Great post to wake up to. I never knew that there was a video for that song in the pre-MTV days or that Dire Straits was (temporarily) down to a “3-piece” in 1980. Also didn’t know “Professor” Roy B. played on their 3rd album.
“Hallelujah Here She Come!” Now that’s a religion I can get behind. A “second coming” I could pray for.
But I wish I’d known you as a boy. Well maybe not. I know you now and you sure can write--“ribbons of melancholy” perfect for wrapping obligatory Xmas presents. Skate away from all the bullshit. Skate in the direction of love, compassion and generosity of spirit. Skate away. ❤️
I loved "Skateaway" so much! In 1980 I was 16 and getting around the north side of Chicago by bicycle, and later, biked to college and work downtown. I totally identified with the Skateaway girl. Thanks for writing about this song. I still listen to Making Movies. I hope you do have a happy Christmas this year!
I think Making Movies remains Dire Straits best album. Apart from all of the great songs, Twisting by the Pool was an outtake that didn't make the album. And Knopfler was everywhere after "Sultans of Swing," playing, along with Pick Withers, on Dylan's Slow Train Coming (his guitar on Precious Angel in particular is beautiful) and on Steely Dan's Gaucho (Time out of Mind). As much as I would love a Dire Straits reunion that I know will never happen, I admire that Knopfler simply plays what he wants (solo albums, duet albums, soundtracks).
Agreed on all counts. I haven’t loved everything Knopfler has done (Dire Straits albums included), but I totally respect his desire to change things up with every project. And if he’d never done anything after Making Movies, he’d still have a place in my personal pantheon.
Great piece all the way through! That video is great, had never seen it. The echo on the drums is a little weird, maybe it's a LinnDrum or something? I guess I need to get into the Dire Straits catalog. dammit.
It’s an interesting and occasionally puzzling catalog - aside from the first two albums (which could be fraternal twins), each record they made was very different from the one that came before it. Making Movies is their most perfect album to my ears, and I wish they’d made another in a similar sonic vein, but I can certainly understand the impulse to bring new players, sounds and technology in for each new project.
Agreed as well. I do like a number of Knopfler's duets with Emmy Lou Harris on their "All the Roadrunning" album. I also realized that two bands I really like -- the Kinks and Dire Straits -- have in common brothers who did not/do not get along, which has apparently prevented their reunion. Although it looks like Dave and Ray Davies may be speaking again. https://americansongwriter.com/ray-davies-says-he-has-about-20-songs-for-a-possible-kinks-reunion-project/
I do hope Ray and Dave can finally get it together. But as a diehard Kinks fan, I deeply lament how much time and opportunity has been squandered at this point...
1979, August... I was three spots from the ticket counter in the basement of Shillitoes, the equivalent of Macy's in Cincinnati in the 60's and 70's, suddenly the guy in front of me threw his hands up and gasped... there were no more tickets.
I would not be seeing The Who... I was 17 and I was in love with Quadrophenia and had been since I first heard it in 6th grade.
It was a kick in the stomach, but nothing like the one I got when I heard about the deaths that occurred the night of the show. Mostly because they were my peers, fellow Who fans, fellow idiots that called southern Ohio home., but the real reason was I knew it could have been me.
I was a small guy in HS, still am these days, but then I was extra small, light, slight and a pure featherweight. I also spent a lot of time down at Riverfront Coliseum, my father had season tickets to the Stingers, who battled on the ice in the WHA. I also was into concerts and had seen Sabbath, Heart, Aerosmith, Clapton, The Eagles, EWF and other big named acts there over the years prior. In short I knew the game there, not many doors were opened and mayhem ensued before shows started (My older sister got in to see Zepplin when a door popped open mid show the year before) Mostly I knew what it was like to try and squeeze into the two open doors on the plaza when a mass of humanity was pressing you into the building.
It was at Clapton in June that same year that I faced a similar moment that I still can see in my mind today. The common theme was two doors open and about 2000 kids on a concrete cause way that only bled around the building until you got to another similar situation. In short, not many doors open and a lot of energy to get in the ones that were opened. IN my case I was in a group of friends, and we were amped, I also was the smallest of the group and as the crowd surged, I was carried off my feet several times. As our group got closer to the door it got a little crazier and what happened seemed to be foggy at best in retrospect, as the opening of the doors got closer, I was shoved to the ground by a combination of gravity and exuberant elbows.
As my knees hit the ground I scrambled to get a footing and get above the knees surrounding me, suddenly a large guy grabbed my overalls top... oh I did not mention I was wearing overalls, this was one of the ten months in a guys lifetime that they were in fashion, anyway he grabbed the back of my overalls and pulled me up and pushed me through the door into the sterile hallways of the venue. I turned to him to thank him, but he as on his way down the hall in search of seat no doubt, like the rest of us he wanted to get as close as he could to the stage. Nonetheless he saved my bacon that night, and as I sat in my bedroom the night of the Who tragedy I couldn't help to think of him and that moment six months earlier.
Holy shit… thank you for sharing this memory. If anything, it sounds like it was only a matter of luck that such a tragedy hadn’t happened there earlier, and I’m thankful you didn’t get crushed. I do remember a lot of talk after that Who show about how venues/promoters would be banning general admission shows going forward, but I’m not sure how much of that actually happened. In the summer of ‘85, my sister won radio tickets to see Springsteen at Soldier Field in Chicago, and she and I (also not big people) found ourselves in a similar bottleneck of too many GA ticket holders and too few entrances. It wasn’t quite as intense as what you experienced, but it was still pretty fucking scary, especially remembering in that moment what had happened at Riverfront.
Great post to wake up to. I never knew that there was a video for that song in the pre-MTV days or that Dire Straits was (temporarily) down to a “3-piece” in 1980. Also didn’t know “Professor” Roy B. played on their 3rd album.
Yeah, the Professor really brought a lot to the table (or lectern) on that album – he’s all over it!
Big Mark Knopfler auction at Christies. The auction is in London but they have about a dozen of his guitars in NYC. Or check it out online.
Thanks for the tip - not like I could afford any of em, but it’ll be cool to have a look!
“Hallelujah Here She Come!” Now that’s a religion I can get behind. A “second coming” I could pray for.
But I wish I’d known you as a boy. Well maybe not. I know you now and you sure can write--“ribbons of melancholy” perfect for wrapping obligatory Xmas presents. Skate away from all the bullshit. Skate in the direction of love, compassion and generosity of spirit. Skate away. ❤️
Well said, my man. ❤️
I loved "Skateaway" so much! In 1980 I was 16 and getting around the north side of Chicago by bicycle, and later, biked to college and work downtown. I totally identified with the Skateaway girl. Thanks for writing about this song. I still listen to Making Movies. I hope you do have a happy Christmas this year!
Thank you, Fran! Happy Christmas to you, too!
I think Making Movies remains Dire Straits best album. Apart from all of the great songs, Twisting by the Pool was an outtake that didn't make the album. And Knopfler was everywhere after "Sultans of Swing," playing, along with Pick Withers, on Dylan's Slow Train Coming (his guitar on Precious Angel in particular is beautiful) and on Steely Dan's Gaucho (Time out of Mind). As much as I would love a Dire Straits reunion that I know will never happen, I admire that Knopfler simply plays what he wants (solo albums, duet albums, soundtracks).
Agreed on all counts. I haven’t loved everything Knopfler has done (Dire Straits albums included), but I totally respect his desire to change things up with every project. And if he’d never done anything after Making Movies, he’d still have a place in my personal pantheon.
Great piece all the way through! That video is great, had never seen it. The echo on the drums is a little weird, maybe it's a LinnDrum or something? I guess I need to get into the Dire Straits catalog. dammit.
It’s an interesting and occasionally puzzling catalog - aside from the first two albums (which could be fraternal twins), each record they made was very different from the one that came before it. Making Movies is their most perfect album to my ears, and I wish they’d made another in a similar sonic vein, but I can certainly understand the impulse to bring new players, sounds and technology in for each new project.
I'm diving in! Dang, whole first record is great, I especially like "In the Gallery".
Yeah, that LP is my second favorite!
What a great piece, Dan. Great storytelling and context.
I like Dire Straits but I haven’t listened to them properly for too long now. I’ll fire up ‘Skateaway’ later.
Look after yourself and have as lovely a Christmas as you possibly can.
Thank you, Ian. Same to you!
Agreed as well. I do like a number of Knopfler's duets with Emmy Lou Harris on their "All the Roadrunning" album. I also realized that two bands I really like -- the Kinks and Dire Straits -- have in common brothers who did not/do not get along, which has apparently prevented their reunion. Although it looks like Dave and Ray Davies may be speaking again. https://americansongwriter.com/ray-davies-says-he-has-about-20-songs-for-a-possible-kinks-reunion-project/
I do hope Ray and Dave can finally get it together. But as a diehard Kinks fan, I deeply lament how much time and opportunity has been squandered at this point...
Enjoyed the article very much. "Skateaway" as a Christmas song? Now that is a jagged time lapse...
Thanks! That's the way it rolls around here...
1979, August... I was three spots from the ticket counter in the basement of Shillitoes, the equivalent of Macy's in Cincinnati in the 60's and 70's, suddenly the guy in front of me threw his hands up and gasped... there were no more tickets.
I would not be seeing The Who... I was 17 and I was in love with Quadrophenia and had been since I first heard it in 6th grade.
It was a kick in the stomach, but nothing like the one I got when I heard about the deaths that occurred the night of the show. Mostly because they were my peers, fellow Who fans, fellow idiots that called southern Ohio home., but the real reason was I knew it could have been me.
I was a small guy in HS, still am these days, but then I was extra small, light, slight and a pure featherweight. I also spent a lot of time down at Riverfront Coliseum, my father had season tickets to the Stingers, who battled on the ice in the WHA. I also was into concerts and had seen Sabbath, Heart, Aerosmith, Clapton, The Eagles, EWF and other big named acts there over the years prior. In short I knew the game there, not many doors were opened and mayhem ensued before shows started (My older sister got in to see Zepplin when a door popped open mid show the year before) Mostly I knew what it was like to try and squeeze into the two open doors on the plaza when a mass of humanity was pressing you into the building.
It was at Clapton in June that same year that I faced a similar moment that I still can see in my mind today. The common theme was two doors open and about 2000 kids on a concrete cause way that only bled around the building until you got to another similar situation. In short, not many doors open and a lot of energy to get in the ones that were opened. IN my case I was in a group of friends, and we were amped, I also was the smallest of the group and as the crowd surged, I was carried off my feet several times. As our group got closer to the door it got a little crazier and what happened seemed to be foggy at best in retrospect, as the opening of the doors got closer, I was shoved to the ground by a combination of gravity and exuberant elbows.
As my knees hit the ground I scrambled to get a footing and get above the knees surrounding me, suddenly a large guy grabbed my overalls top... oh I did not mention I was wearing overalls, this was one of the ten months in a guys lifetime that they were in fashion, anyway he grabbed the back of my overalls and pulled me up and pushed me through the door into the sterile hallways of the venue. I turned to him to thank him, but he as on his way down the hall in search of seat no doubt, like the rest of us he wanted to get as close as he could to the stage. Nonetheless he saved my bacon that night, and as I sat in my bedroom the night of the Who tragedy I couldn't help to think of him and that moment six months earlier.
Holy shit… thank you for sharing this memory. If anything, it sounds like it was only a matter of luck that such a tragedy hadn’t happened there earlier, and I’m thankful you didn’t get crushed. I do remember a lot of talk after that Who show about how venues/promoters would be banning general admission shows going forward, but I’m not sure how much of that actually happened. In the summer of ‘85, my sister won radio tickets to see Springsteen at Soldier Field in Chicago, and she and I (also not big people) found ourselves in a similar bottleneck of too many GA ticket holders and too few entrances. It wasn’t quite as intense as what you experienced, but it was still pretty fucking scary, especially remembering in that moment what had happened at Riverfront.