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| Co produced with lifelong friend Harry Bogdanovs, May 2005 sees the UK release of David Knopfler's "Ship of Dreams" CD through Wonderland Media/Universal. Recorded in London it features the cream of Britain's musicians, Harry Bogdanovs, Martin Ditcham, Pete Shaw, Alan Clark, |
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Mark Knopfler
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Co produced with lifelong friend Harry Bogdanovs, May 2005 sees the UK release of David Knopfler's "Ship of Dreams" CD through Wonderland Media/Universal. Recorded in London it features the cream of Britain's musicians, Harry Bogdanovs, Martin Ditcham, Pete Shaw, Alan Clark, Chris Rea, Tim Whitehead and others including Jule Neigel. Rolling Stones producer Chris Kimsey makes an appearance as mix engineer on several tracks and two tracks feature new co-writing partners Megan Slankard and Mack Starks. This is the album that will persuade those not already excited by Knopfler's substantial talent that they came late to the party. Several songs feature full orchestra while others are sparse. Knopfler says "Each song makes it's own demands. Sometimes a band will do it justice, other times it might need orchestration Whatever helps the song be what it honestly is - that's what we'll use."
Details of UK Tour dates for May 2005 can be found at www.knopfler.com, TV shows and showcases will follow soon.. Artwork for the album feature Scotland's most successful living fine artist Jack Vettriano. Other projects in the pipeline include a book of poetry, music for TV and film (details to be announced) and an orchestral DVD.
Publicity and promotion details - Savanna Sparkes and danni@randompr.co.uk Random PR - 020 8968 1231
Tour info - Robin Ross
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Knopfler grew up in Newcastle Upon Tyne in the North of England. With a guitar, a piano and a drum kit by age 11, it's not surprising to find him master of the many instruments he uses. By 14, he was performing his own songs in folk clubs. Despite a college degree he can't recall any other aspirations beyond composing and playing music. In 1977 David founded Dire Straits, and with brother Mark, recorded three albums and toured extensively before resigning three years later to broaden his horizons. "In the Straits I learned how to translate the intimate from the bedroom to the arena. Since leaving I've been wondering how you put the genii back in the bottle. I'm still interested in the way the personal can also translate lyrically to universal themes, but hopefully with less hoopla and distraction. I now make my work for that special someone willing to make time to listen quietly to the work and be reflective. It's the listener who makes the creative connections and finds their personal story. Like any artist, I need the work to excite and involve me, but I also hope my songs provide a vehicle for the listener to put themselves centre stage and relate to the emotions and ideas."
David has always made uncompromising life choices. His relaxed but disciplined approach to both work and life (showing no regard for hanging out, or to the platinum discs piled up in his cellar) is indicative of Knopfler's entire philosophy. David believes in defining success without reference to fame - In finding happiness without hype or glory, preferring to choose the low road and the substance of real work and the loyalty of real friendships and relationships to those more fashion conscious, ephemeral insecurities that so beset the pop glitterati who like to be seen at awards ceremonies.?I'm commited to what I do and to everyone feeling fulfilled by what we create together. I believe inevitably our solidarity as artists communicates positively in the work, whatever the project."
He lives quietly in the English countryside, slowly notching up an impressive list of writing credits. An understated integrity and honesty define Knopfler in both his work and private life. An uncompromising family man, David remains happily married to his first wife Anna. His son, whom David always made a more important priority than work, is now regularly working in David's studio. A lifelong member of organisations like Greenpeace, Amnesty and Adopt a Minefield, David is more prone to sending a cheque than using charities to further his own publicity. That he has deftly avoided the usual media intrusions and the drink, drugs -burn out cliches for so many years, unperturbed in the marketing and promotion led hysteria this business engenders, is testament to David's consistent ongoing maturation and development. David says "I don't regard what I do as remotely glamorous. I write and record music because I completely love doing it, despite any so called "celebrity status" that sometimes comes with the job." His heroes are diverse but if pressed to name them, he'll usually offer Randy Newman, Joni Mitchell, Lowell George and Bob Dylan among others.
Knopfler has been lucky enough to touch a wide audience without prejudicing his own aesthetics. While he has enjoyed the respect of his peers, critical accolades and chart successes abroad, in his home country, Britain, he appears, with evident mischievous enjoyment, to have managed to keep his profile so low as to be almost invisible. "I enjoy pottering around the garden. The stars here look completely amazing at night."
Knopfler remains unmoved by hyperbole: "I'm just a songwriter" he says " all this talking about the process has nothing to do with whether my next song will be the best I ever wrote - or the best I ever recorded, or whether my next live performance of it will be my best rendition i.e. whether I can communicate it effectively... the rest is so much air. This new record is easily my best work to date and I dug deeper than I ever have before to create it. I hope the critics and public will agree with me"
"I can't exactly say what lends a song, or a story, power but I know when I hear it. It's not a clinical thing. It's something you feel in a chill of excitement. Hitting that nerve for me is the whole addiction. I wouldn't want to mess too much with it. Songs either work on your emotions or they don't. It's something I've been doing all my life and in the end it's just about the songs... either they hit that spot for you or they don't."
Concerts will soon follow together with TV appearances media interviews and a hive of other activities. David also maintains a substantial personal web-site: www.knopfler.com
"Wishbones" the previous release from Knopfler features performances from the same stable of musicians, including Alan Clark (Dire Straits, Eric Clapton), Chris White (Robbie Williams, Dire Straits ), Phil Palmer (Robbie Williams, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits), Hutch Hutchinson (Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker) Chris Rea and Eddie Reader. It also again featured classical orchestration on several tracks while at core still retaining the intimacy of approach David has previously used to such advantage.
First european reviews for Ship of Dreams
ELBE Wochenblatt
""Ship Of Dreams" is a little masterpiece"
STEREO
"David's songs exude intimacy. Ship Of Dreams is a real winner."
FRANKY
"It's the lyrics Knopfler writes that make us contemplate and leaves
footsteps in the sand. This man is a real phenomena".
Some review comments about Wishbones from Germany (translated into English) here
Review comments for earlier records can be found here
Listen to an interview and a live song with David here:
http://www.swr.de/ram/swr1rp/redaktionstipp/knopfler1.ram
http://www.swr.de/ram/swr1rp/redaktionstipp/knopfler2.ram
Welcome to David Knopfler's Discography
my albums can be purchased online here
* 1978 Dire Straits
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* 1979 Communique
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* 1983 Release
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* 1984 Behind The Lines
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* 1985 Cut The Wire
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* 1988 Lips Against The Steel
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* 1991 Lifelines
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* 1993 The Giver
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* 1995 small mercies
A complete set of lyrics for small mercies can be found here.
and my albums can be purchased online here
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If you were lokking for Dire Straits or Mark Knopfler discography informaton instead of mine, corporate info' might be found at Mercury Record's website Mark-Knopfler.com, the bootleg history at Fabrice's Dire Straits Discography lists no less than seventy one different records. Or you might try an Italian fanzine site here. There's also Tomas Molin's Mark Knopfler site here
You might also want to check out my book, biography or other goodies in the drop down menu - or, alternatively, if you are good and sick of me by now, why not surf off shopping for a new set of garden appliances.
Bluffers Guide to Rock
David's Website
Biography and reviews
Thanks for visiting
DK :)
A Ship Of Dreams Buy Now
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