Legendary guitarist and Grammy Award winner Mark Knopfler has announced a new, special recording of his anthemic ‘Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)’, to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust and its American equivalent Teen Cancer America, due to be released March 15, via BMG.
The recording features over 60 of rock’s finest performers assembled on one iconic track. The supergroup, dubbed Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes, recorded the bulk of the performances at British Grove Studios, in West London, and is produced by Knopfler’s longtime collaborator Guy Fletcher, who has edited the contributions into a nine-minute epic.
The all-star lineup features BMG artists and songwriters including Joan Armatrading, Ry Cooder, Peter Frampton, Tony Iommi, Joan Jett, Mark Knopfler, Tom Morello, Mike Rutherford, Slash, Ringo Starr and Zak Starkey, Pete Townshend, and Ronnie Wood.
Commenting on the landmark release Jo Horton, Senior Director, Repertoire & Marketing, UK, said: “We’re very proud to be working with Mark Knopfler, The Who, and over 60 other superstar musicians on this project to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America. The support we’ve had from media and response so far from fans globally has been fantastic. We’ve got some amazing things coming up including a major event at Newcastle United in early March and Dolby Atmos playback fundraisers, with many of the artists offering their time to help push the single for this great cause.”
The announcement has stirred significant media attention, with many outlets including Billboard, Rolling Stone, NME, Kerrang!, Guitar World, American Songwriter, DIY, and Stereogum heralding the initiative as “music’s greatest supergroup yet”. The Times have called the piece “An unprecedented lineup including nearly every one of the world’s greatest living rock guitarists strumming along”.
Commenting on the star-studded collaboration, Mark Knopfler said: “What I really want to do, more than anything else, is just to thank each and everyone for this sterling response,” Knopfler continued: “Before I knew where I was, Pete Townshend had come into my studio armed with a guitar and an amp. And that first Pete power chord…man, I tell you. We were in that territory, and it was just fantastic. And it went on from there. Eric [Clapton] came in, played great, just one tasty lick after another. Then Jeff Beck’s contribution arrived and that was spellbinding. I think what we’ve had is an embarrassment of riches, really. The whole thing was a high point.”
The recording features the last-ever studio performance by guitar virtuoso Jeck Beck, who died in January 2023 at age 78. The single artwork is designed by Sir Peter Blake, the legendary artist behind The Beatles iconic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band cover art.
A minimum of 50% of net proceeds received by BMG will be donated to Teenage Cancer Trust.
The film Local Hero was released in 1983 and starred Burt Lancaster. It was Mark Knopfler’s first credit as a film composer and earned him a BAFTA nomination. The track is played at every Newcastle United game before the team take the pitch. In support of the initiative, a guitar from Mark Knopfler’s collection is due to be auctioned off at a private donor event in Newcastle on the evening of March 1, with all proceeds donated to Teenage Cancer Trust.
In addition to the donation of proceeds from the new recording, an Ionic Original Disc of the master recording has been privately sold by NeoFidelity Recordings in advance of the single’s release, enabling that company to make a six-figure donation to the charity.
Source
BMG
