Untitled Document

MK/DS COMPILATION: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler; Private Investigations was released on the 7th of November. It was issued in three formats: a limited release Special Edition 2 CD pack containing an in-depth booklet with photographs and sleeve notes by Pulitzer Prize winning author, Timothy Ferris, a standard 2 CD pack and a single CD pack. In the USA Warners Bros released a 2 CD pack with Skateaway replacing Darling Pretty in the track list. All formats were released internationally but varied from territory to territory. There was also a cassette version in the Far East and Eastern Europe. Further details are on the releases page. (08/11/05)

MARK'S NEW PENSA MKII: Mark has a new Pensa Custom MKII guitar presented to him in Milan by his good friend Rudy Pensa. Mark used the guitar during the Milan show on the 10th of June. The guitar is dated 3rd June, 2005, and has the serial number 0260. You can order your own MKI, MKII or MK80, exclusively from MKNews. Click the pic of the new MKII for a larger image of MK's new Pensa. (15/06/05)


	Mark's new Pensa Custom MKII

SCOTTY MOORE TRIBUTE: The Scotty Moore tribute DVD was released in various territories in October 2005 under the title A Tribute to the King: By Scotty Moore & Friends. Mark's contribution was recorded at the Abbey Road studios during the autumn of 2004. Mark and Scotty were joined by Graeme Broad on drums, Bill Wyman on bass and Albert Lee on guitar. They played Blue Moon of Kentucky and Baby Let's Play House. There was also a CD version released in some territories. (05/10/05)

MK & BB: Mark is featured on the track All Over Again on BB King's album 80 which has been released on the Geffen label to celebrate the blues legend's 80th birthday. The album also has BB playing with many of his 'friends' including Eric Clapton, Elton John, Van Morrison, Roger Daltry, Billy Gibbons and Sheryl Crow. (18/09/05)

RUMOURS: Rumours circulating in unofficial mailing lists that that Mark has undertaken collaborations with Luc Besson and Roger Waters are false, as is information claiming that Alchemy is to be released on DVD. (17/11/05)

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IN AT TEN: The new compilation album, The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler; Private Investigations, entered the UK mid-week album charts at No10. (09/11/05)

STARCARDS XMAS AUCTION: Regular visitors to MKNews will know that one of Mark's favourite charities is London's Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. One of GOSH's main fund-raisers is their famous StarCards auctions offering a unique collection of celebrity signed playing cards, photographs and other special items. A fantastic bid of £310 won the Mark Knopfler autographed StarCard display. This was the highest bid placed on any of the StarCards in the auction so special thanks and congratulations go to the winning bidder. Thanks also to all who made a bid. Watch out for further StarCards auctions in the future, who knows next time you may be the lucky winner. (09/12/05)

TOUR PICS: Thanks for all the pics that have been sent in to MKNews. The gallery is now finished, please don't mail in anymore photographs. The standard of photography was really good but sadly we simply can't use every photograph we received. If yours isn't in the gallery, maybe next time. To view the gallery click here

For more pics from thew tour click here and enjoy these superb photographs taken of MK and the boys in Holland by Dutch fan Peter de Bock.

What ? You want even more ?? OK, try this link to a gallery of pics from the RAH taken by Joost Diepenmaat - Joost's gallery

And lastly, you'll find some great pics in this gallery of images taken by Morten Byskov of MK and the boys in Vancouver - Morten's gallery

(updated 12/11/05)

SEAN HENNESSY PHOTOS: Every now and again someone mails a real surprise. Here are a few pics of Dire Straits taken by Sean Hennessy at the Whitla Hall in Belfast, 14th December, 1979. Click on any of the pics for larger images. Sean has put online a few galleries of his pics, click here to view them. (14/03/05)

SECOND CD SINGLE: The second CD/EP single from Mark's Shangri-La album, The Trawlerman's Song, was released in May 2005. Track list:The Trawlerman's Song/Back To Tupelo/Song for Sonny Liston/Boom, Like That/Donegan's Gone/Stand Up Guy. Tracks 2 -5 were recorded live during promo radio sessions at Shangri-La Studios. (updated: 24/5/05)

WARNER BROS EP RELEASE (USA): An 8-track CD EP was released by Warner Bros on the 28th June under the title One Take Radio Sessions (Live From Shangri-La). Track list: The Trawlerman's Song/Back to Tupelo/Song for Sonny Liston/Rudiger/Boom, Like That/Everybody Pays/Donegan's Gone/Stand Up Guy. All tracks were recorded during a live session at the Shangri-La studios. (updated 05/08/05)

RICHARD'S ALBUM: Richard Bennett's latest solo album is called Themes From A Rainy Decade. For further details and samples click here .

RICHARD BENNETT INTERVIEW

SUN RECORDS TRIBUTE DVD: The Sun Records Tribute album Good Rockin' Tonight: The Legacy of Sun Records is now available on DVD from amazon.com and similar outlets. This DVD includes Mark's recording of Rock and Roll Ruby. Please note the DVD coding is region 1. (06/11/02)

NEW BOOK: Chet Atkins: The Life, Legend, and Legacy of a Musical Giant by Rusty Russell is due to be published at the end of this month. You can order it from amazon.com....click here. (21/10/02)

NEW BC SITE: A new unofficial homepage dedicated to Brendan Croker is now online at www.brendancroker.tk (06/10/02)

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EDISON AWARDS: Mark has won a lifetime achievement award in the 2003 Edison Awards.He will receive this award on March 6th in the Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam. The event will be broadcast on Dutch radio station 'Radio 538' and commercial TV-station 'SBS-6'. Mark will performing three songs at the Edison Awards in Holland on March 6th: Walk Of Life, Devil Baby and What It Is. The band line-up for this will be:

Mark Knopfler: guitars/vocals
Guy Fletcher: keyboards
Danny Cummings: drums
Marcus Cliffe: bass
Robbie McIntosh: guitars
Bobby Valentino: violin
Geraint Watkins: accordion and keyboards

MARK KNOPFLER & FRIENDS UK CHARITY GIGS - JULY 2002: Tues, 23rd July Shepherds Bush Empire London for Save The Baby. Weds 24th July Shepherds Bush Empire London for Teenage Cancer Trust. Thur, 25th July Shepherds Bush Empire London for Leuka 2000. Sun, 28th July Beaulieu for the Countryside Education Trust. MK & FRIENDS were:

Mark Knopfler Guitar/Vocals
John Illsley Bass
Guy Fletcher Keyboards/Backing Vocals
Danny Cummings Drums
Robbie McIntosh Guitars
Geraint Watkins Keyboards
Bobby Valentino Guitar/Mandolin/Violin
Steve Phillips Guitar/Vocals
Brendan Croker Guitar/Vocals
Chris White Saxophone
Marcus Cliffe Bass

Special guest each night = Jimmy Nail

Special guest Wed 24th = Jools Holland

SET LISTS: Tues 23rd & Sun 28th: Calling Elvis/Run Me Down/Your Own Sweet Way/Railroad Worksong/Are We In Trouble Now/Quality Shoe/Hobo's Lullaby/Can't Be Satisfied/Feel Like Going Home/Setting Me Up/Walk of Life/What It Is/Romeo & Juliet/Sultans of Swing/Your Latest Trick/Why Aye Man/Money For Nothing. Encores: Brothers In Arms/So Far Away/Going Home.

Wed 24th & Thurs 25th: Calling Elvis/Run Me Down/Your Own Sweet Way/Railroad Worksong/Are We In Trouble Now/Quality Shoe/Hobo's Lullaby/Can't Be Satisfied/Feel Like Going Home/Setting Me Up/Walk of Life/What It Is/Romeo & Juliet/Sultans of Swing/Baloney Again/Why Aye Man/Money For Nothing. Encores: Brothers In Arms/So Far Away/Going Home.

JULY GIGS, FANS' GALLERY: Thanks to all of you who sent in pics, sorry if we haven't used yours but there were so many! Please don't mail any more pics. To view the gallery.....click here (29/08/02)

GERRY RAFFERTY: Mark plays on three tracks - All Souls/Sweet Love/Conscious Love - on Gerry Rafferty's Another World CD. You can order this CD from Gerry's website www.gerryrafferty.com or from your local retailer. (26/07/02)

MARK GUESTS WITH PAUL BRADY 26th OCT 2001: Mark joined the fabulous Paul Brady and Bonnie Raitt on stage at Dublin's superb Vicar St venue. Mark came out for the sixth song of the night and having asked to be able to play as much as possible he remained on stage over an hour until the final encores. Featured MK songs - Mark on guitar and vocal - were Baloney Again and Done With Bonaparte. (28/10/01)

MK AND B.B. KING: A number of you have been asking what has happened about plans for MK to record a track with B. B. King for a future B. B. King album. Mark is intending to do this but has to find a slot in a crowded schedule. Further news will be posted when available. (29/04/02

JOOLS HOLLAND ALBUM: Mark was among a number of artistes featured on the Jools Holland album Small World, Big Band which was released in November, 2001. Mark's contribution was a song called Mademoiselle Will Decide. (04/12/01)

MK SONGS ON SOUNDTRACKS: Gravy Train will be appearing both in the film America's Sweethearts as well as on the soundtrack album for the movie. The film stars Julia Roberts, and it's release in America is imminent. Rudiger will be extensively used in an up-coming Barry Levinson film called Bandits starring Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton. The soundtrack is now available on the Sony/Columbia label (ASIN: B00005Q464) Neither of the two films will contain unreleased MK material. (updated, 06/11/01)

UNIVERSITY VISIT: Mark recently paid a visit to Newcastle University to open new recording and practice facilities at the university's Department of Music. "By investing in these up-to-the-minute facilities, the University is giving its students a chance to combine their talent and creativity as performers with a sound knowledge of production and recording technology involved in the music industry", said Mark, adding "Its fantastic to see this very tangible demonstration of the University’s commitment to ensuring that its students have a head start in one of the fastest-moving and most demanding industries in the world." Mark was conferred with an Honorary Music Degree by the university in 1993. (08/12/01)

TIMELESS - HANK WILLIAMS TRIBUTE: The forth-coming Hank Williams tribute album, Timeless, contains two songs featuring Mark and Emmylou Harris recorded last Spring called Lost On The River and Alone and Forsaken. The album is scheduled for release on the 25th of September. Follow this link http://www.timelesshank.com/ for further details. (14/09/01)

GRAMMY AWARD: The Hank Williams tribute album, Timeless, won a Grammy for Best Country Album in thE 2002 Grammy awards. (01/03/02)

MK INTERVIEWS: Mark is to record an interview for radio in the USA as part of a Hank Williams tribute. Mark will also be recording a message for the New Country Hall of Fame's induction of the Everly Brothers. (21/09/01)

MARTIN MK SIGNATURE ACOUSTIC GUITAR: Mark visited the Martin factory at Nazareth on the 27th of April to check out a prototype model. Following the visit he called in at the nearby Nazareth speedway which inspired the writing of Speedway At Nazareth. Mark and the band also found time to go to the legendary Wrigley Field to watch the Chicago Cubs ovewhelm the LA Dodgers 21-1. They even managed to join in on a rousing chorus of 'Take me to the ballgame' in the middle of the seventh innings! (updated, 12/05/01)

Mark has been working closely with Dick Boak of Martin Guitars on the design of a new signature model acoustic guitar. You can now order your very own HD-40MK from your local Martin dealer but only for a limited time. Martin will only be making a limited number of HD-40MKs and production on these will begin in January 2002. Orders need to placed in the next two months or so. Don't delay, get down to your stockist and place your order now! (updated, 10/08/01)

STP ON DVD: Arrangements have been made for Mark and Chuck Ainlay to go into the studio to produce a 5i DVD mix of the Sailing To Philadelphia album for Warner Bros. This will be a surround-sound audio only (i.e., not video) DVD which will be available only in the USA. (22/01/2001)

RARE MK TRACK FROM 1974: An instrumental track featuring Mark playing with Rod Clements at Rod's flat in Finchley, London, in the spring of 1974 is featured on the current Lindisfarne archive CD "BT3". Rod had just left Lindisfarne off-shoot Jack the Lad and was between bands when Mark knocked on the door of his flat. The track, Newport Mount Rag, after the place Steve Phillips once lived in Leeds, had no title until Mark was approached for his permission to use this track on the album in August last year and in agreeing he suggested the title which has been used. To obtain this rare gem contact sales@siren-music.com and check the Siren Music web site at www.siren-music.com. There is also an official illustrated history of Lindisfarne called Fog On The Tyne now available from Siren at £12 (inc P&P) which has some fascinating insights into the interplay of various musicians in the mid-1970s. (01/01/2001)

GRAMMY NOMINATION: Mark and Emmylou's All The Roadrunning CD was among the nominees for the Grammy award in the "Best Contemporary Folk/Americana album" section. (18/02/07)

CHRIS WHITE IN ITALY: A number of Italian DS/MK tribute bands got together to organise two fabulous charity concerts held in Rome in aid of Invisible and Child Soldier, two children's charities run by Amnesty International (for more info on these charities go to www.amnesty.org). The concerts took place on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th of February at the Totem Village, Velletri (Rome). The featured bands were Alchemy Band, Rocking Fingers and Marco Caviglia's Solid Rock. Also lending their support were Chris White, Paolo Bonfanti and our own Terry Kilburn. Thanks to all who supported their efforts. (22/02/07)

MK/EMMYLOU DUETS ALBUM: The Mark Knopfler-Emmylou Harris duets album, All The Roadrunning, was released on 24th April, 2006.


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