Anxiety… fear… these seem to be daily occurrences lately… The market is down by a lot and then up a little… and then down again… Nothing is certain… The roller coaster ride is taking its toll… We are swaying and feeling off balanced and even a little bit nauseous… Everything and everybody just seems on edge.
The reports of the death of the United States have been greatly exaggerated… Or have they? It certainly seems to me that we are moving closer and closer to being China’s bitch. And somebody wrote years ago, that we were witnessing events in the US, that were almost identical to what happened right before the fall of Rome.
Culture, baby… and music and the arts. It’s the first thing these bozos want to cut when the budget gets tight and money dries up, but they are probably the most important things out there… To keep us sane and happy and connected to each other.
Dire Straits – Making Movies
I was going to go with the Mark Knopfler soundtrack to Local Hero… stunningly beautiful music for a stunningly beautiful film… the guy is simply amazing… but, I was in the mood to rock and I know how you people get when I stray too far. That is one that needs to be discussed, too though… That and the brilliant film it scores. Talk about a comfort film! Watching that is like curling up in the most comfortable bed with the coziest blanket and a bowl of your favorite Mac and Cheese… Ahhh…
No offense to the others, but when one thinks of this band, one thinks of Mark Knopfler… and perhaps his brother David. That was probably an issue and one of the reasons David left the band as this album had just started being recorded.
This record, their third studio album, was produced by Jimmy Iovine (yes, American Idol fans… that guy) and Mark Knopfler and was released in October 1980. Sid McGinnis took over on rhythm guitar and joining the mix was Roy Bittan, the amazing keyboard player from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. Most of you better have known who he was or you are in trouble!
This album is so damn good… It has been way too long since I gave it a listen… Wow… “Romeo and Juliet” may be my all-time fave DS song… The Indigo Girls do a great cover version. “Solid Rock” is delicious… and “Skateaway,” too, which was an MTV staple. Okay, not nearly as much as 1985′s “Money for Nothing” from the massive hit album, Brothers in Arms.
“Tunnel of Love” uses “The Carousel Waltz” by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II in the intro… Nice… and was featured in the film An Officer and a Gentleman.
That was the thing about this band… they could take classical and jazz and rock and blend it so effectively… and their sound is completely unique. When Dire Straits or Mark Knopfler comes on the radio, you know exactly who it is… and as I said before, his movie scoring is equally impressive.
So if you are feeling like you are stuck in the rip tide and tied down by dire straits… give ‘em a spin, and all… well, not all… but a lot will be rocked away!
