David Knopfler
Encyclopedia
David Knopfler is a British singer-songwriter
, rhythm guitar
ist, pianist
and cofounder of the critically acclaimed rock band Dire Straits
.
Knopfler spent three years in Dire Straits. After quitting the band, he embarked upon a solo career as a recording artist, releasing a respectable number of albums over the years. Knopfler initially created smaller record labels, publishing companies, and indie labels. Knopfler has encouraged the advent of online purchasing music in 1995, although he concedes the necessity for other avenues of the distribution and sale of recorded music.
Knopfler is a published poet and writer. He wrote the Bluffers Guide to the Rock Music Business.
, to an English
mother and a Hungaria
n Jewish father. Knopfler grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne
, England
, where he attended Gosforth Grammar School. By age 11, he owned a guitar, a piano and a drum kit
, and by age 14, he was playing and singing his own compositions in folk clubs
. After attending Bristol Polytechnic, he became a social worker in London, where he shared a flat with John Illsley
.
David Knopfler's older brother Mark Knopfler
also played the guitar. David introduced Mark to John Illsley, a bass guitar
ist, and after gaining the interest of drummer Pick Withers
, the four founded the rock and roll
band Dire Straits
. One of Mark Knopfler's friends came up with the band's name; a reference to their financial situation at the time the band was beginning to gain notice in the music industry. David however, asserts at his website that "[t]he notion that the band were literally in dire straits is largely retrospective myth making and not really factually supportable. We all had day jobs until we got a whacking big advance from Polygram".
David Knopfler played rhythm guitar
beside his brother, who was lead guitarist to the band, and David appeared on Dire Straits' first two albums: 1978's Dire Straits
and 1979's Communiqué. The stress of composing, arranging
songs, recording the then-requisite two albums and tours to support them took its toll on the brothers, and David left the band during the recording of their third album, Making Movies
, leaving him uncredited on the album. There is concert video footage, however, of David playing with the band live on several tracks of this album.
. Mark Knopfler and John Illsley both played on the album. Harry Bogdanovs, a lifelong friend of Knopfler, is credited with co-writing three of the tracks and playing synthesizer
. The album was supported by the single "Soul Kissing" on the ill-fated label Peach River Records. The single was a minor commercial success, peaking at #82 in the UK Albums Chart
, after Knopfler retrieved the rights from the bankrupt record label
. Behind the Lines
, his second album, was released in 1985 and his third solo album, Cut the Wire
, followed in 1986. In 1988, the U.S. label Cypress Records
released his fourth album, Lips Against the Steel.
Knopfler scored
the soundtrack
s for the films Shergar (1984) and Laser Mission
(1989), and the German productions Treffer (1984), Jakob hinter der blauen Tür (1989) and Der grosse Bellheim.
in 1991 released by Phonogram
, was recorded in Peter Gabriel
's Real World Studios
. The album was followed in 1993 by The Giver, released by MESA/Bluemoon in the U.S., and Ariola
in Europe. Its sparse, acoustic arrangements received positive reviews, as did 1995's Small Mercies
, which Knopfler co-produced with Harry Bogdanovs, featuring Chris White
on saxophone
. In 2001 Knopfler worked with Bogdanovs again to co-produce the album Wishbones, which has guest appearances by Chris Rea
and Eddi Reader
.
His ninth solo album, Ship of Dreams, which also included Chris Rea
, was released in 2004. In May 2005, he published a book of poetry
titled Blood Stones and Rhythmic Beasts, which was released by the UK's BlackWing books (ISBN 0955026008).
The U.S./Canadian jazz
label Justin Time Records
released Ship of Dreams in October 2005 with an alternate rendition of "Tears Fall" featuring Megan Slankard
(replacing Julia Neigel
on the original European release).
Knopfler's tenth solo album Songs for the Siren was released in 2006.
Recent songwriting projects with other artists have included sessions with Amilia Spicer, Mack Starks, Megan Slankard
and Wendy Lands
.
He played various acoustic and electric gigs in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Turkey and Australia from 2007 to 2009 with Harry Bogdanovs and his band.
He plans to release a new album soon, the working title of which is 'Grace in the Gutter'. Tours in both Spain and Malta are planned for early 2011.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
ist, pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and cofounder of the critically acclaimed rock band Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
.
Knopfler spent three years in Dire Straits. After quitting the band, he embarked upon a solo career as a recording artist, releasing a respectable number of albums over the years. Knopfler initially created smaller record labels, publishing companies, and indie labels. Knopfler has encouraged the advent of online purchasing music in 1995, although he concedes the necessity for other avenues of the distribution and sale of recorded music.
Knopfler is a published poet and writer. He wrote the Bluffers Guide to the Rock Music Business.
Early life
Knopfler was born in Glasgow, ScotlandGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, to an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
mother and a Hungaria
Hungaria
Hungaria may refer to:*Kingdom of Hungary*Hungary, a European country*Hungaria , a symphonic poem by Franz Liszt*Hungaria, a former New Zealand association football team, now part of Wellington United*434 Hungaria, an asteroid...
n Jewish father. Knopfler grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he attended Gosforth Grammar School. By age 11, he owned a guitar, a piano and a drum kit
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, and by age 14, he was playing and singing his own compositions in folk clubs
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
. After attending Bristol Polytechnic, he became a social worker in London, where he shared a flat with John Illsley
John Illsley
John Illsley is an English musician who rose to fame as the bass guitarist of the critically acclaimed rock band, Dire Straits...
.
David Knopfler's older brother Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
also played the guitar. David introduced Mark to John Illsley, a bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist, and after gaining the interest of drummer Pick Withers
Pick Withers
David "Pick" Withers was the original drummer for the rock band Dire Straits and played on their first four albums, which included hit singles such as "Sultans of Swing," "Romeo and Juliet" and "Private Investigations."...
, the four founded the rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
. One of Mark Knopfler's friends came up with the band's name; a reference to their financial situation at the time the band was beginning to gain notice in the music industry. David however, asserts at his website that "[t]he notion that the band were literally in dire straits is largely retrospective myth making and not really factually supportable. We all had day jobs until we got a whacking big advance from Polygram".
David Knopfler played rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
beside his brother, who was lead guitarist to the band, and David appeared on Dire Straits' first two albums: 1978's Dire Straits
Dire Straits (album)
Dire Straits is the self-titled debut album by British rock band Dire Straits, released in October 1978 by Phonogram Records.-History:...
and 1979's Communiqué. The stress of composing, arranging
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
songs, recording the then-requisite two albums and tours to support them took its toll on the brothers, and David left the band during the recording of their third album, Making Movies
Making Movies
Making Movies is the third album by English rock band Dire Straits, released in 1980.- History :The title of the album comes from a line in the song "Skateaway" and the unreleased song "Making Movies". Rolling Stone ranked the album #52 in their survey of the "100 Best Albums of the 80s"...
, leaving him uncredited on the album. There is concert video footage, however, of David playing with the band live on several tracks of this album.
Solo
After leaving Dire Straits, Knopfler released his first solo album in 1983, titled ReleaseRelease (David Knopfler album)
Release is David Knopfler's first solo album after leaving Dire Straits. It was released in 1983 on the Peach River and Passport labels, and in 1997 on the Paris label.- Track listing :#"Soul Kissing" #"Come to Me" #"Madonna's Daughter"...
. Mark Knopfler and John Illsley both played on the album. Harry Bogdanovs, a lifelong friend of Knopfler, is credited with co-writing three of the tracks and playing synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
. The album was supported by the single "Soul Kissing" on the ill-fated label Peach River Records. The single was a minor commercial success, peaking at #82 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, after Knopfler retrieved the rights from the bankrupt record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. Behind the Lines
Behind the Lines (David Knopfler album)
Behind the Lines is David Knopfler's second solo album after leaving Dire Straits. It was released in 1985 and in 1997 on the Paris Original Music label.- Track listing :#Heart to Heart - 2:59#Shockwave - 3:36#Double Dealing - 3:09...
, his second album, was released in 1985 and his third solo album, Cut the Wire
Cut the Wire
Cut the Wire is David Knopfler's third solo album. It was released in 1987 on the Mo's Music Machine label.- Track listing :All tracks composed by David Knopfler#"Freakshow"#"The Fisherman" #"The Hurricane" #"When We Kiss"...
, followed in 1986. In 1988, the U.S. label Cypress Records
Cypress Records
Cypress Records is a record label which was distributed by A&M Records between 1988 and 1990.-External links:* Label history, artist roster, Billboard performance.*...
released his fourth album, Lips Against the Steel.
Knopfler scored
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s for the films Shergar (1984) and Laser Mission
Laser Mission
Laser Mission is a 1989 action movie starring Brandon Lee and Ernest Borgnine. The film was also released under the title Soldier of Fortune.-Plot:The plot concerns a mercenary named Michael Gold who is sent to convince Dr...
(1989), and the German productions Treffer (1984), Jakob hinter der blauen Tür (1989) and Der grosse Bellheim.
1990-present
LifelinesLifelines
Lifelines is the seventh album released in 2002 by the Norwegian band A-ha. This album entered to top 10 album charts in 9 countries and 4 of those in top, selling over 1.5 million copies....
in 1991 released by Phonogram
Phonogram Records
Phonogram Records was started in 1962 as a joint venture between Philips Records and Deutsche Grammophon. In 1972, Phonogram was merged with Polydor Records into PolyGram....
, was recorded in Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
's Real World Studios
Real World Studios
Real World Studios is a residential recording studio in Box, Wiltshire, England associated with the Real World Records Ltd. record label founded by rock musician Peter Gabriel...
. The album was followed in 1993 by The Giver, released by MESA/Bluemoon in the U.S., and Ariola
Ariola Records
Ariola Records is a German record label. As of the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of BMG which in turn has since become a part of the international media conglomerate Sony Music Entertainment...
in Europe. Its sparse, acoustic arrangements received positive reviews, as did 1995's Small Mercies
Small Mercies (album)
Small Mercies is the second album by Norwegian group Fra Lippo Lippi and the first to feature new lead vocalist Per Øystein Sørensen. In contrast to the New Wave sound of the band's debut album In Silence, the addition of Sørensen gave Small Mercies and the band's further recordings a more...
, which Knopfler co-produced with Harry Bogdanovs, featuring Chris White
Chris White (saxophonist)
Chris White English jazz/rock saxophonist who toured with Dire Straits from 1985–1995, and who has played with many bands and artists, including Robbie Williams, Paul McCartney, Chris De Burgh and Mick Jagger.-Biography:...
on saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
. In 2001 Knopfler worked with Bogdanovs again to co-produce the album Wishbones, which has guest appearances by Chris Rea
Chris Rea
Chris Rea is an English singer-songwriter, recognisable for his distinctive, husky voice and slide guitar playing. The British Hit Singles & Albums stated that Rea was "one of the most popular UK singer-songwriters of the late 1980s. He was already a major European star by the time he finally...
and Eddi Reader
Eddi Reader
Eddi Reader MBE is a Scottish singer-songwriter, known both for her work with Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo career. She is the recipient of three BRIT Awards and has topped both the album and singles charts...
.
His ninth solo album, Ship of Dreams, which also included Chris Rea
Chris Rea
Chris Rea is an English singer-songwriter, recognisable for his distinctive, husky voice and slide guitar playing. The British Hit Singles & Albums stated that Rea was "one of the most popular UK singer-songwriters of the late 1980s. He was already a major European star by the time he finally...
, was released in 2004. In May 2005, he published a book of poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
titled Blood Stones and Rhythmic Beasts, which was released by the UK's BlackWing books (ISBN 0955026008).
The U.S./Canadian jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
label Justin Time Records
Justin Time Records
Justin Time Records, Inc. is a Canadian independent record label based in Montreal. It was established in 1983 and specialises mostly in jazz and blues...
released Ship of Dreams in October 2005 with an alternate rendition of "Tears Fall" featuring Megan Slankard
Megan Slankard
Megan Slankard is an American musician and singer-songwriter.-Career:Slankard produced and recorded her first album, “Lady is a Pirate” with a computer, and some at-home production equipment....
(replacing Julia Neigel
Julia Neigel
Julia Neigel is a German singer/songwriter, author and producer. Her family moved back to Germany in 1971. She lives in Ludwigshafen am Rhein in Rhineland-Palatinate....
on the original European release).
Knopfler's tenth solo album Songs for the Siren was released in 2006.
Recent songwriting projects with other artists have included sessions with Amilia Spicer, Mack Starks, Megan Slankard
Megan Slankard
Megan Slankard is an American musician and singer-songwriter.-Career:Slankard produced and recorded her first album, “Lady is a Pirate” with a computer, and some at-home production equipment....
and Wendy Lands
Wendy Lands
Wendy Lands is a Canadian singer/songwriter who released the album "Angels & Ordinary Men" in 1996.-Albums:Angels & Ordinary Men EMI Music Canada1.Angels & Ordinary Men 4:44 ...
.
He played various acoustic and electric gigs in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Canada, Turkey and Australia from 2007 to 2009 with Harry Bogdanovs and his band.
He plans to release a new album soon, the working title of which is 'Grace in the Gutter'. Tours in both Spain and Malta are planned for early 2011.
Discography with Dire Straits
- 1978 - Dire StraitsDire Straits (album)Dire Straits is the self-titled debut album by British rock band Dire Straits, released in October 1978 by Phonogram Records.-History:...
- 1979 - Communiqué
- 1980 - Making MoviesMaking MoviesMaking Movies is the third album by English rock band Dire Straits, released in 1980.- History :The title of the album comes from a line in the song "Skateaway" and the unreleased song "Making Movies". Rolling Stone ranked the album #52 in their survey of the "100 Best Albums of the 80s"...
(David left the band toward the end of recording sessions in August 1980, and does not appear on the final release as his contribution was re-recorded. There are several videos of him playing tracks from Making Movies; "Solid Rock" & "Les Boys") - 1988 - Money For NothingMoney for Nothing (album)Money for Nothing is a greatest hits album by Dire Straits released in 1988. It features highlights from the band's first five albums. The vinyl edition omits "Telegraph Road" and has a different running order, with "Tunnel of Love" placed between "Money for Nothing", the title track, and "Brothers...
(compilation) - 1995 - Live At The BBCLive at the BBC (Dire Straits album)Live at the BBC is a live album by Dire Straits, recorded in-between Dire Straits, Communiqué and Making Movies. The studio version of first six songs were released on Dire Straits.-History:...
- 1998 - Sultans of Swing: The Very Best of Dire Straits (compilation)
- 2005 - Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits and Mark KnopflerThe Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private InvestigationsThe Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations is a 2005 best of album. Named after their 1982 hit single, it consists of material by Dire Straits, with songs selected from the majority of the group's six studio albums from 1978 up to the group's dissolution in 1995...
(compilation)
Solo discography
- 1983 - ReleaseRelease (David Knopfler album)Release is David Knopfler's first solo album after leaving Dire Straits. It was released in 1983 on the Peach River and Passport labels, and in 1997 on the Paris label.- Track listing :#"Soul Kissing" #"Come to Me" #"Madonna's Daughter"...
- 1985 - Behind the LinesBehind the Lines (David Knopfler album)Behind the Lines is David Knopfler's second solo album after leaving Dire Straits. It was released in 1985 and in 1997 on the Paris Original Music label.- Track listing :#Heart to Heart - 2:59#Shockwave - 3:36#Double Dealing - 3:09...
- 1986 - Cut the WireCut the WireCut the Wire is David Knopfler's third solo album. It was released in 1987 on the Mo's Music Machine label.- Track listing :All tracks composed by David Knopfler#"Freakshow"#"The Fisherman" #"The Hurricane" #"When We Kiss"...
- 1988 - Lips Against the Steel
- 1991 - Lifelines
- 1993 - The Giver
- 1995 - Small Mercies
- 2001 - Wishbones
- 2004 - Ship of Dreams
- 2006 - Songs for the Siren
- 2009 - Anthology: 1983-2008Anthology: 1983-2008Anthology: 1983-2008 is a compilation album of David Knopfler. It was released on 10 March 2009. The compilation consists of 16 tracks from his 10 solo albums.- Track listing :#Soul Kissing#Double Dealing#When We Kiss#What Then Must We Do...
(Released in USA) - 2011 - Acoustic (with Harry Bogdanovs)