dire straits money for nothing tour

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Money For Nothing: Tribute to Dire Straits 2024 tour lands Feb 2024

Posted on 18 January 2024

Money for Nothing’ was formed in 2000 as a tribute to one of the world's premier rock bands - Dire Straits. The abundant energy and the excellence and musicality of their performance makes Money for Nothing a "must see" for any rock enthusiast or Dire Straits fan.

“Make no mistake…they are good…..VERY GOOD!”  (The Observer)

Featuring all the hits from their first ever single ‘Sultans of Swing’ to ‘Brothers in Arms‘, ‘Walk of Life’ and their last single released in 1992 ‘The Bug’ - also the legendary ‘Money For Nothing’ (ft Sting) which was the first ever video played on MTV. The band also include versions from ‘On the Night’, ‘Alchemy’ and ‘Live @ The BBC‘.

The ‘Money for Nothing’ stage show has been performed extensively all over Britain and also Spain, Portugal, UAE, and the Gulf, at all types of venues & events – from Theatres, music festivals and Live Music Venues. 2010 saw them headline the main night on Europe’s Biggest Tribute Festival. The band has also had the pleasure of performing as show opener for the legendary Roy Wood on part of his Christmas Theatre Tour. Sept 2011 saw them take their show to India to perform at a sell-out concert where they headlined an event held at one of Bangalore's largest Amphitheatres. Their special appearance was featured in the world’s largest selling English-language daily newspaper, The Times of India. In January 2015 they also had a very successful tour of the UAE with performances in Bahrain and Dubai – which has lead to them being tipped as the worlds no.1. Plus, tours of Spain and Portugal in the countries most prestigious Theatres. They are taking the UK Theatre circuit by storm!

https://www.playhousewhitleybay.co.uk/events/money-for-nothing-tribute-to-dire-straits-2024/

Money For Nothing

“Undoubtedly the best Dire Straits tribute in Europe”

“make no mistake, they are good, very good” – the observer, “not to be missed”, “with such a wonderful connection to whitley bay, and after such a long time with no live events – this was always going to be a truly magical evening. what an amazing show. thank you to all the band but also the fans. the feedback has been amazing and we can’t wait to have you back.”, “what a truly amazing performance, thank you so much guys for the effort you put into it all to make it a night to remember indeed. please do come back soon, lots of friends up here who want to see and hear you again. thanks also to all the staff at whitley bay playhouse for being such splendid hosts once again.”, “absolutely fantastic show at the tivoli. just flawless..

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The band’s first greatest hits collection returns in digital and double vinyl formats across the UK on June 17 and in the US early in 2023.

Published on

On June 17, the UMC/EMI label will reissue Money For Nothing , the first Dire Straits greatest hits collection (featuring songs from the band’s first five albums), which was originally released in October 1988. Newly remastered by Bob Ludwig, Money For Nothing will be made available in digital and double vinyl formats across the UK & the rest of the world on the June 17, 2022 & early 2023 in the USA.

Dire Straits straddled the globe with their sophisticated rootsy guitar rock wedded to literate story-telling lyrics. Emerging from the club and pub circuit in 1977, Dire Straits were led by charismatic Geordie singer-songwriter, record producer and composer Mark Knopfler .

Knopfler is one of the most successful musicians the UK has ever produced and is often cited as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Dire Straits’ sound defined the late 70s/early 80s with monster global hits such as “Sultans Of Swing”, “Romeo And Juliet”, “Money For Nothing” and “Walk Of Life”, all of which are all included on this release. Dire Straits’ 1985 album Brothers In Arms , a global No 1 and double Grammy Award winner, is one of the best selling albums of all time. After releasing their final album On Every Street in ’91, Knopfler set off on a new path as a solo artist.

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Fully remastered by Bob Ludwig, and cut by Bernie Grundman, the Money For Nothing double vinyl reissue includes “Telegraph Road (Live Remix)” which was previously only available on the original CD format, and a previously unreleased alternative live version of “Portobello Belle (Live)”.

The album is cut over four sides for the first time and is pressed on 180 gram vinyl with original artwork.

Money For Nothing includes the following tracks:

“Sultans Of Swing” “Down To The Waterline” “Portobello Belle – live” (alternative version) – previously unreleased version “Twisting By The Pool” (Remix) “Tunnel Of Love” “Romeo And Juliet” “Where Do You Think You’re Going?” “Walk Of Life” “Private Investigations” “Telegraph Road (Live Remix)” – previously unreleased on vinyl “Money For Nothing” (Single Edit) “Brothers In Arms” (Edit).

Pre-order Money For Nothing .

February 13, 2024 at 10:07 am

Why is there an alternate version of Portobello Belle on this 2022 reissue and not the same version as on the 1988 original? The 1988 version was far superior than this one, and I’ve just spent $62 Australian to be disappointed!

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Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show

Money For Nothing was formed in 2000 as a tribute to one of the world's premier rock bands - Dire Straits. The abundant energy and the excellence and more...

• Apr 13 Sat Bath, The Forum Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Apr 14 Sun Cheltenham Town Hall Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Apr 26 Fri Colchester, Mercury Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• May 02 Thu Dublin, The Helix Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• May 03 Fri Galway Town Hall Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• May 11 Sat Ramsgate, The Granville Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• May 17 Fri Swindon, MECA Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• May 18 Sat Nr Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Conkers Jean Genie, Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• May 23 Thu Chelmsford Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show Sold out
• May 24 Fri Wellingborough, Castle Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• May 31 Fri Wimborne, Tivoli Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jun 06 Thu Tamworth, Assembly Rooms Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jun 07 Fri Doncaster, Cast Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jun 14 Fri Lowestoft, The Marina Theatre & Cinema Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jun 21 Fri Tunbridge Wells, Trinity Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jun 22 Sat Fleet, The Harlington Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jul 09 Tue Guildford, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jul 11 Thu Newport, The Riverfront Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jul 13 Sat Forum Theatre (Malvern Theatres) Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jul 16 Tue Yarm, Princess Alexandra Auditorium & Friarage Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jul 19 Fri Christchurch, The Regent Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jul 21 Sun Macclesfield, Gawsworth Hall Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets

September 2024

• Sep 05 Thu Lytham St. Annes, Lowther Pavilion Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Sep 06 Fri Scarborough Spa Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Sep 07 Sat Retford, Majestic Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Sep 13 Fri Taunton Brewhouse Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Sep 14 Sat Exmouth Pavilion Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Sep 19 Thu Bournemouth Pavilion Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Sep 28 Sat Spalding, South Holland Centre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Sep 29 Sun Grimsby Auditorium Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets

October 2024

• Oct 04 Fri Cottingham Civic Hall Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Oct 09 Wed Cromer Pier Pavilion Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Oct 10 Thu Rickmansworth, Watersmeet Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Oct 11 Fri Camberley Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Oct 12 Sat The Lights Andover Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Oct 16 Wed Ipswich, Regent Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Oct 17 Thu Weston-super-Mare, The Playhouse Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets

November 2024

• Nov 20 Wed Elgin Town Hall Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Nov 22 Fri Aberdeen, Tivoli Theatre Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets

January 2025

• Jan 09 2025 Bury St Edmunds, The Apex Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jan 10 2025 Bury St Edmunds, The Apex Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets
• Jan 11 2025 Southampton, The Brook Money For Nothing - Europe's #1 Dire Straits Show View Tickets

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Mark Knopfler on the end of Dire Straits: ‘Maybe I should have kept playing, let it get as big as Brazil’

Reluctant to coast on old glories, the guitarist is about to release one deep river, the 10th in a series of soulful and virtuosic stand-alone albums.

Mark Knopfler has released a series of soulful and virtuosic stand-alone records, of which One Deep River is the 10th. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod

Mark Knopfler was never a reluctant rock star. In the glittering, go-go 1980s, he had the time of his life leading Dire Straits to the top of the charts with monster hits such as Money for Nothing and Romeo and Juliet . Over time, though, the novelty wore thin. Once you have sold 100 million records and played 248 concerts in a single year, as Dire Straits did touring their 1985 behemoth Brothers in Arms, the thrill starts to go. He is glad he got off the juggernaut when he did. In the end, megafame was not for him.

“It suits some people. You can get used to the scale of it. I don’t know if I ever really did. What happens there is that the gig becomes an event. There’s a different energy,” he says.

Knopfler is speaking from his home in London, where he is promoting his new solo album, One Deep River. He cuts a cheerful, inquisitive figure: ask him a question and he may (very pleasantly) shoot back with one of his own. There is little of the strutting guitar hero about him: it is hard to reconcile this softly spoken individual with the stadium overlord in the neon headband from Dire Straits’ Money for Nothing video.

That track, with its blistering guitar intro and backing vocals by Sting , represented the commercial high-water mark for Knopfler and Dire Straits. It was also the beginning of the end, as he discovered when taking it on the road. Night after night, he would look out at the vast audiences coming to see the band and wonder if it was too much of a good thing.

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“If you’re playing events all the time – some great blown-up festival, some great inflated thing, then you are losing something as well,” Knopfler says. “That’s how it seemed to me. Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe I should have kept playing, let it get as big as Brazil.”

Dire Straits: Mark Knopfler on stage with John Illsley in 1991. Photograph: Mick Hutson/Redferns

Dire Straits broke up for the first time in 1987 and finally called it quits in 1995, after which Knopfler focused on his solo career. He is in no mood to go back – when Dire Straits were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, in 2018, he was the only member not to attend.

Reluctant to coast on old glories, he has released a series of soulful and virtuosic stand-alone records, of which One Deep River is the 10th. It is a contemplative listen, more Romeo and Juliet than Money for Nothing.

Recorded as he was about to turn 74, it is also an unapologetically wistful reflection of his upbringing in Blyth, a coastal village outside Newcastle, and his early years in London, when he was just another guitarist trying to break into the music scene. “There’s always going to be some autobiography there. Maybe there’s a bit more than usual,” Knopfler says.

He singles out the autumnal track Watch Me Gone, in which he reflects on leaving home in pursuit of fame and fortune: “I knew there was something/ And I knew there was no choice.”

“Watch Me Gone – there’s a big splash of the autobiographical about it,” says Knopfler. “The cover [of the LP] – that’s me crossing [Newcastle’s iconic Tyne Bridge] and leaving, me going down to London. You’ve got to be ready to leave and fall in love with the big city.”

Mark Knopfler at the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/Mercury

Traces of folk music are sprinkled through the record. Knopfler explains that he has a lifelong love for Irish music and for Irish culture in general. As a teenager he devoured James Joyce and later crossed paths with Seamus Heaney . In 1984 he went one better by composing the haunting score to Pat O’Connor’s Cal, a social-realist drama filmed in Drogheda starring Helen Mirren and a young John Lynch.

“I met Seamus Heaney a couple of times. He liked my stuff. He sent me a book, The Spirit Level. He said, ‘Keep your spirits high,’ which was a wonderful thing. I was very touched by that. Irish literature meant a lot to me as I was growing up. It started when I first started to read adult books: Irish books were right in there. Finnegans Wake, Ulysses, all of those books.”

Irish writing has been a “fantastic gift to the world,” Knopfler says. “I was reading Edna O’Brien books. Irish novelists from the very beginning, it seemed they were part of the picture for me. And Irish music. Because I’ve been listening to so much Van [Morrison] , the folk music – Van knew it all. One of my favourites has always been The Chieftains [with whom he collaborated on their 1995 album The Black Veil].”

He speaks warmly, too, of Rory Gallagher, the great Cork blues guitarist who would spend his career in the shadow of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix but is today regarded as their musical equal. Knopfler has always been a Gallagher fan and recalls seeing him blitzing through one of his famous solos while headlining in the north of England in the late 1970s.

“I’d seen him play in Leeds before Dire Straits [had formed]. I’d been out to see Rory and loved him,” Knopfler recalls. “I was so totally into the blues anyway. I was completely on a blues trip. That was my trip more than folk music, more than anything. I was hanging out with Steve Phillips [the blues guitarist with whom he would play in the Notting Hillbillies) a lot and listening to a lot of electric blues. And because of Steve’s record collection I was getting into a lot of county blues.”

There were parallels between Knopfler and Gallagher – virtuosos who grew up far from the bright lights of the music business. Gallagher was never interested in fame. Knopfler shared the outlook. He also wasn’t intimidated by the stars he would later cross paths with – including Bob Dylan , whom he name-checks, alongside Van Morrison, on Watch Me Gone, singing: “Well, maybe I’ll hit the road with Bob/ Or maybe hitch a ride with Van.”

Knopfler nurtured those dreams of hitting the road with Dylan when he was desperate to get out of northeastern England and make something of himself. Just a few years later his wishes came spectacularly true when Dylan asked him to produce his 1983 album, Infidels.

Knopfler was honoured. But he was never intimidated by Dylan. He was not afraid to be blunt with his collaborator, something the American came to appreciate. “No, I absolutely wasn’t [overawed],” Knopfler says. “Bob had a lovely regard for me and I for him.”

He has maintained friendships with many artists with whom he has crossed paths, which came in handy when he decided to rerecord his 1983 solo composition Going Home (from the soundtrack to Local Hero) for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity.

“Rerecord” is an understatement. He has assembled an Avengers-style line-up of musicians to play on the track, including Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen , Slash , Eric Clapton, Ronnie Wood , Pete Townshend, Peter Frampton, Sting, Brian May, Joan Jett and David Gilmour. Drumming is courtesy of Ringo Starr and his son Zak. The record, credited to Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes, also features the late Jeff Beck , who recorded his part shortly before he died last year .

“The first person who was in was Pete Townshend, possibly because Pete was connected with the charity. Then Eric Clapton was in the next day. Everybody was playing great – David Gilmour all of a sudden, then Jeff Beck and all sorts of people. Frampton sent in a whole thing from America. Then Ringo and Zak, they added a whole bunch. Everybody was great – Sam Fender, Sting, everybody piled into it.”

The Dire Straits story is one of rags to riches on fast-forward. In 1977 Knopfler started the band with his brother David and their friends John Illsley and David “Pick” Withers. They broke through within a few months when their playful debut single, Sultans of Swing, was championed by BBC Radio London. They soon had a record deal and Sultans of Swing became a hit in the Netherlands, followed by North America and, finally, the UK. (It fared well in Ireland, too, reaching number six in the charts.)

Later, as the cash was rolling in, it became popular to write Dire Straits off as rock dinosaurs. (Sultans of Ping mockingly took their name from Sultans of Swing.) But the group’s origins were hardly glamorous. Sultans of Swing was about a Dixieland band whom Knopfler saw in an empty pub in Deptford, in south London. Far from a display of rock’n’roll arrogance, it was a portrait of failure.

“Sultans of Swing was one of those songs where he says, ‘Thank you, good night, we are the Sultans of Swing.’ And when he says that, they couldn’t have been less the sultans of anything,” Knopfler says.

“A shabby little chap in a dirty sweater – he looked like a geography teacher. There was nothing Sultans of Swing about them or the pub either. It’s funny. It was so nonglamorous – and the name is so glamorous. Beautiful name and this very unbeautiful look that they had. I think sometimes a situation song like that will present itself.”

A few years later the gods would gift him Money for Nothing in much the same way. It is written from the perspective of two blue-collar workers watching rock stars on a bank of televisions in an electronics store and complaining about the musicians and their easy lifestyles.

“The lead character in Money for Nothing is a guy who works in the hardware department in a television, custom kitchen, refrigerator and microwave appliance store,” Knopfler told the critic Bill Flanagan. “He’s singing the song. I wrote the song when I was actually in the store. I borrowed a bit of paper and started to write the song down in the store. I wanted to use a lot of the language that the real guy actually used when I heard him, because it was more real.”

Artists sometimes grow to loathe their biggest hit. Knopfler never felt that way about Money for Nothing. “I’ve got great fondness for it, because I’ve got a great fondness for that bozo character,” he says, referring to the ranting TV salesman. “He gave the song to me, from what he was saying. So I kind of love him. ’Cos he was hilarious. I was laughing as I was writing it down.”

Dire Straits is part of his past, but he will always be proud of his achievements. “It’s what I wanted. To make a few dreams come true was pretty incredible. It’s given me some incredible times – me and John [Illsley]. It’s been incredible,” he says.

Knopfler never ran away from his legacy. Until he retired from touring, in 2019, he always gave the audience what it wanted and was dutiful about playing their favourite Dire Straits songs. He feels that not doing so would be to fail to uphold his end of the bargain with his fans.

“If we’ve got to play Brothers and Arms or something, it’s a big moment. You are reminded why people are there. If you’re playing the intro to that you know your band had better be up to it, right there. You’ve got to play it as well as you damn well can. You owe it to people. It’s the sort of song where you feel you can’t brush it off to one side. You’ve got to believe it and play it.”

One Deep River is released by Mercury on Friday, April 12th

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MONEY FOR NOTHING DIRE STRAITS TRIBUTE TOUR

Money For Nothing is a show which offers meticulous attention is to every detail, faithfully recreating the distinctive sound of Dire Straits band in this sonic spectacular with audiences b eing treated to those soaring guitar solos and instantly recognisable riffs by an incredibly talented band. Performing hits including Money for Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Sultans of Swing, Private Investigations, Walk of Life, Brothers in Arms, So Far Away plus many more classics drawn from six platinum albums.

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Thursday 23 may.

A £1.50 fee is applicable per transaction  Wheelchair accessible and essential companion tickets must be booked via our Access  Scheme  

A must for any Dire Straits fan, prepare to be captivated by the authentic sounds of one of the most successful rock bands of all time. With meticulous attention paid to every detail, Money for Nothing promises to faithfully recreate the distinct sound of Dire Straits in this sonic spectacular. Performing Money for Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Sultans of Swing, Private Investigations, Walk of Life, Brothers in Arms, So Far Away and many more much-loved classics drawn from six platinum albums. Along with all these hits, audiences are treated to those soaring guitar solos and instantly recognisable riffs by this talented band.

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Mark Knopfler on why chances of Dire Straits reunion are so far away

Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler has said it’s unlikely he would ever play as part of the group again.

Knopfler said he wouldn’t play with the band again as he wanted to “expand and work with different players and have a bigger line-up”, despite loving his time on the road.

“The last time I had the band in, and that’s the high point for me, I would probably have had about six or seven guys. Bigger than the little four-piece that was stripped down when we had it, and that was great, I loved it.”

The group, which he formed in 1977 with brother David and friends John Illsley and Pick Withers, found global success with hit singles including “Romeo and Juliet”, “Money for Nothing”, and “Sultans of Swing”, before disbanding in 1995.

Knopfler didn’t have any regrets about his time in the group, saying “I had an absolute ball for as long as it lasted until it got so big that I didn’t know the names of all the roadies, it was just getting big.”

He added: “It got so big, we were actually leapfrogging stages, and that is what you have to do when you get to a certain scale.”

The acclaimed guitarist’s comments came during an appearance on BBC Breakfast. He mentioned one of the reasons for not wanting to perform with the band as having built his own studio, which he “really loves.”

“I haven’t had a bad day in there”, he explained. “It’s given me the chance to really push. I mean, this last album, I have done far too many songs.”

Recently, the musician has collaborated with fellow band member Guy Fletcher as part of a charity single for Teenage Cancer Trust. He assembled more than 60 performers, including Bruce Springsteen , Sir Brian May and Eric Clapton , for a nine-minute recording of “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)”.

The record, released on March 15, also featured contributions from Slash , Sting , Roger Daltrey , and Sir Ringo Starr , and was released under the star’s supergroup, Guitar Heroes.

Knopfler is also working on his latest solo album, One Deep River, which is scheduled for release on April 12.

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Money For Nothing (2022 Remaster)

Dire Straits

12 SONGS • 1 HOUR AND 6 MINUTES • JUN 17 2022

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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' sixth album, Brothers in Arms, an international blockbuster. The band -- along with Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, and Steve Winwood -- become 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 in America, 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.

Dire Straits established Dire Straits as a major force on album-oriented radio in America, and their second album, Communique (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 U.K. 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. 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 the fall of 1991 to great anticipation. However, the album failed to meet expectations -- it only went platinum in America and it didn't crack the U.K. Top 40 -- and failed to generate a hit single. Similarly, the tour was 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. In 1996, Knopfler launched his solo career with Golden Heart. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

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