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The catalogue of Dire Straits.
In 1978, rock seemed in something of a funk, and disco was riding high, on the crest of a wave perpetuated by New York City nightclub Studio 54 and the motion picture Saturday Night Fever. Also, punk was having its say in the music arena, especially in the United Kingdom. Things seemed rather homogeneous in the world of rock to most listeners, not where the action was. Led Zeppelin was reclusive and inactive. Robert Plant was recovering from a major car accident, as well as the sudden, tragic death of his son, Karac, during the 1977 tour. The Rolling Stones released Some Girls, but it was immortalized more by its controversial cover than the music it contained, though the album did score with "Miss You," "Beast Of Burden," and "Shattered."
Enter Dire Straits, four average-looking Englishmen who would revive rock and spell death for disco. Its frontman, Mark Knopfler, had gruff yet tender vocals, a unique, twangy guitar style, and was an excellent lyricist. The most memorable tracks from their self-titled debut LP from 1978 include "Down To The Waterline," "Sultans of Swing," and "Wild West End." From the start, the band had a style of various tempos that included elements of rhythm and blues and country, but could still be considered rock. The songs themselves weren't disjointed rabble but rather skillful storytelling about everyday life anywhere that really appeal to the heart.
In 1979 came Communique. Its highlights were "Once Upon A Time In The West," "Where Do You Think You're Going?", "Communique," "Lady Writer," "Angel Of Mercy," and "Portobello Belle." The following year saw the release of the band's third LP, Making Movies. Perhaps the best of the first three albums, the seven track offering included "Tunnel Of Love," "Romeo And Juliet," and "Solid Rock."
In 1982, Dire Straits released the very thematic Love Over Gold. There were only five tracks on the album, but each was massive in its scope. The lead track was the epic "Telegraph Road," which was over 14 minutes long. It told the story of one area from its founding by one man scores of years earlier, leading up to the present day, which saw reflections of a man out of a job and perhaps soon to be out of a love. "Industrial Disease" was a satirical take on pratfalls plaguing corporations in the early 1980s. On Love Over Gold the average track time was over eight minutes. In 1983, Dire Straits released the Twisting By The Pool EP. In 1984, the group released the live double album Alchemy, which was an excellent showcase for the band's handiwork and proved that Mark Knopfler was getting only better with his guitar playing as the years passed. Alchemy includes the track "Two Young Lovers," which was not released in any of their studio albums. Also not on their studio albums was the instrumental "Going Home," the theme from the motion picture Local Hero.
The next year, Dire Straits released what was to become their hallmark album - Brothers In Arms. Sting contributed to this album, co-authoring with Mark Knopfler on "Money For Nothing," another excellent biting satire told in character by a New York City appliance store employee. Sting also provided supporting vocals for the track, including the famous "I want my MTV." Unedited, the song spanned over eight minutes. Its video, featuring an invisible Mark Knopfler with headband, is viewed as one of the best. (When "Weird Al" Yankovic did a Beverly Hillbillies-related parody of "Money For Nothing," there was one stipulation. Mark Knopfler said that he would have to play guitar for the track - and he did.) The album also included the radio-friendly hits "So Far Away" and "Walk Of Life," as well as the deeply emotional title track. To date, Brothers In Arms has sold over nine million copies in the United States. In 1991, the band would release its final studio effort, On Every Street. This offering was another great album from the band, but unfortunately was buried by most of the angst-ridden rock and one-hit wonder rap of the day. On Every Street was heavy on slow blues, with some country and progressive elements thrown in as well. Highlights from the album were "Calling Elvis," "On Every Street," "Heavy Fuel," the humorous "My Parties," and "Planet Of New Orleans."
Mark Knopfler continues to be productive. In September 2000 he released Sailing To Philadelphia, a large collection that included contributions from James Taylor and Van Morrison. Sir Mark (he was recently knighted) embarks on a North American tour later this month.
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