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Mark Knopfler

Get Lucky

When it was time, as famous musicians, which wrote a lot of famos hits and classic songs, got more and more unknown, it was not the same with Mark Knopfler. Very likely

because he was always busy to write and compose the next songs, record them, play concerts and have a lot of fun thereby.

While we are reaching the end of the first decade of the 21. century and other big musicians act in their careers in snail's pace, Knopfler presents his 5. studio-album and it is a real jewel: Get Lucky, which he recorded in his own Brisish Grove Studio in West-London and produced it togehter with his long term colleagues Chuck Ainley and Guy Fletcher. It is a product of the influences of a whole, long life. There are influences of folk- and blues effectes, which are rounded up by personal-british ingredients and extraordinary lively aspects.

While grammy-winner Knopfler, which is celebrated since over 30 years as guitar-icon player is absolutely busy - on the other hand, very humble. "I just go on and on," he said, "thats all and I belive, that at an increasingly age you appreciate it more and more. When I was a young guy, it all was very normal for me, that things went on. I didn't appreciate the talent, which I had, in those old days - I just had to learn it over the years. You just have to do it - and that's how things go on."

He smiled: I'm very easy to be distracted. That's what my teachers said always about me. However, I'm still able to write more and more new songs. I guess, I'm still the old ragpicker as I always

was.. Things assemble always in the end, as they belong together and still, I record too much, as I need. I never claim for a lack of ideas. If the boys were here, we could go immediately into the studio and make some new recordings.

After the good old team met together into the British Grove Studios, they created within short time the relaxed mood, where positive energies can develop. "To create this mood," said Mark Knopfler, " that belongs to the positive and wonderful aspectes of our life. And beyond, I think, that we all have the neccessary respect for each other"

This time came also the famous musicians Phil Cunningham and Michael McGoldrick to the boys, after they had attented the scotish multi-musician John McCusker, the newest member of Knopflers illustrious group. "They definitely played together, before," Knopfler laughed.

If "Get Lucky" was a novel, than surely one of Knopfler's fascinating stories, which you can't get out of your hands. Filled with filed characters, which he gave some life in his textes: For example the Truck-driver from Glasgow in his opener "Border Reiver" or the showman and the seasonal harvest-worker in the main-piece; one thing is the sentimental review to the era of the big steamboats in "So Far From Clyde" and the autobiographic trbiute for a first class luthier in "Monteleone" and the lost uncle, he never should become aquainted with in "Piper to the End".

This, and many other characters and themes which are described in "Get Lucky" are watched through a prism of his own childhood, which he spent until his 8. year in Glasgow, before his family moved to Newcastle. "Can we really leave our childhood ever behind?" he asked, "there are a lot of things, from which we are fascinated until we are kids and which attend us the rest of our life."

He gives a concret example: "There was a small record-store at the end of "Salters road", Knopfler remembers, "One day, they had a Fender Stratocaster and I was spellbound when I saw the guitar the first time. I pressed my nose against the window, think, I wore short trousers at that time, and I was hooked. A small boy, which came from school and was immadiately devastated from that thing.

And still I change the sides of a street to look into a guitar-shop.

The main thing in my life, and that one, which is the reason that I'll always will go on with my work, is that "kick" which you get, if you try to do something special. That's all. Of course, things change within life, we all get always a bit more grown-up but I try definitely to keep this part of my life young.

The autobiographic threat, which is leading throuhg "Get Lucky" is seen in the title-piece. "My first encounter with a person, who always was on the move, was with a guy, who sang in soul-bands

during winter and tried to earn some money in summer by working on fun fairs or as seasonal worker in the south, as long as weather allowed this work," said Knopler. " I was about 15 and forced to go to school and, of course, I begrudged him. "Get Lucky" is inspired from his and any other rambling people which I met, as I worked on farms, in storerooms and on building lots until I could live from what I earned with my music.

The titel "Border Reiver" is borrowed from bandits, which where acitve at the english-schottish border some centurys ago.

The piece itself is telling the story of a Truck-driver in the latest 60's. " At that time, we lived nearby the "Albion"-factorys at Glasgow and I always watched the test operators checking the carriage, by wearing sunglasses and trench-coats, before the driver's cabin and the cargo area were assembled. "Albion" was famous for their high qualiy standard and the slogan of that firm was "Safe like the next sunset".

And with "Border Reiver" is also drawn a connection to another piece from that album of 1978 within Knopfler got famous. "We lived directly at the A1, which was an important north-south axis of the country. When I was 8, I know their script nameplate, because their trucks always drove through the city. When I was a teenager and a young man about 20, many good-natured truck-driver took me with them, seeing me standing at the street hitchhiking. The song "Southbound again" is concerned to the fact, when I was hitchiking through the country, came to London and felt in love with that city."

The album which is multilevel in themes and awesome instrumentialed, will be rounded down by the last song: "Piper to the end" which Knopfler dedicated to his uncle Freddie, who was a bagpip-musician, belonging to the "Tynside Scottish Brigade" (in detail: Black Watch, Royal Highland Regiment), who took his instrument with him, when he was forced to take part in the war and died at the age of 20 in the north of France.

"Of course, I didn't know him in person, but I spent a lot of time with my uncle Kingsley, which was the brother of my mother. He showed me to play on a boogie-woogie-piano and Freddie was Kingsleys older brother. You cannot grow up in Newcastle and Glasgow without bearing upon bagpipes and celtic music. There were many records of Jimmy Shand in the my grandmother's house."

Knopler and his band are keen on going on tour next spring time. "I feel like the captain of a ship and I like the days on tour, because I like to be together with my crew. And I enjoy the tour because I know, that it doesn't last for one whole year."

And he enjoyes, that the audience loves between all those songs also the old Dire Straits songs. "The good one at the old Dire Straits songs are, that they are made for an era, for a period of life, people remember. I play them each time a bit different, so they stay for me always fascinating and meaningful. But, there are some moments, for example the guitar work at the end of "Sultans" - if you don't play that part, for some people the world is in disorder. But I love to play the old songs.

I wrote them and people want to hear them - a simple matter.

As an important matter, Mark Knopfler obtains his energie that he never takes his fans as self-evident. "There is always a place for that, what I'm making. Threre are many places to make music, mine is this one. At all times, peolpe want to hear "hand-made" music.