Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes to release 'Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)'

• A landmark of rock music
• Artwork by Sir Peter Blake - order a limited edition print here
• In aid of: Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America
• Available to preorder now

Iconic Guitar Manufacturers Donate 8 Guitars, Signed By Contributing Artists

Ionic Original Disc of the Master Recording Privately Sold by Neofidelity Recordings - The Company Makes a Six-figure donation to the project in advance of the release

On 15 March 2024, Mark Knopfler will release 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.

Performed by Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes, produced by his longtime collaborator Guy Fletcher (who has edited the contributions into a 9 minute piece), the track features an unprecedented line-up of some of the greatest guitarists in history. ‘Legendary’ does not begin to cover it - David Gilmour to Ronnie Wood, Slash to Eric Clapton, Sting to Joan Armatrading, Bruce Springsteen to Pete Townshend, Nile Rodgers to Joan Jett, Brian May to Tony Iommi, Sam Fender and many more jaw dropping names. 

And, in a great honour, the track opens with Jeff Beck’s final recording.

Roger Daltrey, Teenage Cancer Trust’s Honorary Patron and co-founder of Teen Cancer America (with Pete Townshend), added harmonica, and Beatles icon Ringo Starr is on drums along with his son Zak Starkey, their two drum tracks switching from one to the other, revealing an unmistakable family style. Sting completes an extraordinary rhythm section on bass.

With artwork designed by Sir Peter Blake (The Beatles, The Who, Band Aid, Paul Weller etc), this release is a landmark in rock music history. 

“What I really want to do, more than anything else, is just to thank each and every one for this sterling response,” says Mark Knopfler, “I really had no idea that it was going to be like this. It hit Guy and I quite early on that we had to extend this piece somehow, to take in the number of people who joined in.

“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.”

Recorded at British Grove Studios, in West London, often with the great musicians in person, sometimes sent from their own studios around the world, it started with Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton and Albert Lee.

“It was absolutely meant to be,” says Guy Fletcher of the late Jeff Beck’s contribution, “And what he did with it, it just brings you to tears.”

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. Much to Mark’s delight, the track is played at every Newcastle United game before the team take the pitch.

Net proceeds will go to the charities and the project has been further supported by leading guitar makers, who have donated a total of 8 guitars to be signed by the contributing artists. 4 of the 8 have already been sold in the US for Teen Cancer America - the only U.S charity to provide specialist support to adolescent and young adults with cancer. This was in October 2022, before several of the most high profile and rarest autographs were added to the 4 remaining guitars that will benefit Teenage Cancer Trust, the only UK charity providing 13-24-year-olds who are diagnosed with cancer, with age-appropriate specialist nursing care and support. 

In January, Knopfler sold his guitar collection at Christie’s for over £8M, with the Gibson Les Paul ‘Gold Top’ Standard, signed by many artists from the project, selling for over £403k. Also offered for auction were exclusive items of music memorabilia - future coveted pieces of music history. 

One of the guitars earmarked for Teenage Cancer Trust will be auctioned off by Knopfler at a private donor event in Newcastle on the evening of March 1, prior to Newcastle United taking the pitch on March 2 versus Wolverhampton Wanderers. A number of artists who performed on the song will attend the match, where a sneak peak of a portion of the song will be played for Newcastle United fans as the players enter the stadium.

In addition - 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. Ionic Original Discs are a new vinyl format, promising the highest fidelity sound and durability ever on an analogue record.

Physical formats of the single will be available on CD, 12” with etched b-side and deluxe CD+BluRay, including sleeve notes by Paul Sexton, and digital formats include a Dolby Atmos mix.

A limited edition print run of just 150 of Sir Peter Blake’s artwork for ‘Going Home UK’ is available to purchase here:  https://ccagalleries.com/tct/. 

Each print has been hand signed by Sir Peter Blake CBE and will be sold to benefit Teenage Cancer Trust.

A US version will be available to purchase at a later date to benefit Teen Cancer America.