Dire Straits Appreciation Thread

[Mirrorball95]

Originally Posted by toretorden

I really like Knopfler's laid-back guitar style, he really makes playing look easy sometimes. He's got some good solo albums too. "Sailing to Philadelphia" from 2000 is really good.

Here's a funny vid I found of them performing Sultans of Swing on some TV show in 1979. It's a live performance, but the sound isn't well synched. Mark sure looks scruffy. Someone buy that poor man a meal!

Yeah well it doesnt always have to be 'in your face' as they say, I suppose.
Ive just bought the 'Sailing To Philadelphia' album and its the third album of his solo works Ive bought before Ive been really impressed. (I first bought 'Golden Heart' & then 'Ragpicker's Dream')

[The Cat]

Dire Straits are one of my favorite all time bands and i have been a huge fan for years, it is one of my greatest regrets that i have never seen them live. IMO they have not made a bad album...All Dire Straits albums are created equal authough some are more equal than others! unfortunatly i must agree that Brothers in Arms their weakest album, but its still a great album and made at the peak of their career and there is a unfortunate trend for people to dislike a bands most popular album, i think Boo Boo made this comment on the Chili Peppers thread...and i'm not pointing fingers at anyone here!
Making Movies is my favorite album with the classic Romeo & Juliet a song writing truimph! Tunnel of Love though being the stand out track and its also probably my favorite track of all time. The self titled debut is also supurb with the defining Sultans of Swing.
Any fans out there should check this out recorded in 1979 it shows their raw talent IMO its as good a live album as Alchemy, which does include Telegraph Road which i think is one of the greatest live tracks ever.

[Mirrorball95]

Originally Posted by The Cat

Dire Straits are one of my favorite all time bands and i have been a huge fan for years, it is one of my greatest regrets that i have never seen them live. IMO they have not made a bad album...All Dire Straits albums are created equal authough some are more equal than others! unfortunatly i must agree that Brothers in Arms their weakest album, but its still a great album and made at the peak of their career and there is a unfortunate trend for people to dislike a bands most popular album, i think Boo Boo made this comment on the Chili Peppers thread...and i'm not pointing fingers at anyone here!
Making Movies is my favorite album with the classic Romeo & Juliet a song writing truimph! Tunnel of Love though being the stand out track and its also probably my favorite track of all time. The self titled debut is also supurb with the defining Sultans of Swing.
Any fans out there should check this out recorded in 1979 it shows their raw talent IMO its as good a live album as Alchemy, which does include Telegraph Road which i think is one of the greatest live tracks ever.

Alright man, cool I checked out that 'Live In Germany' album you mentioned I might get it, only thing is its about a tenner on amazon lol; but if its as good as your saying.

Also I find it interesting that Making Movies is your favourite album as along with 'Communique' its one of the two albums of Dire Straits which i havent got.
As for 'Tunnel Of Love' its one of my favourite Dire Straits tracks and the outro at the end is just beautiful.
So what do you think of the other albums?
My favourite is 'On Every Street'. Most of my favourite Dire Straits songs are on that album- 'Calling Elvis', 'On Every Street' -another beautiful track,
'You & Your Friend', 'When It Comes To You', 'Iron Hand',
'Ticket To Heaven' , 'Planet Of New Orleans', 'Fade To Black'.

I also love how on Mark Knopfler's folk side comes out on 'Iron Hand'.
Also there is a track on the album which kind of has a slight jazzy feel to it but cant remember which one. Anybody?
I love this album simply because of the array of different styles explored on the album.

As for Mark Knopfler's solo works, have your heard an album called 'Sailing To Philadelphia (2000)', its the third album Ive bought of his solo works and the first time I've been overly impressed (firstly bought 'Golden Heart' & 'Ragpicker's Dream' to little satisfaction).
Heres some beautiful lyrics from a track off 'On Every Street' (see if you can guess which one). The piano work on this song is really nice.

I can see what you're looking to find
In the smile on my face
In my peace of mind
In my state of grace
I send what I can
To the man from the ministry
He's a part of heaven's plan
And he talks to me

Now I send what I can to the man
With the diamond ring
He's a part of heaven's plan
And he sure can sing
Now it's all I can afford
But the lord has sent me eternity
It's to save the little children
In a poor country

I got my ticket to heaven
And everlasting life
I got a ride all the way to paradise
I got my ticket to heaven
And everlasting life
All the way to paradise

Now there's nothing left for luxuries
Nothing left to pay my heating bill
But the good lord will provide
I know he will
So send what you can
To the man with the diamond ring
They're tuning in across the land
To hear him sing

I got my ticket to heaven
And everlasting life
I got a ride all the way to paradise
I got my ticket to heaven
And everlasting life
All the way to paradise

[Comus]

Originally Posted by Mirrorball95

You did a 1001 albums list? How long did that take you lol
Yeah I agree it is definitely the most consistent by them.
I would have said 'On Every Street' if it wasnt for the couple of filler tracks on the album...

http://www.musicbanter.com/general-m...e-you-die.html

I only just started it. Expected to finish it sometime early 2010.

[Mirrorball95]

Originally Posted by Comus

http://www.musicbanter.com/general-m...e-you-die.html

I only just started it. Expected to finish it sometime early 2010.

Jesus man youre ambitious, I had a quick look.
I noticed Pearl Jam's 'Vitalogy' which is one of my personal favourites of their's (probably 2nd after 'Yield').
Have you ever had the actual cd, its like a book and has lots of weird shiit inside like :
"We know little of the life of early mankind, but we are reasonably sure that some lived to be 500 & up to 900 years of age".
It also has this mad index at the back where if you go to "Itching(Private Parts)" it has this big picture of a beetle lol.

I actually think its linked to the songs in some way as there is actually one of the songs is called 'Bug'. Perhaps similar idea to Paul Weller's '22 Dreams' (if you've read the booklet(s)).

By the way I actually have a book called 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, but what i found when i bought it was that not only were there a lot of albums I owned in it, there were also a lot of albums that weren't in it that I would have liked in it.
In that book is where I first read about the likes of Sonic Youth & others I cant remember right now.

[The Cat]

On Every Street is a very good album and the title track is beautiful, get hold of the sultans of swing DVD it has a fantastic version of On Every Street blows me away every time i watch it.
Communique is also good but not as good as some of the others. Love Over Gold would be another top pick, industrial disease is a great fun track and the original version of Telegraph Road but IMO its not as good as the live version which is so full of energy, also contains the amazing private investigations which you have to play...........4 mins 56 seconds one of the greatest guitar flares ever!!!!!

[Mirrorball95]

Originally Posted by The Cat

On Every Street is a very good album and the title track is beautiful, get hold of the sultans of swing DVD it has a fantastic version of On Every Street blows me away every time i watch it.
Communique is also good but not as good as some of the others. Love Over Gold would be another top pick, industrial disease is a great fun track and the original version of Telegraph Road but IMO its not as good as the live version which is so full of energy, also contains the amazing private investigations which you have to play...........4 mins 56 seconds one of the greatest guitar flares ever!!!!!

Yeah, I've searched on Youtube and seen some pretty cool videos.
Ive just purchased a live album from the 'On Every Street' period called
'On The Night'.

[The Cat]

Originally Posted by Mirrorball95

Yeah, I've searched on Youtube and seen some pretty cool videos.
Ive just purchased a live album from the 'On Every Street' period called
'On The Night'.

On the Night is a good live album awesome version of On Every Street, but if you don't have it Alchemy is a better live album.

[Comus]

OTT:

Originally Posted by Mirrorball95

By the way I actually have a book called 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, but what i found when i bought it was that not only were there a lot of albums I owned in it, there were also a lot of albums that weren't in it that I would have liked in it.
In that book is where I first read about the likes of Sonic Youth & others I cant remember right now.

The book is the whole reason why, I read the list and I was appalled at how lazy they were, so for my list I'm not including any albums from the list, and only one album per band. Unlike their list which managed a whopping 7 entries for the beatles, and five for radiohead and many other artists, but left out some great albums.

[Mirrorball95]

Originally Posted by Comus

OTT:
The book is the whole reason why, I read the list and I was appalled at how lazy they were, so for my list I'm not including any albums from the list, and only one album per band. Unlike their list which managed a whopping 7 entries for the beatles, and five for radiohead and many other artists, but left out some great albums.

Yeah, I was particularly appalled when they didnt include Neil Young & Crazy Horse's 'Sleeps With Angels' album which is one of the best albums ive heard in my life!
Suppose you cant please everyone.
Also there was a lot of crap is that book such as Britney Spears & co.
By the way which version do you have, I think mines is a remastered version from 2005 or something (has a pink cover & author listed is 'Robert Dimery')