Saturday Conversation: Mark Knopfler, “I’m a Songwriter First”

Since arriving on the scene as frontman of iconic British band Dire Straits in 1977, Mark Knopfler has been rightly considered a guitar icon. From their first hit, the top ten song, “Sultans Of Swing”, Knopfler established himself as one of music’s finest guitarists, someone whose prowess was so great that he was named the twenty -seventh best music guitarist by rolling stone.

However, in chatting with Knopfler about his new collection, the magnificent and intellectual A deep river, he is very clear that he considers himself first and foremost a songwriter. As he says, being a songwriter is different from being a musician.

In fact, when discussing the possibility of touring for this album, Knopfler ruefully says he thinks his touring days are behind him. While this may be sad for his fans, for Knopfler he sees it as giving him more time to focus on his writing.

I spoke with him about the moment he realized I was a songwriter first and a musician second, the new album, his friendship and fandom for Bonnie Raitt, his favorite Beatles song and much more Again.

Steve Baltin: How are things going in London today?

Mark Knopfler: It’s always good in London.

Baltin: Was there a song that really sparked the idea of ​​making this album?

Knopfler: I think “One Deep River” itself made me think it was going somewhere. So, I think “One Deep River” itself came out pretty well and the seeds were sown, for me, for a lot of the record. Also, this may apply, I’m not going to say it applies to just one person or that it’s not a message for anyone. This can be whatever you want. I’ve found that with songs from the past, if I try to be specific, I find you can move away from them as quickly as you can get closer to them. I don’t even think it’s about a particular person or anything specific.

Baltin: Nick Cave speaks in his book, Faith, hope and carnage about how he will walk on stage a year after writing a song and realize what the song is about. Have you had this experience?

Knopfler: (Laughing) Oh, sure. You think you’re so smart: “That’s right. What are we really talking about here? I’m always ready for that one and always ready to acknowledge that there are things going on between us that we don’t necessarily have to acknowledge in the moment. It’s great that we don’t know, don’t you think?

Baltin: Yes, I agree. Are there any songs that you have looked at over the years that you hear differently or now understand in a new way?

Knopfler; Oh yeah, probably. I don’t pretend to have all the answers myself. I’m just the guy who wrote it. I think it adds to the wonder, being the songwriter because I think I came to it quite late. First, you start to think of yourself as sort of a guitar player, and then as a songwriter. I came to all these things gradually. I didn’t tell all these people, “I’m a songwriter!” I realized that the songwriter is different from a musician and that’s great. I’m just a guy who’s stuck with this, I’ll take it. I’m the songwriter and all I’m trying to do is write a good song, hopefully. That’s all I want to do and I hope it comes to fruition and you can make a good recording of it. That’s all I want to do. It’s really quite simple. By the way, the process is wonderful. The band is magnificent, it’s the highlight. Songwriting is totally solitary, for me. So it’s a wonderful moment when everyone is in the room. Of course this time we had Greg Leeds with us and it was nice to have Greg. It was as if he had been with us for many years. We all talked about it, including Greg. We had a pleasant time with Greg. It was a little blessed moment and it’s not long that you have with the group. Luckily the band is as good as they are, they caught on quickly and I didn’t have to work very hard. It’s like a director being given a cast of exceptional characters to make a film with. They’re just there to make everything better, to make everything come alive, to make the words on the page truly alive. It’s not a very different thing. Plus, they don’t need much direction. I certainly never felt like I had to tell people in that group what to do. That’s also part of the joy.

Baltin: Are you going to tour with this band?

Knopfler: No, I don’t think I will. I think I have reached the end of this particular path. This means I will look forward to having more time to write. Because I’ve always tried to write on the road and in the evenings in hotel rooms and I’m looking forward to being able to spend a little more time at home. It was a little kinder to the people around me. Physically, touring didn’t get any easier. So, I have to say that I think I will be better off and work better if I stay home a little more.

Baltin: Are there any aspects of the tour that you will miss?

Knopfler: It’s gotten harder, but I love touring. Do not mistake yourself. If you’re playing in ancient Rome in the ruins and you see one of those stadiums full of people standing around going crazy, it’s a wonderful thing. The tour is full of memories like that for me. It was a great way to end. We actually finished at Madison Square Garden with Bonnie Raitt opening for us and it was a great way to end.

Baltin: Hard to beat that. It’s one of the most famous venues in the world and Bonnie is an amazing person. Love it.

Knopfler: Me too. I’ve known her for years, since the very first time we came to the United States, Bonnie and I were related. So yes, we come back quite a bit and it was a pleasure to be able to end the visit there. She always makes me laugh. She said: “Your band sounds so good, you made us feel like we were making music for wrestling.” I said, “What the hell are you talking about, girl?” (Laughs) She’s just fantastic. I always liked Bonnie. Of course, I loved Bonnie for years before we were even known. It was on my deck for a long time before we even heard of the band.

Baltin: It’s a fairy tale ending. You could never have imagined, when you started with Dire Straits in 1977, that you would end your touring career this way almost 50 years later.

Knopfler; Yeah, exactly that (laughs). But of course, you never think you’re better than others, so when we talk about openness, music isn’t about that. But it was nice to be in the same building as Bonnie.

Baltin: Going back to something you said earlier, at what point did you realize you were the songwriter?

Knopfler: It became a progressive thing. I guess I was obviously influenced by the greats, Bob Dylan and Randy Newman, people like that. I think I went in the right direction because of that. I guess when I realized that if I didn’t play guitar it wouldn’t bother me. By playing an instrument, the guys in the band derived their identity from their instruments and their relationship with their instruments. Very quickly, I thought in terms of songs. I was thinking about where I was with the songs. So when I was working with Bob Dylan, for example, or people like that, I saw them with their songs, their relationship with their songs, and I realized that I was the same. That if I was working on a song, it wouldn’t have much to do with my instrument. Now it’s happened even more. I don’t know if it’s because of the pandemic or what, but I don’t have quite the same relationship. I have a great relationship with the guitar. It’s something very personal and it’s something intimate. But for me, where I am with the songs is more interesting. The guitar lasts forever and there are people who play incredibly well. It’s wonderful, but my thing is that with the guitar, it became simpler. And my relationship with the song has become more complex in the sense that, through simplicity, I see more value in “You are My Sunshine” as a song. I see more value in that kind of simplicity as a writer.

Baltin: From a writing standpoint, I’m a big fan of Raymond Carver.

Knopfler: Me too.

Baltin: He was the master of simplicity. From a songwriting standpoint, I think John Lennon was like that. I always say that when you look at a song like “In My Life,” it feels like anyone could write it, but only John Lennon did it.

Knopfler: This is one of my favorite Beatles songs. I think I’ve already played it as my favorite. Exactly, its overwhelming simplicity. As you say: “If it’s that simple, write it down.” »

Baltin: Are there any songs on A deep river to which you come back and are satisfied with this simplicity?

Knopfler: Yes, “One Deep River” itself does that. And it’s not the only one. Plus, even though you have a complex setup, in that you’re in one character, another character doing something else in the song, the story is pretty simple to follow. It’s not too complicated or too difficult, I hope, so that people can relate to it. Being a songwriter is not like being a musician. It’s not the same and I’ve gotten used to it. I will send a song to the group because I will have written it at home or on the road. The song appears in front of me and I play it on the guitar.