22 posts
I literally listen to this album at least once a week. It is a nearly perfect album. I mean, to me, it's perfect, but I'm sure others may disagree, so I say "nearly." Mark Knopfler is at the height of his magical powers here. The tone, the feel, the note choice, the space... There is likely nothing on this album that most decent guitarists couldn't learn to play, but creating this from scratch is a whole other thing. The soul, feeling, depth, and originality that Knopfler brings to this is unreal. The most beautifully arranged selection of notes and space I have ever heard from a guitarist. Also John Illsley and Pick Withers are godlike in their precision and pocket. This album is a lesson on being in the pocket and sitting on the back of the beat.
This is a fantastic album, and probably my number one album of all time. If you don't love it the first time you hear it, listen to it again. And again. And again. Make this your religion, and ye shall not be misled.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3HhqbXKuJU
Great album, still love In the Gallery
yep, one of my all time favorites.
Let's go "Down To The Waterline" :D
Has to be my favorite too. The recording is so well done. No damn loudness wars.
I particularly like Walking In the Wild West End. I always listen at least twice every time I play the album.
I can't tell you how many times I have sat and listened to this album with my guitar in my hand, hoping to cop licks, and just had to shake my head at the unbelievable stuff that's happening. Through all the shredders and pyrotechnic and insane guitar players I've listened to, and gone through phases with, Knopfler is one of those guys who is so unknowable to me.
Been a hell of a long time since I've listened to that. I'll make a note to sit back, 8-), and give it a go this weekend. ;D
I'm away from home in Atlanta today thru Fri working and just realized I forgot my damn headphones. I've heard so many good things, reviews, on the Sony 7506 I may just go get a set and give them a try this week.
Back in the 80's I put in lots of sound systems in cars and trucks. To test the sound quality I used 2 cd's. Micheal Jackson, a couple of those, and 1 song from these guys, Money for Nothin. Still use them both today too, but to check studio monitors and headphones.
Surprised someone hasn't mentioned Slash.
Oh yeah? I'm surprised someone did mention Slash. ;D
I never really liked Money For Nothing.
Your Latest Trick and Brothers In Arms made it to almost all of my "roll" mix tapes.
(as opposed to the "rock" mix tapes... lol).
My favourite dire straits piece is Going Home and in particular the live performance of it from the live album (alchemy I think, I have that on vinyl but haven't had it out for many years)
Where Do You Think You're Going is probably my favorite overall.
Today, at least. :)
new avatar!! lol ;D
ironsheep — Feb 17, 2016Where Do You Think You're Going is probably my favorite overall.
Today, at least. :)
new avatar!! lol ;D
It's a wig of course, my hair went west sometime ago. Bought this for a laugh last year, looks like the hair I used to have 30 years ago....I'm a smoothie these days :)
Smoothie. LOL Makes you look like Slash! There's your mention. I did listen to the whole Dire Straits album yesterday. Great album. It rolled right into I think, Communique and the whole thing just turned to goo.
;D ;D Slash. ;D
Give this guy a listen and tell me what you think.
Aaron marshall, Intervals (Shape of colour)
I listened to Libra... I think.
Dude is very skilled. Like, ludicrously skilled. Mix is very loud, I get tired of that but it does sound cool for a few seconds. The song itself... from 2:46 on I liked it.
But those hyper fast lead riffs... flashy and amazing... but... I dunno, they'd just pop out of nowhere and got to be sort of annoying in their ubiquity. Didn't always make sense to me that they were there. Fortunately, I'll never have to worry about where to put them in my mediocre jams! heh.
The first half sounded over-DAW'ed to me... I had a hard time getting into it.
edit: watched some of his other videos... I think this comes down to me not really being into MathRock. He's one hell of a guitar player though.
Hookbender — Feb 20, 2016 ;D ;D Slash. ;D
Give this guy a listen and tell me what you think.
Aaron marshall, Intervals (Shape of colour)
I find this odd in a discussion of Dire Straits/Dire Straits because this guy is as many degrees opposite as you can get from Knopfler. Like, 180 degrees is the exact opposite, but it would be more than 180 if it could.
I give him
technical skill: 85/100
tone: 40/100 (the one i watched was a Fractal Axe FX promo, so maybe that helped the tone suck)
math skills: 60/100
musicality: 0/100
soul: 0/100
I don't really like him either, except for the fact he can play shit I don't like better than most. ;D
The only difference is that I'd give him a score of 100 in the skill dept. However, I agree with you 100% as far as "soul" goes. It's great playing skill, but to me it sounds like noise. Not much better than the chick Craig posted about. I certainly wouldn't sit down and listen to that for an hour.
That kind of proves my point. We both agree that this guy is gifted, to say the least. We respect his ability to play that music and the guitar.... but thats it. As good as this guy is, it lacks any human emotion or feeling/ meaning at all. We don't like what we hear, which is the final judgement. If no one like what your playing and just don't want to hear it...... the end. Your working for Burger King and setting up guitars at Guitar Center on the weekends. ;D ;D (not really)
I listened to a live version of Gravity by John Mayer. Shit, this guy can play the shit out of the guitar. Check his acoustic songs out of the same concert. I think he's maybe in my top 5. His early stuff like this, I mean. Just ungodly amounts of talent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo4746XZgw8
And, ya know, that ain't pop rock or bullshit. cd or 2, more money than you can spend in a lifetime kinda talent. Even at that, I'm not gonna sit down and listen to a entire cd of his probably. But.... I'd pay a good sum of money to be in the 1st thru 5th rows of his concerts. I love to see what being done as well as hear it. I think he's better sounding live anyway. I like to see guitarist really get into a song i like and have a good tone doing it. Heaven. ;D
Hookbender — Feb 22, 2016I don't really like him either, except for the fact he can play shit I don't like better than most. ;D
The only difference is that I'd give him a score of 100 in the skill dept. However, I agree with you 100% as far as "soul" goes. It's great playing skill, but to me it sounds like noise. Not much better than the chick Craig posted about. I certainly wouldn't sit down and listen to that for an hour.
That kind of proves my point. We both agree that this guy is gifted, to say the least. We respect his ability to play that music and the guitar.... but thats it. As good as this guy is, it lacks any human emotion or feeling/ meaning at all. We don't like what we hear, which is the final judgement. If no one like what your playing and just don't want to hear it...... the end. Your working for Burger King and setting up guitars at Guitar Center on the weekends. ;D ;D (not really)
I listened to a live version of Gravity by John Mayer. Shit, this guy can play the shit out of the guitar. Check his acoustic songs out of the same concert. I think he's maybe in my top 5. His early stuff like this, I mean. Just ungodly amounts of talent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo4746XZgw8
And, ya know, that ain't pop rock or bullshit. cd or 2, more money than you can spend in a lifetime kinda talent. Even at that, I'm not gonna sit down and listen to a entire cd of his probably. But.... I'd pay a good sum of money to be in the 1st thru 5th rows of his concerts. I love to see what being done as well as hear it. I think he's better sounding live anyway. I like to see guitarist really get into a song i like and have a good tone doing it. Heaven. ;D
Some guys just win. That's how I view John Mayer. Yeah, he was a geeky dude who sat in his room playing guitar for 6 hours a day. And yeah, he can play the shit out of the guitar. And not only that, he's got killer tone. And not only that, but he's tasty and relatively soulful. On top of that, he's written massive pop songs, to the point where he can do tours where he plays with a big pop band, and then do other tours where he can sell out arenas playing with a trio of really sick dudes. And then, he's done all these hot females--when they were insanely hot. Like the hot Jessica Simpson in 2007, Katy Perry 2-3 years ago, Jennifer Love Hewitt in early 2000s. He wins.
I don't care about all that drama crap. I just think his early stuff, and stuff like the video I posted.... just great. Dude simply has massive talent. And, he uses some SRV licks to boot. ;)
By the way. I picked up a set of Sony 7506's. Damn nice.
speaking of headphones, finally got a pair of AKG K240s today -- sound great! thanks for the recommendation guys :)
My top two headphones of all time, the 7506s and the 240s. I use the 7506s for more tracking... less bleed.
three guys playing sultans... https://youtu.be/EFDFpS9_ZWY
friday night in san francisco style.
ironsheep — Feb 25, 2016speaking of headphones, finally got a pair of AKG K240s today -- sound great! thanks for the recommendation guys :)
Cool! Just don't by 6 different brands thinking you'll get better ones. Check with me first. I'll give you a honest opinion. I have em. ;D ;D
I let my 9 year old daughter try my collection of cans and she goes straight for the 240's. Doesn't want any others. Just those. ;D She has her Daddy's ears. ;D