Dire Straits
Dire Straits was a British rock band from Newcastle, United Kingdom, formed i… Read Full Bio ↴Dire Straits was a British rock band from Newcastle, United Kingdom, formed in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (guitar and vocals), his brother David Knopfler (guitar), John Illsley (bass), and Pick Withers (drums), and subsequently managed by Ed Bicknell. The band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
Dire Straits emerged during the post-punk era of the late '70s, and while their sound was minimalistic and stripped down, they owed little to punk. If anything, the band was a direct outgrowth of the roots revivalism of pub rock, but where pub rock celebrated good times, Dire Straits were melancholy. Led by guitarist/vocalist Mark Knopfler, the group built their sound upon the laid-back blues-rock of J.J. Cale, but they also had jazz and country inflections, occasionally dipping into the epic song structures of progressive rock. The band's music was offset by Knopfler's lyrics, which approximated the winding, stream-of-conscious narratives of Bob Dylan. As their career progressed, Dire Straits became more refined and their new maturity happened to coincide with the rise of MTV and the compact disc. These two musical revolutions from the mid-'80s helped make Dire Straits' fifth studio album, Brothers in Arms, an international blockbuster. The band - along with Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, and Steve Winwood - became one of the leaders of a group of self-consciously mature veteran rock & rollers in the late '80s that designed their music to appeal to aging baby boomers. Despite the band's international success, they couldn't sustain their stardom, waiting a full six years to deliver a follow-up to Brothers in Arms, by which time their audience had shrunk significantly.
Knopfler (born August 12, 1949) was always the main force behind Dire Straits. The son of an architect, Knopfler studied English literature at Leeds University and worked briefly as a rock critic for the Yorkshire Evening Post while at college. He began teaching English after his graduation, leading a pub rock band called "Brewer's Droop" at night. By 1977, Mark was playing with his brother David (guitar) and his roommate John Illsley (bass). During the summer of 1977, the trio cut a demo with drummer Pick Withers. A London DJ named Charlie Gillett heard the demo and began playing "Sultans of Swing" on his BBC show Honky Tonkin'. Following a tour opening for Talking Heads, the band began recording their debut for Vertigo Records with producer Muff Winwood in early 1978. By the summer, they had signed with Warner Bros. in the USA, releasing their eponymous debut in the fall. Thanks to the Top Ten hit "Sultans of Swing", Dire Straits was a major success in both Britain and America, with the single and album climbing into the Top Ten on both sides of the Atlantic.
The LP "Dire Straits" established Dire Straits as a major force on album-oriented radio in America, and their second album, "Communiqué" (1979), consolidated their audience, selling three million copies worldwide. As the group was recording its third album, David Knopfler left the band to pursue a solo career; he was replaced by former Darling member Hal Lindes. Like its predecessor, "Making Movies" was a sizable hit in America and Britain, even though the band was criticized for musically treading water. Nevertheless, the record went gold on the strength of the radio and MTV hits "Romeo and Juliet" and "Skateaway". Dire Straits followed the album two years later with "Love Over Gold", an album filled with long, experimental passages, plus the single "Private Investigations", which became a number two hit in the United Kingdom. The album went gold in America and spent four weeks at number one in Britain. Shortly after the release of "Love Over Gold", former Rockpile drummer Terry Williams replaced Withers.
During 1982, Knopfler began exploring musical avenues outside of Dire Straits, scoring the Bill Forsyth film "Local Hero" and playing on Van Morrison's "Beautiful Vision". Apart from releasing the "Twisting by the Pool" EP early in 1983, Dire Straits were quiet for the majority of 1983 and 1984, as Knopfler produced Bob Dylan's "Infidels", as well as Aztec Camera and Willy DeVille; he also wrote "Private Dancer" for Tina Turner's comeback album of the same name.
In the spring of 1984, the band released the double album "Alchemy: Dire Straits Live" and by the end of the year, they had begun recording their fifth studio album with their new keyboardist, Guy Fletcher.
Released in the summer of 1985, "Brothers in Arms" was Dire Straits' breakthrough album, making the band international stars. Supported by the groundbreaking computer-animated video for "Money for Nothing", a song which mocked music videos, the album became a blockbuster, spending nine weeks at the top of the American charts and selling over nine million copies; in England, the album became the biggest-selling album of the '80s. "Walk of Life" and "So Far Away" kept "Brothers in Arms" in the charts through 1986, and Dire Straits played over 200 dates in support of the album.
Once the tour was completed, Dire Straits went on hiatus for several years, as Knopfler produced records by Randy Newman and Joan Armatrading, scored films, toured with Eric Clapton, and recorded a duet album with Chet Atkins: "Neck and Neck" (1990). In 1989, he formed the country-rock group Notting Hillbillies, whose sole album, "Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time", became a British hit upon its spring 1990 release. During the extended time off, John Illsley recorded his second album; the first appeared in 1984.
In 1990, Knopfler reconvened Dire Straits, which now featured Illsley, Clark, Fletcher, and various session musicians. The band released "On Every Street" in autumn 1991 to great anticipation. However, the album failed to meet expectations - it only went platinum in America but went to number one in the UK charts and most of Europe - it failed to generate a hit single in the UK. The tour embarked on was massive but may have been a bit of a disappointment, with many tickets going unsold in both the U.S. and Europe. Once the tour was completed, the live album "On the Night" was released in the spring of 1993 and the band again went on hiatus.
Dire Straits released one last album in 1995, Live at the BBC, as a contractual album release to Vertigo Records. That same year, Knopfler disbanded the group.
In 1996, Knopfler launched his solo career.
Dire Straits emerged during the post-punk era of the late '70s, and while their sound was minimalistic and stripped down, they owed little to punk. If anything, the band was a direct outgrowth of the roots revivalism of pub rock, but where pub rock celebrated good times, Dire Straits were melancholy. Led by guitarist/vocalist Mark Knopfler, the group built their sound upon the laid-back blues-rock of J.J. Cale, but they also had jazz and country inflections, occasionally dipping into the epic song structures of progressive rock. The band's music was offset by Knopfler's lyrics, which approximated the winding, stream-of-conscious narratives of Bob Dylan. As their career progressed, Dire Straits became more refined and their new maturity happened to coincide with the rise of MTV and the compact disc. These two musical revolutions from the mid-'80s helped make Dire Straits' fifth studio album, Brothers in Arms, an international blockbuster. The band - along with Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, and Steve Winwood - became one of the leaders of a group of self-consciously mature veteran rock & rollers in the late '80s that designed their music to appeal to aging baby boomers. Despite the band's international success, they couldn't sustain their stardom, waiting a full six years to deliver a follow-up to Brothers in Arms, by which time their audience had shrunk significantly.
Knopfler (born August 12, 1949) was always the main force behind Dire Straits. The son of an architect, Knopfler studied English literature at Leeds University and worked briefly as a rock critic for the Yorkshire Evening Post while at college. He began teaching English after his graduation, leading a pub rock band called "Brewer's Droop" at night. By 1977, Mark was playing with his brother David (guitar) and his roommate John Illsley (bass). During the summer of 1977, the trio cut a demo with drummer Pick Withers. A London DJ named Charlie Gillett heard the demo and began playing "Sultans of Swing" on his BBC show Honky Tonkin'. Following a tour opening for Talking Heads, the band began recording their debut for Vertigo Records with producer Muff Winwood in early 1978. By the summer, they had signed with Warner Bros. in the USA, releasing their eponymous debut in the fall. Thanks to the Top Ten hit "Sultans of Swing", Dire Straits was a major success in both Britain and America, with the single and album climbing into the Top Ten on both sides of the Atlantic.
The LP "Dire Straits" established Dire Straits as a major force on album-oriented radio in America, and their second album, "Communiqué" (1979), consolidated their audience, selling three million copies worldwide. As the group was recording its third album, David Knopfler left the band to pursue a solo career; he was replaced by former Darling member Hal Lindes. Like its predecessor, "Making Movies" was a sizable hit in America and Britain, even though the band was criticized for musically treading water. Nevertheless, the record went gold on the strength of the radio and MTV hits "Romeo and Juliet" and "Skateaway". Dire Straits followed the album two years later with "Love Over Gold", an album filled with long, experimental passages, plus the single "Private Investigations", which became a number two hit in the United Kingdom. The album went gold in America and spent four weeks at number one in Britain. Shortly after the release of "Love Over Gold", former Rockpile drummer Terry Williams replaced Withers.
During 1982, Knopfler began exploring musical avenues outside of Dire Straits, scoring the Bill Forsyth film "Local Hero" and playing on Van Morrison's "Beautiful Vision". Apart from releasing the "Twisting by the Pool" EP early in 1983, Dire Straits were quiet for the majority of 1983 and 1984, as Knopfler produced Bob Dylan's "Infidels", as well as Aztec Camera and Willy DeVille; he also wrote "Private Dancer" for Tina Turner's comeback album of the same name.
In the spring of 1984, the band released the double album "Alchemy: Dire Straits Live" and by the end of the year, they had begun recording their fifth studio album with their new keyboardist, Guy Fletcher.
Released in the summer of 1985, "Brothers in Arms" was Dire Straits' breakthrough album, making the band international stars. Supported by the groundbreaking computer-animated video for "Money for Nothing", a song which mocked music videos, the album became a blockbuster, spending nine weeks at the top of the American charts and selling over nine million copies; in England, the album became the biggest-selling album of the '80s. "Walk of Life" and "So Far Away" kept "Brothers in Arms" in the charts through 1986, and Dire Straits played over 200 dates in support of the album.
Once the tour was completed, Dire Straits went on hiatus for several years, as Knopfler produced records by Randy Newman and Joan Armatrading, scored films, toured with Eric Clapton, and recorded a duet album with Chet Atkins: "Neck and Neck" (1990). In 1989, he formed the country-rock group Notting Hillbillies, whose sole album, "Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time", became a British hit upon its spring 1990 release. During the extended time off, John Illsley recorded his second album; the first appeared in 1984.
In 1990, Knopfler reconvened Dire Straits, which now featured Illsley, Clark, Fletcher, and various session musicians. The band released "On Every Street" in autumn 1991 to great anticipation. However, the album failed to meet expectations - it only went platinum in America but went to number one in the UK charts and most of Europe - it failed to generate a hit single in the UK. The tour embarked on was massive but may have been a bit of a disappointment, with many tickets going unsold in both the U.S. and Europe. Once the tour was completed, the live album "On the Night" was released in the spring of 1993 and the band again went on hiatus.
Dire Straits released one last album in 1995, Live at the BBC, as a contractual album release to Vertigo Records. That same year, Knopfler disbanded the group.
In 1996, Knopfler launched his solo career.
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Dire Straits Lyrics
02. Down To The Waterline Sweet surrender on the quayside You remember we used to run…
02. Heavy fuel Last time I was sober, man I felt bad Worst hangover…
03 PORTOBELLO BELLE Belladonna's on the high street Her breasts upon the offbeat…
03-Telegraph Road A long time ago came a man on a track Walking…
03. Portobello Belle Belladonna's on the high street Her breasts upon the offbea…
04. Twisting by the Pool We're going on a holiday now Gonna take a villa, a…
06 Money for Nothing (I want my, I want my MTV) (I want my, I…
06. Sultans Of Swing You get a shiver in the dark It's raining in the…
07. Money For Nothing (I want my, I want my MTV) (I want my, I…
08. Walk Of Life Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies "Be-Bop-A-Lula", …
09. Private Investigation It's a mystery to me The game commences For the usual fee Pl…
09. Telegraph Road Well a long time ago came a man on a…
09.Brothers In Arms These mist covered mountains Are a home now for me But my…
1 Can't get no sleeves for my records Can't get no laces…
12. Calling Elvis Calling Elvis, is anybody home? Calling Elvis, I'm here all …
15. Your Latest Trick All the late night bargains have been struck Between the sat…
16 Sultans of Swing You get a shiver in the dark It's a raining in…
2. Lady Writer Lady Writer on the TV Talk about the Virgin Mary Reminded me…
6. Twisting by the Pool We're going on a holiday now Gonna take a villa, a…
7 Love Over Gold You walk out on the high wire You're a dancer on…
7 Portobello Belle Belladonna's on the high street Her breasts upon the offbeat…
7. Love Over Gold You walk out on the high wire You're a dancer on…
9.Brothers in arms These mist covered mountains Are a home now for me But my…
All the Roadrunning A million miles our vagabond heels Clocked up beneath the cl…
Angel Of Mercy Well there's a Peter Pan moon shepherd's delight I got to…
Badges Me and my mate we think you're great Some we like…
Boom I'm going to san bernardino Ring-a-ding-ding Milkshake mixer…
Boom Like That I'm going to San bernardino ring-a-ding-ding Milkshake mixe…
Brother In Arms These mist covered mountains Are a home now for me But my…
Brothers in Arms These mist covered mountains Are a home now for me But my…
Brothers in Arms (Single Bonu These mist covered mountains Are a home now for me But my…
BROTHERS IN ARMS09!!s These mist covered mountains Are a home now for me But my…
Calling Elvis Calling Elvis, is anybody home? Calling Elvis, I'm here all …
Cannibals Well he's daddy's little boy he plays with his toys He…
Communique They want to get a statement for jesus' sake It's like…
Darling Pretty It's time to come away, my darling pretty It's time to…
Done With Bonaparte We've paid in hell since Moscow burned As Cossacks tear us…
Down the Waterline Sweet surrender on the quayside You remember we used to run…
Eastbound Train It was New Cross Station, I was going on home Saw…
Expresso Love She gets the sun in the daytime Perfume in the dusk And…
Fade To Black I wonder where your are tonight You're probably out on the…
Follow Me Oh well the sun go down Celebration in the town tonight All…
Going Home (Theme From Local Hero) [Instrumental]…
Hand In Hand The sky is crying the streets are full of tears Rain…
Heavy Fuel Last time I was sober, man I felt bad Worst hangover…
How Long How long, how long baby How long has it been How long…
I Think I Love You I'm not alone sitting right there How come I get the…
In The Gallery Harry made a bareback rider proud and free upon a…
In the West Some people get a cheap laugh breaking up the speed…
Industrial Disease Now warning lights are flashing down at quality control Some…
Intro Saturday night at eight o'clock I know where I'm gonna…
Iron Hand With all the clarity of dream The sky so blue, the…
It Never Rains I hear the seven deadly sins And the terrible twins came…
Kingdom Come I tell you what! They don't mess with me, I'm a…
Lady Writer Lady Writer on the TV Talk about the Virgin Mary Reminded me…
Les Boys Les boys do cabaret Les boys are glad to be gay They're…
Lions Red sun go down way over dirty town Starlings are sweeping…
Long Highway Heard a bell being toll Before the break of day I heard…
Love Over Gold You walk out on the high wire You're a dancer on…
Man's Too Strong I'm just an aging drummer boy and in the wars…
Millionaire Blues I woke up this morning, my Jacuzzi wouldn't work Then the…
Money For Nothin' (I want my, I want my MTV) (I want my, I…
MONEY FOR NOTHING02!!s (I want my MTV) Now look at them yo-yo's that's the…
My Parties Well this is my back yard My back gate I hate to…
News He sticks to his guns He take the road as it…
On Every Street There's gotta be a record of you someplace You gotta be…
Once Upon a Time Some people get a cheap laugh breaking up the speed…
One World Can't get no sleeves for my records Can't get no laces…
Planet Of New Orleans Standin' on the corner Of Toulouse and Dauphine Waitin' on M…
Portobello Belle Belladonna's on the high street Her breasts upon the offbeat…
Private Investigation It's a mystery to me The game commences For the usual fee Pl…
Ride Across the River I'm a soldier of freedom in the army of man Oh,…
Romeo & Juliet A lovestruck Romeo sang the streets a serenade Laying everyb…
Sailing to Philadelphia I am Jeremiah Dixon I am a Geordie boy A glass of…
Setting Me Up You say I'm the greatest bound for glory Well the word…
Single Handed Sailor Two in the morning dry-dock town The river rolls in the…
Six Blade Knife Your six blade knife can do anything for you Anything you…
Skate Away I seen a girl on a one way corridor Stealing down…
Skateaway I seen a girl on a one way corridor Stealing down…
So Far Away Here I am again in this mean old town And you're…
Solid Rock Well take a look at that I made a castle in…
Southbound Southbound again I don't know if I'm going or leaving…
Sultan of Swing You get a shiver in the dark It's a raining in…
Sultans of Swain You get a shiver in the dark It's raining in the…
Sultans Of Swing (Alchemy You get a shiver in the dark It's a raining in…
Sultan_of_swing You get a shiver in the dark It's a raining in…
Telegraph Road Well a long time ago came a man on a…
The Bug Well it's a strange old game - you learn it…
The Man I'm just an aging drummer boy and in the wars…
The Trawlerman's Song We're taking on water diesel and stores Laying up awhile bef…
Think I Love You Too Much I'm not alone sitting right there How come I get the…
Ticket To Heaven Ticket to heaven I can see what you're looking to find in…
Tunnel of Love Getting crazy on the waltzers But it's the life that…
Tunnel Of Love %28Live At Hammersmith Odeon%29 Getting crazy on the waltzers but it's the life that…
Twisting By The Pol We're going on a holiday now Gonna take a villa, a…
TWISTING BY THE POOL04!!s We're going on a holiday now Gonna take a villa, a…
Two Young Lovers It was the last day of summer It was the first…
TWO YOUNG LOVERS01!!s It was the last day of summer It was the first…
Walk of Life Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies "Be-Bop-A-Lula," "…
Walk Of Life + lyrics Here comes Johnny singing oldies, goldies Be-Bop-A-Lula, Bab…
Water High and dry in the long hot day Lost and lonely…
What There's a shadow hanging over the valley A total eclipse of…
What It Is The drinking dens are spilling out There's staggering in the…
What's the Matter There's a shadow hanging over the valley A total eclipse of…
Whatâs the Matter Baby There's a shadow hanging over the valley Total eclipse of th…
What’s the Matter Baby There's a shadow hanging over the valley A total eclipse of…
When It Comes To You If we can't get along we oughtta be apart And I'm…
Where Do You Think You're Goin Where do you think you're going? Don't you know it's dark…
Where Do You Think You're Going Where do you think you're going? Don't you know it's dark…
Why Aye Man We had no way of staying afloat We had to leave…
Why Worry Baby, I see this world has made you sad Some people…
Wild West End Stepping out to Angellucci's for my coffee beans Checking ou…
Wild Westend Stepping out to Angellucci's for my coffee beans Checking o…
Wonderful Tonight It's late in the evening She wonders what clothes to…
Wonderful Tonight (feat. Eric Clapton) It's late in the evening She wonders what clothes to wear Sh…
You And Your Fiend Will you and your friend come around? Are you and your…
You Latest Trick All the late night bargains have been struck Between the sat…
You're Latest Trick All the late night bargains have been struck Between the sa…
Your Latest Trick All the late night bargains have been struck Between the sat…
YOUR LATEST TRICK06!!s All the late night bargains have been struck Between the sa…
_Expresso_Love She gets the sun in the daytime Perfume in the dusk And…