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MEMORIES:
kendra remembers...I will always remember seeing the 'Money For Nothing' video and being fascinated/creeped out. It was pretty groundbreaking for 1985. More »
Posted on 08/15/08
PHOTOS:
“And Harry doesnt mind if he doesn’t make the scene
He’s got a daytime job he’s doing alright
He can play honky tonk just like anything
Saving it up for Friday night
With the sultans with the sultans of swing” - “Sultans of Swing”
Dire Straits came together in 1977, during the height of the punk rock scene in England. Led by Mark Knopfler, the group's no-nonsense recordings became popular with audiences tired of the overproduced sound typical of rock at the time. Despite their unassuming behavior, the band - which was known for asking pub owners to turn down the amps so that patrons could hear each other talk - would go on to become a huge success, their songs becoming an anthem for a music-video-watching generation.
Following a tour opening for the Talking Heads, Dire Straits went to the studio to record their self-titled debut. It came out in 1978 to little fanfare in their homeland; however, elsewhere in Europe the album went platinum. The following year, the band started accruing fans in the U.S.; the album floated around the U.S. charts in 1979. Their second release Communique came in ’79 to favorable European response, finding a home at #1 on the German charts, while their self-titled debut sat at #3 on the very same charts. A single from their debut, “Sultans of Swing,” was re-released in the U.K. and became an unlikely hit where they were originally rejected.
In 1980, the band released their third album, Making Movies. It involved more complex arrangements and production, a sound they would carry until the band’s dissolution. Mark’s brother David left the band during the production of the album, so guitarist Sid McGinnis joined up. Making Movies produced a hit - “Romeo and Juliet” - which would help pave the way for the sound they were creating for themselves. In 1982, Dire Straits released Love Over Gold, featuring the hits “Private Investigations” and “Industrial Disease.”
Around this time Mark Knopfler began dabbling outside of the band, writing the scores for films such as Local Hero and Cal, and performing on Van Morrison’s Beautiful Vision. Knopfler also produced Bob Dylan’s Infidels and wrote “Private Dancer” for Tina Turner’s comeback album. Knopfler quickly went back to Dire Straits for their 1985 breakthrough Brothers in Arms. The album produced a number of hit singles, including the #1 song with a guest vocal performed by Sting, “Money for Nothing.” The song came with an innovative music video that saw heavy rotation on MTV, and was the first video to ever be played on MTV in Britain. The subsequent world tour was a tremendous success, and in 1985, they performed at Wembley Stadium for Live Aid. The success of Brothers in Arms was partly due to being one of the first albums available in the compact disc (CD) format.
After Brothers in Arms and the tireless touring that followed, the band went on an extended hiatus. Knopfler focused on solo projects, as well as writing and producing music for film soundtracks. The band came together again in 1989 and was joined by Eric Clapton in performing for Nelson Mandela’s 70th Birthday Tribute concert. Two years later, Dire Straits released their final original studio album, On Every Street. It was highly anticipated, though upon release was met with mixed reviews. The album was supported by a tour and a live album, On the Night. In 1995, after Knopfler expressed a desire to give up touring, Dire Straits quietly broke up. Thought it has been over a decade since they disbanded, three best-of compilations have been released to substantial sales worldwide, showing that Dire Straits' quiet popularity sustains, year after year, decade after decade.
