drfletch7

	doctor fletch	Click here and send the Doc a question mail@guyfletcher.co.uk or why not re-visit previous consultations v.1 . . v.2 . . v.3 . . v.4. . v.5 . .v.6
MANY DVD questions	Any plans for recording DVD during this tour ??? I am just wondering, because there has been a lot of talk about this being the best solo tour ever, and the biggest, it would be a shame if there was no official record of the event, like a live D.V.D. i'm sure you get asked this a lot, but would you be able to make an official statement on your website as to weather or not there will be anything like a live D.V.D.	At the moment, there are NO plans to release a DVD of the tour, even though nearly all of the shows have been recorded. It was always the intent to make these available online. Stay tuned to my info page for periodic updates. Things can change.
EP	Last week I had a chance to pick up the new EP entitled "One Take Radio Sessions" here in the States. I was just wondering why you are not credited in the "Musicians" section. Under "Keys", only Jim Cox and Matt Rollings are stated. You did participate in the making of the EP, right?	Yes, I've had quite a few e-mails about this. I was busy working on a movie at the time and couldn't get over to the states.
tempo	Just how do you get the exact same tempo for each song every night? Does each band member have a metronome or "click" in their in-ears? At one point I thought Danny was the "tempo man", but Mark starts off a few songs, so how do you guys do it? Thanks!	Some of the songs are counted in by Danny and he uses a click track to get an accurate tempo, but some are started by other members of the band and they do vary slightly. No big deal though.
Interweb	what do thing about the way the Internet has changed the relationship between the recording artist and the fan? It's quite a leap really, I have been following your site since the recording of the Shangri-La (which was fun during the middle of a cold Northern Michigan winter) and it is seems to me that the fact that I am able to comment to you about your observations of a show is an extension of the exchange of energy that is inherent in rock shows already.	It really amazes me that so few musicians open up to the fans like I do. Maybe I'm weird?...I get valuable feedback which I can pass along to various people who I think can benefit from it. The technology is there, why not use it?
Trawl	Did you also record some shows from the first part of the tour, I mean with 'Trawlerman Song' included, one of my favorites ?	We did record the earlier shows but it was decided that the band had evolved musically and performance-wise, so I don't think the earlier shows will see the light of day. However, maybe there's a case for a live version of Trawlerman's song someday??
Radio City	Do you know what is happening with the Radio City concert. I see there are a couple of tracks being offered by Crowfly for free, but is the full concert going to be offered up sometime either as a free download (as originally thought), or as one of the priced downloads?	I'm not sure what will be the fate of these recordings...stay tuned. Maybe they'll become available for free.
power	How do you handle the different power supplies for the equipment? North America is 110V and Europe is 220V. Some places have 50 cycle power and some are 60 cycle. Does this affect the equipment?	Good question. At the beginning of the tour we purchased a 'Firman' power conditioning unit which outputs 'clean' voltage wherever we are. (except certain parts of Spain!!!!!)
sample rates	I recently purchased a CD (Devils and Dust, by Bruce Springsteen, if you must know) that came with a bonus DVD; on the DVD, there was a 15 minute video segment, but also another complete copy of the album that has lyrics that ran on the screen while the song played. Obviously the DVD had audio that would be sampled at 48kHz, while the CD would be 44.1kHz. What sampling is used in the recording studio? Or is it common practice to record at 96Hz (or something else?) for best fidelity, and then re-sample down for all these formats? Enquiring minds want to know.	Whatever is available in the studio is what is used. 96khz is slowly becoming the industry norm but 44.1 is still the most common whereas in film it's 48k
STANDING-SEATING the big issue	Please, please don't let the venue decide!!! They will always decide NOT to let the fans down front because it's less work for them (and most of the security I've met at shows just love to enforce their "power"). I understand that the fans in the front rows might have been upset at the view being blocked, but there's a better way. Why not tell security that fans can come down during the encore? Or even shortly before the encore. That way, those further back have the opportunity if they'd like, to come closer. I'm sure it would be more fun for you guys to have people at the stage for the whole show, but this would be an easy resolution.	We've discussed this issue and have decided to continue with our relaxed policy but with careful consideration at each venue bearing in mind the wishes of those in the first few rows.
STANDING-SEATING	Hi doc, I read your diary every day and was amused by Mark throwing he towel to that guy. In your later comments you were talking about people in front rows who aren't amused. I think it's only a few people. I can't imagine these are the real fans, maybe these people are VIPS having their tickets for free. For real fans it's not easy to sit down and listen to your music. We feel like moving and give you and all other band members the credits you deserve. I don't think that the atmosphere will be better when everyone keeps sitting down in their chairs just polite clapping after each song. So in my opinion keep on going with your own policy, your fans feel happy with it.	Richard and I have received mail from these people on both sides of this particular fence. Firstly I have to say, most of the people in the first few rows (except Moscow) ARE REAL fans. They are the ones who cue for hours desperately seeking the good seats and they really do want to enjoy the show - seated.
STANDING-SEATING note sent to and answered by Richard	"7,400 Norwegian fans (Oslo) who had no problem making their way up to the front of the stage very quickly and energized us all into a 'do no wrong' show. It was rocking, focused, relaxed and in control, all in top form. By the end, the entire audience was on its feet and the evening was a complete success. " Except for the people who got online or in line at the minute tickets went on sale. Paid top dollar to get good seats, because they love the band and wanted to see and hear. Only to have their evening ruined by some inconsiderate,selfish attention seekers. Unfortunately, you gave it to them ignoring the people who paid for and wanted to sit and listen. I'm betting the "do no wrong" show didn't quite come across to the people who couldn't see and probably hear for most of the show.	Thanks for your note, I appreciate you writing. We all talked about that very thing after the show that evening in Oslo and a few of us brought it up again yesterday. Strictly from a selfish point of view, it's very exciting to have a crowd of people up front and close enough to rest their elbows on the front of the stage, that contact made is amazing. On the other hand I, like you, have gone to many concerts and have been seriously bugged when people stand-up in front and block my view of the show either forcing me to stand as well through the event or simply stay seated and stare at somebody's backside. I completely sympathize with how you feel and was probably a little glib with the "complete success" posting. We felt that the audience came up front too early, it's kind of a cool thing toward the end of the show, but that it prevented others from enjoying the evening. Just to let you know we were aware. - RB
more tickets	Hey Doc. One thing I couldn't believe was how cheap the tix were here in Aus. $128 gold seats for 2.5 hours plus of music as compared to other elite artists that have played here in Rod Laver Arena this year for like 350 bucks. MK is an absolute legend followed his career since 1978, I've been very lucky, even the OES tour '91 the tix again were excellent value. I'm so addicted to his concerts i cant get enough, help me please :)	We do try.
TICKET PRICES	I emailed you last week about seeing your show in Salt Lake City. I looked into ticket prices and was shocked at how much they were. The 'cheap seats' were going for about $250 a piece!! The good seats were in the $475 price range. I've been a fan of DS/MK for about 15 years now and I actually would pay that kind of money to see you guys in concert - if I had it. I'd have no reservations at all about paying $80 or so to see you guys in concert, but those $250-$500 kind of ticket prices really limit the average hard-core fan from enjoying your show. Instead, it seems a bit elitist. I would think that instead of an audience of enthusiastic fans, you're going to have an audience of stiff rich-folk with money burning a whole in their pockets.	This is becoming a common problem. BE AWARE. The tickets in Salt Lake City are $61.50, $55 and $40 and there are none of our shows in the US where the price exceeds $100!!!! As a rule, you should always check the venue website first (this is where you should be able to obtain tickets at our recommended prices), then maybe try ticketmaster The website you visited and indeed I came up with first when enquiring about SLC tix is an unofficial 'scalpers' site. These tickets are often bought by punters and sold on by the scalpers who take a commission.
intermingling	Guy/Doc: Someone asked this recently on the Telegraph Road email list, and I had been wondering the same thing, so: During the STP tour, we on T-R saw all kinds of Roadies' pictures and accounts of meeting MK and band members before or after the concerts, getting their pictures taken with them and autographs and short conversations. We haven't seen much of that on this tour. Have you stopped doing such intermingling with fans?	Very good question this...Yes, Mark wanted to do things a little different on this one. The policy is that wherever possible, we fly aftershow to the next town thereby waking up in the town we will play in. Since we utilize a private jet, it's easy for us to do this. The down side is of course, there's no after-show gathering and because of the hasty exits we make from venues, no autographs. We tend to have to make haste in order to get to the airport to make the slot. Like most artists on the road, intermingling with the fans is not really on the agenda, and the meet and greets are the only concession to this.
tuning	why the string instruments are tuned just few minutes before you enter the stage? because of temperature changes when the audience comes in?	the instruments are always tuned just before we go on because as you say, temperature differences take their toll.
mistakes?	do you record your shows so you can at least listen to them later for mistakes or different ideas or some other purpose?	No, we would never listen to a show we've just played. we always talk a lot about it on the plane afterwards...'sharpening razor blades' as we like to refer to it.
Hawaii tour	Hi Doc! When does the Hawaiians go on tour and when will be released their first CD??? Please cure me from this disease!! ;-) Thanks for keeping us updated with your amazing diary!!	No tour plans yet but we will be recording and making tunes available soon (for a small fee) on-site.
dirties	I'm looking at your Prague pics and you're wearing the same t-shirt at meet'n'greet that you wore at Ljubljana on the stage. Then I read the explanation. :) But I was wondering, who does your laundry and how does that part of the tour works? When you think of a big tour you think of trucks, lights, stage props, instruments, food...but laundry, clothes (both stage and private) is probably one of the more intimate elements of the whole setup, isn't it?	Yeah, I didn't bother to change that day. Our assistant manager, Steve, takes any dirties each evening and they miraculously return, clean, the next day.
instrument	I read an interview with MK a while ago and he said that the guitar that comes into his hand when he's writing has a big influence on the tune. It seems logical to me, because different guitars feel and sound different, so if you've got an acoustic, you're going to come up with something different than if you have an electric and an amp. But does the same thing apply to you as a keyboard player? When you start writing, do you have an idea and just go with whatever sound is there, or do you mess around with sounds before and see what idea comes?	Indeed, the same is true but I tend to use several instruments along the way
Hawaiians	I am listening to the recording of the meet and greet right now and I found it has a great sound! Please Doc, how did you do to get such a well balanced sound (computer program, mics, etc...)?	It was recorded directly into my Mac G4 laptop with no prior setting up or mics. Hey, I don't even know where the mic is! We will be recording a few more tunes later on using slightly more sophisticated techniques.
schedule	Hey Doc, Just a quick question to enquire about the tour schedule. How do you decide where you are going to visit on any tour, and how long you are going to spend in each place, is it air play, CD sales or something else? This leads me on to how do you decide which venue you are going to play, I guess it must be a bit of guess work on the tour managements part to get the venue size right? Lastly what made you guys think "right lads, lets go and play India?". It seems like playing there was a bit of a masterstroke as the people there seemed to love you guys turning up! Keep on with the good work - the tour and the diary especially are totally intuitive!	All that is really decided between Mark and the management. As for the venue size, local promoter knowledge combined with record sales give an indication. They don't always get it right. India, Mark fancied it!
piano	It was a bit hard to see because it was hidden behind the Hammond B3 but I thought Matt Rollings played on a grand piano in some songs. Is that such a digital piano in the form of a grand or is it an acoustic? And do you take the same one along on the tour or do you rent one at every different location?	It's hard to miss the grand piano case, what seats did you get? Matt uses a Yamaha digital piano encased in a grand piano shell. It's not quite the real thing but the pros (ie tuning) FAR outweigh the cons. All our gear, including lights and PA, travels with us
DVD	Hello Doc, Since the DVD of Madrid 2001 will not go out, I do not know if by technical problems.. You have thought to record some of the concerts of tour "Shangri-La" to send it in DVD Live later?	No concrete plans as yet but I'm sure something will come of this tour.
tricky	Hi there Doc, Hope you guys are having fun during this tour. I´ve heard some mp3 files and the band is rocking as always. My question is...For you, what´s the most difficult MK/DS song to be played? And, is there any particular song which is more difficult to improvise during a live version?	I don't consider any of the tunes we're playing on this tour to be difficult but I suppose Telegraph Road is the most challenging because of it's intricate arrangement and dynamics. Anything which is structured in this way doesn't really lend itself to improvisation although Mark always has free reign during the solos.
BIA-MFN	According to a quick estimation, you played Brothers in Arms and Money for Nothing probably more than 700 times on stage since 85. 20 years later, how can you still have fun playing these songs during 100 additional venues? Any specific medicine to recommend ?	At least...No, the key to it is to keep on making it interesting for us to play. After all, if we didn't enjoy playing it, it would show. MFN for example now has only Mark's guitar in it...like the record. Richard plays cowbell which is essential in my mind. BIA has a completely new arrangement too and I play Hammond!...how cool is that.
Film	Since, I am a fan of both your own and of course MK's screen work, my question is when scoring for TV or Film, what is the normal sequence of events to complete a score.	Ah, a non-tour related question. Each film differs slightly but basically it's like this. Composer will come onboard during post-production (when the director and editor are editing the movie) and will meet with the director and discuss music over a rough cut. Composer will then write score, record the music, after the director is happy of course...then when they've re-cut (sometimes several times)the film the composer will either have to re-write or edit the music to fit. It seems odd, but because of the timing of the processes, this is just about what happens with every film. It's very rarely plain sailing all the way, nonetheless, it's a very rewarding process.
Ambience	How do you like the outdoor open pavilion / amphitheater vs. enclosed arenas, theaters, halls etc. when it come to lighting and especially sound management oh.... and finally ambiance?	Personally, I like playing all types of venue. The large halls can be great fun (Bercy,Frankfurt etc.) but at the moment we're longing to get into an intimate theatre like Newcastle City Hall. I don't think it affects the lighting too much. Ambience is different at EVERY venue.
blackout	between songs it's completely dark (I stood right in front of the stage and I could see almost nothing), yet I see that people move on and off the stage and change instruments and gear. Do you have special guiding lights on the floor ?It's a good question.	We're actually all psychic and can see in the dark. - If you've been to a show, you may have noticed, the lights come up very briefly and dimly at certain times after the darkness. This enables us to see just enough to do what we need to do. sometimes it's a bit tricky to move around and if in doubt, we just stand still. Nothing worse than tripping over one of Mark's expensive guitars.
Ron Eve	I was wandering if the good doctor could tell me whatever happened to Ron Eve? What is he doing nowadays? When was Glenn Saggers brought in instead?	we stay in touch with Ron and see him every now and then. He's living in London and runs a company offering expert Mac advice and sales.
5th album?	Do you think there is more a chance of a Fifth studio solo album from Mark then a Seventh studio Dire Straits album? It’s interesting to think how many Mark has done on his own, pretty close to the Straits now isn’t it?	There is almost NO chance of another Straits album. I think it's a safe bet to say Mark will make another solo record.
steel eliminator	at certain moments I thought I heard a steel guitar sound (as if Paul Franklin was playing) but I couldn't see how this sound was made from where I was sitting. Since I didn't notice any lap steel guitar, i wonder how this sound is produced ? by keyboard ?	Well spotted. Yes, there are a few steel samples I use and trigger them at specific points in Sailing to Philadelphia. I also play a steel guitar sound in Shangri-La.
rags	Why do you all use such poor looking clothes on stage? An artist with a T-shirt on does not impress on people generally. After having payed a lot of money to see these guys play, the least you may expect is them wearing clothes to show your respect.	You're kidding right? Truth is, we're a bunch of degenerate slobs who couldn't care less about the way we look. Consideration IS however paid to the way we sound.
bogbreak	I was wondering if it did happen that someone had to go to the toilet really bad during a gig ?	It only seems to happen to me and thankfully I get a pee break during Sultans
extra man	During the Sailing to Philadelphia tour, there were 3 guitarists on stage. I think that 3 guitars add a lot to many of Mark's songs. For instance "Speedway" has never been as powerful as the version the band played during last tour. And I noticed that little by little Guy have to play more and more guitar (bonaparte, Why Aye Man, Back to Tupelo...) which I find really good but don't you think a third guitarist who could play the pedal steel as well would not be a good idea ? It would let Guy concentrate on the keyboard parts (I wonder how he does it so well in Why aye Man ;-), and it would make the songs evolve even more. Have you consider having a third guitarist while preparing for the tour? or was it clear in MK's mind that Richard (mon brave ;-) was enough? Mind you, I think that Richard does a wonderful job. And in fact I would love to hear him take on some more solo parts. And if I'm not mistaken he is the one playing the solo in "Summer of Love" a song I would love to hear live. Thank you Doc.	We were originally going to go out with an 'extra' multi-instrumentalist, but that fell through and Mark wondered if we needed the extra man anyway. Personally, I like the 6 piece line-up. It's feeling a lot more like a 'band' nowdays and I like the stripped down versions of some of the songs we do now, especially only ONE guitar in MFN! Richard plays the cowbell which in my mind is hugely important to the sound of that track. We went for years unnecessarily using more than one guitar.
trend	I saw you in Amsterdam and I loved the gig. It was probably the best I ever saw. I liked your keyboard playing very much, especially in Sailing to Philadelphia and Romeo and Juliet. I just thought of something, I think that the (musical) relationship you have with Mark is copied by a lot of other musicians; Chris Rea started working with Max Middleton and Robert Cray works with Jim Pugh, after you started working with Mark. They all have a similar role in the band and in music direction. Do you think you set a 'trend'? Also, since Matt Rollings is in the band now and Lyle Lovett opened some shows for you in 1992, do you think you guys are going to work with Lyle Lovett in the near future?	No, I would never assume I started a trend, these musical relationships are necessary for artists like these and probably more common than you think. I doubt we'll be with Lyle on this tour but oddly enough, Jim Cox may do some work with Lyle as Matt recommended him.
fave	Because there is so much talking of the set list and some songs that people want to hear you play live on stage, I would like to know if there is maybe one DS/MK song that you (for yourself) would like to play but that didn't made it on the current setlist?!... and which of the songs that you perform live on this tour do you like most?	On Every street was always great to play but Mark only likes doing it with the pedal steel. The band are particularly enjoying Speedway and Telegraph at the moment. If the truth be known, we are enjoying everything.
B3's	Great to see a nice balance to the stage with a Hammond on each side...but where do the Leslies hide and how do you stop them both deafening everyone in the vicinity?! Any special mic'ing going on? Three cheers for the road crew, it seems unfair to replace a Whirly and an XB2 with another B3 and its leslie!	My leslie is sitting right behind me on my riser and Matt's is just off the stage mic'd up inside it's case. The reason being my case hasn't got the holes cut into it for mics as we changed over so quickly last week. It IS loud and it pisses Glen Saggers off.
self importance	In the tourbook, you get the additional monniker (or is that an additional Monica, Mr Clinton?) of "musical director". Given the recent discussions over set content, and the faux comments Mark makes each night re "taking requests" and the "on stage meeting" towards the encores, just where does an MD fit in, and what do you do to earn that hat?	It's more a case of heirarchy, being the 'senior member' in the band, it's a way I can pretend to be more important than I actually am!
fit	Dear Doc, I don't know how you guys do it. Your tour schedule has you playing so many nights in a row! 6-7 nights seems to be the norm, and there's one time that the band has 10 nights in a row, taking you through the UK, France and Germany. I'm really (really!!) not trying to offend, but you guys aren't springiest of chickens! I'd say the band has to be in great shape on the whole to accomplish this feat. Most bands have 3-4 nights on at the most. I think I'm worried that you all might be worn out by the time you hit the States! (haha) So how do you handle it? And how does MK's voice handle it?	Not the springiest!!!??? worn out???? no way. We are actually pretty fit as we spend many hours working on just that. The schedule IS gruelling, especially for the crew and it does seem that every day off is well needed.
how old?	Doc - curious about the age distribution at the shows. As one who usually sees artists that either are older or have less hair than I do (MK qualifies on both accounts), I'd like to see if you're seeing more children of fans, older fans or just plain quality music fans? Or are you not looking out into the crowd as much?	It's always been the case with MK shows that the age range varies immensly. Seems to be even more so nowdays. It's great to see sometimes three generations of fans at the same show.
travel	I´ve seen you (the band) have your private plane to move around the world, but what happens with the crew and the equipment. Does the road crew fly on regular flights? And the equipment? Do you use carrier like those brands we have on mind or send them in charter flights only for equipment? Is there any difference between the OES tour and this one in this terms? Thanks	The crew have it a little harder than us. They travel around Europe on two buses whilst the gear goes in four trucks. Because of the distances, sometimes they arrive at venues later than they would like. Soundcheck is sacrificed in these instances. On the previous leg in Australia and India, we all travelled on commercial jets as well as the gear. All ten and a half tonnes of it! The only difference between the OES tour and this one is that the production is smaller now so therefore less trucks, less PA, lights, crew 'stuff'.
sacrifice	Any pryomanbass-like sacrifice predicted for the coming shows ? ;-) Perhaps your world famous uke ?	We did joke about this recently as I'm looking for a replacement. The old one should maybe retired in this way????
spares	Do you have any replacement keyboard with you in case you had a problem ? What happens if Mark's (or Richard's) amps break down ? Do you rent amps or Keyboards in such cases ?	Yes, we carry spare keyboards and there's often a contingency plan in case anything fails. It's not foolproof of course. Infact at the moment my Sycologic midi router is on the blink and keeps crashing during the show. Luckily never during a song, only when I recall a patch. It failed last night just before What it is and I had to reboot it. Luckily, it takes about 5 seconds to do this. Laurence will investigate, I'm sure.
diaries	-We have the chance to have the impressions of both you and Richard, thanks to your respective diaries. But we never know what MK, Glenn, Matt or Danny think about the show. We don't really know if MK is happy of touring, and if he appreciates the welcome of his audience. It's not to say your diary needs every day everybody's thoughts, but sometimes it would be great to have some new impressions ! It's just an idea. -It seems that MK didn't take his pensas with him on the road. Do you think he dislikes them now ? Is it just because he thinks that they don't suit to the songs anymore ?	Well, Glenn keeps a personal journal but he's not into publication. I can definately say that the whole band is enjoying this tour very much, especially Mark. As for the pensas, I guess Mark's just moving on and using guitars which he enjoys using on particular songs. I'm sure he still loves the Pensas.
triads	I’m really enjoying both your and Richard's diaries – thanks for taking the time to give us some insights into touring. My question relates to something you wrote a day or two ago: “We're not a juke-box and we DO perform each song differently each night. Sometimes it's quite radical.”. I’m an amateur musician but I do play regularly and it’s one of the challenges to keep songs fresh for myself and the audience. Can you say anything about the day to day interactions around various songs on tour – how, in fact, do you decide how to perform a song differently on any given night, apart from variations in ‘feel’ – like audience response? Could you give an example of one of the songs on tour that has ‘evolved?’	Good question, Rudiger is a song we play a lot but not in all shows. Matt and Richard were having a musical discussion about hybrid chords, ie a way of visualizing altered chords by superimposing triads in one key over another. Matt tried a few ideas out during Rudiger for the next few shows and is continuing to do so. Now we're all having a go. fun.
audience mics	We saw that there a lot of mics on the stage pointing to audience, and some of them smaller near them some pointing to the band and some to the audience. Some people said in the mailing lists and forums that you´re recording every show in order to release a live album but other people suggested that it´s just in order to arrange the sound for the venues, hearing how the people will hear it in the venue...	Well spotted. It's certainly true that we are recording some of the shows, not all of them, however the main reason for these microphones is to send the signal to our in-ear mixes to give the band more of a feeling for the crowd reaction. It prevents us from feeling 'closed off' from the crowd. It would be great to put out something from this tour as the band is rocking! but I can't really comment as it's not my decision. oops..maybe I just did comment?
tempos	I have a question: Before you´re starting with a song, how do you find the correct tempo? I remember a live-record of "brothers in arms" the band played (for my taste) much too slow. (Yesterday everything was allright ;-)	Good question. Usually Danny will check the tempo with a click In his earpeice, but sometimes Mark will govern the tempo as he starts some tunes in free-time. Agreed about BIA, now it's much better, especially as I get to play it on a mighty Hammond!
twaddle	I contacted you a few times when you were in Perth and have followed your diary since..... can't believe some of the twaddle about set lists and sound etc. It's a live concert for goodness sake, the privilege is ours. Every MK song is a joy to hear, over & over again. That's the whole point! Don't change a darn thing.	We won't
The great DC	a special mention to the GREAT Danny Cummings ! He makes me dream everytime I hear him play ! This guy is SO SO strong !! Could be awarded as "Best drummer of the World ever" ! I still hear his drums beat in my chest !! Amazing !! Can you tell him all that please...	Danny read this and smiled. I heartily agree with you.
wishes	is mk aware about his fans remarks or wishes (dvd / setlist etc..) ? are you sometimes talking about these topics or the record company or mark management don't inform him about these ?	Mark doesn't get involved too much with the fans' wishes, why should he? His job is to do what he does, but I think he appreciates the job I do with the diary and I tell him about stuff that I think is relevant.
internet shows	and what about recording all shows and putting them on internet (it was your idea, no?) in order that fans could choose and buy their favourites concerts (i think this operation is clearly profitable and is a good solution to protect artists) ?	It's been suggested but at present...no plans.
bad sound? tell me about it	it seems that lots of fans are a bit disapointed with the sound of the concerts as well as with the setlist wich don't change.	Who's dissapointed? Not many people have said anything bad to me. A couple of quibbles in various reviews. I'd love to hear from anyone who thinks the sound was a problem. Obviously some venues are difficult. we trust Robert Collins implicitly.
big barns	> for big venues (i am going to antwerpen and paris bercy : about 15 000 people approx) are you planning to put some big screens and to set up higher speakers ?	The number of speakers is always adjusted for each venue. Big screens? I don't know. Probably.
set changes	Will there be no changes in the set-lists as long as Danny is on the road with you? Because there haven't been any changes since the Lisbon show.	Lots of queries about this once again - the set is definately stabilising as we do this current run if shows, it's really dependant on the venue. Big halls require a slightly different set we feel to smaller halls and theatres. We will definately swap a few songs around when we play smaller shows
speed-learning	how did Danny Cummings manage to rehearse in so short time and be able to replace Chad ? Did you help him rehearse ? Did he worked alone with audio recordings of last shows ?	Yes, Danny is a fast learner. I gave him a tape of the show in Christchurch which Robert recorded off the front desk, he put them in his iPod and locked himself away for 7 days! Good job eh?
heroes	a: who were your musical heroes when a young doctor? b: as you run with some pretty heavyweight bands did you ever get to meet them or even play alongside them? c: did they live up to your fan expectations?	Apart from Quincy MD, there was Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman (but I think that was 'cos of the cape), Lennon/McCartney were alway huge influences and later on, from a muso's viewpoint, Steely Dan were never off my turntable. I've met most of my heroes and the only one I clammed up with was Paul McCartney, I felt like a nervous kid. That was at the Albert Hall benefit show for Montserrat, and he came up to me. actually I met him briefly just before we went onstage at Knebworth when my wife was heavily pregnant with Max. Paul leant down, put his ear to her bulging belly and said "don't worry, you'll be out soon".
oldies	1. Is Private Investigations in cold storage now? That was one of the songs many of us were looking forward to hearing (this is not to be construed as a complaint, by the way; just a question). 2. Do you ever rehearse/play the old numbers like Down to the Waterline, or Once Upon a Time in the West? Or even Water of Love? 3. How difficult is it to adjust to a new drummer in the middle of a tour? I know that Danny Cummings is a long-time collaborator with Mark, but even so, how does he manage, especially with the new songs?	I guess it is, we haven't played that one for ages....I think it's had it's day as have the others you mention, that's not to say we'll never play them again. Danny has managed extremely well, as you say he has been around a long time and therefore really knows the songs, it was just a case of learning the new stuff.
best venue	As you have played all over the world what is the best venue that you have played in?	Tough one this as venues are all different and have different appeals. I like the more picturesque places like the Greek theatre in LA, and some of the more beautiful Roman amphitheatres in France, the open air gigs in Italy where we often play in the town square and of course the Albert Hall.
MK rig	Mark plays considerably more than one guitar at each show, so where do you find the space to plug them all in? Do the amps have numerous channels which each have their own EQ controls? There's also the issue of putting different effects like delay on each guitar. I always find this kind of thing difficult to explain! Hope you see what I mean.	They all plug into the same hole. Amazing but true. Glenn sees to it between each song. I will cover this topic in great DETAIL at some point in the next few weeks in the diary as I've had so many questions about Mark's guitar rig.
best album	As a great Dr of music,in your point of view which of Mark's solo albums do you think is his best?	It's gotta be Shangri-La, definately
health and efficiency	Hi Doc, Being such a wide ranging specialist Doc which covers a vast range of topics, could you enlighten us on your tips to maintain the bands healthy appearance? Looking at the pictures and descriptions on the tour diary, it looks like as if the team get VERY well looked after food wise and have access to a whole range of tempting and potentially cholesterol filled treats, so I was interested in your tips to keep the waistline in check. No food before midnight? Eat those 5 portions of fruit and veg? Relentless hours at the gym? PS, what are your best hangover cures?	We are blessed with our own catering crew in Europe...much anticipated. On the leg we've just done, and in America, we have to rely on venue/promoter supplied catering which has at times been questionable. The food supplied in Perth was inedible for example. A few harsh words were exchanged at management level and it miraculously improved for the rest of the Aussie tour. apart from that, all the obvious rules apply..no eating late, eat light and often, lots of excercise and far too much Gin and tonic!
typical day	How do you fill in a typical day on tour? Do you guys sleep in or are you up early?	We generally fall out of bed and head for the nearest gym, pool, running track, sauna, sunbes, steamroom. We are all into running or swimming as touring brings the perfect opportunity for such things. We generally sleep as long as we need to depending on the travelling.
webcam	How will you let us know when the webcam will be up for sound checks?	I will not be able to know if it works or not at each venue until an hour or so before s'check so once I've done one, I'll put a note on that page. I actually tried it in Sydney and it looked like it was working but alas, I must still be doing something wrong... I'll get it fixed by the time we start Europe. Promise.
Aussie shows	1) The promotional material I see everywhere for the Australian tour clearly states that Mark states the shows will consist of 80% DS songs. Yet clearly this is not true and when I went to the show last night in Melbourne it was more like 30% DS songs. I hate this kind of false advertising to try to increase ticket sales. I emailed the promoters to ask if they could confirm the statement but they would did not reply. 2) I was seated on the floor last night and asked 3/4 of the way through the show if I could go to the front to get a better look. The security people said only the front row can stand up the front. This seems unreasonable. At the age we are all at now I doubt if this rule was relaxed there would suddenly be a huge flood of people. Can anything be done for future shows.	Indeed. Two good points. The first was an error of judgment on the part of the promoter which caused some quite serious discontent. Obviously it was a complete fabrication designed to put bums on seats for which on behalf of the band and management, I apologize. We actually have been playing around 50-60% DS material. The security thing is a worldwide epidemic and it does piss us off too. The venues obviously cannot discern between young wild rock and roll acts and artists like Mark who generate a more 'pipe and slippers' reaction from audiences. They have their policies- fire and safety rules etc.......and it's so difficult if not impossible for us to get them to modify. . . . .again, sorry but there's not a lot we can do about it.
new songs	I've got a question about the studio recording. How does MK comes to the band with a new song? Is it completely written in his head? on paper? Does he allready know all the instruments he wants to use for the song? Of course, I think, as a band you will help him or tell him what else he could use in the song.	I think I've touched on this before but basically he comes with the song written, and plays it to the band in the studio on an acoustic guitar and we take it from there. We'll discuss it further and start playing. Sometimes it's a fast process and sometimes it's not.
shangri-la	Hello Guy,why don't you play any more Our Shangri-La? It is one of the most beautiful songs of Mark.	Because ironically, it's very high for him to sing with his bad throat. Until it clears up, we're leaving it out.
kinda	1.Any hints on MK's next album 2.Any plans for another tour specially to Bangalore....Your favourite experiences here in India 3.And finally what kind audience do you love playing to ...a loud/crazy audience like the ones in Bangalore/Mumbai or a more sober audience	1. It's not even been conceived yet, and only Mark would know about that. 2. It's a bit early to think about that as there's still a long way to go on this one. 3. In all seriousness, we love playing to all kinds of audiences. It makes for a varied tour.
little keyboard	Hey doc. What is that little keyboard for? (Perth - Burswood Dome picture). Is that an M-audio Oxygen? When do you use it? what software? what computer?. Am I asking the correct questions?	Yes, you're asking the right questions. It is indeed a M-audio Oxygen. It's simply there as another midi controller as I kind of run out in Telegraph Road. I use it to play the thunder and bell samples in that song. Also it's used in Long Highway whenever we get round to doing it. I don't use it with a computer, it simply triggers on of the two samplers I have in my rack.
real doc	Hello le Doc, good to follow you on Tour,it feels like I'm here with you everyday. some medical questions:does a Doctor travel with you or are you confident in local ones?do you take medicines in your luggage?	We don't take any professional Doc. as such. The local promoter suggests a doctor if the need arises. So far we've had a few out for Mark. He IS recovering. As for the rest of us, our bags certainly contain various mild remedies such as Beechams Resolve, Alka seltzer etc.
funny moments	I was wondering if you had a particular favourite moment at any given gig. (A favourite song to play, just before you all walk out on stage? etc)	One moment does stand out. when I was in France touring with Roxy Music in '81, we were about to play a live broadcast show in Frejus and just before we walked onstage, Alan Spenner the bassist in the band (who had a knack for creating volatile situations) suddenly shouted "I can't take any more" and ran in the opposite direction. Bryan's face was a portrait of fear and panic. His manager ran after him and when Alan was caught, he said that he was "just kidding". I think it took a while for poor Bryan to recover his composure.
p.e.	Being a Doc that covers a vast range of topics, could you enlighten us on your tips to maintain your lithe healthy appearance. Looking at the pictures and descriptions on your tour diary, it looks like you get VERY well looked after food wise, so I was interested in your tips to keep the waistline in check. No food before midnight? Eat those 5 portions of fruit and veg? Relentless hours at the gym?	Lithe, Healthy.? Actually, I am In pretty good shape but still require extensive photoshop adjustment to complete the picture. Also, no chips, not too much beer... and far too much wine. Seems to work.
pre show rituals	How do you and the other band members psych yourselves up for a big show? Can you give us an idea of what you all do, say, thirty minutes prior to going on stage?	Good question and the answer may surprise you. We don't really do that much. We like to eat light before the show and we generally arrive an hour or so beforehand, get changed about 25 mins to go. Put our in-ear packs on (See pic later) about 10 mins to go. then after the manager has a quick look out to make sure most of the audience is in, and when the production manager calls 'house lights' on we go.
families recording guitars	- This tour is quite long. Isn't it quite difficult to be away from your families during so many months ? Even if I know that "The Band" is quite like a 2nd family, do you plan to come back to your families during the tour ? - Do you know if a concert will be recorded in the future ? I just hope there will be a DVD or a live album of this tour. (I'm sure many fans think so !). - Concerning the Guitar that Mark sold to help the victims of the tsunami : Was it its legendary 61 Red Strat ?	It is indeed the most difficult aspect of touring. Being away from the family is tough, but you know, it's what we choose to do for a living so one really shouldn't complain. Besides, Mark has specifically arranged the tour around the school holidays. The concert will be recorded at some point I'm sure but at the moment there are no plans for an official release.The guitar that went for auction was one of Mark's beautiful signature Fender Stratocasters.
meet'n'greet	Is there any chance of going back stage to meet the band either before or after the concert	If I had a pound for every time I got asked this......I'm afraid I can't possibly organise anything like this. The meet and greets are strictly for promotors, competition winners and pre-arranged radio and TV. Sorry.
In-ear Monitors explained	If you can manage some time to use e-mail between the shows and travelling from city to city, please explain to me shortly the reason why all the musicians are wearing in-ear monitors in other words what's exactly the function of this kind of system. Does each musician hear other instruments playing ?Think about it. We need to hear each other. That is very difficult when you have 100,000 watts of PA next to you.	We have a guy called Kerry whose sole job is to give each musician exactly what we like to listen to for each song. Kerry sits just off stage to the left and sits in front of a massive mixing desk with a seperate fader for each instrument/mic coming in and a row of knobs. each row sends signal to each musician seperately, he monitors this throughout the show. Every venue is different, nothing is constant. In ear monitors make sound balancing a lot more simple to deal with. with loudspeakers on the stage, things used to get a bit muddled. I'll continue this thread in the diary as I guess it's worth explaining.
Mumbai	Hey Doc, I heard an in interview this is Mark’s first time visiting India. Any plans to do some sightseeing? Though if you’ve only got a few days, even flying it’s going to be knackering…it’s a big old place.	No, we have no time, just a quick ride around town. what a place!
improv	Does any musician improvise during gigs or just change some solos before the shows during soundchecks?	god, we ALL improvise wherever possible. It's constantly evolving
WOL	aren´t you tired of walk of life?	At the moment, we're playing it slightly slower and it's grooving mightily.
plug	did MK have ever thought about the making of a live show unplugged???	Not so far
E.Gtr	My questions is:will the set change much during the tour? How do you feel playing electric guitar?	The set will vary slightly from show to show, how much? I don't really know. I like playing e. gtr on stage although I have to sit 'cos I play keys on that song too
Jo'burg review	I was at the first Johannesburg gig - wonderful! Thanks for coming to SA.(You can read my review on mark-knopfler-news.co.uk forums/gig reviews)My question is about tour arrangements. How do the logistics work? When you move from venue to venue, how much of what we see at the venue goes with you? I know that all the instruments and the sound and lighting desks will travel with you but what else? Do you (i.e. the tour management) specify what the venue must provide in the way of PA, lighting rigs, platforms for instruments etc? How does the timing work? For example, you played Johannesburg on Monday and Tuesday evenings and you will play Dubai on Thursday evening. What happens between the end of the Tuesday evening gig and sound check on Thursday? Do you travel on commercial airlines (with schedules and frequent delays) or do you have private transport? Are there two sets of gig equipment that 'leapfrog' each other from venue to venue?	Glad you enjoyed the show, great review. As far as logistics go, when we're away from Europe and the US, we use rented PA, stage and lights (hence many teething troubles), apart from that EVERYTHING you see comes with us and is shipped on a cargo plane. We don't have 2 sets of gear like we used to in the Straits days, just an exceptionally good crew.
cape town	Just seen the Joburg show (first one) amazing and we were blown away. Probably the best concert I have been to -- includes Dylan, Clapton, Sting & Bryan Adams. Big puzzle is why no Cape Town shows? It was a long way to come but plenty worth it.	Thanks, really glad you liked it. I believe South Africa was squeezed into the schedule late on and therefore we had no more days free. Otherwise we would DEFINATELY have come to Cape Town. I would have loved that as I've heard so much about it, especially from Mark as he went on holiday and ended up writing the trawlerman's song there, but I've never been. Next time hopefully.
tea layers	That’s a sweet setup that Guys got going with the Kettle. Really like the graphics.What model is that? I was wondering how he likes to set upfor a cuppa. And what layering sequence he prefers.Is it strictly a hotwater to cup with tea bag installed, remove tea bag, add milk and sugar?Or does he like to lay down a layer of milk and sugar first followed by adrop of char from the old teapot?I guess either way works. But my mawould always go for the milk and sugar layer firstand she does make the best cup of tea in County Derry.Incidentally, the whole setup can be tweaked and perfected with a 12 pack of Jaffa Cakes plugin.	The kettle is a Russel Hobbs Model 3061. I'm already looking for an endorsement for the next leg of the tour. As far as layering is concerned, I pour boiling water into a teapot with a PG tips teabag in it, let it brew for a few minutes, pour a 'layer' of milk in the cup and add the tea. Simple but lovely. I'm trying not to eat biscuits, but I agree about the Jaffa cakes.
tour gear	I would have a question concerning mark's gear for this tour. Can you briefly explain what he is using (guitars, amp, effects etc)	Don't worry, I'll get to it. if you stay with the tour diary, you won't miss a thing. All the gear will be highlighted at some point. But for now I will say he's using his new Komet amplifiers through Red Marshall 4x12 cabs with Celestion speakers.
autographs	is it possible to get some autophraphs from you, MK, and all (or some of) the others? How do you handle this at other venues? Is it worth beeing onsite a little earlier?	I get asked this a lot. Nobody in the band minds signing autographs but I can't really start organising signing sessions. I hope you understand. If you come across us outside the venue - no problem, we'd be happy to sign stuff unless it's pick guards destined for e-bay!
screens	Are there any screens in the shows? (the concerts of Spain are very big: Madrid 18.000 people, Barcelona 18.000 people, Zaragoza 10.000 people).	At the moment, the only shows where there are screens are in Dubai and India. As far as the rest of the tour goes, at this moment, we don't know yet.
US Tour?	Are there going to be any US tour dates for 05??	Yes, in July. I believe some of the venues are still not yet confirmed, hence the delay.
no more set q's	Hi Doc, do you know what will be the setlist of the Shangri-La tour?	Roughly, but I won't be telling.
the set	Dear Dr Fletch, Despite what you said a while back I keep reading from various promoters and other articles that 80% of the new MK tour will be Dire Straits material, particularly in reference to the down-under shows...Please would you tell me if there is any truth in this as I'm far more eager to hear the solo stuff?!	I think this came from an interview in which Mark was maybe slightly misquoted...It's not a DS tour and we've made two new albums since the last time out. You'll hear lots of new stuff, don't worry.
Amp envy	Dear Doctor To keep the stage "tidy" are the guitar amps kept at the back of the stage and miked up from behind the stage. Is this easier for Glen Saggers to change the levels on the amps etc. Also are the amps "driven" or are they at mid levels?~	These days, the guitarists like to show off their amps whenever possible. As gear-heads will agree, they do have a lovely spread! We like to see roadies running around on stage these days.
what?	When you are playing live every night I can imagine that this can damage your hearing. The volume at indoor venues is not so loud but the outdoor gigs are. Like the outdoorgigs on the on every street tour. What do you do to protect you hearing?	Actually, the smaller venues are often the loudest. Most of the band use in-ear monitors now which double as ear protectors. On-stage volume has never really been an issue with MK and DS as we tend to keep stage levels down due to the fact the PA works better for the audience that way.
Soundtrack	Any chance for us to have the "Spirit Trap" soundtrack record here in France ? With "Director" Guy and great Danny Cummings on the drums, YEAH !!	Sorry, no Spirit Trap Soundtrack CD. I'll put some snippets on my audio page.
2005 Line-Up	Any idea of the MK tour band line-up ?? Can't wait to know... Can't wait until April to see you live, guys...	Yes, It's back to the Golden Heart line-up with one exception, sadly, the great Jim Cox is unable to travel due to his continued ear problems. Replacing him will be Matt Rollings.
live	Dear doc here are a couple of questions : I'm sure that a lot of fans and non-fans will be very happy if a live album is released after the coming tour. I mean, perhaps MK won't do such a thing because the sales won't be very high, but I'm sure that he doesn't give too much importance to commercial concerns. And when I listen to the live versions of BIA and Speedway at nazareth, I can't help thinking about a complete live album ! And what about a live DVD ? (a real one ! not like the STP tour Ghost DVD)	I have no idea at the moment if anything like that is planned....I'm sure we'll do something.
trip	Dear Doc, Can you please tell us if you still get "excited" about a world tour? I look at the list of dates from Perth to New Plymouth to Lisbon, Basel, London (and everything that's rocking in-between) and think........wow, that would be a great trip to make. Do you guys still really really really looks forwards to it, some of it, the new bits of it, or none of it? Also, I think it is time for a new caption contest.....	Sure, any tour like this is an exciting prospect. Especially since we've not been on the road for a bit, and there are places I've never been to before on this one. Caption contest?.....I haven't taken many pics lately.......soon.
specs	Dear Doc, We're not allowed to discuss this on Terry Kilburn's official forum, so I thought I'll ask the Doc himself: Recently, MK wears spectacles on stage. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't. How come?	I can't think why not. I would guess sometimes they help him see the guitar neck?
oldies	Hello Doc! I have just read the critic of still playing the old songs at concerts, and I must disagree. First: if the band choose not to play them, it is totally understandable. But as you said, these songs means tremendously much to the fans. My favorite is BiA, which I still am concerned about will be played next year. It was good to hear it played during the promo tour on BBC. When I got the videoclip of the song performed on French Canalplus, a tear appeared in my eye. He choose to play it even if it wasn't a concert, and it made me happy. It was a moment of true happiness; everything in the world was oki for a few minutes. Btw, tell Guy he is looking great with the long hair! :-)	We'll be playing a few oldies, certainly BIA which we did it as a 4 piece on Radio 2 which was rather well received.
pedals	Hi Doc, Great to see Mark, Guy, Paul Brady and band on the show last Friday - great performance thanks! Just noticed that Mark had a few pedals for the show, two on the fender twin and a volume and addtional pedal for the slightly overdriven solos, can you confirm what he was using that night - sounded really great even for TV?	He used an MXR boost pedal (don't know which) just to boost level for the solos he did. There was also a delay pedal of the Boss variety. The Guinness was much appreciated!
promo songs	1. Why don't you play "Our Shangri-La" or "The Trawlerman's Song" on the promo tour these days? The mostly played songs are "Boom, Like That" and " Song For Sonny Liston". I mean, they're really great. I like 'em very much but I wanna hear more new ones live :-). 2. Do you know if there will be a second single after "Boom, Like That" (maybe with another B-side)? - By the way: I like "Summer Of Love" very much! You did a great job on the bongos. 3. Which guitar did Richard use on "5.15 a.m."? P.S.: Tell Mark he should take a taxi for the way to the rehearsals, not his bike.	1. 'Boom' was the first single so we have to play it, and as for the rest, that's simply what Mark thought he'd like to play. 2. I'm afraid I have no idea about the singles situation. Thanks, all one take! 3. I'll check with the maestro as I can't remember.