• Country Rock

    Notting Hillbillies in Newcastle (Redux)

    I stumble across this show quite frequently in my travels through iTunes, and I was reminded again of it this morning while picking around on my acoustic guitar. I was toying around with the beautiful guitar parts of the Dire Straits tune “Why Worry”, and decided to punch it up in iTunes so I could play along. Up came this live version by the Notting Hillbillies – a relatively short-lived group from the early 1990’s made up of Mark Knopfler, Steve Phillips, Brendan Croker, and Guy Fletcher.

    I posted this show back in 2006, and thought I’d bring it back for those who want to hear a laid back, tight-knit group of friends playing some great music. The Dire Straits covers are especially great – particularly the Calypso version of “So Far Away”.

    THE NOTTING HILLBILLIES
    Swan Hunter Shipyard
    Newcastle, England
    July 6th, 1993

    1. Intro
    2. Calling Elvis
    3. So Far Away (Calypso version)
    4. Your Own Sweet Way
    5. Run Me Down
    6. Why Worry
    7. Railroad Worksong
    8. Feel Like Going Home
    9. Setting Me Up
    10. Outro

    Check out the Notting Hillbillies’ one and only album: Missing…Presumed Having A Good Time

  • Rock n' Folk

    Ticket to Heaven

    Nestled deep into the last album that Dire Straits ever made – 1991’s On Every Street – is a song that I consider as close to perfection as there is. The cornerstone of the song is the calm and gentle demeanor of Mark Knopfler in his vocal and instrumental delivery… I mean, who can pick a Fender Stratocaster with more beauty and eloquence?

    In his work with Dire Straits and in his solo work since, Mark just has an innate ability to craft together beautiful &  sublime melodies: “Romeo & Juliet”, “Water of Love”, “Love Over Gold”, “Why Worry”,  “Brothers in Arms”, “All That Matters”, “Shangri-La”, “Love and Happiness”, “If This Is Goodbye”… and the list goes on.

    I’m a fan.

    And then there’s “Ticket to Heaven”.  On the surface, a gorgeously crafted song about faith in eternal life. But digging in a little deeper, if you pay attention to the verses, it’s a scathing, tongue-in-cheek slam on tele-evangelism…

    Now there’s nothing left for luxuries
    Nothing left to pay my heating bill.
    But the good lord will provide
    I know he will.
    So send what you can
    To the man with the diamond ring.
    They’re tuning in across the land
    To hear him sing.

    Still as true in 2009 as it was in the early part of the 90’s. They fan out across the country every Sunday, and every night on television I’m sure – preying on anyone with a doubt and a pocketbook.

    If you search on Youtube for a video of Dire Straits performing this song, you won’t find Knopfler and the Boys. What you will find, is Popeye. Whoa whoaaa there… don’t disparage Popeye. Don’t write him off at first glance. This tattooed, spirited Dutchman will put a smile on your face. Feel the essence, the essence of POPEYE!

  • Rock

    Dire Straits in old ’92

    Howard Stern and his gang were discussing their top guitarists the other day. Howard’s top three? #1: Jimi Hendrix. #2. Eddie Van Halen.  #3: Leslie West.  It’s pretty hard to argue against Jimi, but from there, all bets are off. Everyone’s got their opinion. Howard likes his Van Halen and he loves his Mountain from back in the day.

    In my top 5 would have to go Mr. Mark Knopfler. His style of playing – those clean, distinct Strat solos – are, well, music to my ears. Think about it, how many times have you heard “Sultans of Swing” on the radio, and air-guitared along every time? Or finger-guitared in my case. I’ll shake my fingers around like I actually know what I’m doing. And those Dire Straits tunes, they never get old!

    Looking back to 1992, it was the year after the release of Dire Straits’ final studio album, On Every Street, and their final tour was in full swing. This show could easily make it as a live album. Y’all will enjoy…

    Dire Straits
    Basel, Switzerland
    June 28th, 1992
    “Ticket to Heaven”

    Part One (Zip)
    01 – Calling Elvis
    02 – Walk Of Life
    03 – Heavy Fuel
    04 – Romeo And Juliet
    05 – The Bug
    06 – Private Investigations
    07 – Sultans Of Swing
    08 – Your Latest Trick

    Part 2 (Zip)
    01 – On Every Street
    02 – Two Young Lovers
    03 – Telegraph Road
    04 – Money For Nothing
    05 – Brothers In Arms
    06 – Solid Rock
    07 – Theme From Going Home

    This tour was in support of this album…

  • Rock

    Ickmusic Live: Dire Straits, 1979

    It’s time to bow to Sir Knopfler, as we travel back in time to Holland in the year of our Lord 1979. Apparently, these are the only four surviving recordings from the Dire Straits performance at the Pinkpop Festival in Geleen, Holland. This was the original incarnation of Dire Straits: Mark Knopfler (lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar, keyboards), John Illsley (bass), and Pick Withers (drums). This show is from June 1979, the same month they released their second album, Communiqué. Their self-titled debut a year earlier raced up the charts thanks to “Sultans of Swing”, which remains that ubiquitous classic rock radio staple to this day (and a song I will never turn off – I still can’t fathom how Knopfler’s fingers can fly so fast).

    With these four songs, they take a couple from their first album, and a couple from Communiqué. Click on these nice ol’ album covers to check ’em out on Amazon. By the way, has anyone picked up Knopfler’s latest album? I’ll have to put that near the top of the list…

    Dire Straits, Live at Pinkpop Festival
    Geleen, Holland
    June 4, 1979
    FM Broadcast – April 27, 2007 on the KRO Radio 2 program “Legendarisch Live”

    Deejay Intro (mp3)

    Follow Me Home (mp3)

    Lady Writer (mp3)

    Wild West End (mp3)

    In the Gallery (mp3)

    Besides Dire Straits, the 1979 Pinkpop lineup included Massada, Average White Band, The Police, Elvis Costello, Rush, and Peter Tosh.

  • Rock n' Folk

    Notting Hillbillies in Newcastle

    notting hillbilies

    Reading the paper this morning, I was informed that it’s Mark Knopfler’s 57th birthday today. I’ve been meaning to get this show posted, so what better opportunity than today? The Notting Hillbillies was Knopfler’s post-Dire Straits group that he formed with old friend Steve Phillips. They started playing gigs in 1986 and didn’t release their debut (and only) album until 1990. This gig is from 1993, after Dire Straits had released their final studio album in 1991 (‘On Every Street’). Their 1990 album, ‘Missing: Presumed Having a Good Time’, explores traditional country territories, and is a great listen (I particularly like “Blues, Stay Away From Me”).

    So here they are performing Dire Straits & Hillbillies tunes in Newcastle during the summer of ’93.

    THE NOTTING HILLBILLIES
    Swan Hunter Shipyard

    Newcastle, England
    July 6th, 1993

    1. Intro
    2. Calling Elvis
    3. So Far Away (Calypso version)
    4. Your Own Sweet Way
    5. Run Me Down
    6. Why Worry
    7. Railroad Worksong
    8. Feel Like Going Home
    9. Setting Me Up
    10. Outro

    >> Buy Missing: Presumed Having a Good Time.

  • Roots Rock

    Emmylou and Mark Make Beautiful Music

    Mark Knoplfer and Emmylou Harris at Radio City Music Hall

    For those of you who caught Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris on tour, I envy you. I’ve been playing and replaying the last show of their tour over the weekend. It took place Friday night at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, Cal. Yeah, things move fast around these internets. We’re spoiled.

    Check out the last four tunes of the show. Two classics from Brothers in Arms, “So Far Away” and “Why Worry”. One from Knopfler’s last solo LP, Shangri-La, and a beautiful, tear-inducing ballad, “If This is Goodbye”, from Knopfler and Harris’ 2006 release.

    Emmylou is the perfect compliment to Knopfler’s live show. Her sweet silky voice fits into his soft finger-picking style like hand in glove. The whole show is great, but it’s these that really blew me away. I can only imagine how great it must’ve been in person.

    Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris
    Live at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, Calif. (final show of the tour)
    June 30, 2006

    So Far Away (mp3)
    Our Shangri-La (mp3)
    If This is Goodbye (mp3)
    Why Worry (mp3)

    01. Right Now
    02. Red Staggerwing
    03. Michelangelo
    04. I Dug Up A Diamond
    05. Born To Run
    06. Red Dirt Girl
    07. Band introduction
    08. Done With Bonaparte
    09. Romeo & Juliet
    10. Song For Sonny Liston
    11. Belle Starr
    12. This Is Us
    13. Boulder To Birmingham
    14. All The Roadrunning
    15. Speedway At Nazareth
    Encore
    16. So Far Away
    17. Our Shangri-La
    18. If This is Goodbye
    19. Why Worry


    lp cover

  • Country Rock

    Hillbilly Heaven – Blues Stay Away From Me

    “Mmmmm-mmmm-mmm-mmm-mmmmm”. You’ll understand after you hear the first 5 seconds of this song. Now, I’ve always liked Dire Straits, but I had no clue, until I heard this song a few years ago, that Mark Knopfler had a little side project called the Notting Hillbillies.

    He formed this band after the smashing success of Straits’ ‘Money for Nothing’ album in 1984. He pulled a few fellas together: Brendan Croker, Steve Phillips, and Guy Fletcher, and hit the road in 1986. Their only album, ‘Missing…Presumed Having a Good Time’ wasn’t released until 1990. I was in college at the time immersed in my studies (*cough cough*), so I guess I totally missed it. But I’m glad I finally found it, especially this song, which is a cover of a Delmore Brothers-penned tuned originally done by Les Paul & Mary Ford back in 1952. Since then, a whole laundry list of artists have covered this song, from Jeff Beck to The Band, the Everly Brothers, NRBQ, and Sleepy LaBeef. Damn, I like saying Sleepy LaBeef.

    So enjoy this gorgeous, lazy & loping, delightfully melancholy song.

    And buy the album on Amazon for less than $8.00!

  • Rock

    Calling Elvis, is Anybody Home

    I came across this great web site / music magazine called Glide Magazine. They offer free downloads of entire shows. Their latest selection is the mighty Mark Knopfler and his great band live in Hamburg, Germany from 2001.

    The opener of the show? “Calling Elvis,” of course. Check the link below to download any or all tracks from the show. Great quality, superb musicianship. This one’s already in my car cd player after discovering it last night.

    Mark Knopfler Live in Hamburg 2001