“ Going Home (Theme From Local Hero) » by Mark Knopfler brings together Bruce Springsteen, David Gilmour, Slash, Ronnie Wood, Joan Jett, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, Sting and Jeff Beck.
Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler has partnered with over 60 artists (including Bruce Springsteen, David Gilmour, Slash, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Ronnie Wood, Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Sting, Joan Jett, Nile Rogers and Brian May) to create a new version of his 1983 instrumental “ Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero “.
The song will be available on March 15, but you can already listen to a brief extract of it. This is Jeff Beck’s final recording before his death in January 2023. All proceeds from the album will benefit Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America.
The supergroup bills itself as Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes, and the song was produced by former Dire Straits keyboardist Guy Fletcher. It also includes contributions from Joan Armatrading, Richard Bennett, Joe Bonamassa, Joe Brown, James Burton, Jonathan Cain, Paul Carrack, Ry Cooder, Jim Cox, Steve Cropper, Sheryl Crow, Danny Cummings, Duane Eddy, Sam Fender, Peter Frampton , Audley Freed, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, Keiji Haino, John Jorgenson, Sonny Landreth, Albert Lee, Greg Leisz, Alex Lifeson, Steve Lukather, Phil Manzanera, Dave Mason, Hank Marvin, Robbie McIntosh, John McLaughlin, Tom Morello, Rick Neilsen, Orianthi, Brad Paisley, Mike Rutherford, Joe Satriani, John Sebastian, Connor Selby, Slash, Andy Taylor, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Ian Thomas, Keith Urban, Steve Vai, Waddy Wachtel, Joe Louis Walker, Joe Walsh, Glenn Worf and Zucchero.
Most of the artists play guitar, but Ringo Starr and his son Zack Starkey, drummer for the Who, are on drums. Sting plays bass. Roger Daltrey is on harmonica.
“ Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero »who originally appeared in the film Local Hero by Burt Lancaster in 1983, was Knopfler’s first solo single. Today, it is best known as the song that is played every time the Newcastle United American football team takes the field.
The new version of the song was recorded at British Grove Studios in west London. Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton and Albert Lee were the first artists to record their parts. A few were submitted remotely, but the majority were recorded live in the studio.
“ What I really want to do, more than anything, is thank each and every one of them for this incredible responsedeclares Mark Knopfler in a press release. I really had no idea what was going to happen. Guy and I quickly realized that we had to extend this piece in some way, to accommodate the number of people who joined us. Before I even knew where I was, Pete Townshend walked into my studio armed with a guitar and an amp. And that first power chord from Pete… I tell you, we were in that territory, and it was just fantastic. And it went from there. Eric (Clapton) arrived and played wonderfully, stringing together some tasty phrasings. Then Jeff Beck made his contribution and it was mesmerizing. I think we were embarrassed by so much wealth, really. It was all a great moment. »
