Dire Straits

Dire Straits were a British rock band who emerged during the post-punk era of the late 1970s, active between 1977 and 1995. Comprising Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), his younger brother David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals), and Pick Withers (drums and percussion), and managed by Ed Bicknell.

Dire Straits played a more bluesy style, and while their sound was minimalistic and stripped down, they owed little to punk rock which was at the forefront at the time. 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. Despite their oddly self-effacing approach to rock and roll, Dire Straits became one of the world's most commercially successful artists, and sold over 120 million albums worldwide.




Members

    * Mark Knopfler - lead vocals, guitar (1977–1995)
    * John Illsley - bass guitar, backing vocals (1977–1995)
    * Alan Clark - keyboards (1980–1995)
    * Guy Fletcher - synthesizer, backing vocals (1984–1995)
    * David Knopfler - rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1977–1980)
    * Pick Withers - drums, percussion (1977–1982)
    * Terry Williams - drums (1982–1989)
    * Jack Sonni - rhythm guitar (1985–1988)
    * Hal Lindes - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1980–1985)

Discography

Studio albums

    * Dire Straits (1978)
    * Communiqué (1979)
    * Making Movies (1980)
    * Love over Gold (1982)
    * Brothers in Arms (1985)
    * On Every Street (1991)

MarkKnopfler.com - Dire Straits website

http://www.markknopfler.com/