# Thoroughly enjoyed this (Mark Knopfler)... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2017, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700 "2017-04-18T13:42:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/21 "2017-04-19T22:54:14Z")
I became a fan when I heard [_Skateaway_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQBKUPwG_Gk). The song, like much of Knopfler’s work is both subtle and sublime, both mundane and majestic; I was hooked almost from the first drum lick. I am another who wore out a copy of _Alchemy_ back in the '80s. Thankfully I now have it on CD and ripped them all to mp3s years ago. It’s still one of the 3 or 4 best live rock albums, IMO. Not only have the songs held up but the band is so tight and so proficient that the performances on _Alchemy_ hold up even more than 30 years later. Knopfler’s guitar work is always superb. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/22 "2017-04-20T00:11:20Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Since I participated in her christening\*, I like to check in 😉 She sends her best. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/23 "2017-04-20T00:13:32Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I became a fan when I heard [_Skateaway_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQBKUPwG_Gk). The song, like much of Knopfler’s work is both subtle and sublime, both mundane and majestic; I was hooked almost from the first drum lick. That’s also my favorite “lesser known” Dire Straits song. _Making Movies_ was the one of their albums I heard relatively late, and I instantly liked _Skateaway_, such a clever and slick song I had and still never have heard on the radio, and that’s a loss to all radio listeners. Almost the whole album is superb, never mind _Les Boys_… ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/24 "2017-04-20T01:03:33Z")
Hanging out with my neighbor one night, listening to tunes, he puts on a track I never heard before and asks me with a hint of arrogance, “Who is this?” Like, I SHOULD know but I’ll never get it right. I close my eyes during the guitar work and I get this feeling deep inside of my chest. Beauty. The sublime. There’s only one guitarist who makes me feel this way. “Mark Knopfler” I say, to the shock of my neighbor. The song was “Boom Like That”. Turns out, my neighbor loves Knopfler, but never listened to Dire Straits! So he introduces me to the solo work, and I introduce him to the Dire Straits albums, and we live happily ever after. I really hope I get to see Knopfler live one day. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/25 "2017-04-20T01:47:15Z")
For fans of Knopfler and guitar buffs generally this is a terrific piece: [Guitar Stories: Mark Knopfler on the Six Guitars That Shaped His Career](http://www.openculture.com/2013/07/guitar-stories-mark-knopfler-on-the-six-guitars-that-shaped-his-career.html). It is a Sky Arts television channel program hosted by Knopfler’s friend and co-founder of Dire Straits, bassist John Illsley. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/26 "2017-04-20T09:58:38Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > For fans of Knopfler and guitar buffs generally this is a terrific piece: [Guitar Stories: Mark Knopfler on the Six Guitars That Shaped His Career](http://www.openculture.com/2013/07/guitar-stories-mark-knopfler-on-the-six-guitars-that-shaped-his-career.html). It is a Sky Arts television channel program hosted by Knopfler’s friend and co-founder of Dire Straits, bassist John Illsley. Oh yeah, that’s a good one if its what I recall. Is that the one where, at one point, he’s playing a sunburst Gibson Dreadnaught? He’s showing how he developed his fingerstyle and got his thumb working independently? Really good stuff from an inside baseball standpoint. And that guitar is a mid-1930’s Gibson Advanced Jumbo, probably an $85,000 guitar. I’ve played a couple. Fun. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/27 "2017-04-20T10:07:56Z")
By the way, regarding comments on Knopfler’s expressiveness. First of all: yes! Second of all, I really see it originating due to his not using a pick. Obviously for his chord work played that way - you can communicate so much more when you can use fingers for multiple lines, and thumb for counterpoint bass. But when you play lead lines without a pick while playing stuff that would normally be done with a pick, it really changes things up. Not only is the point of string attack a softer, rounder fleshier thing (MK = no nails), but you really think differently when doing it that way. It slows you down because you don’t have a pick’s up-and-down available the same way, but that softer attack is something that sounds so good when used melodically. Add a songwriter’s sensibility and yay. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/28 "2017-04-20T12:48:23Z")
> [@ashtayk](#): > > I chanced upon a live concert of Eric Clapton playing with Derek Trucks. Then JJ Cake joined them for a bit. And then I remembered how much of Knopfler’s playing sounds like Cale’s. I dimly recall reading something about the influence he had on Knopfler. By the way, as a bit of JJ Cale guitar trivia, have you ever looked at his main guitar? The thing is a proper dog’s breakfast ;), a mishmash from the island of Lost Toys: [http://www.americanstandardtime.com/j-j-cales-fifty-dollar-guitar/](http://www.americanstandardtime.com/j-j-cales-fifty-dollar-guitar/) ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/29 "2017-04-20T16:12:44Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > I really hope I get to see Knopfler live one day. I saw him when he was on tour with Dylan a few years ago and Knopfler was amazing. Not only his and the band’s playing, but one of the best live band sounds I’ve heard in an indoor concert. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2017, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/30 "2017-04-21T10:08:39Z")
I’m a really big MK fan, and managed to catch him live a few years back in Birmingham (UK) - I was not disappointed. In addition to the great guitar work, I just love the observational nature of some of his lyrics. I also really love it when I hear some Bob Dylan vocals and sitting underneath is some slick Knopfler guitar - MK played on the Dylan album _Slow Train Coming_. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2017, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/31 "2017-04-21T11:42:17Z")
> [@si\_blakely](#): > > I’m a really big MK fan, and managed to catch him live a few years back in Birmingham (UK) - I was not disappointed. > > In addition to the great guitar work, I just love the observational nature of some of his lyrics. > > I also really love it when I hear some Bob Dylan vocals and sitting underneath is some slick Knopfler guitar - MK played on the Dylan album _Slow Train Coming_. Also on “Infidels“, which he also produced, alongside Mick Taylor and Sly & Robbie. Dream band… ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2017, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/32 "2017-04-21T13:38:05Z")
best line ever - “[Pretty good, but you are no Mark Knopfler](https://youtu.be/tIKt_WQHia8)” (YouTube) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/33 "2017-04-21T18:52:29Z")
The man has great taste in automobiles, as well. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2017, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/34 "2017-04-21T19:58:39Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > The man has great taste in automobiles, as well. I just thought I had a déjà vu, but then I remembered: > [@J Geils has passed away](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/j-geils-has-passed-away/784277/39): > > Had damn fine taste in automobiles. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/35 "2017-04-24T03:19:19Z")
> [@si\_blakely](#): > > In addition to the great guitar work, I just love the observational nature of some of his lyrics. As a long term fan I lack any form of objectivity whatsoever, but I think his observational lyrics are second to none. He lectured in English and he worked as a journalist for a time, and I think it shows. I don’t know where he gets most of his material (sometimes it’s known and obvious) but to me his ability to write credibly from the point of view of all walks of life is superb. Everything from a biker to a hill farmer to a an exhibitionistic girl on skates. Of course he got into trouble over this with “Money for Nothing” when he wrote from the point of a meat-headed delivery guy, but that seemed unfair to me. I heard a comment about “5.15am” from someone who grew up in the area of the incident in question to the effect that the tone and language perfectly encapsulated local feeling at the time. Some of it is from reading particular books eg “Boom, Like That” and “Sailing to Philadelphia”. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/36 "2017-05-07T22:46:18Z")
Knopfler on guitars: [Mark Knopfler talking about guitars | The Gear Page](https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/mark-knopfler-talking-about-guitars.1824874/) Really cool. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/37 "2017-05-08T00:06:59Z")
It’s funny, I heard his work in a theater… the soundtrack to **Local Hero.** Beautiful, haunting movie, thanks in a large part to Mr. Knopfler’s celtic-infused guitar work. He somehow had the ability to make an electric guitar strike the same emotional chords as an acoustic. To this day, I don’t think I’ve ever owned a Walkman or an iPod or a phone that didn’t have _“Wild Theme”_ on it. Do give a listen, when things have quieted down for the night… [From the original soundtrack (with scenes from the movie).](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NBnBEux1-w) [Here it is live.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u6Hf5eY3qA) [And here it is](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS6rizlh710) oddly enough in a stadium of screaming kids (but you get some “camera on the neck of the guitar” shots, so I included it here). ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/38 "2017-05-08T00:15:33Z")
Great clip! I especially liked the video editing, where they cut to the drummer just for one, critical beat leading into the next phrase. So often quick cuts have no relevance to the music, but I think the editor was a musician here! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/39 "2017-05-08T03:35:02Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Knopfler on guitars: [Mark Knopfler talking about guitars | The Gear Page](https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/mark-knopfler-talking-about-guitars.1824874/) > > Really cool. What sort of pedal was he using for that fade-in effect? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700/40 "2017-05-08T05:21:43Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Dude can play. What a missed opportunity for a “Yeah, the boy can play”😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thoroughly-enjoyed-this-mark-knopfler/784700.md?page=3)