Question: Describe to me Dire Straits' place in the Pantheon of Classic Rock

Dire Straits?

  • Dull as paint

  • Cornerstone of classic rock

  • Classic rock's *supposed* to be dull, sillyhead!

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vonbladet

vonbladet

r00b
For reasons, I listened to some old Dire Straits (the before-the-stadium era; everyone hates the popular stuff) and I cannot say as I especially got it.

Did you got it? Do you still get it? Can you still get it if you really want? Enquiring minds need to know.
 
They’re a footnote. Without teh Knopf’s idiosyncratic playing style, they’d be long forgotten because the tunes aren’t there. I dig Making Movies as a slab of crystalline sourpuss “turn of the ‘80s” Boomer dude whinge. It’s zippy sounding, though duder doesn’t have much insightful to say.

Knopfler is a dolt who clearly once fancied himself a Dylanesque truth teller. He’s not. He might be Richard Thompson for kids on his best days.
 
Knopfler, at times, is almost too tasteful with his guitar work. Dire Straits are often not the Big Dumb Rock most classic rock fans seem to be looking for. But some of their stuff is really good if you're in the right mood.
 
They're just kind of "there" to me - not bad, but not really great either. They are the perfect example of how the RNRHOF just grabs any band to let in these days.

Alchemy is a pretty good live album though.
 
Here's the thing: Go pull up a late 70s clip, maybe one of the Rockpalast appearances. Now try to imagine catching that band in a club or a theater. They would have ripped your head clean off.

The band that was responsible for Sultans, Lady Writer, Down to the Waterline, R&J, etc. was dazzling. Knopfler blew my mind with this tone, playing, and instantly identifiable sound. By Alchemy though, they'd become sprawling and overblown and dull. Brothers in Arms is polished and immaculate, but it's never what I think of when someone mentions Dire Straits.

Also, "Richard Thompson for kids" is a wonderful description.

 
dmn23 said:
The band that was responsible for Sultans, Lady Writer, Down to the Waterline, R&J, etc. was dazzling. Knopfler blew my mind with this tone, playing, and instantly identifiable sound. By Alchemy though, they'd become sprawling and overblown and dull. Brothers in Arms is polished and immaculate, but it's never what I think of when someone mentions Dire Straits.

Also, "Richard Thompson for kids" is a wonderful description.

Click to expand...


Yeah, some of their earlier stuff is really good, even if it's a bit more ... subtle than a lot of classic rock. Brothers in Arms got a little too poppy for my tastes, although the song, "Brothers in Arms" is really solid.
 
Knopfler was/is a very talented player, unfortunately his music was beyond dull
 
The earlier stuff was especially good. You can't watch the Rockplast shows without coming away impressed. Pure strat quack goodness. Knopfler is a lot like Gilmour in his ability to play just the right notes. Mark was never a great singer, but his voice works for what he does. Maybe that is where the Dylan comparisons come from (though I don't think of him as Dylanesque at all). Definitely a fan.
 
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