A Brief & Concise Introduction To Dire Straits!
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 20 ноя 2021
- If you’re not familiar with #DireStraits, I urge you to become so. I love this band, they have been a crucial influence on myself and a million other musicians who live by these words… DAD ROCK 4 LIFE! Here’s a brief introduction, 4 songs to really whet your dad rock appetite. Please, to enjoy!
Here is my Dire Straits Spotify playlist to get you started: open.spotify.com/playlist/0So...
My Patreon (it's excellent): / jushawk
- Group Zoom Calls
- Live Stream Podcast
- One-on-One Lessons or Chat
- My private demos and music no one else is allowed to hear
Instagram: / justinhawkinsta
Merch Store: thejawsofvictory.com/
Cameo: www.cameo.com/justinhawkins
I'm on tour in the UK & Europe with The Darkness this year and 2022 - get tickets here: www.thedarknesslive.com/tour-...
![This Band Changed My Life! [Cardiacs]](/img/1.gif)
Are you a Dire Straits fan? Or is this your first time encountering their music? Here's the playlist I mentioned in the video: open.spotify.com/playlist/0SosahRhnhk2rareCsOv7T?si=c21d4565dd364d18
John Mayer's new album is said to draw influence from dire straits but I hear Jerry Rafferty. Can both be true?🧐
One of my fav bands of all time.
Goodness me, Goodness me, Industrial Disease. Fave song. Enjoying your episodes, Justin Hawkins!
Hi Justin , I discovered your channel just today and a few hours later you posted a video about Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler is the reason why I started playing guitar almost 20 years ago and Dire Straits is my long time favorite band. I had just started playing the guitar when I listened I Believe In A Thing Called Love and saw your iconic video where you killed a monster with tapping guitar solos😎. Soon after I went buying Permission to Land and the Darkness definitely entered in the list of my favorite bands among the classics. In 2020 I finally had the chance to see you in concert in Milan and it was fantastic, a truly rock concert.
It's so cool that so many pieces of my adolescence come together and I can write it to you here.
All the best from Italy.
I love Dire Straits
Mark Knopfler is a musical genius, a Guitar Hero and a national treasure.
Justin Hawkins having a RUclips channel is the best news I had today:) Greetings from Ukraine
Thing with Dire Straits, their one of the most underrated British bands ever! I do actually really love The Darkness by the way, but I do wish more people really could appreciate what they have done and Mark Knopfler guitar playing. Mark's playing and lyrics all tell a story, and the song is usually very detailed, his playing is also unique and beautiful. oh and yes Tunnel Of Love has one of the best solos if you forget Sultans Of Swing.
This is the epitome of dad rock. When I was a teenager my dad had love over gold on cassette in the car. Every road trip I pretended I hated it,but secretly I loved it, turned me onto rock big time. Thanks dad,are we nearly there yet. Seen you guys a few times and always brilliant. Keep on rocking x
Dire Straits music changed my life musically, when i was 18 I basically listened to 4 bands, Green Day, Metallica, Queen and The Eagles (quite a mix but a narrow one) and I was always going on about guitar solos - one day my mate sat me down, and made me listen to the solo from Tunnel of Love. It remains to this day one of the most amazing solo's ever, the melody, the feeling it's all perfect. and again the storytelling in that song is amazing. From that moment I opened up my listening massively, and started listening to so many different things, I would never have gotten into Blues or Folk music without this song.
Telegraph Road is one of my favourite songs ever. It's a beautiful story and the live version from Alchemy is f*cking incredible.
Private Investigations is so atmospheric and cool, and very visually evocative and the solo at the end is just really amazing, it feels like a really tense scene in a movie soundtrack.
Romeo and Juliet is one of those songs that I forget how much I love it until it pops up on my shuffle again, such a lovely melody.
I would have added 1 more to the list and that is Brothers in Arms - again it has a feel very different to the other songs here, it's evocative and gorgeous, but it's also a song with a different pace, and it genuinely has made me cry on several occasions the imagery it conjures in my mind is so emotive.
Thank you for this Justin, a wonderful video 🥰
My Dire Straits introduction was in 1978. I’d heard Sultans of Swing on the radio but knew nothing much about the band.
I had just moved from Edinburgh to London for work and as it was a Saturday I was doing the tourist thing. Ended up Petticoat Lane when a guy ran into middle of the street placed a battered brown suitcase on the ground , flipped it open and just started shouting
“ ladies and gentlemen… new album from a great band… only a quid… Dire Straits… bargain.. come on now only a quid…”
This went on for awhile( an excellent salesman may I say) and finally took the chance, you never knew if the album inside was what you thought you were buying, and luckily I was not disappointed.
An awesome debut album !!
And the perfect ending to my story?
A policeman was walking towards, the guy quickly closed the case, picked it up and legged it down the road as the policeman gave chase.
Romeo & Juliet is the most beautiful Love song ever, it's just perfection.
Telegraph road is one of the most epic extended rock songs everrrrr! It has to be in the top 3 with Bohemian Rhapsody and Stairway to Heaven, with Roundabout coming in close
Mark Knopfler is a master of so many styles of guitar playing, and to reach that ability as a self-taught player is just mind blowing! One of the many greats to come out of Newcastle
The live solo of Sultans of Swing is absolutely mind blowing. His control and tone is just on another level altogether.
DS at their best were fabulous. Lots of great memories listening to them growing up.
Great shout, mate.
The live album/film is awesome
'then came the lawyers, then came the rules' is a great line, lots to unpack in that...
When I was learning guitar a friend of mine showed me ”tunnel of love”. I instantly fell in love with it. The lyrics, the build up, the softness, the melody, the guitar emphasizing his vocals in between lyrics, the solo, the piano and that special part where the guitar works its way up to the top surrendering the song over to the piano. I felt my heart crack at that point. It’s a 10/10.
This
The solo to tunnel of love at Wembley in 85 is just magnificent. Guitar as good as it gets.
I totally agree, it's a thing of beauty.
Watching this with my rock-fan three-year-old son. He says he loves you (I do too) but he wants you to be a ninja.
That's actually a pretty reasonable request
I want ninjas too! Guitar shredding, ballad singing ninjas!
😂😂
Does he want to be a ninja himself, or does he just want Justin to be one??
Either way, I’m with your son - ninjas are cool!
Haha he’s a guitar ninja.
Nice to see Justin acknowledging Alan Clark's piano on Private Investigations. He also shines on Telegraph Road in the huge end part, as does drummer Pick Withers. The whole band totally rocks on that track.
agreed.
It’s the solo piano in the middle of telegraph road that gives me goosebumps every time
the piano at the end of Tunnel of Love is amazing too, it's a bugger to play.
@@barefootwandererthat piano part on Tunnel of Love is beautiful. I believe that Roy Bittan played that and not Alan Clark.
As it happens I have that track spinning as I watch this. I was about to make the same observation.
Mark Knopfler is something else.
Every song is like stepping in to a story, he sets the mood with the music and is a really clever writer.
And although I wouldn't start with telegraph road at 12min for my first listen, it is one of my favorites.
My overall favourite Dire Straits guitar tone is on Brothers in Arms. The sound Knofler gets from his Les Paul is phenomenal.
Another favourite track of mine is Solid Rock from the same album as Tunnel of Love - Making Movies.
Not the intro riff to Money for Nothing? Legendary tone
@@iceman5117 No. That was a half cocked wah. Brothers is purely guitar and a cranked amp
True, Brothers in arms.... You might want to check this one out - if you don't know it yet - ruclips.net/video/Z3_HTGdLXL4/видео.html
Debut and communique are the best for tone, songwriting and production
That's an absolutely beautiful tone alright, molten, expressive, and hugely musical. It's one of my favourite solos
Hey Justin, I saw The Darkness play in Melbourne in 2012, It was hands down the best rock show I have ever seen, You crowd surfed over me doing a shredding solo and it is one of the best memories of my young life. I went out and bought a les paul and haven't stopped, Rock on J-Hawk!
Please tour New Zealand and Australia
If you're a Melbourne axeman, I'm a Melbourne drummer. Maybe we can make some music?
Tunnel of love is só beautiful... Hearing Marc Knopfler sing with an actual fragile voice, before the solo in the end. And than the solo. Driving home, indeed.
A brief message to the next generation: Do not let Justin Hawkins' music and music knowledge die.
Edit: Justin is 28 forever
Love this comment - saw him live recently with my 70 year dad and both of us were amazed at his talent and had such a great time - this kind of genre should never die
Metal fan :)
Cheers to you and him, what a lovely father!
I know I am.
Thanks for this, finally a contemporary music legend acknowledging the genius of Mr Knopfler and Dire Straits. Alchemy Live is a great a concert film that I've watched countless times. I love it as much now as I did in 1984. His tunes are timeless.
always been one of my favourites . nothing beats Romeo and Juliet ♡ I still have my 5 minute cameo . beautiful !
Particularly live
Just yesterday I heard Lady Writer on the radio, and it blows me away how little people talk about Mark Knopfler when discussing guitar legends. He has to be in top five ever.
She knew uh everything about uh HISS-tory!
While I know he (MK) is respected in musician circles, I've always thought he didn't receive the respect he deserves in the mainstream. He's a very emotive player and lyricist.
They sold 120 million records.
they were known as 'Yuppy Rock'. And yet they have so much depth. Always a chilled listen. Romeo and Juliet is simply beautiful and tragic, as it should be.
Your channel is going really well mate!!! It's been so much fun to listen to. Thanks for all the good vibes . You can tell how much you absolutely love and live for music! In today's world it's such a breath of fresh air to Listen to someone who as I said completely lives for music
The full version of Telegraph Road is a chuffing storytelling and musical masterpiece..and that last verse and outro guitar gets me every time without fail. See ya on the 27th...remind Dan again it's not the 24th eh?
Worldwide, Canadians recognize each other by that one utterance … eh?
@@m.vonhollen6673 Lol I’m Welsh but I’d take an honorary citizenship any day 😁👍
Love Over Gold is one of my fav albums ever. Phenomenal stuff.
You make music I already loved so much more relatable and deep. And fun. Thanks Justin!
I love this man. Can’t wait to see you on the 30th of November
I’m so happy I just found this channel. Awesome to see you looking so good! Literally part of my childhood and the reason I wanted a les Paul when I was a kid after seeing you guys smash top of the pops!!!
I'm a long time fan of Dire Straits, ever since I first heard Sultans when I was about 10. Knopfler is a certified musical genius. Having composed the soundtracks to Local Hero and The Princess Bride as well. And his solo album Sailing To Philadelphia is bloody great also.
I hear a bit of Princess Bride in Private Investigation's nylon strings part
Everyone needs to see that video of Knopfler ripping with Chet Atkins. Total guitar clinic.
Loved this video! As a fan of Dire Straits (and you guys too by the way 😎), it was a great to see one experienced musician analyse another’s work in a very down to earth and engaging way 😁 Looking forward to seeing more 👍
Brilliant homage to a legend! I've always thought Mark Knopfler can put so much emotion in select notes and really no one is his equal at it. Never too many notes, never too fast - always just right with feeling. Well done Justin!
You can’t go wrong with Dire Straits!! Love this Justin!
This has reminded of when you chose the brilliant ‘Private Investigations’ as in of your “Track of My Years” with Ken Bruce on BBC Radio 2 a couple of years ago.
Thanks Justin, fantastic drive down memory lane. Dire Straits was my introduction to guitar playing, and I loved your take on the top four. "In the Gallery" is my personal favourite.
Widow's peakery and dad rock definitely go together. Always love your analysis. I have been a fan of Dire Straits since the first time I heard Sultans of Swing back in the late 70s. In fact, I had the 45. They have a great catalogue. Thanks for highlighting their stand out tracks.
Enjoying the videos , Justin Hawkins from the Darkness. Also, the Money For Nothing opening lick is one of the best Dad Rock licks ever written.
Loving your channel and views Justin, nice to hear some decent educational breakdowns of music.
Keep on keeping on!
I remember my old man buying Communique years ago. A fantastic album. Really underrated. Some fantastic songs on it. Alchemy live a great listen too.
Yeah Communiqué is a brillant second album. The first two are my favourites actually, even though the later albums added different elements.
My first concert was Dire Straits at Helsinki stadium 1992. I was 9 years old. Not a bad start
R&J is still a favourite,it kills me every time. Not only is the melody beautiful,the lyric is so clever. I love how he references Somewhere from
West Side Story (the movie song). It’s a hipster cool vocal too but not with an American twang, just lovely London flat vowels. Perfect.
It's one of my top 5 songs of all time. There's a live version here on YT that slays me.
A born RUclips star you Justin, very articulate and highly entertaining. Keep the good work up mate.
I've always said Mark Knopfler doesn't sing, he lets his guitar do the singing.
Tunnel of love is one of my favorite songs of all time, just a masterpiece. The solos, the drums, the lyrics, everything is just beautiful.
Looking and sounding fantastic Justin. Keep rocking man!
Tunnel of love is prob my favourite guitar solo of all time.... Perfectly finished with the snippet of beautiful piano arpeggio
Thanks Justin. I thought at first you were taking the pss but I was relieved to see eventually that your appreciation of their music became very clear. You’re a great songwriter & that doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
Superbly entertaining. Loving the videos, great job, Justin.
love these Justin. Possibly the best vlog (or whatever its called) on the web right now. im finding myself agreeing with 76% of your opinions. Keep up the great work.
I’ve been Listening to Mark from his earliest days when Dire Straits released their very first album up to current date. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have seen him play on multiple occasions up close, not only a solo artist, but also back to his days with Dire Straits. He never fails to amaze… The last concert that I attended was in Montreal a few years back & he was as incredible as when I first saw him many decades earlier. All of his band mates/musicians from his earliest days with his Brother & mates in Dire Straits, to his current solo works with various artists, band members, & friends, all back him as some of the most incredibly talented musicians as well in their own rights. That’s truly shows how respected & loved he is in the music world. Not only is he an incredible ‘guitar slinger,’ but he’s also an incredible song writer & the epitome of what makes him one of the ‘Greats,’ is his talent as a ‘story teller,’ & one who not only connects with, but, genuinely fully engages with the audience in a very humble & human way. Cheers to Dire Straits & all the Band mates & to Mark for continuing to tell his stories in song even as a solo artist!!
I didn't think much of The Darkness but I'm loving your RUclips channel.
Love this - just my cup of tea & quite funny, especially about re- tuning for R & J !!
I'm loving these vids!
Dad rock for life 😉🤘🏽 love it - great vid Justin.
Widow's peakery!!!
Great stuff, love your channel Justin!
Brilliant, so glad you have brought to The World's attention the greatness of the Dire Strairs album Love Over Gold. Love you too Justin.
Thank you! I have always loved Dire Straits but was very limited in my listening. These 4 songs have reawakened my passion and broadened my horizons. Sending love!!!
Ha. Loved Telegraph Road ever since I listened to it turned up loud on a really good hifi at my mate’s mum and dad’s house in a dark room and a log fire about 30 odd years ago. Still get goosebumps playing along to it to this day. Good shout 😁
This channel is growing crazy fast!!!
Brian Johnson done an interview with Mark Knopfler standing outside Spanish City, Roughly 2018/19 . It was a really good interview, Brian Johnson is a pro at it. (The funfair closed down in the early 90’s though)
Love this video Mr Hawkins. I agree with your 4 must hear Dire Straits tracks. Telegraph Road makes me cry every time. So good.
Great video..gotta love Justin!!!
Brother Justin!! Smackin' channel, mate! Keep 'em coming.
Justin, I had heard of the Darkness, but you as a person are relatively new to me, Over the last couple of weeks, you really have entertained me with your channel, and provided me with insights about the songs you discuss. Thank you!
Well done Justin you have enormous knowledge and a unique perspective …keep it rockin
I loved Dire Straits from the first moment I heard them in the early 80s. Total love. ♥️
Telegraph Road is bangin. Was introduced to it by my dad nearly 40yrs ago. I had deeply unfashionable music tastes at school 😂
Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler are so amazing!! Certainly one of my favourite bands!!! I was super fortunate to see Mark Knopfler performing with Eric Clapton, in concert years back!!! Probably close to 40 yrs ago now!!! Whoa!! Time flies when you've got great music to listen to!!!
Thanks Justin. Dire Straits was one of the first rock bands I discovered, back in my teens. Making Movies and Love Over Gold are sublime albums. Sultans of Swing was on the local pub jukebox too - absolutley amazing playing on that. Overall Alchemy is my favourite listen. Saw them on the Brothers In Arms tour. Bloody amazing. Delighted to find out that you are such a fan :-D
Wow Justin..wasnt expecting this! Homage to my hero the great MK done in a really chilled way..Enjoyed this immensely!🎸
Totally agree about the standard tuning thing 😃. Great content, love it 👍
love the channel JH, keep it going
The four Dire Straights tracks you chose are my all time favourites, and I would defy anyone listening to them, to not be inspired to want more. Thank you Justin.
Justin you are so correct on this wonderful band.I myself have listened to them for 35ish years my dear mum introduced me to the magical sound of all these guys.
Miss them times and my mum xx
A friend introduced me just after they launched. I was already deep into Floyd by then. I remember hearing "Southbound Again" and thinking it was Clapton. Of course, I loved Sultan's but I remember digging "In The Gallery" for some reason. Those guitar hooks spoke to me about Marks style. Something was going on. Thanks for the rock down memory road!!! Enjoy the ride, Justin!!! You're doing a great service!!! Love yawl!!
Man I just love this channel what a hidden gem
Mark Knopfler played with Chet Atkins on a fantastic album called "Neck and Neck". Worth a listen.
Love it Justin! Telegraph Road live from early 80’s is my fav
I'm not a big fan of Dire Straits but they have my respect. I like some of their songs and I think they're good. Thanks again Justin for another interesting video! You are one of my fave musicians but you'd be also a great music teacher 😁
I first discovered Dire Straits due to our school bus driver playing the album Brothers in Arms on our way to middle school in Sax. As kids, we used to do air guitar to the start of money for nothing in extravagant ways trying to out do each other......you included if memory serves me right Mr Hawkins.
I'm not afraid to admit I became a bit obsessed with Dire Striates as a pre-teen. Then I discovered Alchemy (as well as all the other pre BIA albums) and became even more obsessed. Alchemy is still one of the best live albums ever, IMO.
Justin Hawkins on the Tubes! Subscribed before I even listened. And you kick off with Telegraph Road , my favourite track!
I'm binging this channel like crazy ❤️
Wild west end from the first album. Portobello Bell and communique from the second. Tunnel of love from the third imo but it's your channel Justin and a fine channel it's proving to be too!
Widow's peakery. 😂😂. Brilliant! I love these Justin mate!
Superb choice of artist and great choice of songs. Thanks for this brilliant video. 👏
Six blade knife, romeo and juliet, industrial disease, brothers in arms, love over gold, solid rock, why worry. That's just scratching the surface. Going home (theme from local hero) is also a fantastic Mark
Knopfler tune
Your Latest Trick is my all time fav Dire Straits tune. Thanks for the content!
Thank God there's someone championing dad rock!! Keep doing good works, sir!!
I remember my dad playing the alchemy album when I was young in the 80s. I rediscovered them in the late 90s and still think they are amazing. Telegraph road is where it’s at. Knopfler plays in the perfect mode.
Must admit I much prefer the live version on Alchemy to the Love Over Gold version. The drums on the studio version are too dry and ineffective, from poor recording unfortunately. It's a pity they didn't hold onto Jimmy Iovine from Making Movies. His production of Mel Gaynor's drums on Simple Minds "Once Upon A Time" album a couple of years later was amazing.
Tunnel of Love has been my absolute favourite for years upon years. I'm in love with the small riff after "and I've been ridin' on a ghost train" and then the softer, less staccato'd repetition after "in a screaming ring of faces." I could pick out a million details of this song in the same way and witter about them all day... chef's kiss.
Two points Justin if I may….firstly dire straits first two albums were totally different feel to the “dad rock” of subsequent ones. Second, lots of Knopfler’s songs use Open G tuning (usually with a capo), including “setting me up” from their debut album. Using a different tuning can give you new melodic ideas and challenges you to break from the habitual cliches most players get stuck in….you should try it ;-)
Just thank you Justin for showing so much love for DS and Mark Knopfler. So often overlooked and you have to blame the radio stations for playing probably one of two songs all the time when there's so much more.
MK is a bona fide leg-end
Many songs can make you cry by evoking a specific memory but Romeo and Juliet never fails to cause me to tear up at its sheer beauty and emotion alone, especially toward the end. It is the perfect love song. Thank you for the amazing videos.
Amy Ray's cover of it worth a look too.
First ever gig I went to was The Darkness backing up Metallica In Ireland (2003/4) ... my next gig is The Darkness in Belfast... can't wait 🙌
This is fast becoming my favourite channel.
One of my favorite bands . Mark is in my top 5 favorite guitar players . Awesome channel Justin ! Long live the Darkness !!
"They made it, & you can, too"... I just knew Justin would support my dreams of sweatband dominion in 2022. Romeo & Juliet remains my DS' fave, I'm a sucker for songs that tell a story. I'm so glad Pat Finnerty mentioned that you have a new YT channel.
Spanish City was a fairground in Whitley Bay , Nothumberland , I used to go there with my parents when I was a kid in the early sixties . It was a classic slightly run down seedy sort of place even then but we loved going there , I had my first Ghost train ride at Spanish City on my 5th birthday as a special treat and I looked forward to it for days beforehand and was the envy of all my schoolfriends , very happy memories of that place so thanks for reminding me of it . Keep on rocking Justin , love the channel
cheers
Andy