The MJ Show #53 (Dire Straits - Rockpalast 79)
One of the first bands I fell in love with when I began listening to rock music in my teens was Dire Straits. As a freelance music journalist and Radio Jockey in Mumbai I've met pretty much all the big music stars who've come to India in the last few years but my biggest thrill was when I got to meet Mark Knopfler and he signed an LP of the first Dire Straits album for me. Man! That was something else!
I knew right then that I could meet absolutely anyone else and I would probably never feel that thrill again (unless, that is, Elvis came back from the dead).
And in my journeys I've met Deep Purple, Roger Waters, Bryan Adams, Ronan Keating and a lot of other artists. Even partied with Iron Maiden...but nothing compared to meeting a man who...I've always said, could write the soundtrack for my life.
I mean that. If every man has a soundtrack for his life, Dire Straits are a big part of mine. Actually it's probably Mark Knopfler and his guitar playing more than anything else...but I digress. Where were we?
Hmm. Yes! Dire Straits!
What a bloody brilliant band they were!!
Tonight I have a treat for you. This one's another one of my complete concert specials!! That's right! I've found a complete concert for you and this one's a keeper! Dire Straits playing a gig in Germany in 1979!!! Just a couple of years after they were formed. This shows you songs from their first two albms "Dire Straits (1978)" and "Communiqué (1979)"
Dire Straits - Rockpalast
Cologne, 16 Fevrier 1979, Allemagne
1st Song - Dire Straits - Down To The Waterline (From 1978's "Dire Straits" Album) #TheMJshow
2nd Song - Dire Straits - Six Blade Knife (From 1978's "Dire Straits" Album) #TheMJshow
3rd Song - Dire Straits - Once Upon A Time In The West (From 1979's "Communiqué" Album) #TheMJshow
4th Song - Dire Straits - Lady Writer (From 1979's "Communiqué" Album) #TheMJshow
5th Song - Dire Straits - Single Handed Sailor (From 1979's "Communiqué" Album) #TheMJshow
6th Song - Dire Straits - Water Of Love (From 1978's "Dire Straits" Album) #TheMJshow
7th Song - Dire Straits - In The Gallery (From 1978's Dire Straits" Album) #TheMJshow
8th Song - Dire Straits - Follow Me Home (From 1979's "Communiqué" Album) #TheMJshow
9th Song - Dire Straits - News (From 1979's "Communiqué" Album) #TheMJshow
10th Song - Dire Straits - What's The Matter Baby? #TheMJshow
This was not on any studio album though it was released on their "Live At BBC" album. This unreleased song was a song that Mark had co-written with his brother David Knopfler. "What's The Matter Baby?" is the only co-written song in Dire Straits history.
(There are two other Dire Straits songs on which Mark Knopfler shared writing credits - "Money for Nothing" and "Tunnel of Love" - but in each case the song itself is entirely by Knopfler with only a small contribution to the backing or arrangement by the other credited artist.)
11th Song - Dire Straits - Lions (From 1978's "Dire Straits" Album) #TheMJshow
12th Song - Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing (From 1978's "Dire Straits" Album) #TheMJshow
13th Song - Dire Straits - Wild West End (From 1978's "Dire Straits" Album) #TheMJshow
14th Song - Dire Straits - Where Do You Think You're Going? (From 1979's "Communiqué" Album) #TheMJshow
15th Song - Dire Straits - Eastbound Train #TheMJshow
This was a song that wasn't released on any studio album but it was written by Mark Knopfler and performed by Dire Straits quite regularly around the time that they were playing songs from the first and second album.
16th Song - Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing (From 1978's "Dire Straits" Album) #TheMJshow
Man! That was fun! :)
Hope you enjoyed the gig. I'll find some more for you soon and I also promise to do a Dire Straits discography special sometime soon :)
But that's all I got for tonight.
Right then...It's now time for me to say...take care...and good night! :)
This is your Musicman Mihir...signing off!
