Sunday, June 24, 2007

Private Investigation undone

I was never a big Dire Straits fan, though some of their records were catchy enough to be played to death on the radio and Mark Knopflers talent could hardly be denied, but I always did have an unspoken thing for their 'Private Investigations'. It's dark and sexy and broody and wet. Thomas Bullock's Otterman Empire basically ripped out that sultry and probably corny narrative from the original, did a little editing to this album track and renamed it 'Private Land' for their 2005 release on Whatever We Want Records (a label who's name embodies their free thinking, care less and enviable attitude). Bullock is of course a member of Rub 'n Tug, as well as the now very psychedelic biker & beardo outfit Map of Africa with Harvey, he also owns the label. Anyway without the vocal, this clever edit is set free from it's Dire connections, well sort of, Knopflers guitar work is obviously still the glue here, it's just no longer inextricably tied into that very 80's storyline.... lovely.

Otterman Empire - Private Land

3 comments:

Social Disco Club said...

hi!
its really hard to find an answer to that question.. anyway, as always you have great posts!

Unknown said...

the flip side is the winner for me, the Texas Radio re-edit-gone-crazy, but I suppose it's much less obvious to re-edit Dire Straits and this wins for subtlety. thx for the digi version!

chris keys said...

I think the flip side is brilliant!