Moshkito
 
 
I don't mind watching these, but every time I see them, it's like ... a nice home movie ... and I don't feel that the work itself gained from it as much as it could and we, the audience, did not learn anything about the craft ... so the craft for 2 songs, is a guitar ... and the rest of the work?
 

Hi.
 
Er...... it's about his guitars.
 
The clue is sort of in the title.

Thanks Dave - I have become more and more of a Mark Knopfler fan as I get older and have been listening to him almost daily for the last six months or so. I really enjoyed seeing this!

SteveStrummerUK
 
 
Really enjoyed that, thanks Dave.
 
I never knew he was left handed.

That's just the camera angle Steve.  When Mark looks at himself playing in the mirror, he's right handed.
 
HTH.
 

I, too, have become more of a fan since his pop star heyday ended. I've always recognized his unique playing abilities, but in the past 10 years I've also come to appreciate what a great songwriter he is. Only Paul Simon bests him when it comes to song topic diversity. Napoleon, Imelda Marcos, emigration and cannibals all on one album!
 
 

bitflipper
I, too, have become more of a fan since his pop star heyday ended. I've always recognized his unique playing abilities, but in the past 10 years I've also come to appreciate what a great songwriter he is. Only Paul Simon bests him when it comes to song topic diversity. Napoleon, Imelda Marcos, emigration and cannibals all on one album!
 
 

Me too. I like his solo albums much more than the Dire Straits stuff, especially 'Privateering'. 'Dream of The Drowned Submariner' from that album is one of my favourite ever songs.
 

Good video pops up on the Sky Arts channel every now and again always worth the watch.

bitflipper
I, too, have become more of a fan since his pop star heyday ended. I've always recognized his unique playing abilities, but in the past 10 years I've also come to appreciate what a great songwriter he is. Only Paul Simon bests him when it comes to song topic diversity. Napoleon, Imelda Marcos, emigration and cannibals all on one album!

 
Boy, he does have an ability to grab a hold of an idea and turn it into a story! My favorite solo album is Kill to Get Crimson. In general, I  prefer his solo stuff to the Dire Straits catalog, but it's all good. :)
 

"Sultans of Swing" is a truly great song. It's just that we're so tired of hearing it. Still, it's bound to remain a staple of cover bands forever - it sure gets crowds going when we play it. And "Brothers in Arms" is an enduring masterpiece. But you're right, walking away from Top 40 freed him to create his best lyrical material. Sting seems to be taking the same path.

 

Thanks Dave another very nice video. Just goes to show how nice Sting is.  I think in an older previous thread that was talking about great song writers eg Paul McCartney I mentioned Sting also. Someone put me down and said he was not in the league as Paul but I still don't agree.  On another level he is in a league of his own. Especially melodies over chord changes. Sting is a prolific and masterful song writer and one of the greats in my opinion.
 
That would not be an easy gig to do either.
 
I like all the later Knopfler stuff too. Especially all that filmic music he did using synths and stuff too. But Dire Straits had to come first and it was so very fresh at the time. I do remember that. Very basic lineup instrument wise and the songs were so great too.
 
 

I would not have disagreed with you, Jeff. McCartney wins due to the sheer quantity of great tunes under his belt, with extra points for (co)penning "goo goo goo joob". A master of melody, but he's no storyteller.
 
I think they all pale beside Paul Simon. Lasers in the jungle...