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Random Band Battle: Dire Straits vs The Police


maqroll

Dire Straits or The Police?  

20 members have voted

  1. 1. Dire Straits or The Police?


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  • Poll closes on 18/10/24 at 17:00

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I think there's a difference between what you want to listen to at home and what you want to play yourself on stage. At home, I listen to classical music, jazz, heavy metal, folk music - just about anything. But not The Police or Dire Straits.

As an amateur guitar/keyboard player leaning heavily on folkrock and blues (but trying to do anything from Hot Club de France to hard rock), Mark Knopfler's playing style was easier for me to emulate than Andy Summers' style - I've never been particularily good at switching between various effect pedals. I remember Knopfler denying in an early interview that he'd even heard of Richard Thompson when Dire Straits entered the scene, and thinking: ah - someone is telling porkies here!

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C - NOT ANOTHER MUSIC THREAD 😬

My real answer is A - Dire Straits.

Romeo & Juliet and Sultans of Swing are guilty pleasures! 
 

Besides, Sting is a bit of a tit (apart from fleecing Puff Daddy!) 

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2 hours ago, maqroll said:

the production style holds up

With the exception of the lamentable addition of cheesy mid 80s Michael Brecker saxophone on "My Latest Trick". It's like a wrecking ball to an otherwise decent tune.

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42 minutes ago, theboyangel said:

C - NOT ANOTHER MUSIC THREAD 😬

My real answer is A - Dire Straits.

Romeo & Juliet and Sultans of Swing are guilty pleasures! 
 

Besides, Sting is a bit of a tit (apart from fleecing Puff Daddy!) 

From the bits and pieces I’ve heard and read, the guy really getting fleeced is Andy Summers.

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gutted i never saw dire straits. loved them as a kid but mum said i was too young to go (then she went herself!!)

think the ship sailed on any chance of a reunion long ago

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17 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

Bloody hell, I take my hat off to you. 

Not trying to say that I'm even close to being that good... I couldn't do everything he does, but I found it easier to play in a style approximating Mark Knopfler than Andy Summers, if that makes sense. I've played some early Dire Straits songs live and think I've been quite close to the original.

(Edit: I have never tried to do any of Andy Summers' work live. I play my guitar with my hands, I couldn't possibly use my feet to select pedals at the same time...) A Mesa Boogie V-Twin preamp with three settings and a Carl Martin echo pedal, that's all I can handle when I'm playing.

Edited by TB
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2 hours ago, kidlewis said:

the money for nothing intro alone means they win it.

Plus Sting sings on that, so all bases covered

 

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6 hours ago, bickster said:

He did but of all the acts to come from Newcastle, you just about picked the worst two :D 

Unlike you not to like well known and popular bands? 🤔

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5 hours ago, maqroll said:

With the exception of the lamentable addition of cheesy mid 80s Michael Brecker saxophone on "My Latest Trick". It's like a wrecking ball to an otherwise decent tune.

Come on, the cheesy sax makes it!

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2 hours ago, Xela said:

Plus Sting sings on that, so all bases covered

 

Ha, I hadn't even considered that when I started the thread! (Consciously, anyway.)

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Ok so I know it's a humble brag to start by saying "when I recorded with Sting...." but......

when I recorded with Sting he was actually alright. The circus of nobhead studio folks around him however were nauseating and all vying for cool w***ker of the year award.

It was very weird to meet someone who had been famous for all of my conscious life. (I remember seeing posters of the Police on other peoples bedroom walls from about the age of 5.) But honestly we talked about the fact that his wife Trudy is from Bromsgrove, that I am from the W Mids, and quite bizarrely brass bands. Then his personal chef bought him his vegan lunch and the conversation sort of tailed off.

Anyway, never been a fan of Sting's music but recognize him as a cultural touchstone (anyone who played Live Aid has a place in musical history to me as a 10 year old at the time, either good or mediocre.) I liked Dire Straits and Brothers in Arm is a good song - obviously dated now but again cultural touch stones don't have to be positive or negative - I just recognize that they are what they are.

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