Mark Knopfler

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Mark Knopfler
Background information
Born	August 12, 1949 (1949-08-12) (age 58) in Glasgow, Scotland
Origin	Newcastle, England
Genre(s)	Rock, Celtic rock, Country, Blues
Instrument(s)	Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, classical guitar, vocals
Years active	1965[1]–present
Label(s)	Vertigo, Mercury, Warner
Associated acts	Dire Straits, The Notting Hillbillies
Website	MarkKnopfler.com
Notable instrument(s)
Fender Stratocaster

Mark Freuder Knopfler OBE (born August 12, 1949, Glasgow, Scotland) is a British guitarist, singer, songwriter, and film score composer.

Knopfler was originally best-known as the lead guitarist and vocalist for the English rock band, Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977 with his brother David. Following the dissolution of Dire Straits in 1995, Knopfler has continued to record and produce albums as a solo artist, under his own name. Occasionally, Knopfler has played in other groups, such as the The Notting Hillbillies; as well, he has guested on works by other artists, including Bob Dylan, Bryan Ferry, Eric Clapton, John Fogerty, Jools Holland, Steely Dan, Emmylou Harris and Chet Atkins. He has produced albums for artists such as Tina Turner, Randy Newman and Bob Dylan. In addition, he has scored the music to several films, including Local Hero, Cal, Last Exit to Brooklyn, Wag the Dog, and Rob Reiner's classic, The Princess Bride.^[2]

He is one of the most respected fingerstyle guitarists of the modern rock era. Knopfler was ranked #27 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".^[3]

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early days 1.2 The Dire Straits years 1.3 Solo career 2 Musical style 3 Live performance 4 Awards and acclaim 5 Knopfler's influence 6 Discography 6.1 With Dire Straits 6.2 Solo albums 6.3 Soundtrack albums 6.4 Other albums 6.5 Producer 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early days

Mark Knopfler was born to an English mother and Hungarian Jewish father, who was an architect whose communist sympathies forced him to flee the fascist regime of his native Hungary. The family first moved to Scotland, but then settled in Knopfler's mother's home town of Newcastle upon Tyne in the north-east of England when he was nine years old. There, he and his younger brother David (also a musician) attended Gosforth Grammar School, where he was inspired by his uncle Kingsley's harmonica and boogie-woogie piano playing. Later, in his teens, he wanted to buy an expensive flamingo-pink Fender Stratocaster just like Hank Marvin's, but had to settle for a £50 twin pickup Höfner Super Solid.^[4] Like many other schoolboys of the 1960s, he served an early apprenticeship by forming and joining anonymous schoolboy bands and listening to singers like Elvis Presley and guitarists Chet Atkins, Scotty Moore, Jimi Hendrix, Django Reinhardt and James Burton. At sixteen he made a local TV appearance as half of a harmony duo along with a friend from school named Sue Hercombe.^[4]

In 1967, having displayed a flair for English,^[4] Knopfler studied journalism for a year at Harlow Technical College.^[5] At the end of the course he secured a job in Leeds as a junior reporter on the Yorkshire Evening Post.^[6] Two years later, he decided to further his studies and graduated with a degree in English at the University of Leeds.^[7] He worked as a lecturer at Loughton College during this period. It was while Knopfler was living in Leeds that he married Kathy White, his long-time girlfriend from school days; however, the marriage didn't last.^[4]

After separating from his wife, he moved to London and joined a High Wycombe-based band called Brewers Droop, appearing on the album "The Booze Brothers". One night while spending some time with friends, the only guitar available was an old acoustic with a badly warped neck that had been strung with extra-light strings to make it playable. Even so, he found it impossible to play unless he finger-picked it. He said in a later interview, "That was where I found my 'voice' on guitar." Soon after he recorded a "demo" tape of an original (but unreleased) song; "Summer's Coming My Way", in a London studio.^[4]

[edit] The Dire Straits years

Main article: Dire Straits

Dire Straits' first sessions were done under the name of Dire Straits, with Knopfler's brother David writing and serving as front man on one of the five songs, with Pick Withers as drummer and John Illsley on bass guitar. Knopfler often wore a headband during performances.^[4]

Dire Straits recorded and released their first album, the self-titled Dire Straits in 1978 initially to little fanfare in the UK, but a single release, "Sultans of Swing" became a chart hit in Holland and album sales took off across Europe and then in the United States. The second album, Communiqué produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett, followed in 1979, reaching number one in Germany while the first album was still at number three. The band's third album, Making Movies, was released in 1980 and marked a move towards more complex arrangements and production which continued for the remainder of the group's career. Making Movies was his most personal album, with the song "Romeo and Juliet", about a failed love affair becoming what critics call his best loved song; with a trademark he developed keeping personal songs under fictitious names.^[2]

In 1982 Dire Straits released their fourth album, Love Over Gold. which included "Telegraph Road," "Industrial Disease, and the #2 hit "Private Investigations". A world tour called Alchemy: Dire Straits Live followed in 1983. A double-LP of the recordings of two live shows in Hammersmith Odeon in London was released in March 1984 and sold over 500,000 albums.

At this time Mark Knopfler was also involved with other projects, including writing the music score for the film Local Hero, released in 1983. The soundtrack album Local Hero was a large success, and it was followed in 1984 by his scores for the films Cal and Comfort and Joy.

Knopfler married for the second time in November 1983, to Lourdes Salamone. Their twin sons, Benji and Joseph, were born in 1987.

Dire Straits' biggest studio album by far was their fifth, Brothers in Arms, released in 1985. It became an international hit and spawned several chart singles including the US number-one hit "Money for Nothing," which was the first video ever to be played on MTV in Britain. It was also the first compact disc to sell a million copies and is largely credited for launching the CD format. Other successful singles were "So Far Away", "Walk of Life", and the album's title track. The band's 1985–86 world tour of over 230^[4] shows was immensely successful.

After the Brothers in Arms tour Dire Straits went on a lengthy hiatus, with Knopfler concentrating mainly on film soundtracks. Knopfler joined the charity ensemble Ferry Aid on "Let It Be" in the wake of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster, which reached #1 on the UK singles chart in March 1987. Additionally in 1987, over a meal at a Notting Hill wine bar,^[4] Knopfler formed The Notting Hillbillies, a more country-focused band. Knopfler further emphasized his country music influences with his 1990s collaboration with Chet Atkins, Neck and Neck.

In 1988 Dire Straits regrouped for the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert at Wembley Stadium, in which they were the headline act and were accompanied by Elton John and Eric Clapton, who by this time had developed a strong friendship with Knopfler. 1990 saw the release of the Notting Hillbillies sole studio album, Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time. The line-up of that group featured Guy Fletcher. After touring with the Notting Hillbillies, Knopfler reformed Dire Straits. The band toured with Slowhand and Elton John during the Knebworth charity show the same year.

1991 saw the recording of what turned out to be the group's final studio album. On Every Street, which was released in September of that year, was an eagerly awaited release. However it was nowhere near as popular as Brothers in Arms and met with a mixed critical reaction, with some reviewers regarding the album as an underwhelming follow up to its predecessor. Nonetheless it sold well and reached #1 in the UK. A gruelling world tour to accompany the album followed, which lasted until the end of 1992. This was to be Dire Straits's final world tour; it was as much successful as the previous Brothers In Arms tour but Mark Knopler was tired and fed up with such massive operations. This ultimately drove the band into the ground.^[8]

Two live albums were released after On Every Street. Released in 1993, On The Night documented Dire Straits' final world tour. It was followed in 1995 by Live at the BBC, which was released as a contractual album for Vertigo Records just before Dire Straits' official disbanding.

There were frequent personnel changes within Dire Straits over the years, but Mark Knopfler was always the driving force behind the group. Knopfler's marriage to Lourdes Salamone ended in 1993.^[9] In 1995 he quietly laid Dire Straits to rest and launched his solo career. Keyboardist Guy Fletcher has been associated with almost every piece of Knopfler's solo material following Dire Straits' dissolution. Danny Cummings, the percussionist, also makes frequent appearances, including one on Knopfler's latest solo album.^[10]

[edit] Solo career

In 1996, the year after Dire Straits disbanded, Knopfler released his first solo album, Golden Heart. Formed during the Golden Heart sessions, the main line-up of his solo band, also known as "The 96'ers," has lasted much longer than any Dire Straits line-up.

Knopfler's third marriage to actress Kitty Aldridge^[11] has given him two daughters Isabella (born 1998) and Katya Ruby Rose (born 2003).^[12] The family currently lives in Chelsea.

In 1997 Knopfler recorded the soundtrack for the movie Wag the Dog. During that same year Rolling Stone magazine listed "Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll", which included "Sultans of Swing," Dire Straits' first hit. 2000 saw the release of Knopfler's next solo album, Sailing to Philadelphia.

In 2002 Mark Knopfler gave four charity concerts with former Dire Straits members John Illsley, Chris White, Danny Cummings and Guy Fletcher, playing old material from the Dire Straits years and also The Notting Hillbillies.

Also in 2002 Knopfler released his third solo album, The Ragpicker's Dream. A keen motorcyclist, Knopfler was involved in a motorbike crash in Grosvenor Road, Belgravia, in March 2003. He suffered a broken collarbone, broken shoulder blade and seven broken ribs.^[13] The planned Ragpicker's Dream tour was subsequently cancelled, but Knopfler recovered and was able to return to the stage in 2004 for his fourth album, Shangri-La.

Shangri-La was recorded at the Shangri-La Studio in Malibu, California in 2004, where The Band made recordings years before for their documentary/movie, The Last Waltz. In the promo for "Shangri-La" on his official website he said that his current line-up of Glenn Worf (bass), Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Chad Cromwell (drums), Richard Bennett (guitar) and Matt Rollings (piano) "play Dire Straits songs better than Dire Straits did." The "Shangri-La" tour took Mark to countries like India and the United Arab Emirates for the first time. In India, his concerts at Bombay and Bangalore were very well received, with over 20,000 fans gathering at each concert to listen to a legend many thought would never visit their country.

In November 2005 a third compilation, The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations was released, consisting of material from most of Dire Straits' studio albums and Knopfler's solo and soundtrack material. The album was made available in two editions: a single CD (with a grey cover) and also as double CD (with the cover in blue), and was well-received. The only previously unreleased track on the album is All The Roadrunning, a duet with with country music singer Emmylou Harris, which was followed in 2006 by an album of duets of the same name.

Released in April 2006, All the Roadrunning reached #1 in Denmark and Switzerland, #2 in Norway and Sweden, #3 in Germany, Holland and Italy, #8 in Austria and UK, #9 in Spain, #17 in the United States (Billboard Top 200 Chart), #25 in Ireland and #41 in Australia. All The Roadrunning was nominated for "Best Folk Rock/Americana Album" at the 49th Grammy Awards (February 11, 2007) but lost out to Bob Dylan's nomination for Modern Times.

Joined by Emmylou Harris, Knopfler supported All the Roadrunning with a successful world tour. Selections from the duo's June performance at the Gibson Ampitheatre were released as a CD/DVD package entitled Real Live Roadrunning on November 14, 2006. In addition to several of the compositions that Harris and Knopfler recorded together in the studio, Real Live Roadrunning features solo hits from both members of the duo, as well as three tracks from Knopfler's days with Dire Straits.

A charity event in 2007 went wrong. A Fender Stratocaster guitar signed by Knopfler, Clapton, Brian May, and Jimmy Page was to be auctioned for £20,000 (or $40,000) to raise the money for a children's hospice, was lost in the shipping of the instrument. It "vanished after being posted from London to Leicestershire, England." Parcelforce, the company responsible has agreed to pay $30,000 for its loss.^[14]

Knopfler released his fifth solo studio-album Kill to Get Crimson on September 14, 2007 in Germany, September 17 in the UK and September 18 in the United States. Besides the standard CD edition, a special "Deluxe Edition" with an extra DVD was also released.

Knopfler is in the midst of a world tour to support the album, starting in Europe before moving on to North America.

[edit] Musical style

Mark Knopfler is noted for being left-handed, but playing right-handed, and for fingerpicking (using a personal variant of the clawhammer) style instead of using a plectrum (i.e., "pick"); fingerpicking is usually associated with the acoustic guitar, but Knopfler usually (though not always) plays an electric guitar.

Knopfler revealed during a French interview that he uses a pick for his rhythm work during recording sessions. Knopfler surprised the interviewer by pulling a pick out of his pocket and saying that he usually carries one.

He has around 70 guitars,^[15] including:

• Fender Stratocasters including a 1954 (one of the first ever produced) which he has named "Jurassic Strat"^[16]
• Fender Telecasters
• Red-painted (Stratocaster style) Melancon Pro Artist.[2]
• Gibson Les Pauls^[17]
• Danelectro 59-DCs
• Pensa Custom custom-built solid body guitars. Also models MK-1 MK-2 & MK-80, which Pensa named in honor of Knopfler.^[18]
• Schecters
• National Style 0 Resonator guitar (dobro), as used on "Romeo and Juliet".
• Ramirez Spanish Guitar, used on "Postcard from Paraguay"

His Artist Series Stratocaster can be viewed on the Fender website.

[edit] Live performance

• Knopfler's audience has grown to reach six continents; he is known to his audiences for his affable manner, humorous banter and amiable audience interaction during performances.
• Knopfler has been known to sip tea on stage during live performances. His guitarist Richard Bennett has also joined in drinking tea with him on stage. photo. On July 31st 2005 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the tea was replaced by Whiskey in respect of ritual "last show of tour" sort of joke.^[19]

[edit] Awards and acclaim

• In 1993, Knopfler was made an honorary Doctor of Music at Newcastle University.^[20]
• In 1999, Knopfler was awarded an OBE.^[21]
• On July 11, 2007, Knopfler was made an honorary Doctor of Music at Sunderland University.^[22]

[edit] Knopfler's influence

• British author and humorist Douglas Adams said about Knopfler, in his book So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish: "Mark Knopfler has an extraordinary ability to make a Schecter Custom Stratocaster hoot and sing like angels on a Saturday night, exhausted from being good all week and needing a stiff beer."^[23]

• The dinosaur species Masiakasaurus knopfleri was named after Knopfler. The paleontologists were listening to Dire Straits recordings when they discovered the species.^[24]

• On Weird Al Yankovic's parody of "Money for Nothing", "Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies", Knopfler played guitar in the song, recreating the memorable guitar riff from the original song.

• Knopfler's song "Going Home" from the soundtrack to Local Hero used to be played before kick-off at Newcastle United's home matches at St James' Park.^[25]

• According to director Rob Reiner, Knopfler agreed to write the music for Reiner's The Princess Bride on one condition: Reiner had to put the hat that he wore in This Is Spinal Tap in Princess Bride, "somewhere in evidence", as homage to the rock mockumentary. The hat makes its appearance in Princess Bride in the Grandson's (Fred Savage) bedroom.^[26]

• Indian cricket's superstar, Sachin Tendulkar is a fan of Mark Knopfler. They once had a joint interview on cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle's show "Harsha Online".^[27]

• The 2008 stage production, Celtic Thunder, has covers of multiple Mark Knopfler songs. Brothers in Arms, written by Mark Knopfler and performed originally by Dire Straits, is performed by Ryan Kelly. As well, the song Irish Boy (from Cal) and Going Home (From Local Hero) are performed together as an instrumental, entitled "Cal/Local Hero".

[edit] Discography

[edit] With Dire Straits

Main article: Dire Straits

[edit] Solo albums

[edit] Soundtrack albums

[edit] Other albums

• Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time (The Notting Hillbillies) (1990)
• Neck and Neck (with Chet Atkins) (1990)
• The Booze Brothers (with Brewers Droop) (1973/1989)
• All the Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris, April 2006)
• Real Live Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris, November 2006)

[edit] Producer

• Infidels (1983) by Bob Dylan. Although Mark disowned the reworked version of the album as released ^[28], his production is still noticeable. Left off the album, but later released on The Bootleg Series, is the critically acclaimed "Blind Willie McTell", featuring only Dylan, singing and playing piano, accompanied by Mark Knopfler on acoustic guitar.
• Knife (1984) by Aztec Camera, a Scottish indie/new wave band, which was mostly a vehicle for the work of Roddy Frame, much as Dire Straits only ever recorded Mark Knopfler compositions.
• Miracle (1987) by Willy DeVille, was dedicated to Mark and his wife 'for their support which was nothing short of a Miracle in a time of Dire Straits.' The album ends with the balad "Storybook Love", the theme from The Princess Bride movie.
• Land of Dreams (1988) by Randy Newman, includes the single "It's Money that Matters" which unabashedly revisits the Dire Straits song "Money for Nothing".

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website
• the long road - Mark Knopfler Sessions
• Mark Knopfler at the Internet Movie Database
• Mark Knopfler News

v • d • e Mark Knopfler Tour personnel Richard Bennett • Danny Cummings • Guy Fletcher • John McCusker • Matt Rollings • Glenn Worf former members Jim Cox • Chad Cromwell Studio albums Golden Heart • Sailing to Philadelphia • The Ragpicker's Dream • Shangri-La • Kill To Get Crimson Singles and EPs Darling Pretty • Cannibals • Rüdiger • What It Is • Sailing to Philadelphia • Silvertown Blues • Why Aye Man • Boom, Like That • The Trawlerman's Song EP • One Take Radio Sessions • True Love Will Never Fade • Punish the Monkey Soundtracks Local Hero • Cal • Comfort and Joy • The Princess Bride • Last Exit to Brooklyn • Screenplaying • Metroland • Wag the Dog • A Shot at Glory Collaborations Neck and Neck (with Chet Atkins) • All the Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris) • Real Live Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris) Videography A Night in London • Real Live Roadrunning (with Emmylou Harris) Related articles Dire Straits • The Notting Hillbillies

v • d • e Dire Straits Mark Knopfler · John Illsley Alan Clark · Guy Fletcher · David Knopfler · Pick Withers · Hal Lindes · Terry Williams · Jack Sonni Albums and EPs Dire Straits · Communiqué · Making Movies · Love over Gold · ExtendedancEPlay · Alchemy · Brothers in Arms · Money for Nothing · On Every Street · On the Night · Encores · Live at the BBC · Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits · The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations Hit singles "Sultans of Swing" · "Lady Writer" · "Romeo and Juliet" · "Skateaway" · "Tunnel of Love · "Private Investigations" · "Twisting by the Pool" · "So Far Away" · "Money for Nothing" · "Brothers in Arms" · "Walk of Life" · "Your Latest Trick" · "Calling Elvis" · "Heavy Fuel" · "On Every Street" · "The Bug"

Persondata
NAME	Knopfler, Mark
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	English guitarist
DATE OF BIRTH	August 12, 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH	Glasgow, Scotland
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH