Dire Straits` history Dire Straits, which means something like «a sad thing» is the name of one of the most succeeded British band ever. Dire Straits was formed in July 1977 by a former «Yorkshire Evening Post» journalist. Mark Knopfler was the man who started the group «Cafe racers»together with his brother and one of their friends. Mark, his younger brother David and their friend John Edward Illsley shared a flat in Deptford, South London. They had played together for a while before they started the group. «Café racers» played mostly in cafes and pubs at the beginning. The leader of the group, Mark Knopfler had been playing with «Brewers droop» for two months before he created «Cafe racers». He and his brother both played guitar, and Illsley played El-bass. after a while the group was expanded with Pick Withers, a drummer who had earlier played with a lot of great artists. After their debut as a warm up band for Squeeze, a friend of Mark Knopfler suggested a new name «Dire Straits». The name stood in style to their financial situation, and because of that they called themselves «Dire Straits». In July 1977 they recorded a demo-tape including the song «Sultans of swing», which was played at the BBC the 31. July the same year. When this tape was played on the famous Charlie Gillett show, the phones went ringing for a week. Everyone wanted to know who this band was. Most of the ringers told that it was because of the sound they where calling. They had never heard such a beautiful sound. There was also a lot of investors ready with big checks. After this, Dire Straits made a contract with Vertigo and, in January 1978,they went on a tour together with «Talking Heads». In February 1978, they recordedtheir first album «Dire Straits».

When they gave out their first album, they did not become so famous in Britain. They felt between all the cracks, because they had none of the aggressing front of the punk which the industry looked for. It was said that between all the bands at this time Dire Straits was the worst placed band ever. Their look and acting was several years too late. But it was not the look or the acting of the artists which mattered, it was the music. In America, the band got success at once, maybe because the style was a bit more American. In February and March the same year they recorded «Sultans of swing», one of the most famous songs Dire Straits ever made. Later in that period they played at Marquee club and Roundhouse in London. Next they started touring abroad as a warm-up band for groups like Climax Blues Band and Styx. The single «Sultans of swing» became a great success in many European countries. Strangely enough, the break through in England came as late as in the summer 1979. Earlier in June 1978, Dire Straits had their first tour in England as the main band. While Dire Straits was recording at Bahamas, «Sultans of swing» became a great success in USA, Australia and New Zealand. In 1979 Dire Straits was touring intensely among other things, several times in USA. The Knopfler brothers and Withers helped Bob Dylan with his album «Slow train coming» in may 1979. After this, Dire Straits had a break for 6 months, before they recorded, with help from Roy Bittan and Bruce Springsteen, «The E street band» in June-July 1980. For a little period there had been a tension in the band between David and Mark Knopfler, something which partly was the reason that made David Knopfler leave the group to start a solo career. September the same year he was replaced by Harold Andrew «Hal» Lindes, from California. Mark Knopfler and John E. Illsley played at his first solo album, something which showed that they where still good friends. Alan Clark started also at the same time as a keyboard player. Between October 1980 and July 1981, Dire Straits toured with huge success over the whole world, and was televised across Europe to a multi-million audience. They also released «Making movies» with assistance from Roy Bittan. At the beginning of 1982, Mark Knopfler was invited by David Puttnam to compose and perform the soundtrack score to Bill Forsyth's "Local hero" movie. In October, right after Pick Withers left the group, and was replaced by Terry Williams, "love over gold" was released. This was Dire Straits fourth album, and it hit the first place in the UK and stayed There for four weeks. In February 1983, Dire Straits won "Best British Group" at the second annual BRIT Awards and later, in May their song "Private investigation" won the outstanding British Lyric category at the 29th annual Ivor Novello Awards.

In November Mark Knopfler married Lourdes Salomon, and produced Bob Dylan's "Infidels". In March 1984 a double performance set recorded in July the previous year, "Alchemy-Dire Straits live" was released. It was said about Alchemy that it this was the best album ever from Dire Straits, even though it did not reach the top position either in the USA or UK. April 1984 the song "Going home" from "Local hero" won the best film theme or song category at the 29th annual Ivor Novello awards. In June the same year John E. Illsley released the solo album "Never told a soul". Later, in October, Knopfler made the soundtrack "Cal" to the movie with the same name. He also wrote the music to "Comfort and joy", another movie by Bill Forsyth. As Dire Straits started to play more and more advanced music with more instruments, they expanded Dire Straits with Guy Fletcher on keyboard. Dire Straits had a break in 1984, to November when they started a five months long recording at the air studios, Monserat, West Indies. In March 1985, Tina Turner reached US#7 with the Knopfler written song "Private dancer", which was a leftover from "Love over gold". In May 1985 they released their album "Brothers in arms". This album contained the song "Money for nothing" with Sting as guest. The album debuted at the UK#1, and held the top slot for three weeks. This album was without doubt Dire Straits best album ever. The album lifted Dire Straits up, and they became a real superband. Later this album became the first album ever selling over a million CD`s.

Dire Straits was now awarded with the 1985, Silver clef for outstanding services to British music. In June the same year, Mark Knopfler helped Bryan Ferry with "Boys and girls", which reached UK#1. Hal Lindes left the group in 1985, and was replaced with Jack Sonni on El-guitar, right before the "Brothers in arms" worldtour, which started in Israel in March 1985, and ended In Australia In April 1986. This tour contained 248 concerts in 23 countries, within 13 concerts at Wembley arena. While they were touring, the album "Brothers in arms", started a nine week tenure at US#1. It reached the best position in 23 countries and sold over 20 million examples. The song "Money for nothing" became their biggest US hit, and their first million selling single. In February 1986, Dire Straits was for the second time named as «The best British group» at the fifth annual BRIT awards. Later in February they won the best rock performance by a duo or a group with «money for nothing». «Brothers in arms» was named «The best engineered recording", and Knopfler snared the best country instrumental performance category with one of his original guitar heroes, Chet Atkins for «Cosmic square dance». In September 1986, «Money for nothing» won the best video, and best group-video at the third annual MTV music awards. In the middle of all this success, the groups sound engineer, Peter Grange, was killed in a road accident in October 1986. In January 1987, Knopfler guested one of Eric Clapton�s annual concert marathons at London�s royal albert hall. In February 1987, «Brothers in arms» was named "best British album", at the sixth annual BRIT awards. Later in February «Brothers in arms» won the best music video, long form at the 29th annual Grammy awards. In August, «Money for nothing» became the first music video broadcast on MTV Europe. When the CD was invented, «Brothers in arms» sold its three millionth copies in the UK. It became Britain's all-time best selling album and its second biggest selling recording of any kind. In December 1987, Knopfler wrote and performed the soundtrack music for the film «The princess bride». In January 1988, Knopfler's wife Lourdes gave birth to twin sons, who inspired their daddy�s composition. In June the same year, Dire Straits headlined the «Nelson Mandela 70th birthday contribute» at Wembley station televised world-wide, something which helped «Brothers in arms» back into the top 20 after 162 weeks on chart. In September 1988, Knopfler announced the official end of Dire Straits after much speculation, but many people thought that they would come back after a while. In April 1989, Knopfler and Illsley are honoured by the outstanding contribution to British music at the 34th annual Ivor Novello awards. In March 1990 the Knopfler formed band «Notting hillbillies» debuts at UK#2. Later, in July the same year, Knopfler, Illsley and the band�s manager Ed Bicknell decided to reconvene Dire Straits to record their sixth album «On every street». An album like this demanded hard work from hundreds of people. This was a great industry, and it was called «Dire Straits, a billion store», (Norwegian crowns). In February 1991, Knopfler and Atkins won the best country vocal collaboration category for «Poor boy blues», and best instrumental performance for «So soft, Your goodbye» at the 33rd annual Grammy awards. In September the same year «On every street» entered UK#1 and US#12. In October, they played for a combined audio at 45.573 at the Sidney entertainment centre, grossing AUS $ 2.100.000. In 1992 they went on a world tour which contained concerts at famous places like Plaza De Toros De Las Ventas in Madrid, Spain. At this time Mark Knopfler missed his wife and his two sons. He called home every day, and he had a hard time. He was going to stay abroad for 13 months. In May 1993, Knopfler received a honorary music doctorate from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Later in May Dire Straits recorded the album «On the night», a 76-minute live album recorded at Les Arenes, Nimes and Feyenoord stadium, Rotterdam, Netherland. «On the night» reached UK#31. In July 1995, the album «Live at the BBC» was released. This album was recorded before any of the other albums, but was not released until now. It did not reach higher than UK#71, but that was not bad for an album recorded in 1978.