Mark Knopfler



chriswallace85 said:
I think the police spoke to me Granda as a potential witness to that one.
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My wife’s late uncle worked as a collector with Sibbett and was interviewed a number of times during the investigation. He was listed as a witness by the defence but was never called. Basically he was asked/told by Stafford that as an employee he could appear as a character witness for the two charged. He told me he knew nothing about the murder but acknowledged the business itself was dodgy as hell.
 
He's very talented and hasn't done badly for someone who can't sing.

Told this before -
Had just lost me job and was painting the kitchen and feeling sorry for myself.
It was November 11th 2017 and decided to have a coffee break, they had a minutes silence on the radio which they followed up with Brothers in Arms, I was sat on the floor feeling miserable and started crying my eyes out. 😢
 
chriswallace85 said:
Sonically, technically, and his ability to write a tune - I could easily stick Mark in the top ten.

There's plenty of fretboard wizards about in a wide range of genres without very much to set them apart. If I hear Mark Knopfler playing, I know it's him, and his riffs, licks, solos and songs hold my attention.

Proper guitar hero worthy of the mantle.

I'd certainly put him about the 3 you mention.
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I think personal preference and subjectivity are the only meaningful denominators.

I’ve never been a fan of Dire Straights and while Mark is clearly a fine player he’s just not my cup of tea.

In no particular order here are 10 I rate highly

Eddie Van Halen

Eric Clapton

Jimmy Page

Alex Lifeson

Prince

Steve Ray Vaughan

Jeff Beck

David Gilmour

Jimi Hendrix

Lindsay Buckingham

They could all knock a tune out and were fabulous players.
 
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Big Jeff said:
I think personal preference and subjectivity are the only meaningful denominators.

I’ve never been a fan of Dire Straights and while Mark is clearly a fine player he’s just not my cup of tea.

In no particular order here are 10 I rate highly

Eddie Van Halen

Eric Clapton

Jimmy Page

Alex Lifeson

Prince

Steve Ray Vaughan

Jeff Beck

David Gilmour

Jimi Hendrix

Lindsay Buckingham

They could all knock a tune out and were fabulous players.
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EVH - nee songs. Shit tone. Widdler.

Clapton, Page, Lifeson - aye.

Prince - little genius with zero filter. Could be as awful as he was sublime in terms of output. Tremendous player when he wanted to be be. Didn't want to be one often enough to make the list in my opinion.

SRV - meh. Hendrix-lite.

Beck - yeah. A player's player but a bit short on song.

Gilmour - aye

Lindsay - aye. Filled big shoes. Did his own thing. Served the song. Makes the complex look and sound easy - it isn't. Massively underrated. Arguably the best player that band has had, and yes I appreciate the full list.
 
chriswallace85 said:
EVH - nee songs. Shit tone. Widdler.

Clapton, Page, Lifeson - aye.

Prince - little genius with zero filter. Could be as awful as he was sublime in terms of output. Tremendous player when he wanted to be be. Didn't want to be one often enough to make the list in my opinion.

SRV - meh. Hendrix-lite.

Beck - yeah. A player's player but a bit short on song.

Gilmour - aye

Lindsay - aye. Filled big shoes. Did his own thing. Served the song. Makes the complex look and sound easy - it isn't. Massively underrated. Arguably the best player that band has had, and yes I appreciate the full list.
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A little harsh on Eddie no?

Prince had some tremendous tunes. Proper talent. Have you seen his last guitar. A British luthier made him his last guitar and unfortunately Prince died before he received it. I‘ll see if I can find it.

Its very strange looking.

Fair play on Beck.
ultimateprince.com

The Frantic History of Prince’s Last Guitar

Prince took his last guitar on stage for his final public appearance, after it had lain unwanted for 9 years in its creator's workshop
ultimateprince.com ultimateprince.com

Seems he did get it but didn’t play it.

@chriswallace85
 
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Big Jeff said:
A little harsh on Eddie no?

Prince had some tremendous tunes. Proper talent. Have you seen his last guitar. A British luthier made him his last guitar and unfortunately Prince died before he received it. I‘ll see if I can find it.

Its very strange looking.

Fair play on Beck.
ultimateprince.com

The Frantic History of Prince’s Last Guitar

Prince took his last guitar on stage for his final public appearance, after it had lain unwanted for 9 years in its creator's workshop
ultimateprince.com ultimateprince.com

Seems he did get it but didn’t play it.

@chriswallace85
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He did. What I'm saying is he had just as many bad records as he did good - maybe even more bad than good. He was pretty prolific.


Not harsh on Eddie at all. Never liked him. Not interested in the gimmicks and the records are naff. Showboating & style over substance. Technique over feel. A player like Neil Young got far more out of an electric guitar than Eddie Van Halen ever did.
 
Big Jeff said:
He’s a cracking player but the top ten of all time. Not sure about that. It’s hard to do any top ten of guitars players, are you including classical players, jazzers?

And what makes a great player, the soloists get the limelight but I would argue great Rythym playing is just as important in a band setting. Is it popularity? So is Slash a better player than Malmstein.

Where do you rank Robben Ford or Carl Verhoven? What about SRV.

Where does John McLaughlin rank in this top ten. Or Robert Fripp or Steve Vai.

I would argue a TopTen of guitarists is subjective at best and more likely impossible.

Sorry Mark.
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None of those you’ve mentioned are top 10, fripp isn’t top 100
 
chriswallace85 said:
He did. What I'm saying is he had just as many bad records as he did good - maybe even more bad than good. He was pretty prolific.


Not harsh on Eddie at all. Never liked him. Not interested in the gimmicks and the records are naff. Showboating & style over substance. Technique over feel. A player like Neil Young got far more out of an electric guitar than Eddie Van Halen ever did.
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100%. Much prefer guitarists who have a bit of soul and feel in their playing than widdlywiddlywiddly exercises in look how fast my fingers are, mammy.

Back on the subject of the song in the OP, have family-in-law who left the UK because of that.
 
chriswallace85 said:
EVH - nee songs. Shit tone. Widdler.

Clapton, Page, Lifeson - aye.

Prince - little genius with zero filter. Could be as awful as he was sublime in terms of output. Tremendous player when he wanted to be be. Didn't want to be one often enough to make the list in my opinion.

SRV - meh. Hendrix-lite.

Beck - yeah. A player's player but a bit short on song.

Gilmour - aye

Lindsay - aye. Filled big shoes. Did his own thing. Served the song. Makes the complex look and sound easy - it isn't. Massively underrated. Arguably the best player that band has had, and yes I appreciate the full list.
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Van Halen is garbage. Proper fret wanker.

Knopfler is my favourite guitarist. He does nothing unless he thinks it add to the song.

Instantly recognizable.
 
Wonder if he’s still got the first red electric guitar his dad bought him, watched an interview with his brother who recalled it cost £45 in the early 60s and he would sneakily play it when mark was out, he goes to great lengths to not slag him off and is very diplomatic but they obviously don’t speak anymore and haven’t since 1980 I think which is very sad
 

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