Doug Watt
1110
Back in the mid-seventies my first corporate job was working as a flight attendant for TWA. I was fortunate enough to work European flights. Paris, London, and Rome.
I was never fortunate enough to get the big trip to Tel Aviv. A seven-day trip that meant a big travel money per diem gig. No one ever called in sick that had that line of time.
When I worked the London flights I would buy a carton of Marlboros in the duty-free shop at JFK. The London layover was about a day and a half in a Kensington Park hotel. As an international flight attendant you got your own hotel room, unlike a domestic line of time when you always had a roommate.
The flight crew on the London trip never had to go through customs in Britain. The purser would just present the list of names of the crew, and we were in. As crew members we never entered the corridors and gates of Heathrow so that there would be no chance that our badges or passports could be lost to potential hijackers.
I would go to a British pub and never had to buy a drink because I would hand out a pack of Marlboros. “Keep the pack mate.” Pubs close early in the UK, unlike in New York where I was based.
The Sultans of Swing brings back some memories of spending time in a British pub where I met some great people.
You check out Guitar George, he knows all the chords
Mind, he’s strictly rhythm, he doesn’t want to make it cry or sing
Yes and an old guitar is all he can afford
When he gets up under the lights to play his thing
Unlike Guitar George, Mark Knopfler knows how to make a guitar cry or sing.
Published in Entertainment
Tags: London town
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See AlsoThe dairy industry really, really doesn’t want you to say "bird flu in cows"DIRE STRAITS – Live 1978-1992 - TuttoRock MagazineKapely - Sparkshop.czBrian Wyneken @BrianWyneken
8:46 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 7, 2024
The live album “Alchemy” has a (something like) 12-minute version of “Sultans.” Still one of the best tracks I’ve ever heard. I took my son to hear Mark Knopfler in (oh, around) 2000 in Minneapolis. It was a tour tied to his “Sailing to Philadelphia” album. The added benefit was that Paul Thorn was the opening act – very much worth checking out.
A pint was 40p in 1980 and I don’t recall what I would have paid for a pack of cigarettes (if I smoked), but I think you made a pretty good deal in trading in Marlboros as I’m sure that added to the good cheer.
Contributor
Gary McVey @GaryMcVey
1:42 AM EDT ⋅ Apr 8, 2024
A great post and a lot of fun. i look forward to seeing this on the Main Feed (I hope!). Ricochet is made up of people with incredibly diverse experiences, long before “diversity” became a cliche of conformists.
Thatcher
The Scarecrow @TheScarecrow
1:48 AM EDT ⋅ Apr 8, 2024
Funny. For some reason my YouTube feed fed me this song today, and a host of millennials recording their impressions on hearing this song for the first time from this strange band called Dire Straits.
These weren’t kids, but fully grown adult people. They seemed musically adept. And yet they were unaware of Dire Straits.
I was intrigued.
So I watched a few. Then I ended up watching about ten. Ten different young savvy youtube-content-providers, reporting on the world, who had discovered this band, this song, and the legendary live performance that was the Alchemy tour.
They were all blown away.As they should have been, of course, as anyone would be – this is an extraordinary piece of art.
But I was also kind of blown away, that this was a completely new experience for them. I thought we lived in a time where everybody knows about everything.
Thats obviously not realistic, who has the time? I realize that, though she’s in the news a lot, I don’t know a single Taylor swift song, or even what her voice sounds like. I shouldn’t be surprised that someone who does might not be aware of my stuff.
Several of these same people tried out some Pink Floyd for the first time too, they all seemed to be impressed.
Ah, well.
Here, let me see if I can tee one of these up for you:
Coolidge
David C. Broussard @Dbroussa
9:20 AM EDT ⋅ Apr 8, 2024
I’ve always loved Industrial Disease and Telegraph Road as my go to Dire Straits songs. Money for Nothing is also quite good. Knophler has a distinctive voice, not as much as Geddy Lee, but you know him almost instantly.
Member
LC @LidensCheng
10:14 AM EDT ⋅ Apr 8, 2024
The Scarecrow(View Comment):
Funny. For some reason my YouTube feed fed me this song today, and a host of millennials recording their impressions on hearing this song for the first time from this strange band called Dire Straits.
These weren’t kids, but fully grown adult people. They seemed musically adept. And yet they were unaware of Dire Straits.
I was intrigued.
So I watched a few. Then I ended up watching about ten. Ten different young savvy youtube-content-providers, reporting on the world, who had discovered this band, this song, and the legendary live performance that was the Alchemy tour.
They were all blown away. As they should have been, of course, as anyone would be – this is an extraordinary piece of art.
But I was also kind of blown away, that this was a completely new experience for them. I thought we lived in a time where everybody knows about everything.
Thats obviously not realistic, who has the time? I realize that, though she’s in the news a lot, I don’t know a single Taylor swift song, or even what her voice sounds like. I shouldn’t be surprised that someone who does might not be aware of my stuff.
Several of these same people tried out some Pink Floyd for the first time too, they all seemed to be impressed.
Ah, well.
Here, let me see if I can tee one of these up for you:
The YouTube algorithm knows to always recommend me DS and MK related videos. So ever since reaction videos became popular several years ago, every day, I see tons of Sultans of Swing Alchemy reaction videos in my recommended feed. The original video is already popular, but if you do concert reaction videos, the algorithm encourages you to react to this one, Queen at Live Aid, and Pink Floyd Pulse. Anyway, it’s pretty hilarious seeing how people react to Knopfler’s style. They can’t really pinpoint why the performance is amazing (the unique fingerpicking, DS being an extremely tight band live, and many other reasons), but they can tell they’re watching a master at work.
Member
The Reticulator @TheReticulator
10:21 AM EDT ⋅ Apr 8, 2024
Doug Watt: Unlike Guitar George Mark Knopfler knows how to make a guitar cry or sing.
Every decade or so I take my wife out for some music, and Friday night it was to Bell’s brewery/cafe in Kalamazoo to hear Allison Young and Josh Turner. There was a segment of the crowd that was apparently there primarily for Josh Turner and his guitar — a noisy and appreciative segment. I gathered from some t-shirts that there was some sort of guitar club that I had never heard of.
I learned about Allison Young via Ricochet around Christmas time a couple years ago, when someone posted an item by Rachael Price (Rachael and Vilray). I started binge watching her music, and then the YouTube algorithm thought I might like Allison Young, too, which I do.
Her voice goes well with Josh Turner’s, and the two have just done an album and begun a tour together. They said it all started with this song on YouTube, with which they opened. I think was the first one I saw them do together on YouTube, too:
I see that Josh has also done a cover of the Dire Straits Sultans of Swing (with Mary Spender):
Coolidge
GlennAmurgis @GlennAmurgis
10:23 AM EDT ⋅ Apr 8, 2024
Loved the songs “Industrial Disease” and “Brothers in Arms”.
Coolidge
Flapjack @Flapjack
11:13 AM EDT ⋅ Apr 8, 2024
I always loved Knopfler’s unique sound on Dylan’sInfidels and Slow Train Coming.
Coolidge
MoFarmer @mofarmer
8:33 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 8, 2024
I asked my 29 year old son what music he was into these days. KHRUANGBIN he said. The guitar player plays like Knopfler. Check them out.
Member
LC @LidensCheng
9:47 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 8, 2024
Brian Wyneken(View Comment):
The live album “Alchemy” has a (something like) 12-minute version of “Sultans.” Still one of the best tracks I’ve ever heard. I took my son to hear Mark Knopfler in (oh, around) 2000 in Minneapolis. It was a tour tied to his “Sailing to Philadelphia” album. The added benefit was that Paul Thorn was the opening act – very much worth checking out.
I know I’m biased because Knopfler is my favorite musician, but his solo career is quite underrated. All the soundtracks he’s written are wonderful too. He actually has a new album coming out this Friday!
Between his huge guitar auction in January, his new album, and this charity project, Knopfler’s been very active lately.
Thatcher
danys @danys
11:35 PM EDT ⋅ Apr 8, 2024
LC(View Comment):
Brian Wyneken (View Comment):
The live album “Alchemy” has a (something like) 12-minute version of “Sultans.” Still one of the best tracks I’ve ever heard. I took my son to hear Mark Knopfler in (oh, around) 2000 in Minneapolis. It was a tour tied to his “Sailing to Philadelphia” album. The added benefit was that Paul Thorn was the opening act – very much worth checking out.
I know I’m biased because Knopfler is my favorite musician, but his solo career is quite underrated. All the soundtracks he’s written are wonderful too. He actually has a new album coming out this Friday!
Between his huge guitar auction in January, his new album, and this charity project, Knopfler’s been very active lately.
I love the Local Hero soundtrack.
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