Always enjoy your articles, Michael, which is saying a lot, 'cause I'm not a player, but your chords and "musical talk" help make me feel like I am (or at least, part of the strummin' "club")! Pix of Mika help, ain't gwine-a lie, as they say in the south! I'd love to have your daily choice: "Hmmm...OK, Mika.....do I kiss your orange cheek today, or the gray?"
Never a real fan of DS, but certainly have always appreciated Knopfler's unique sound, and I, too, noticed his unique "claw" pickin', although I didn't know it had a name! Do you have a thought on who many call a DS sound-alike, Sniff'n'the Tears, in particular, "Driver's Seat"? Just curious: https://open.spotify.com/track/0NJ2bXPlMzP7MIz2Bmr7g3?si=5a50fd06477540d7
“Drivers Seat” is one of my favorite songs ever!! It’s one of the few songs I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard it (on AM radio in a Honda Civic driving on the freeway to work a graveyard shift). I was certain I had included it as a Bonus Round or something at some point, but can’t find it now - I wish the archive was searchable for content...
One reason I thought I had written about is I read a cool story about the guy playing right behind Paul Roberts on the black guitar, but I don’t remember if that’s Laurence "Loz" Netto or Mick Dyche. IIRC as the story went, the guitar (Epiphone? Not sure) had a broken neck or warped or something and the neck was replaced as kind of a kludge from some other guitar and whichever one owned was always messing with it. There was much more “stuff of legend” about it but it’s been a few years since I read that piece. I’ve seen the comparison to Mark Knopfler, but he always seems to say his inspirations were more along JJ Cale lines. Dunno - it was a great article, and Paul Roberts became sort of tragically underrated in my mind.
Great story! I figured you'd have a Sniff opinion. I'm glad to hear it's positive. I've known some DS fans who couldn't stand Sniff. Others hear less of a MK influence!
I’m not sure Mr. Robert’s did a whole lot more than lyrics and a kind of working melody and a bare chord progression. That kind of really cool riffy stuff on guitar seems a little out of his depth, but I dunno. Supposedly he wrote the song in 1973, but various issues had to be overcome (and more than a few lucky breaks had to happen along the way) to get it out the door. If anything, my guess on whoever did the really cool guitar work is that JJ Cale was at least probably an inspiration for both, undoubtedly Eric Clapton and his lineage back to folks like Muddy Waters, Jon Hurt and the truly legendary Buddy Guy (saw him in concert several years ago - extraordinary!!)
“Sultains Of Swing” is one of favorite songs. For me, Mark’s guitar playing is a clear example of what virtuosity is. His performance in that show is just brilliant. Thanks for bring it back, Michael.
Always enjoy your articles, Michael, which is saying a lot, 'cause I'm not a player, but your chords and "musical talk" help make me feel like I am (or at least, part of the strummin' "club")! Pix of Mika help, ain't gwine-a lie, as they say in the south! I'd love to have your daily choice: "Hmmm...OK, Mika.....do I kiss your orange cheek today, or the gray?"
Never a real fan of DS, but certainly have always appreciated Knopfler's unique sound, and I, too, noticed his unique "claw" pickin', although I didn't know it had a name! Do you have a thought on who many call a DS sound-alike, Sniff'n'the Tears, in particular, "Driver's Seat"? Just curious: https://open.spotify.com/track/0NJ2bXPlMzP7MIz2Bmr7g3?si=5a50fd06477540d7
“Drivers Seat” is one of my favorite songs ever!! It’s one of the few songs I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard it (on AM radio in a Honda Civic driving on the freeway to work a graveyard shift). I was certain I had included it as a Bonus Round or something at some point, but can’t find it now - I wish the archive was searchable for content...
One reason I thought I had written about is I read a cool story about the guy playing right behind Paul Roberts on the black guitar, but I don’t remember if that’s Laurence "Loz" Netto or Mick Dyche. IIRC as the story went, the guitar (Epiphone? Not sure) had a broken neck or warped or something and the neck was replaced as kind of a kludge from some other guitar and whichever one owned was always messing with it. There was much more “stuff of legend” about it but it’s been a few years since I read that piece. I’ve seen the comparison to Mark Knopfler, but he always seems to say his inspirations were more along JJ Cale lines. Dunno - it was a great article, and Paul Roberts became sort of tragically underrated in my mind.
Great story! I figured you'd have a Sniff opinion. I'm glad to hear it's positive. I've known some DS fans who couldn't stand Sniff. Others hear less of a MK influence!
I’m not sure Mr. Robert’s did a whole lot more than lyrics and a kind of working melody and a bare chord progression. That kind of really cool riffy stuff on guitar seems a little out of his depth, but I dunno. Supposedly he wrote the song in 1973, but various issues had to be overcome (and more than a few lucky breaks had to happen along the way) to get it out the door. If anything, my guess on whoever did the really cool guitar work is that JJ Cale was at least probably an inspiration for both, undoubtedly Eric Clapton and his lineage back to folks like Muddy Waters, Jon Hurt and the truly legendary Buddy Guy (saw him in concert several years ago - extraordinary!!)
“Sultains Of Swing” is one of favorite songs. For me, Mark’s guitar playing is a clear example of what virtuosity is. His performance in that show is just brilliant. Thanks for bring it back, Michael.