Roads to fame are sometimes very curious. Some people strive for being stars for many years without any result. Some become the favourites of the audience inmmediately and manage to ignite interest to their work for many years. Mark Knopfler definetely belongs to the second category. A left-handed London boy-guitarist, dreaming of an unreachably expensive Fender Stratocaster like Hank Marvin's, as many other teenagers, formed his own band Dire Straits in 1977, with difference that an in a year he became the legend of the rock scene. Today, 3 decades later, Mark Knopfler, one of the best guitarists ever, according to Rolling Stone magazine and his fans, of cause, has in his private collection about 70 excellent instruments, two of which are called in his honour. Moreover, even a dinosaur species is called in his honour - as paleontologists got enegry during the work from Knopfler's music. This rock veteran still has much to say: and this year he released the fifth solo album Kill To Get Crimson to prove it.
As the frontman of Dire Straits Knopfler was famous for the guitar virtuoso playing with fascinating baritone and unlimited imagination. The incredible ability for creating characters for his songs and unforgettable guitar themes was demostrated by the artist in Kill To Get Crimson to the full strength. All songs have a fasionable flavour of ancient fairy-tails. Artistic saga Madame Geneva's and philosific The Fish And The Bird seem to be told by some travelling poet. The Scaffolder's Wife is a beautiful ballad about an ageing woman,it is decorated with a delicate and melancholic flute theme. Folk slant in Celtic music is obvious in Secondary Waltz and Heart Full Of Holes, a very piercing track. Punish The Monkey strongly reminds of Knopfler's work in Dire Straits. One more extremely memorable song is Let It All Go with the taste of American country. By the way, it is the lyrics of this composition that gave the title to the album.
Kill To Get Crimson is more folk-oriented, then the previous solo creations by Knopfler. It may be connected to the artist's collaboration with Emmylou Harris. The album resulted into a collection of fascinating legends, put to music in order to reach the bottom of the audience's heart. It can be used both as a disc of compositions to be listened to again and again, revealing every time a new portion of magic and wisdom of Knopfler's creativity, and an enjoyable background music. The only thing seems to be a mere surprise: any other celebrited singer-songwriter and acknowledged guitarist of his age would have for sure quit and have a deserved rest... But it is not about Mark Knopfler. Kill To Get Crimson is a new chapter in the glorious artist's story, that it sure to last further. This album is the prove that the talented rock-idol still has many beautiful melodies and brilliant lyrics in the pocket to amuse the fans.
Playin' With FireDane pop-singer Natasha Thimas co-wrote 6 of the 15 tracks from her second album Playin' With Fire. The first single Skin Deep is the official song for the Lacoste perfume Touch Of Pink, and Natasha herself personally appears in the advert