Reply With QuoteIt’s a great album. Dire Straits was always in two parts for me, before Brothers in Arms and after. This is an amazing tribute to part one.
The live version of Telegraph Road is utterly stunning.
Anyone else still fixated by the brilliance of this album..
I was only 11 when it was released and to this day there is nothing that comes close.
If you’ve never listened to it I suggest you give it a go.
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It’s a great album. Dire Straits was always in two parts for me, before Brothers in Arms and after. This is an amazing tribute to part one.
The live version of Telegraph Road is utterly stunning.
Dire Straits are very underrated IMO, probably as the were always uncool (even by 80s standards).
Love Over Gold is the sweetspot for me - just the right balance between rootsy/proggy, but it’s easy to disregard Brothers In Arms - the title track is a masterpiece.
Oddly, I dont think I’ve ever listened to On Every Street.
I’ve got all the albums in vinyl. Agree Alchemy is excellent and the live version of Brothersin Arms off the album On The Night is superb.
My favourite wee small hours track is "your latest trick". Sax heaven.
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I’ve got Alchemy on vinyl, might did it out to play next week. Much prefer the early Dire Straights stuff prior to Brothers In Arms.
Paul
One of my favourite tracks is “Where do you think you are going?” from CommuniqueOriginally Posted by walkerwek1958
My favourite album of all time. I agree that anything after Brothers in Arms didn’t seem to have the same feel to it. Just gutted I never got to see them live
https://youtu.be/4vPUeB2ZqQU
Afraid this is still my view, although not expressed in quite such an Alexi Sayle way. :)
Both of their era and neither to everyone's taste.
M
Last edited by snowman; 22nd April 2018 at 16:24.
I saw them when they were still playing clubs and small venues, probably around late 78 or early 79, at Barbarellas in Birmingham - it would have been shortly after the release of Sultans of Swing.
As for Alexei Sayle, I remember he was the one of the support acts for Eric Clapton when he played a one-off gig at Wolverhampton Civic Hall for John Wile's (West Brom captain) testimonal year. Sayle was booed off stage. The other support act was one-hit wonder Fred Wedlock - The Oldest Swinger in Town.
It was also the only time in my life when I have spoken to Clapton, he was standing at the back of auditorium with Albert Lee. I said 'good evening Mr. Clapton' and he said 'Evenin''.
A great band and Alchemy was an album I used to fall asleep to when my parents were playing it downstairs. I still listen to their early stuff now.
I misread the title, and thought you were talking about my mate’s brewery:
http://www.alechemy.beer/
Highly recommended if you are north of the border!
Mine too, I really liked their bluesy stuff.
Edit: most of their stuff is bluesy, what I mean is the chilled out bluesy stuff!
"A man of little significance"
I often listen to it
MK and the band are outstanding
I wonder if MK will tour with his current band in the next 12 months......
had fish and chips with them at the rock garden middlesbrough after the sound check, think it was 78, sultans of swing tour, chippy was called yk chow, the club was owned by my mates uncle, i started working there when i was 15 selling burgers, then the bar at 16 lol, then helping with the bands when the arrived to do sound checks, fri was rock night, sat was punk new wave, wish i had taken a camera, so many bands.
Private Investigations is probably my second favourite tracks off this album (alongside the live version of Telegraph Road which, as others have said, is stunning). Always struck by how inventive Dire Straits were in their orchestrations - who'd have though marimba and electric guitar would work together so well on a track. Great stuff!
There is also a great story behind the boutique guitar that Mark K used for intro for the Romeo & Juliet track. This video covers some of that:
https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/mar...ined-my-career
Thanks for posting OP. Time to dig out that CD again!
I've seen them 3 times at City Hall in Newcastle. Brilliant band.
Oh good, I can come out of the closet. Yes, I am a big DS/MK fan.
I must have bought Alchemy at least half a dozen times: Cassette; song book; vinyl; VHS; CD; Blu-Ray.
Cracking album that arguably captures a great band at their best.
Hmmm, Tunnel of Love.
Quite possibly, they've been in the studio.
Saw Mark Knopfler live a couple of years ago
Best live act I’ve ever seen, by far
Every track just so faithful to what you’re used to hearing at home and that guitar work is uniquely identifiable from the first note
Best guitarist in the world for me at least
Also, John Illsley runs a great little country pub just down the road from me
Last edited by GOAT; 8th May 2018 at 08:20.
I was there for one of the two nights the album is taken from. It was a very good gig despite not being one of my top bands.
I grew up with early Dire Straits and love the early stuff (before Brothers in Arms). I've just come across Sultans of Swing by a Korean musician played on something called a 'gayageum,' a traditional 12-stringed instrument from Korea.
I had one of the first CD players (Phillips CD104) and the first disc I bought and played on it was Love Over Gold.
Happy memories.
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Today's find in flea market, blasting at high volume :)
Saw them at Maine Road Man City s old ground absolutely amazing live band and Alchemy is in my opinion the best live album ever as others have said Telegraph Road is a masterpiece
Hah - so did I - that was a looooooong time ago :-)
Mark C
Great album for a long car journey
Ta for this, I had a listen again, forgotten how good they were live! Cheers, john B4
TBH I am astounded for the love on here for Dire Straits.
I always think they are something that can be left tinkling blandly away in the background at a dinner party, i.e old ladies music.
And as for greatest live album of all time......
Cheers,
Neil.
Each to his own, I guess you’ve never seen DS/MK live.TBH I am astounded for the love on here for Dire Straits.
I always think they are something that can be left tinkling blandly away in the background at a dinner party, i.e old ladies music.
And as for greatest live album of all time......
One of my favourite bands, thanks to this thread I’ve just spent a very enjoyable hour on YouTube listening to both.
For me Mark Knopfler is very good guitar player. Dire Straits was a very good band until Brothers in Arms, after that it went downhill. His first solo albums were quite good, but his latest stuff is boring elevator music.TBH I am astounded for the love on here for Dire Straits.
I always think they are something that can be left tinkling blandly away in the background at a dinner party, i.e old ladies music.
And as for greatest live album of all time......
I've seen him live three times and I loved every minute of his shows. The best was in Italy 8 years ago, his latest solo album then was a flop (I think I didn't listened more than 2 songs), but he played like god.
Tricky one the old DS..i never really had much time for them until I heard Alex Cornish's cover of Brothers in Arms, stripped of the 1980s dodgy production/pomp lies a fantastic touching song..
I guess strong lyrics and a good melody stand the test of time irrespective of the current production trends.
Nice cover though, never heard of Alex Cornish, I’ll be looking up some more of his stuff.
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