ROCK STORIES

Dire Straits emerged in the post-punk era of the late 1970s, but their sound owes nothing to punk. Rather, it was a direct result of the roots of pub rock revivalism. Led by guitarist and singer Mark Knopfler, the band features J.J. They built their sound on a blues rock style. Cale added jazz and country inflections, sometimes entering progressive rock structures. In addition to the music, Knopfler's lyrics were notable for stories similar to those of Bob Dylan.

Dire Straits became albums such as the international hit Brothers in Arms. Despite this, they were unable to maintain their stardom and their viewership decreased significantly. Knopfler (born August 12, 1949) has always been a major force in Deer Strait. He studied English literature at the University of Leeds and worked briefly as a rock critic for the Yorkshire Evening Post. After graduating, he was in a pub rock band called Brewer's Droop. In 1977, Mark played with his brother David and his roommate John Illsley.

Dire Straits' minimalist approach to pub rock was evident from the moment of their debut. Featuring guitar lines and string vocals from Mark Knopfler, this album is a collection of good blues rock songs. Although the pub rock band mentality is at the heart of Dire Straits ("Sultans of Swing" is an ode to pub rock bands), his music transcends the simple boogie of his forebears, delving into jazz and the country. Knopfler also applied a Dylanesque perspective to the images, contributing to the album's relaxed atmosphere. The album was a huge success as a debut and Dire Straits struggled to top it throughout their career.

It was released less than nine months after the surprise success of their self-titled debut album. The statement appeared to be a mere copy of an earlier version that contained unreliable material. Mark Knopfler and company created a laid-back sound (mostly derived from JJ Cale) with a bluesy guitar tone. But although Lady Writer was a hit single and a great song, it wasn't as successful as Sultans of Swing. As a result, Dire Straits gained a steady audience, but did not grow beyond that, and reviews were not as good as its predecessor.

Without a second guitarist, David Knopfler, Dire Straits began to move away from their rock roots and towards jazz and country rock. This suggests that Mark Knopfler's ambitions as a composer have grown, and these cinematic claims back this up. Fortunately, his skills improved with the beautiful Romeo and Juliet, Tunnel of Love and Skateway. "Making Movies" was aided by a newfound nostalgia that supported Knopfler's jazz leanings. The album loses steam towards the end and ends with the aggressive "Les Boys", but the rest of "Making Movies" is some of the band's best work.

With the addition of a new guitarist, Dire Straits expands Love Over Gold's sound and expansive ambitions. In a sense, the album is progressive rock and consists of five songs, including the 14-minute "Telegraph Track". Mark Knopfler is a guitarist with good taste to keep the listener interested in even the longest and most formal songs, but the atmosphere and instrumental passages are not as effective as older blues rock songs, so I occasionally listen to "Love Over Gold." This is an album I want to hear.

This live album, recorded at London's Hammersmith Odeon in July 1983, presents an interesting contrast between Mark Knopfler's music and voice and the audience's reaction. The audience applauds and sings whenever they can. As if all the songs were rock songs. When a song reaches a certain speed, like "Sultans of Swing" or "Solid Rock," it becomes euphoric. Deer Straits' introspective music loses many details, which are less important than what it gains in presence and anticipation. Alan Clarke's use of keyboards complements the sound and adds majesty to Knopfler's songs.

"Brothers in Arms" became an international bestseller, combining the jazz rock vibe of "Love Over Gold" with pop mids. Of course, the success of "Brothers in Arms" was greatly aided by the computer-animated video for "Money for Nothing" filmed for MTV. But it was songs like 'Money for Nothing' with its distinctive guitar riffs, 'Walk of Life', catchy boogie rhythms and the bluesiest of all, 'So Far Away' and 'Why' that set sales records. "Don't Worry" is nostalgic and adorable. Dire Straits has never been more popular, at least not for such a short period of time. The rest of the album is uneven, marred by "Your Recent Trick" and "Ride Across the River." Brothers in Arms remains one of the most intentional and successful albums in the catalog.

Released in late 1988, when everyone was expecting a follow-up to Brothers in Arms, the 12 songs on Money For Nothing don't serve as a Dire Straits hits or hits compilation. Big hits like "Expresso Love" and "Skateway" were not included. But it's fun to include some live recordings and some songs that weren't on the previous album, like the "Twisting By The Pool" remix. The rest of the set is mainly composed of Arms songs.

It took Mark over six years to create a sequel to Brothers in Arms and was disappointing when the name was changed to Every Street. Knopfler is still a talented guitarist with flavors of folk ("Iron Hand"), blues ("Fade to Black") and rockabilly ("The Bug"), but basically the entire album sinks at this point. It's like background music. The band was long reduced to original members Knopfler and bassist John Illsley and a collection of semi-permanent sidemen. It was not a return.

"Live At The BBC" was released as Dire Straits was quietly disbanding and Mark Knopfler was preparing his first solo album. Most of the album was recorded in July 1978. This is followed by a 12-minute version of 1981's "Tunnel of Love."

Finally, in 1995, the group announced its dissolution. Mark Knopfler focuses on solo projects and film soundtracks. Many of them are collaborations with Dire Straits keyboardist Guy Fletcher. Founder John Illsley, who, along with Mark Knopfler, was the only remaining member of the original group, began to devote himself fully to painting. Other former members continued their musical careers, such as David Knopfler, who later worked in jazz bands, and drummer Peak Waiters.