 |
your
questions
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Dr. Fletch v.4...here to cater to your natural inquisition go on, go on. . . . . . . ask me a question |
| the doctor's answers | ||
| abandoned show | 1.
Had anything been planned for the EC & MK concert? Did you know
what was going to be played on mk's stint, or with EC? 2. Since we are not going to get a second single in the end, is there any chance you might let us know if there were going to be any new songs on it (and maybe their titles) |
1. We did have a set list but obviously never got any further than that. I trust everyone who did go to the show had a good time. A very worthy cause! 2. Sorry, I really have no idea what the record company have up thier sleeves. There's no reason for them to consult me on any issues concerning releases. |
| 96ers | Dear Doc, Can you tell me how the 96ers came to be. How were the band members chosen? On Golden Heart, a number of musicians were used, so how did the touring line up get chosen and subsequently these members become the 96ers as we know them today. Did any of them express a particular interest in playing for Mark or were they hand picked? |
The musicians involved in the GH album were a collection of guys who were recommended to MK. I wasn't in the line-up originally. Mark was keen to try different musicians and the talent there was unquestionable. As far as the touring line-up, it's a question only Mark could answer as It's a personal choice. |
| listening | I always wondered how the band rehearses for a tour or a recording. Are you all given complete scores by Mark (even for drums), or are some kind of song charts used with just the course of the chords in the song? | No, we simply learn the stuff by listening..... and play......... |
|
Pre |
I was wondering, what do the schedules for pre-tour rehearsals usually look like. I've always wondered just how much time is spent preparing to tour. Do you play for like 5 days a week for a month or something? Do you do like office type hours and be quite strict with how long your days are, do you sort of plan it rigidly like a job, or just keep it loose day by day until you've had enough or are ready for a beer!! When rehearsing do you have a full Pa system setup or just utilise back line amps and a vocal pa? Do rehearsals ever become like a free for all jam, or are you all quite controlled and sensible with it all and stick to a setlist agreed? Sorry for the twenty questions but I've always wondered what proffessional practices are like compared to my little band, which is usually an hours worth of playing combined with 4 teabreaks, beer, pizza delivered and generally a undisciplined session!!! | We usually get together for about 3 or 4 weeks of rehearsals and will often work on Saturdays. The hours are fairly relaxed these days to accommodate our age. Beer is always a worthy reward at the end of the day. We do jam a fair bit but generally it's head's-down. Things haven't really changed too much since my early bands except that we have less arguments these days. |
| Richard Bennet answers | The main subject of this mail is MK and Richard Bennett's use of tremolo on STP and TRD. It seems these guys have taken tremolo into the realm of an art unto itself. Is there any one tremolo effect they prefer or is it just a mixed bag of tremolo amps along with other pedals and multi-effects? I am particularly interested in the unit that was used for the deep, square-wave trem on "Coyote" - but then there's the ghostly shimmer of "Sands Of Nevada" - or the jangle of "Who's Your Baby Now" - but wait! What about the deep throb of "Wanderlust"!?? I guess you get the picture. Any help is appreciated esp. about the unit used on Coyote. |
Over to our tremolo correspondant - Richard Bennett. Dear
David, Glad you're digging the trem things though at times it may require
a Dramamine to get through.
I will generally use the tremolo in amp if it has one, mostly out of laziness. I
also use an external Jim Dunlop Tremolo pedal when faced with a 'wobble-less'
amplifier. It's
a purple pedal with three knobs and mono/stereo out capability. I
never go stereo, so that function is moot for me but there for those who
need it. The pedal is extremely simple
(a must for my low tech brain) but wonderfully rangey in scope. Speed
goes from un-usably slow to un-usably fast with all stops in between which
are extremely usable. Intensity the same. The magic third knob "shape",
controls the wave form which goes from a gentle undulation to a severe
square-wave-stroble light type thing, and that is what I used on Coyote.
Speed 10, shape 10, intensity 8. I also like the sound of the device
as it's very tubey and when used in it's less severe modes really sounds
like an amp tremolo. Wanderlust was amp trem with a Fender Vibro-Verb,
speed 4. intensity 7. Sands of Nevada, amp trem with a Fender Deluxe
Reverb, speed 4, intensity 7. Normally I'm not very compulsive about
keep track of settings, however I do mark down all amps, guitars and settings
when recording the tracks of Knopfler's things in case I need to go back
to that sound later for more recording or replacement. As far
as Who's Your Baby, that is Mark doing that tremolo part and was OD'd
in
London after we tracked so I can't say exactly what he was using, though
would
bet mightily that it's some sort of amp tremolo as I don't think he
owns an external trem box. |
| How many? | Hello
Doc, When the band is on tour the public sees only the 7 members of the band. But with how many people do you really tour? |
It's actually about 20 |
|
adverse condition |
Always wondered ... what happens when one of the band members has a furious headache or bad cold, maybe it's even Mark, given you guys never seem to cancel anything what's the cure, or are you guys "real hard men"! | The show MUST go on. We've all performed through pain etc. The worst I had was food poisoning in Lisbon back in '81 when on tour with Roxy Music. The bucket was on-stage with me. It got used. |
