Sunday, May 3, 2020

WHAT THIS NATION NEEDS NOW ARE SULTANS THAT SWING!



Live 1988 at London Wembley to celebrate Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday. Dire Straits at their best with a bit of help from Eric Clapton.

Mark Knopfler - guitar/lead vocal
Eric Clapton - rhythm guitar
John Isley - bass
Guy Fletcher - keyboard
Terry Williams - drums
Alan Clark - piano/keyboard


I would support any move to replace our present royal houses with charismatic and truly talented musicians.

Why? Well, musicians have an innate sense of melody and harmony, excellent pitch and rhythm, they're experts at inspiring and uplifting rather than bringing people down... and the vast majority are savvy enough to get off the stage before their audiences start yawning.

Apart from that, I find that most musicians get along fine with each other once they get jamming, regardless of what sort of music they play, and wherever musicians go in the world it's real easy for them to make friends and communicate with other musos.

Our new rotating "Sultans of Swing" can get together a few times a year to do a spectacular nationwide tour to keep all Malaysians dancing and celebrating life and jumping for joy.

This is my personal tribute to Malaysia's TRUE kings and queens. Well-loved performers like (to name but a few at random) Amy, M. Nasir, Ning Baizura, Ramli Sarip, Paul Ponnadurai, Rafique Rashid, Julian Mokhtar, Amir Yussof, Sahara Yaacob, Ella, Jamal Abdillah, Khatijah Ibrahim, Zainal Abidin, Sheila Majid, Sharifah Aini, Ito, Michael Veerapen, Josie Thomas, Francissca Peters, Zainal Razak, Jaclyn Victor, Andy Peterson, Gary Gideon, Albert Sirimal, Vijay David, Azmyl Yunor, Joe Kidd, Poe... the list (which hasn't been updated since 2009) goes on and on but I'm sure you get the picture!

[First posted 12 May 2009]