. And when you realize that you are no longer doing what you dreamed of, it's time to change. I felt like being in the middle of another person, not in the one I was following. I just wanted to be a guitarist who writes songs. Just this".

In the following years, the relations between the two brothers were more nervous. They didn't talk to each other,not even on their father's funeral. A problem about unpaid rights to David made the hatred between the brothers grow (some say it was Ed Bicknell's responsibility). David will try to talk to Mark and John hundreds of times, but he will never receive any answer.

Resuming the story, the "On Location World Tour" will lead Dire Straits to Australia and New Zealand for the first time. David Knopfler had been replaced by the english-californian guitarist Hal Lindes, who joined the band with the keyboard player Alan Clark. The tour ends on July the 6th, 1981 in Luxembourg, after 115 shows.

In the picture,two snapshots taken from1980 concerts.

(In the second,the new guitarist,Hal Lindes) and the new album's cover.

The following album is "Love Over Gold", published on September the 20th, 1982. Mark Knopfler is the only responsible for the artistic production and introduces a new and experimental work, including only five songs enriched with long instrumental passages. This publication alternates complex arrangements with many rhythm and instrument changes as in "Telegraph Road" to more deep and introspective songs as "Private Investigations". Despite the work's originality, the album meets the appreciation of the community, and sells 4,5 million copies all over Europe.

"Industrial Disease"is a severe disapproval of the capitalistic society, subject faced furthermore in "Telegraph Road". The song "Private Dancer", discarded from the record because more appropriate for a female voice, will be chosen by Tina Turner as title-track for his album of 1984, which would have been the American singer's most successful work.

After the recording of "Love Over Gold", Pick Withers leaves the band for family reasons and he is replaced by Terry Willams, former member of Man and Rockpile. The publication of the Ep"Extendedance Play" (January 1983) is followed by a world tour that will reach the top in the double album "Alchemy: Dire Straits Live" (March 1984), very appreciated by the fans. Differently from the most part of the live records, "Alchemy" will be published without any overdub or studio adjustments to keep the simplicity of the recording. In the first half of the 80s, Mark will dedicate a part of his energies on some projects that will deeply influence his artistic path. On summer of 1982, working on the movie's location, Mark composes the soundtrack for "Local Hero", where Celtic bloodlines will clearly emerge. Two different versions of the main theme, "Going Home" and "Wild Theme", will be part of Dire Straits'repertoire. In the same period, Knopfler will give his contribution to the world of movies, making the musics for the feature-films "Cal"and "Comfort And Joy". The most symbolic pieces of this period are "Boomtown (Variation Louis'Favourite)", "Irish Boy", "Father And Son" and "The Long Road". Being very valued both as a guitarist and as artistic producer, Dire Straits' leader works together with Aztec Camera, Phil Everly, Van Morrison and Philip Lynott. Even his friendship with Bob Dylan has a sequel: the acclaimed american artist, in search of an experienced producer for the album"Infidels", prefers Knopfler to other candidates as David Bowie, Elvis Costello and Frank Zappa. In the meantime, he takes part to his brother's David album"Release"and will marry, in his second marriage, Lourdes Salomone, who will give him two twin brothers.

In the picture,Love Over Gold's cover

and Mark with his wife Lourdes Salomone

Mark will collect prizes and rewards all over the world. In 1982 Dire Straits win the Brit Awards as the best English band, and in the same year (21st of october) Mark takes part in the"Gala Mister Fantasy" in Rome, where the italian fans will give him a passionate ovation, and where he receives an award for Dire Straits.

The band starts a series of concerts all over the world. The first date is in Sheffield's City Hall, on the 1st of December, 1982 (of which we can find a double-cd recording and 15 tracks). The band holds many unforgettable concerts in Melbourne, Australia, in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, in Europe's main capitals and in Italy (Novara, Ferrara, Prato, Roma and Cava Dei Tirreni). The last famous performance is held in London's Hammersmith, where, in a two days sold-out concert, they record the album Alchemy Live.

Meanwhile, Marks starts working on the next album and prepares a memorable collaboration. On the 13th of July, 1985, while Dire Straits are on tour for the album "Brothers In Arms", Bob Geldof organizes a huge event, the"Live Aid", with the best musicians and performers of the world, in favour of the Ethiopian population damaged by a severe famine. This concert will go down to history for the high level of the musicians performing on the stage. Queen's performance will be remembered as the band's best ever. Dire Straits perform at 18.00,after U2 and Beach Boys and play "Sultans Of Swing" and "Money For Nothing" with Sting (coauthor of the song and in the event's pictures), then they leave the parking and get ready for their tour's concert, held in London on that very night).

The tour for the launch of the fifth album, "Brothers In Arms" will be even grander. The album, recorded in London and New York, is one of the first albums to be published in a "Cd" format (and obviously in vinyl), and it will be sold beyond every expectation: 35 million copies, 73 times(!) awarded with the platinum record, one of the most sold ever.

Dire Straits are first in every sale ranking. This record shows several different tracks, some rhythmical and easily listenable as "Walk Of Life"and"Money For Nothing" (sung by Mark along with Sting) and some others with complex and deep lyrics as "Brothers In Arms". The anti-militarism subject emerges in three songs: "Ride Across The River", "The Man's Too Strong" and the same"Brothers In Arms". Mark's compositional versatility strongly marks this album, creating incredibly different atmospheres. This heterogeneity will be the key to the record's success and will consecrate Mark as one of the most celebrated composers and performers in the world's rock overview. Dire Straits launch the album with a one year lasting tour, from the 25th of August 1985 to the the 26th of April of the following year, concluding with a sequence of sold-out concerts in Sydney.

Dire Straits will hold 234 concerts in 12 months, many of which in America, in front of 2,5 million spectators. This tour would have been a hard test, because it came immediately after the previous and equally hard "Love Over Gold" tour. When the tour is over, Mark feels the need to get back to his roots, so he gets again in touch with Steve Phillips, with whom he worked together when he was in Leeds. In 1986, Mark tells Steve about playing together again, so, on the 31st of May, 1986, they perform together in Hunslet's Grove Pub,in Leeds. Mark feels enthusiastic about this return to the origins, and the following year he produces Steve's new album, who will suggest to record a new one along with Brendan Croker. Mark accepts, and asks Guy Fletcher to collaborate to the recordings. A new band, the "Notting Hillbillies" is born, with manager Ed Bicknell as drummer. Some say that during a dinner in a wine bar in Notting Hill,mark sat next to Ed Bicknell and said: "Ok Ed, we have a new band, and you are the drummer". The formation will be completed with Paul Franklin on the pedal-steel guitar. Another long tour, to promote the publication of the album "Missing....presumed having a good time" will follow, and the record will be awarded more than once with the platinum. 1990 is the year of Mark's desired collaboration with Chet Atkins.

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