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Dire Straits

This ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it…you get your money for nothing and your chicks for free…The brothers Mark Knopfler and David Knopfler would go on to form the ground breaking music ensemble called Dire Straits with members John Illsley, and Pick Withers in 1977. The group would bring their sometimes hard and sometimes soft sound to audiences around the globe and would be awarded many times over for their style.

From the very first EP, there would be no doubt that the group would become one of the most acclaimed groups of the twentieth century and would produce songs and albums that would stay in the charts as well as generate sales for the duration of their career.The group would release their first EP in the year of 1977 that would be unnamed but would feature numerous hit singes such as Sultans of Swing. The song not only enthralled audiences during the decade of the 1970’s but is still a staple song of classic rock stations till today. Other singles such as Water of Love and Wild West End would rock the charts during the late 1970’s and would still garner success moving into the early 1980’s.

After the release on the radio of the EP, the group would gain the attention of record labels throughout the United Kingdom and would eventually go on to sign a deal with Phonogram Records later in 1977.

They would go on to record three other demos during 1977 with singles being released under the names of In the Gallery and Six Blade Knife but their true success would be right around the corner with the release of their first full length studio album. The group would be almost an overnight success story with the release of their first EP and would continue to stay in the studio producing other songs to be released on demos. However, in the year of 1978, the group would release their first full length studio album called Dire Straits.

The album was not at first well received but it would find its way into the hands of Karin Berg at the Warner Bros. Records out of New York City, and she would see the album for what it was worth. The group would be afforded to go on a supporting tour for the album while opening up for the group called The Talking Heads.

During this same time, the album would be released in the United States by Warner Brothers and would become a hit in countries such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among other countries of the world. This would afford them a North American tour where they would play a total of fifty one sold out shows. After the tour, they were back in the studio with the release of their next album. Dire Straits would continue with their original work ethic and go into the studio to produce Communique. The album would light up the charts across Europe where it would jump to number three on the album charts in Germany and would contain two hit singles, Lady Winter and Once Upon a Time in the West.

The group would tour in support of the album but immediately head back into the studio for their next release they would dub Making Movies, which would be released in August of 1980. One of their all time hits would come from this album under the title of Romeo and Juliet.

The album would contain songs that were much more complex and longer than their previous albums, a style that was just beginning to take hold in the music community. The group would find further success with their next album called Love Over God that would reach number one in the United Kingdom in 1982.

The songs were long and the composition was complex but this was what Dire Straits were becoming known for and the many adoring fans could not be happier. The album would contain one hit single in the United States called Private Investigations.The group would go on to release their most popular album called Brothers In Arms in 1984 that would top charts across the globe. Not only would the album be hailed as a complete success in the United Kingdom but would have a great deal of success within the United States. This would prove to be their greatest commercial success as well but also foreshadow the potential end of the group.

The band would eventually split in the late 1980’s but not after establishing themselves as one of the greatest rock n’ roll acts of the century. Fans of the group may visit the internet where they may find free music downloads or songs for internet screening.

Did you know that...

• ...Romeo and Juliet would be later covered by The Indigo Girls.
• ...Brothers In Arms would be an album based on WWII.
• ...Money For Nothing would be a song that was composed after members of the group went to buy appliances for their new houses and the employees would comment about their rock star status.