Outstanding British band, very Dylanesque. Their first album was released in 1978. They never topped the quality of that record, even in 1985 with the multi-platinum "Brothers in Arms" (but they did come close.) Best song: "Water of Love." (Betcha thought I was going to say "Sultans of Swing".)

And Mark Knopfler was a quality composer in his own right too. Personal favourite song: "Romeo and Juliet", closely followed by "Brothers in Arms".

Dire Staits always were a quiet, tasteful, unassuming band. "Walk of Life" and "Money For Nothing" were probably their most raucous songs. My personal favorites (off the top of my head. I may forget some) are "Skateaway", "Industrial Disease", "Water of Love", and almost embarassingly (given its theme), "Les Boys". "Heavy Fuel" was pretty good, too.

I also like their quieter stuff, too. "Six Blade Knife," off the first album, is also quite cool. Of their more raucous stuff, "Solid Rock", from "Love Over Gold," is great. Where are they now?

I had their first few and thought they were excellent, darn near wore out the first one. It's interesting, to me there seemed to be a real disconnect with what was most appealing about them when they became an "arena rock" act. I still can't exactly put my finger on how or when that happened but I think Knopfler felt the same way when he disbanded the band. His solo work sounds amazingly "Dire Straits-like" but if he calles it Dire Straits he wouldn't be able to play the smaller and medium sized venues, where the music works best and I'm sure he's more relaxed.

Sailing to Philadelphia is his latest and it's definitely his best work in a long time.
"Bologna Again" really stands out.

I guess I like the quieter stuff as well. "Lions", from the first, is my fave.

Last thing I heard, AB, was that Mark Knopfler was doing a solo tour, playing old DS songs plus some solo works. There might be a DS or Knopfler website kicking around somewhere...

I think it goes without saying that Mark Knopfler is one of the most under rated composers to compose. I love the more storytelling, narative style he uses. And Miko, I really dosen't suprise me that his solo work sounds so much like Dire Straits; after all, he basicly was Dire Straits. Sure there were other guys, but he's the one we remember.

I really dosen't suprise me that his solo work sounds so much like Dire Straits; after all, he basicly was Dire Straits
Totally agreed, Blitz, That's the point I was trying to make. It's kind of like in an interview I read with George Thorogood a while back, the gist of which was "I wish we didn't have to play stadiums, I want to play bars again" Sometimes these guys want to put the brakes on. And Mark Knopfler the "solo artist" doesn't come with all that baggage and expectations, even if the music is essentially the same.

And he's playing "Sultans" on this tour.

As an aside, I always thought that Pick Withers was a more sympathetic drummer to the music but I guess Terry Williams' approach could fill a coliseum better.

I know Knopfler had a post-Straits band called "Notting Hillbillies," who put out one album called "Missing..Presumed Having A Good Time." I remember it was not up to his Straits quality.

I never had anyone take this comment seriously (Well, other English majors thought I was nuts.) Maybe this board is where I can "come out." (If you ever want to anger stuffed shirts mention that Chandler was the best American writer in the 20th century [Elliot was English by choice] and if Shakespeare was alive today he'd work on sitcoms.)

I feel that Mark Knopfler's "knack" for stringing together cliches in such a way to make force you to notice them because they are next to other cliches makes him one of the premier writers of the 1980's. (Private Investigations was all cliches but I am thinking of whatever song ends with all this writing al the wall/ I can read between the lines.)