Sting did the opening on the LP/Studio version for Money for Nothing. " I want, I want my MTV" . The live appearance was a treat for English crowd, Dire Straits was huge in England before the release, and of course Sting and The Police. And of course it was Live-Aid so it was all to generate donations.
thanks so much Jamel, this was a fun trip back down the memory highway. i think i was 15 during the summer this came out, and i would go over to a friend's house and watch as much as i could on their cable tv.
Jamel, if you want to hear good sound quality for a live performance you should check out the video of Rory Gallagher performing Bullfrog Blues on The Old Grey Whistle Test. It's studio quality sound for a live performance. WHAT'S A BRUTHA GOT TO DO TO GET SOME LIVE FOR RORY !!! LOL 🙏✌️🤘
It's less about the talent, but the work they put in. People have no patience anymore. Play the guitar for 30 or 40 years and you're as good. But people prefer to download an app and push some buttons instead, because they think that's faster... Singers used to practice for years before they could go on stage, today they buy an auto-tune license and hop on stage on day 1... If you want to be a musician, you need to be a musician. You need to play every day, all day. You need to live and breathe music. With that level of dedication from an early age on, you will become a great musician. Talent or no Talent. Talent only makes the way shorter, it doesn't get you there on its own.
Saw them live in concert back in the '80's, actually better seeing them perform live - except some of their extended instrumentals were a little over indulgent
This concert was live on TV at two locations at the same time, Wembley Stadium in London and Philadelphia in the US....they say up to two billion viewers worldwide...
@@pseudoty The Wembley Stadium that's in London today is a different one as well - the one this concert was at was pulled down and replaced in the late 1990s.
@@pseudoty I grew up in Philly and was down there that day in the parking lot. It was so hot that day but that's Philly too. JFK was a dump but our dump. I got to see some great shows at that place. The last concert there was the Dead and my brother was there. You take care and stay safe 😷. Happy New Year 🎉
@@qthelost it wasn't directly much of a factor, but 9/11 was the final nail in the coffin. After the crash and 9/11 were low passenger numbers and it just wasn't making enough money to cover fuel costs. So the airlines were actually losing money flying it. The ironic thing it wasn't even an issue with the Concorde that caused it to crash. A piece of a DC-10 that took off right before it hit the Concord and caused it to crash. This could have happened to any aircraft. Plus Airbus didn't want to maintain it anymore since it was too expensive to maintain or modernize. At the time it had a super advanced analog flight control system but by the 2000s mostly everything was digital eliminating the need of the flight engineer. (One less person to pay) High operating costs is also why the A380 is retiring. It has too many seats to fill up in order to make up fuel and maintenance costs. Airliners are preferring mid sized aircraft such as the B787 and A350 for long haul flights as they are much easier to fill up.
Yes i was there, I wish i still was. 35yrs ago, myself as a 20yr old didn’t take the pain killers i have to now. Atmosphere was good, Status Quo started it off but Queen was the stars of the show. Everyone after i felt sorry for. At the time the music industry were writing Queen out as has beens, then Freddie walked on stage & the rest is history. Bands that thought they were great realised that day they couldn’t compete. RIP Freddie.
I only wished that Queen + David Bowie reunite to splay Under Pressure. Never happened. 😭 Consolation. DB sang with surviving members of Queen in the Freddie Tribute. 😎
"That's the way you do it!!" Sting makes me smile every time I watch this. Being the accomplished bass player that he is, he's keeping time with the bass here instead of the drums most of the time. Gotta love him!!
We can thank Dire Straits for one major thing: Their decision to play Wembley Stadium at Live Aid '85 opened the door for other performers who's managers turned down the offer. Originally, DS was to play at Wembley, but in a different building on the property (to those fans who couldn't get tickets to Live Aid). When they realized the dates of the 2 events overlapped the same day, they agreed to play. Suddenly, managers from other performers started asking DS' manager if they too should consider playing on the same day and this opened the floodgates. The only interesting parts was the band had to immediately rush to the other building after playing their set to make it on time.
The official video is a trip and was played in constant heavy rotation on MTV (of course). Sting being just one of the reasons for this song being such a huge hit. Fun fact: Mark Knopfler tried to recruit country star Vince Gill (Go Rest High) into joining Dire Straits. Back before Vince had his first big hit.
Mark Knopfler was recording this on (I believe) the island of Montserrat, and said “you know who would be great for this intro? Sting”. Someone at the studio said “you know he is here on the island right now”. Just a huge coincidence and the rest is history. The pulled him into the studio and he recorded his part
Jamel - I wasn't there unfortunately... But I was at work and we watched this on the tv all day... it was still on when I got hope for the US part of the concert. There were very, very few people on the streets of the UK that day. Something very special and for a cause that was even more special.
I was 14 (in 4 days, I was turning 15) and grew up in Philadelphia. I was supposed to go to Live Aid with my cousin (who snuck in with his friends and they got in too) but I got my first pair of contact lens that morning. I tried to get it changed but no dice. So I went down to the parking lot of JFK after my appointment. It was so hot that July 13, 1985. Thousands were outside and some had TVs hooked up. How they did it in 1985 I have no idea. The Global Jukebox was alive that day! I still have my VHS tapes of Live Aid. I also went Live 8 on the Parkway in Philly 7/2/05. Unfortunately, JFK Stadium is gone and I got to see some great concerts there. RIP JFK & old Wembley Stadium.
After some years (in the late 90s if I'm not wrong), Mark Knopfler and Sting shared again a stage for a benefit concert called Music for Montserrat; this song had some other guest stars: Eric Clapton at the second guitar and Phil Collins at the drums. IMHO the best version of Money for nothing ever. I suggest you to check it out. You won't regret 👍👍👍
Something about Dire Straits guitar playing is mesmerizing to me. I love their sound. Especially The Sultan of Swing!! Btw, no one really knew it was Sting at first!!
The true artists sound just as good live if not better, then studio. Back in the 70 80 you made your money touring. Since there wasnt social media like now. Miss the old live concerts. Blessed to have been able to see them.
I was lucky enough to see Dire Straits in ‘83 when I lived in Germany. Man, to this day it is my favorite concert. Mark’s phenomenal guitar playing (for minutes at a time in nearly every song) left me mesmerized the entire time. Their ability to tell long stories in their songs is excellent. For those that have heard the ALCHEMY Live album, it was like that only better, because it was in person. Thanks Jamel!
Seen many many big acts over the years. Saw yesterday a t shirt with Rolling Stones Australian Tour 1973. I was there at Milton Tennis Courts, Brisbane, rained like you would not believe, before wireless mics, and the roadies where going nuts trying to throw rubber mats under Mick as he pranced around the stage. How no one was injured that night I don't know, between the rain and the rickety old timber tennis stands, with only 10inch wide steps and places to place your feet when sitting, the stands wobbled as you climbed up them! Live Aid, it was incredible what Bob Geldof was able to organise and pull off, the world was sure watching
I remember this pairing, but hadn't thought about it in years; it was another great performance from Live Aid. Jamel making a good point about "give them their flowers while they're still with us"; I know folks who were huge J Geils fans who've never heard any of Peter Wolfs' solo albums (there are gems on each). That's not my definition of a true music lover. Thanks for showing this.
If you didn’t know. When MTV was new, they had stars like Billy Idol and MANY others say, on camera, I WANT MY MTV! Sting took DONT STAND SO CLOSE TO ME (one of the many hits from Police (Sting Bass/lead vocs) and changed it for MTV to say I want my, I want my, I want my MTV, from Don’t stand, don’t stand, don’t stand so close to me. DJs accidentally play Don’t Stand and Money for Nothing next to each other and don’t even know they’re related. Lol
This is probably the second best performance alongside U2 right after Queen. That Les Paul kills it.... Edit: Dire Straits was known for their sound, thats what made them special. Check out Telegraph Road from Alchemy, truely amazing.
Awesome. Every performance from this event is world class and of historical significance. I recommend the song Bad, by U2, from this show. They were getting big already, but this is the performance that launched the band into the stratosphere.....
May i just add, me & my best mate used to go to this pub in Newcastle called the Gosforth Hotel on Gosforth High St to see a band in the upstairs concert room, this band was called Last Exit their lead singer was Sting, cant remember the guitarist but the drummer was Bob Sargent who me & another mate knew, but i was on nodding terms wth Sting because he was a teacher at the St Pauls Middle school next to my house in Cramlington Northumberland. Also, Stings wife at that time was now, actress Frances Tomelty, my cousin Bren was married to Frances 's brother & they have a son Dean Tomelty who is also in a band.. small world.
The director missed what could've become an ICONIC moment by filming behind the drum player during his opening solo (3:13) with the gigantic crowd spread out in front of him.
That concert was huge all right! When that album came out my dad would pump the volume on that song so high! Just for the drum and riff parts at the beginning ... he did the same with supertramp’s « school » just for the « bang » at the beginning of the song!!! 🙂
You previously reacted to Queen at this concert... same thing (only even a little better/louder) sound!! Also, fun fact I’m sure you’re aware of.. Queen was really the instigator of MTV.. with their video of Borap... the first music video ever - way before it’s time in 1975!!
You mentioned Sting on the support vocals. I don't know if you realize it, but Sting did those vocals in the studio as well. No one can cop that voice but Sting.
Sting actually came to visit them while they were recoding that song in the studio. He listened to the demo and Knopfler (as a fellow Geordie from Newcastle) challenged him to add something. And that's where the ':I want my MTV' lyric came from.
Sting & Mark Knofler of Dire Straits are both from my hometown of Newcastle Upon Tyne in Northern England so they are both Geordie boys Also Eric Burdon of the Animals was also a Newcastle lad, all members of the Animals were from Newcastle. Aye, we produce some good bliddy rock bands ..
Sting could have been a pretty good background singer if he wanted.... Too bad he wasted his talent being an icon and one of the world's best-selling artists. ETA: I was not "there" in person, I was watching this live as Live Aid played out.
Dire Straits were on early as they were doing shows at the Wembley Arena across the car park from the stadium. We went the following day (Sunday) excellent concert, Hank Marvin (Shadows) was their guest guitarist.
I wish so much that I could have been there...at either. Still enjoyed the day watching it on TV with my future and still present wife. I was 19. So long ago!
A few weeks after this Dire Straits played in Chicago. It remains the best concert I've ever attended. Check out "Sultans Of Swing" from Live Aid, they played it right after this.
My cousin Terry was there. She grew up an hour from Philly. She was in front. I asked her about going to the potty. She said they all wore diapers. Those who didn't peed everywhere... You know you wanted to know🙃
Two of my cousins were there but my uncle didn't think my sister and myself would want to travel all the way to London just for a concert. He was a director of a bank who handled most of the money transfers and donations and some of the staff manned the phones so he was given six tickets for the day. I did sit glued to my TV for the full day as billions of others did throughout the world. It was a day for legends with Phil Collins even playing at London then jumping on Concorde and playing again in the US. The day reignited the career of Queen and Status Quo and brought U2 to the attention of the world as well as it being the first time we got to see just how good George Michael's voice really was when he outshone Elton John (my opinion). It was almost 36 years ago but the memories are still so clear in my head.
Hey Jamel, you asked if anybody was there? I WAS MY MAN ! If you’re looking from the stage, I’m on left hand side inline with sound tent. I remember It’s was a hot hot day I exhausted by the end and I remember my legs just didn’t wanna move for the journey home but was was the greatest event ever until the next month when I went back to Wembley to see Queens last concert and Status Quo support Queen.
Notice, Mark does not use a pick. That was the key to his uniqueness as an electric guitar player. The day he pulled an broken guitar off his friend's wall and plucked it as a joke was the day he had an epiphany about the guitar and he's never looked back. Also, his lyrics paint scenes and tell stories which are compelling.
From the London show, you should try Bad by U2, Radio GaGa by Queen and Do They Know It's Christmas by an all-star group that included David Bowie, Bono, Roger Daltrey and Freddie Mercury. From the Philadelphia show, try Layla by Eric Clapton and Refugee by Tom Petty.
I was 6 but i remember the entire concert like it was yesterday. Mom for a long time was baffled on how much i remembered,but she then went on to say "you got a extremely good photographic memory!". I keep mentioning this,but everyone is talking about Queen in Live Aid. I say Madonna did the most impressive performances,she was at the top of her game,and her dance moves while not sounding out of breath singing is the winner of Live Aid for me,but U2,Dire Straits,Phil Collins (only guy that attended both concerts in the UK and US,with barely any space between them) and others put on a massive and great performance. Nik Kershaw and Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music) is 2 i wanted to name as well. Bryan Ferry was the European white version of Marvin Gaye in many ways back then.
When it comes to Dire Straits, there's really two songs you should get to: Brothers in Arms (long version, with the full end solo): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-T-3qF8v9CTw.html and Telegraph Road, 1982 original studio version: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1TTAXENxbM0.html
