Dire Straits – Making Movies (1980)

Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and percussion). They were active from 1977 to 1988 and again from 1991 to 1995.

Their first single, “Sultans of Swing”, from their 1978 self-titled debut album, reached the top ten in the UK and US charts. It was followed by hit singles including “Romeo and Juliet” (1981), “Private Investigations” (1982), “Twisting by the Pool” (1983), “Money for Nothing” (1985), and “Walk of Life” (1985). Their most commercially successful album, Brothers in Arms (1985), has sold more than 30 million copies; it was the first album to sell a million copies on compact disc and is the eighth-bestselling album in UK history. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Albums, Dire Straits have spent over 1,100 weeks on the UK albums chart, the fifth most of all time.

Dire Straits’ sound draws from various influences, including country, folk, the blues rock of J. J. Cale, and jazz. Their stripped-down sound contrasted with punk rock and demonstrated a roots rock influence that emerged from pub rock. There were several changes in personnel, with Mark Knopfler and Illsley being the only members who lasted from the beginning of the band’s existence to the end. After their first breakup in 1988, Knopfler told Rolling Stone: “A lot of press reports were saying we were the biggest band in the world. There’s not an accent then on the music, there’s an accent on popularity. I needed a rest.” They disbanded for good in 1995, after which Knopfler launched a solo career full-time. He has since declined reunion offers.

Dire Straits were called “the biggest British rock band of the 80s” by Classic Rock magazine; their 1985–1986 world tour, which included a performance at Live Aid in July 1985, set a record in Australasia. Their final world tour from 1991 to 1992 sold 7.1 million tickets. Dire Straits won four Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards (Best British Group twice), two MTV Video Music Awards, and various other awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. Dire Straits have sold over 120 million units worldwide, including 51.4 million certified units, making them one of the best-selling music artists.

Making Movies is the third studio album by British rock band Dire Straits released on 17 October 1980 by Vertigo Records internationally, Warner Bros. Records in the United States and Mercury Records in Canada. The album includes the single “Romeo and Juliet”, which reached #8 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as one of Dire Straits’ best known cuts, “Tunnel of Love”, which was also featured in the 1982 Richard Gere film An Officer and a Gentleman.

Making Movies reached number one on the album charts in Italy and Norway, number 19 in the United States and number 4 in the United Kingdom. Making Movies was later certified platinum in the United States and double-platinum in the United Kingdom. It is regarded as one of Dire Straits’ best albums.

After Dire Straits’ Communiqué Tour ended on 21 December 1979 in London, Mark Knopfler spent the first half of 1980 writing the songs for the band’s next album. He contacted Jimmy Iovine after hearing Iovine’s production on the song “Because the Night” by Patti Smith—a song co-written by Smith and Bruce Springsteen. Iovine had also worked on Springsteen’s Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town albums, and he was instrumental in recruiting E-Street Band keyboardist Roy Bittan for the Making Movies sessions.

Making Movies was recorded at the Power Station in New York from 20 June to 25 August 1980. Jimmy Iovine and Mark Knopfler produced the album.

David Knopfler left Dire Straits in August 1980 during the recording of the album, following heated arguments with his brother. His guitar tracks were almost complete for the album, but were re-recorded by Mark. David appears on video playing “Solid Rock” and “Les Boys” live in concert, but these performances preceded the recording. The album sessions continued with Sid McGinnis on rhythm guitar, although he was uncredited on the album. Dire Straits expanded into a quintet when keyboard player Alan Clark and Californian guitarist Hal Lindes were recruited as full-time group members shortly after the album’s release in October 1980.

Four songs were recorded during the sessions but not released on the album: “Making Movies”, “Suicide Towers”, “Twisting by the Pool” and “Sucker for Punishment”. “Twisting by the Pool” was released on the ExtendedancEPlay EP on 10 January 1983 and reached the UK Top 20 when released as a single. The title of the album is taken from a line in the song “Skateaway” and from the outtake “Making Movies”.

Making Movies was released on 17 October 1980 on LP and cassette formats. In 1981, an identically named short film was released on VHS and Beta, as well as screened in some theatrical venues, consisting of three music videos directed by fashion/commercial photographer Lester Bookbinder, for “Romeo and Juliet”, “Tunnel of Love” and “Skateaway”. The original CD version was released in 1984.

The album was remastered and reissued on CD with the rest of the Dire Straits catalogue in 1996 internationally, and on 19 September 2000 in the United States.

The album includes some of Dire Straits’ best known songs. The album’s main single was “Romeo and Juliet” which reached number 8 in the UK singles chart in early 1981. The second single release was “Skateaway”, and the third and final single from the album was the lengthy opening track, “Tunnel of Love”, with its intro “The Carousel Waltz” by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, which only reached the number 54 position in the UK, however it remains one of Knopfler’s most popular compositions.

With new group members Alan Clark and Hal Lindes on board, Dire Straits embarked on tours of Europe, North America, and Oceania[5] from October 1980 until July 1981 to promote the album.

Three of the seven tracks from Making Movies continued to be played throughout the Love over Gold, Brothers in Arms and On Every Street tours: “Romeo and Juliet”, “Tunnel of Love” and “Solid Rock”, while “Expresso Love” was played in all concert tours until 1986.

In his review for Rolling Stone, David Fricke gave the album four out of five stars, writing:

Making Movies is the record on which Mark Knopfler comes out from behind his influences and Dire Straits come out from behind Mark Knopfler. The combination of the star’s lyrical script, his intense vocal performances and the band’s cutting-edge rock & roll soundtrack is breathtaking—everything the first two albums should have been but weren’t. If Making Movies really were a film, it might win a flock of Academy Awards.

Rolling Stone ranked Making Movies number 52 in their survey of the 100 Best Albums of the Eighties (wikipedia)

Without second guitarist David Knopfler, Dire Straits began to move away from its roots rock origins into a jazzier variation of country-rock and singer/songwriter folk-rock. Naturally, this means that Mark Knopfler’s ambitions as a songwriter are growing, as the storytelling pretensions of Making Movies indicate. Fortunately, his skills are increasing, as the lovely “Romeo and Juliet,” “Tunnel of Love,” and “Skateaway” indicate. And Making Movies is helped by a new wave-tinged pop production, which actually helps Knopfler’s jazzy inclinations take hold. The record runs out of steam toward the end, closing with the borderline offensive “Les Boys,” but the remainder of Making Movies ranks among the band’s finest work. (by Stephen Thomas Erlewine)

Personnel:
John Illsley (bass, backround vocals)
Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals
Pick Withers –(drums, background vocals)
+
Roy Bittan (keyboards)
Sid McGinnis (guitar)

Tracklist:
01. Intro: Extract from “The Carousel Waltz” (Rodgers/Hammerstein II) / Tunnel Of Love 8.11 02. Romeo And Juliet 6.02
03. Skateaway 6.40
04. Expresso Love 5.12
05. Hand In Hand 4.49
06. Solid Rock 3.27
07. Les Boys 4.09

All songs were written by Mark Knopfler, except where indicated

*
**

More from Dire Straits:

Dire Straits – Live Rockpop ZDF (Germany) (1980)

Brothers Mark and David Knopfler, from Newcastle in northeast England, and friends John Illsley and Pick Withers, from Leicester in the east midlands, formed Dire Straits in London in 1977.[8] Withers was already a 10-year music business veteran, having been a session drummer for Dave Edmunds, Gerry Rafferty, Magna Carta and others through the 1970s; he was part of the group Spring, which recorded an album for RCA in 1971. At the time of the band’s formation, Mark was working as a teacher at art college, Illsley was studying at Goldsmiths’ College, and David was a social worker. Mark and Withers had both been part of the pub rock group Brewers Droop at different points in around 1973.

Initially known as the Café Racers, the name Dire Straits was coined by a musician flatmate of Withers, allegedly thought up while they were rehearsing in the kitchen of a friend, Simon Cowe, of Lindisfarne. In 1977, the group recorded a five-song demo tape which included their future hit single, “Sultans of Swing”, as well as “Water of Love” and “Down to the Waterline”. After a performance at the Rock Garden in 1977, they took a demo tape to MCA in Soho but were turned down. Then they went to DJ Charlie Gillett, host of called Honky Tonk on BBC Radio London. The band simply wanted advice, but Gillett liked the music so much that he played “Sultans of Swing” on his show. Two months later, Dire Straits signed a recording contract with the Vertigo division of Phonogram Inc. In October 1977, the band recorded demo tapes of “Southbound Again”, “In the Gallery” and “Six Blade Knife” for BBC Radio London; in November demo tapes were made of “Setting Me Up”, “Eastbound Train” and “Real Girl”.

The group’s first album, Dire Straits, was recorded at Basing Street studios in Notting Hill, London in February 1978, at a cost of £12,500. Produced by Muff Winwood, it was first released in the United Kingdom on Vertigo Records, then a division of Phonogram Inc. It came to the attention of A&R representative Karin Berg, working at Warner Bros. Records in New York City. She felt that it was the kind of music audiences were hungry for, but only one person in her department agreed at first. Many of the songs on the album reflected Mark Knopfler’s experiences in Newcastle, Leeds and London. “Down to the Waterline” recalled images of life in Newcastle; “In the Gallery” is a tribute to Leeds sculptor/artist Harry Phillips (father of Steve Phillips); “Wild West End” and “Lions” were drawn from Knopfler’s early days in the capital (b wikipedia)

… And the rest is history…

And heres a pretty good show from 1980, recorded for a German Television network called “ZDF” in a superb broadcating quality.

Personnel:
Alan Clark (keyboards)
John Illsley (bass, vocals)
Mark Knopfler (vocals, lead guitar)
Hal Lindes (guitar)
Pick Withers (drums)

Tracklist:
01. Once Upon A Time In The West 10.34
02. Down To The Waterline 5.05
03. Lions 7.30
04. News (includes Instrumental outro – “Private Investigations licks”) 6.27
05. Sultans Of Swing 10.00
06. Tunnel Of Love 13.43
07. Solid Rock 5.26

All songs written by Mark Knopfler

*
**

And here´s the video of this show:

 

Dire Straits – Live On WDR Radio (Cologne, Germany) (1979)

Brothers Mark and David Knopfler, from Newcastle in northeast England, and friends John Illsley and Pick Withers, from Leicester in the east midlands, formed Dire Straits in London in 1977.[8] Withers was already a 10-year music business veteran, having been a session drummer for Dave Edmunds, Gerry Rafferty, Magna Carta and others through the 1970s; he was part of the group Spring, which recorded an album for RCA in 1971. At the time of the band’s formation, Mark was working as a teacher at art college, Illsley was studying at Goldsmiths’ College, and David was a social worker. Mark and Withers had both been part of the pub rock group Brewers Droop at different points in around 1973.

Initially known as the Café Racers, the name Dire Straits was coined by a musician flatmate of Withers, allegedly thought up while they were rehearsing in the kitchen of a friend, Simon Cowe, of Lindisfarne. In 1977, the group recorded a five-song demo tape which included their future hit single, “Sultans of Swing”, as well as “Water of Love” and “Down to the Waterline”. After a performance at the Rock Garden in 1977, they took a demo tape to MCA in Soho but were turned down. Then they went to DJ Charlie Gillett, host of called Honky Tonk on BBC Radio London. The band simply wanted advice, but Gillett liked the music so much that he played “Sultans of Swing” on his show. Two months later, Dire Straits signed a recording contract with the Vertigo division of Phonogram Inc. In October 1977, the band recorded demo tapes of “Southbound Again”, “In the Gallery” and “Six Blade Knife” for BBC Radio London; in November demo tapes were made of “Setting Me Up”, “Eastbound Train” and “Real Girl”.

The group’s first album, Dire Straits, was recorded at Basing Street studios in Notting Hill, London in February 1978, at a cost of £12,500. Produced by Muff Winwood, it was first released in the United Kingdom on Vertigo Records, then a division of Phonogram Inc. It came to the attention of A&R representative Karin Berg, working at Warner Bros. Records in New York City. She felt that it was the kind of music audiences were hungry for, but only one person in her department agreed at first. Many of the songs on the album reflected Mark Knopfler’s experiences in Newcastle, Leeds and London. “Down to the Waterline” recalled images of life in Newcastle; “In the Gallery” is a tribute to Leeds sculptor/artist Harry Phillips (father of Steve Phillips); “Wild West End” and “Lions” were drawn from Knopfler’s early days in the capital.

That year, Dire Straits began a tour as opening band for Talking Heads after the re-released “Sultans of Swing” finally started to climb the UK charts. This led to a United States recording contract with Warner Bros. Records; before the end of 1978, Dire Straits had released their self-titled debut worldwide. They received more attention in the US, but also arrived at the top of the charts in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Dire Straits eventually went top 10 in every European country.

The following year, Dire Straits embarked on their first North American tour. They played 51 sold-out concerts over a 38-day period. “Sultans of Swing” scaled the charts to number four in the United States and number eight in the United Kingdom. The song was one of Dire Straits’ biggest hits and became a fixture in the band’s live performances. Bob Dylan, who had seen the band play in Los Angeles, was so impressed that he invited Mark Knopfler and drummer Pick Withers to play on his next album, Slow Train Coming.

Recording sessions for the group’s second album, Communiqué, took place in December 1978 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas. Released in June 1979, Communiqué was produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett and went to No. 1 on the German album charts, with the debut album Dire Straits simultaneously at No. 3. In the United Kingdom the album peaked at No. 5 in the album charts. Featuring the single “Lady Writer”, the second album continued in a similar vein as the first and displayed the expanding scope of Knopfler’s lyricism on the opening track, “Once Upon a Time in the West”. In the coming year, however, this approach began to change, along with the group’s line-up. (by wikipedia)

And here´s another rarity from these early days of Dire Straits:

A great soundboard recording of the beginning of Dire Straits with very good sound.
The gig from the day after! the famouse “Rockpalast” show (16th feb 1979)

Great atmosphere and an awesome version of Southbound Again.

This is nearly a perfect soundboard recording. The bonus tracks has a bit less quality, but they they came with the package.

And we hear some jokes of Knopfler.

So… enjoy !

Recorded live at the Großen Sendersaal, Cologne, Germany, 17th February 1979
Recorded live at the Philipshalle, Düsseldorf, Germany, 13th February 1979 (11. -13.)

Personnel:
John Illsley (bass, vocals)
David Knopfler (guitar, vocals)
Mark Knopfler (vocals, lead guitar)
Pick Withers (drums)

Tracklist:
01. Down To The Waterline 5.18
02. Six Blade Knife 6.14
03. In The Gallery 7.10
04. Water Of Love 6.12
05. Eastbound Train 4.16
06. What’s The Matter Baby ? 3.45
07. Lions 6.39
08. Sultans Of Swing 6.19
09. Wild West End 5.39
10. Southbound Again 3.24
+
11. Eastbound Train 4.44
12. Southbound Again 7.03
13. Angel Of Mercy 5.28

All songs written by Mark Knopfler

*
**

Dire Straits – Live USA (1985)

The 1985–1986 Brothers in Arms world tour which followed the album’s release was phenomenally successful, with over 2.5 million tickets sold. The tour included dates in Europe, Israel, North America, and Australia and New Zealand. The band played 248 shows in over 100 different cities.[48] Saxophonist Chris White joined the band, and the tour began on 25 April 1985 in Split, Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia). While playing a 13-night residency at Wembley Arena in London, the band moved down the road to Wembley Stadium on the afternoon of 13 July 1985, to appear in a Live Aid slot,[49] in which their set included “Money For Nothing” with Sting as guest vocalist. The tour ended at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, Australia on 26 April 1986, where Dire Straits still holds the record for consecutive appearances at 21 nights.[50] The band also made an impromptu attempt at the Australian folk song “Waltzing Matilda”. With 900,000 tickets sold in Australia and New Zealand it was the biggest concert tour in Australasian music history, until it was overtaken in 2017–2018 by Ed Sheeran.
Dire Straits performed at Live Aid at the old Wembley Stadium (exterior pictured) on 13 July 1985 in between 13 dates at the nearby Wembley Arena

Additionally in 1985, a group set out from London to Khartoum to raise money for famine relief led by John Abbey, was called “The Walk of Life”. Dire Straits donated the Brothers in Arms Gold disc to the participants in recognition of what they were doing. The band’s concert of 10 July 1985 at Wembley Arena, in which they were accompanied by Nils Lofgren for “Solid Rock” and Hank Marvin joined the band at the end to play “Going Home” (the theme from Local Hero), was televised in the United Kingdom on The Tube on Channel 4 in January 1986. (Although never officially released, bootleg recordings of the performance entitled Wembley does the Walk (2005) have been circulated.)

In 1986 Brothers in Arms won two Grammy Awards, and also won Best British Album at the 1987 Brit Awards. Q magazine placed the album at number 51 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever in 2000. The album also ranked number 351 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” in 2003.[55] Brothers in Arms is also ranked number 3 in the best albums of 1985 and number 31 in the best albums of the 1980s, and as of December 2017, the album was ranked the eighth-best-selling album in UK chart history, and is the 107th-best-selling album in the United States.[56] In August 1986, MTV Europe was launched with Dire Straits’ “Money for Nothing”.
After the Brothers in Arms tour ended Mark Knopfler took a break from Dire Straits and during 1987 he concentrated on solo projects and film soundtracks. (by wikipedia)

On the bootleg album (guess this is a soundboard recording) you can hear, that Mark Kopfler is a little bit tired of playing this Dire Strait stuff.

Neverthless it´s another good live recording by one of the most important band in the early Eighties.

Imtrat was a distribution company for the label brands “Living Legend Records” & “Live & Alive”, based in Landshut, Bavaria. The company exploited loopholes in the European copyright law during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Although their CD issues were mostly fully ‘legal’ they were not usually authorised releases and were produced in bulk for the low-budget Euro market.

Personnel:
Alan Clark (keyboards)
Guy Fletcher (keyboards)
John Illsley (bass)
Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals)
Jack Sonni (guitar)
Chris White (saxophone)
Terry Williams (drums)

Tracklist:
01. Ride Across The River 10.03
02. One World / Romeo And Juliet (Pt. 1) 14.57
03. Romeo And Juliet (Pt. 1) / Private Investigations 9.38
04. Why Worry 5.13
05.  Walk Of Life 4.20
06. Two Young Lovers 5.09

All songs written by Mark Knopfler

*
**

It’s a mystery to me
The game commences
For the usual fee
Plus expenses
Confidential information,
It’s in a diary
This is my investigation,
It’s not a public inquiry

I go checking out the reports
Digging up the dirt
You get to meet all sorts
In this line of work
Treachery and treason,
There’s always an excuse for it
And when I find the reason
I still can’t get used to it

And what have you got at the end of the day?
What have you got to take away?
A bottle of whisky and a new set of lies
Blinds on a window and a pain behind the eyes

Scarred for life
No compensation
Private investigations

Dire Straits – Love Over Gold (1982)

Love over Gold is the fourth studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 20 September 1982 by Vertigo Records internationally and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album featured two singles: “Private Investigations,” which reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, and “Industrial Disease,” which reached number 9 on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the United States. The album reached number 1 on album charts in Australia, Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom, and number 19 in the United States. Love over Gold was later certified gold in the United States, platinum in France and Germany and double-platinum in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Following the end of the On Location Tour on 6 July 1981 in Luxembourg, Mark Knopfler began writing songs for Dire Straits’ next album. Alan Clark (keyboards) and Hal Lindes (guitar), who joined the band for the On Location Tour, would also be involved with the new album.

Love over Gold was recorded at the Power Station in New York from 8 March to 11 June 1982. Knopfler produced the album, with Neil Dorfsman as his engineer—the first in a long line of collaborations between the two.

Knopfler used several guitars during the sessions, including four Schecter Stratocasters—two red, one blue, and one sunburst—a black Schecter Telecaster, an Ovation classical guitar on “Private Investigations” and “Love over Gold,” a custom Erlewine Automatic on “Industrial Disease” and his 1937 National steel guitar on “Telegraph Road.” Knopfler also used Ovation twelve- and six-string acoustic guitars during the recording.

Several songs were written and recorded during the Love over Gold sessions that were not released on the album. “Private Dancer” was originally planned for the album, with all but the vocal tracks being recorded. Knopfler decided that a female voice would be more appropriate and handed the song to Tina Turner for her comeback album, Private Dancer. “The Way It Always Starts” ended up on Knopfler’s soundtrack to the film Local Hero, with vocals sung by Gerry Rafferty. “Badges, Posters, Stickers and T-Shirts” was cut from the album and later released in the UK as a B-side to “Private Investigations.” It was subsequently released in the United States as the fourth track on the ExtendedancEPlay EP.

Love over Gold was released on 20 September 1982 on vinyl LP and cassette. “Private Investigations” was released as the lead single from the album in Europe, It reached the number 2 position in the United Kingdom. “Industrial Disease” was released as a single in the United States, reaching the 75 position on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983.

In 1986, Love over Gold had sold 4.4 million copies in Europe, whereas the album had only reached gold status in the United States by that stage. (wikipedia)

Adding a new rhythm guitarist, Dire Straits expands its sounds and ambitions on the sprawling Love Over Gold. In a sense, the album is their prog rock effort, containing only five songs, including the 14-minute opener “Telegraph Road.” Since Mark Knopfler is a skilled, tasteful guitarist, he can sustain interest even throughout the languid stretches, but the long, atmospheric, instrumental passages aren’t as effective as the group’s tight blues-rock, leaving Love Over Gold only a fitfully engaging listen. (by Stephen Thomas Erlewine)

Love Over Gold is not just the title of Dire Straits’ fourth album, it is a statement of purpose. In almost suicidal defiance of commercial good sense, singer-songwriter-guitarist Mark Knopfler has chosen to follow his muse, fashioning a collection of radically expanded epics and evocative tone poems that demand the listener’s undivided attention. Certainly a quantum leap from the organic R&B impressionism of the band’s early LPs (Dire Straits and Communique) and the gripping short stories of Making Movies, its 1980 best seller, Love Over Gold is an ambitious, sometimes difficult record that is exhilarating in its successes and, at the very least, fascinating in its indulgences.

Two drastically different moods dominate the new album. One is sharp and fiery (like the bolt of lightning on the cover); the other is soft and seductive. That dichotomy is particularly explicit in “Private Investigations,” a long, unorthodox ballad in which Knopfler plays a private detective hardened by a life of combing through other people’s dirty laundry. Over a discreet synthesizer ring, gurgling marimba and a delicately plucked acoustic guitar, he grumbles into his whiskey glass like Bob Dylan in a trench coat: “You get to meet all sorts in this line of work Treachery and treason There’s always an excuse for it,” he recites in a raspy nicotine snarl. Then John Illsley sounds a quiet warning with a stalking bass line before the song erupts in dramatic bursts of guitar gunfire and tragic-sounding piano playing.

This wracking schizophrenia between the heart and the heartless, the loving and the pain, has always informed Knopfler’s songs and arrangements. Love Over Gold, however, finds Knopfler casting further than ever for ways to articulate the frustrations that color his romantic streak. At nearly fifteen minutes, the album’s opener, “Telegraph Road,” is certainly a challenge to the average pop fan’s attention span. But the song’s historic sweep and intimate tension — the building of America and the dashing of one man’s dreams in the wake of its accelerating crumble — enable Knopfler to deploy a variety of surprising instrumental voices, from the synthesized sunrise whistle at the beginning to the baroque piano motif in the middle. The song closes with an extended solo guitar crescendo that’s heated up by Pick Withers’ galloping drums.

“Love Over Gold” is a whispery ballad that plays the jazzy tingle of vibes against an almost classical piano air and the violinlike pluck of a synthesizer to heighten its images of a casual, even cavalier, sex life. On the other hand, “Industrial Disease” — at five minutes, the shortest of the LP’s five songs and its most conventional rocker — crackles with a cynicism underlined by its cheesy “Wooly Bully” organ and coughing guitar effect.

At times, Mark Knopfler, who also plays producer here, seems to try too hard. “It Never Rains” is a harsh chip off the “Like a Rolling Stone” block. And nearly all the songs end in guitar solos, as if he had too many ideas and was unsure how to reconcile them. But in a period when most pop music is conceived purely as product, Love Over Gold dares to put art before airplay. (David FRicke, Rolling Stone)

Personnel:
Alan Clark (keyboards, synthesizers)
John Illsley (bass)
Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals)
Hal Lindes (guitar)
Pick Withers (drums)
+
Mike Mainieri (vibes, marimba (on 02. + 04.)
Ed Walsh (synthesizer programming)

Tracklist:
01. Telegraph Road 14.18
02. Private Investigations 6.46
03. Industrial Disease 5.49
04. Love Over Gold 6.17
05. It Never Rains 8.00

All songs written by Mark Knopfler

*
**

A long time ago came a man on a track
Walking thirty miles with a sack on his back
And he put down his load where he thought it was the best
He made a home in the wilderness

He built a cabin and a winter store
And he ploughed up the ground by the cold lake shore
And the other travelers came riding down the track
And they never went further and they never went back

Then came the churches then came the schools
Then came the lawyers then came the rules
Then came the trains and the trucks with their loads
And the dirty old track was the telegraph road

Then came the mines – then came the ore
Then there was the hard times then there was a war
Telegraph sang a song about the world outside
Telegraph road got so deep and so wide
Like a rolling river…

And my radio says tonight it’s gonna freeze
People driving home from the factories
There’s six lanes of traffic
Three lanes moving slow…

I used to like to go to work but they shut it down
I’ve got a right to go to work but there’s no work here to be found
Yes, and they say we’re gonna have to pay what’s owed
We’re gonna have to reap from some seed that’s been sowed

And the birds up on the wires and the telegraph poles
They can always fly away from this rain and this cold
You can hear them singing out their telegraph code
All the way down the telegraph road

You know I’d sooner forget but I remember those nights
When life was just a bet on a race between the lights
You had your hand on my shoulder you had your hand in my hair
Now you act a little colder like you don’t seem to care…

But believe in me baby and I’ll take you away
From out of this darkness and into the day
From these rivers of headlights these rivers of rain
From the anger that lives on these streets with these names
‘Cos I’ve run every red light on memory lane
I’ve seen desperation explode into flames
And I don’t wanna see it again…

From all of these signs saying sorry but we’re closed
All the way down the telegraph road

 

Various Artists – The Prince´s Trust 10th Anniversary Birthday Party (1987)

The Prince’s Trust celebrated it’s 10th anniversary in 1986 with a concert at Wembley Arena attended by the then Prince and Princess of Wales. It is a more of a curiosity concert now in light of the fact that most of the stars and groups on show have either split up, moved on, or have shuffled off this planet (Stuart Adamson committed suicide years later) Inevitably, the performances are some of the big names at the time, for example, Suzanne Vega and Level 42 were top ten in England and Mark Knopfler was riding high post-BROTHERS IN ARMS with Dire Straits. Tina Turner and Eric Clapton duetted on “Better Be Good To Me”, Rod Stewart performed his classic “Sailing” …. and the concert culminates in Paul McCartney singing “Long Tall Sally” and “Get Back”with Tina Turner.

Professionally done with some good music to boot, THE PRINCES TRUST BIRTHDAY PARTY is more of interest now to fans of the decade.(by Doom Templer)

Nothing special in term of performances,it’s only a curious relic piece on collector’s shelve like mine to satisfy our addiction of music performed by our darling masterclas. (by Guitar Kiko)

Personnel:
Bryan Adams, Eric Clapton, Francis Rossi, George Chandler, Jimmy Chambers, Jimmy Helms, John Illsley, Mark King, Paul Young, Ray Cooper, Rick Parfitt, Samantha Brown*, Sting, Trevor Morais, Vicki Brown and much more

Tracklist:
01. Dire Straits: Money For Nothing (Knopfler) 5.20
02. Midge Ure: Call Of The Wild (King/Mitchell/Ure) 4.21
03. Suzanne Vega: Marlene On The Wall (Vega) 3.16
04. Phil Collins: In The Air Tonight (Collins) 4.58
05. Big Country: Fields Of Fire (Adamson/Brzezicki/Butler/Watson) 4.26
06. Howard Jones: No One Is To Blame (Jones) 4.12
07. Level 42: Something About You (Gould/King/Lindup/Gould/Badarou) 5.07
08. Elton John: I’m Still Standing (John/Taupin) 3.47
09. Joan Armatrading: Reach Out (Armatrading) 4.40
10. Tina Turner: Better Be Good To Me (Chinn/Chapman/Knight) 5.02
11. Rod Stewart: Sailing (Sutherland) 5.25
12. Paul McCartney: Get Back (Lennon/McCartney) 3.33
13. Paul McCartney: Long Tall Sally (Johnson/Penniman/Blackwell) 2.36

*
**

Dire Straits – Communiqué (1979)

Communiqué is the second studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 15 June 1979 by Vertigo Records internationally, and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album produced the single “Lady Writer”, which reached the number 45 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number 51 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached the number one position on album charts in Germany, New Zealand, and Sweden, the number 11 position in the United States, and the number five position in the United Kingdom. Communiqué was certified gold in the United States, platinum in the United Kingdom, and double-platinum in France.

Communiqué was recorded from 28 November to 12 December 1978 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau. The album was produced by Barry Beckett and Jerry Wexler, veteran producers from Muscle Shoals Sound Studio who made legendary recordings with Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, the Staple Singers, The Rolling Stones, Traffic, Elton John, Boz Scaggs, Willie Nelson, and Paul Simon.

Communiqué became the first album ever to enter the German charts at number one in its first week of release. Even more remarkable, this happened while their debut album, Dire Straits was still at the number three position in that country. The album went on to sell over 7 million copies worldwide: in Europe it sold 3.6 million copies, and in the United States it reached gold status.

Communiqué was remastered and released with the rest of the Dire Straits catalogue in 1996 for most of the world outside the United States, and on 19 September 2000 in the United States.

The album cover was designed by Phonogram’s advertising agency Grant Advertising UK. It won album cover of the year in the NME awards in 1979. (by wikipedia)

Rushed out less than nine months after the surprise success of Dire Straits’ self-titled debut album, the group’s sophomore effort, Communiqué, seemed little more than a carbon copy of its predecessor with less compelling material. Mark Knopfler and co. had established a sound (derived largely from J.J. Cale) of laid-back shuffles and intricate, bluesy guitar playing, and Communiqué provided more examples of it. But there was no track as focused as “Sultans of Swing,” even if “Lady Writer” (a lesser singles chart entry on both sides of the Atlantic) nearly duplicated its sound. As a result, Communiqué sold immediately to Dire Straits’ established audience, but no more, and it did not fare as well critically as its predecessor or its follow-up. (by William Ruhlmann)

Personnel:
John Illsley (bass, vocals)
David Knopfler (guitar and vocals)
Mark Knopfler (vocals, lead guitar)
Pick Withers (drums)
+
B. Bear (= Barry Beckett) (keyboards)

Tracklist:
01. Once Upon A Time In The West 5.25
02. News 4.14
03. Where Do You Think You’re Going? 3.49
04. Communiqué  5.49
05. Lady Writer 3.45
06. Angel Of Mercy 4.36
07. Portobello Belle 4.29
08. Single-Handed Sailor 4.42
09. Follow Me Home 5.50

All songs written by Mark Knopfler

* (coming soon)
**

Dire Straits – Rotterdam (1978)

Brothers Mark and David Knopfler, and friends John Illsley, and Pick Withers formed the band in 1977. In 1977, Dire Straits (a name given to the band by a musician flatmate of drummer Pick Withers), recorded a five-song demo tape which included their future hit single, “Sultans of Swing”, as well as “Water of Love”, “Down to the Waterline”, “Wild West End” and David Knopfler’s “Sacred Loving”. They took the tape to DJ Charlie Gillett, who had a radio show called “Honky Tonk” on BBC Radio London. The band simply wanted advice, but Gillett liked the music so much that he played “Sultans of Swing” on his show. Two months later, Dire Straits signed a recording contract with Phonogram Records.[8] In October 1977, the band recorded demo tapes of “Southbound Again”, “In the Gallery” and “Six Blade Knife” for BBC Radio London; in November demo tapes were made of “Setting Me Up”, “Eastbound Train” and “Real Girl”.

The group’s first album, Dire Straits, was recorded at Basing Street studios in West London in February 1978, at a cost of £12,500. Produced by Muff Winwood, the album had little promotion when initially released in the United Kingdom on Vertigo Records, then a division of Phonogram, and was not well received. However, the album came to the attention of A&R representative Karin Berg, working at Warner Bros. Records in New York City. She felt that it was the kind of music audiences were hungry for, but only one person in her department agreed at first. Many of the songs on the album reflected Mark Knopfler’s experiences in Newcastle, Leeds and London. “Down to the Waterline” recalled images of life in Newcastle; “In the Gallery” is a tribute to Leeds sculptor/artist Harry Phillips (father of Steve Phillips); “Wild West End” and “Lions” were drawn from Knopfler’s early days in the capital. (by wikipedia)

And the rest is history …

This is one of the earliest Dire Straits live recordings, at Stadtshouwburg, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Dated from October 19, 1978, in this year the group’s first album was released and almost all of it is played here.

Personnel:
David Knopfler (guitar, background vocals)
Mark Knopfler (guitar, vocals)
John Illsley
Pick Withers

Alternate frontcovers

Tracklist:
01. Down To The Waterline (M. Knopfler) 3.52
02. Six Blade Knife (M. Knopfler) 4.00
03. Once Upon A Time In The West (M. Knopfler) 5.00
04. Lady Writer (M. Knopfler) 3.21
05. Water Of Love (M. Knopfler) 5.20
06. In The Gallery (M. Knopfler) 5.27
07. What’s The Matter Baby (M.Knopfler) 3.15
08. Lions (D.Kopfler/M.Knopfler) 5.55
09. Sultans Of Swing (M. Knopfler) 5.47
10. Wild West End (M. Knopfler) 4.59
11. Eastbound Train (M. Knopfler) 5.07

*
**