Mark Knopfler: 'I'm just really delighted when the records make people happy' (2024)

British musician Mark Knopfler has just released both a new solo albumOne Deep River and a re-recording of hisdebut solo single'Going Home'.

The 74-year-old former Dire Straits frontman talks to Charlotte Ryan about the thrill of collaboration and the "buzz" of aKnopflersong becomingthe theme for his hometownfootball team.

The new version of Knopfler's 1983 rock track 'Going Home' was recorded asa fundraiser for teenage cancer treatment.

It features guitar-playing from 60 of Knopfler's famous musician friends, including Ringo Starr and Pete Townsend, andwas mixed byhis long-term producerGuy Fletcher.

"Guy was trained as a sound engineer. He began his life in music as a sound engineer. He knows what it's like to sleep underneath a recording desk. There was a lot of editing you know, so many people contributing to this thing. Really from the beginning, the level of the input was just tremendous and there were lots and lots of high points, but you can't really list them because everybody played so great on it.

"The first one through the door was Pete Townsend with a guitar and an amp and once we heard him hit a chord in the room it was just electrifying ... I'd come into the studio after a couple of days and Guy would be there with a beautiful contribution from Bruce Springsteen from America or Joan Armatrading. You know, he was that level. It just went on from there. Beautiful, beautiful contributions."

Knopfler says he first played in a teenage cancer ward in Middlesex 30 years ago. When similar wards soon popped up it became obvious that "having a specific cancer care for teenagers really worked".

Three weeks ago, he visited staff and patients at theTeenage Cancer Unit in Newcastle Hospital where he grew up.

It's "such a buzz", Knopfler says, that'Going Home' is the theme song for his hometownfootball team Newcastle United.

Knopfler feels very lucky for his connection with theother musicianswho worked onOne Deep River,his tenth solo album.

"The feeling between everybody, it's just so nice, so pleasant. Everybody was in mourning at the end of the session so I think that we'llbe looking forward to next time, if we can organise that after I write some more songs."

While being a songwriter is about yourrelationship with the lyrics and with the song, Knopfler says, being a musicianis very different.

"These players have got a great relationship with their instruments ... The 'feel' has got to be right. They won't necessarily be talking about it, but they will know that they're listening to each other. One day you play something different and somebody else will hear it and they'll reflect that back because they're used to playing off each other.

"The studio's only two or three miles away from where we live, andit's wonderful to be able to go in and record ... If I write a decent song I just want to try and make a decent record. I think I've reached that kind of stage now. I'm just really delighted when the records make people happy."

Watch Mark Knopfler and his band working onOne Deep River:

Get the RNZ app

for easy access to all your favourite programmes