Dire Straits

Jay P

K, in the billion years boards has been here, there haven't been any proper discussions about Mark Knopfler & Co. The other night I heard this song for the first time in ages:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTmCs9k_rZY

Romeo & Julliet. I don't know anything about the video, but the song is amazing.


Also quite fantastic is Money For Nothing. A tad overplayed, but it has the most rockin riff ever written! I can even excuse Mr. Sting because of it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po1TsgvOoOY

I could go into more, but I'm tired. I came in from work really wanting to hear some Dire Straits and I suddenly remembered how much I love them!

So thoughts of other posters?

MagicMarker

Sultans of Swing is their best track, quality song!

damonjewel

I would imagine a guilty pleasure for many Rock fans. I would be more in for the earlier stuff, they have a great sound and Knopfler is as good as it gets as guitarists go. Ladywriter, Sultans of Swing, Romeo and Juliet, are class. I have to admit though that Love over gold is where it ends I think Brothers in Arms is just awful.

galwayrush

agree, i used to love their stuff back in the day , but got turned off by their newer stuff.

Karl Hungus

damonjewel wrote: »

I would imagine a guilty pleasure for many Rock fans.

Wouldn't say a guilty pleasure, I like their stuff personally, but kinda have a love/hate relationship with Sultans of Swing, it was the first thing I learned on bass way back when, and kinda bored me to tears.

Mossy Monk

I love Dire Straits. One of the all time greats

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6oWvAGmiCo

jebuz

Mark's solo stuff is great, particularly the album 'Sailing to Philadelphia', well worth a listen. Went to see him live in the RDS last year great show!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSdQ3Ze2VOM

Agree with above post also, to me Brothers in Arms is Dire Straits' finest track

Nevyn

Ah boards does it again, one of the rare times I ever listen to the radio ( cos I was on a road trip ) ended up listening to Brothers and Arms and have been listening to the album the last hour after I got home.

Beautifully crafted music alas it did seem to be the peak.

damonjewel

Karl Hungus wrote: »

Wouldn't say a guilty pleasure

Well there is certain amount of stuff thats pretty uncool about them, e.g. muscle tshirts, tennis sweatbands, flourescent colours, Prince Charles is a fan, and my Dad loves them too (he's 60). Yet when driving around in my car I can't help turning up the volume when sultans comes on. Its a Guilty pleasure for someone like me who generally spends most of his time listening to weirdness, I suppose.

grames_bond

Great band and some class songs...but it did unfortunatley result in this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87cLyBR1JTo

:mad:brandon knows how to destroy a song!

damonjewel

I didnt think that The Killers version was bad, the vocals are alright. Although apart from the piano, its all a bit garage band. However you'd want to have some balls to try a Knopfler song as a guitarist thinking you'd better the original. Knopfler's style is so idiosyncratic and plays a major part in them there songs.

nix

Dire straits kickass, another gem of a song is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MrrH1Q9Yf0

mike65

Hot and cold for me, I tend to associate them with much of what wrong with music from the invention of the CD player onwards.

Jay P

damonjewel wrote: »

I would imagine a guilty pleasure for many Rock fans. I would be more in for the earlier stuff, they have a great sound and Knopfler is as good as it gets as guitarists go. Ladywriter, Sultans of Swing, Romeo and Juliet, are class. I have to admit though that Love over gold is where it ends I think Brothers in Arms is just awful.

I dunno why people say they're a guilty pleasure. They are a quality band and it's hardly something to be embarrassed about listening to!

jebuz wrote: »

Mark's solo stuff is great, particularly the album 'Sailing to Philadelphia', well worth a listen. Went to see him live in the RDS last year great show!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSdQ3Ze2VOM

Agree with above post also, to me Brothers in Arms is Dire Straits' finest track

Yes, though I've only heard a handful of his stuff, one being the album with Emmylou Harris, All The Roadrunning, and while some of it is a very country album, I find it very enjoyable.

grames_bond wrote: »

Great band and some class songs...but it did unfortunatley result in this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87cLyBR1JTo

:mad:brandon knows how to destroy a song!

*shudder*

I love Dire straits, why eye man and money for nothing are my faves:)

120_Minutes

Telegraph road
Private Investigations
The man's too strong
Calling elvis


all quality tunes.

IrishSerf

Always loved them. Saw them on their farewell tour in the Point (o2) many years ago, they were brill.

brendansmith

Dire Straits are a great, great band, six blade knife has to be one of the most laid back, relaxing songs ever written.

maggie797

was just talking about dire straits with my sister the other day!! they were one of my favorite bands of all times..my absolute favorite song is this one..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyb4Z4imxZg&feature=related

maggie797

that one is tunnel of love... Sultans of swing was my favorite song when Iw as growing up and still cheers me up on end when I hear it..

would love to know if they still play live or is it just Mark

ntlbell

See the little ****** with the earring and the makeup
Yeah buddy thats his own hair
That little ****** got his own jet airplane
That little ****** hes a millionaire

awesome.

damonjewel

Jay P wrote: »

I dunno why people say they're a guilty pleasure. They are a quality band and it's hardly something to be embarrassed about listening to!

Well then let me be clear, dire straits are and always have been seriously uncool. They are British rocks equivalent of sandals with socks. When punk and new wave were at its zenith this pub rock band managed its way onto the scene. They were dad rock decades before the term was announced. Their songs are naff naff naff. For every 'sultans' there is a 'twisting by the pool' or worse still 'a walk of life'. I would never put dire straits on my turntable if I wanted to ROCK out, nor I would never put them on if it was all back to my place.

When you say quality band which line up are we talking here, the straits went through numerous changes with Mark Knopfler as its only constant. The original band were replaced with seasoned session musicians. So whats your point, quality band of seasoned session musicians. Mike65 hit the nail with the straits being are harbinger of the cd age , which is what they eventually became ( extended edits of brothers in arms only to be found on cd!). Whatever happened to the naivity and purpose of punk. Dire Straits were instrumental in the process that turned music into the flat sounding commercial mess that we still suffer today. Production qualities and session musicianship have finally emasculated the punkish diy rebellion.

Their big song 'Sultans of swing' has been reduced to a cabaret act standard and will always be there with 'hotel california' and 'simply the best'

However I like them, most of the albums have some redeeming feature, their original pared down sound was a breadth of fresh air in its day. knopflers virtuosity has never been in doubt, check out Knopflers work with chet atkins 'neck by neck'.

But really they are and always have been seriously uncool, and thats why they are a guilty pleasure for me, and I susoect for many more

kenon

Brilliant band.

I love Brothers in Arms and I particularily love this version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vUDmFjWgVo

Tight Ted

The killers version of Romeo and Juilet is amazing, I don't know how anyone could slate it.

wobzilla

isn't why aye man knopfler on his own?
Making movies is definately the best album.

dr.bollocko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-P4YziqdWM

I heartily endorse this product.

Sofaspud

damonjewel wrote: »

check out Knopflers work with chet atkins 'neck by neck'.

It's "Neck and Neck", brilliant album!

I love Dire Straits, They're great for when you want non-aggressive rock. Great instrumental sections in a lot of songs too, "Tunnel of Love" has a great one, for example.

brendansmith

'Local hero' is an excellent relaxant. Great writers.

Jay P

damonjewel wrote: »

Well then let me be clear, dire straits are and always have been seriously uncool. They are British rocks equivalent of sandals with socks. When punk and new wave were at its zenith this pub rock band managed its way onto the scene. They were dad rock decades before the term was announced. Their songs are naff naff naff. For every 'sultans' there is a 'twisting by the pool' or worse still 'a walk of life'. I would never put dire straits on my turntable if I wanted to ROCK out, nor I would never put them on if it was all back to my place.

When you say quality band which line up are we talking here, the straits went through numerous changes with Mark Knopfler as its only constant. The original band were replaced with seasoned session musicians. So whats your point, quality band of seasoned session musicians. Mike65 hit the nail with the straits being are harbinger of the cd age , which is what they eventually became ( extended edits of brothers in arms only to be found on cd!). Whatever happened to the naivity and purpose of punk. Dire Straits were instrumental in the process that turned music into the flat sounding commercial mess that we still suffer today. Production qualities and session musicianship have finally emasculated the punkish diy rebellion.

Their big song 'Sultans of swing' has been reduced to a cabaret act standard and will always be there with 'hotel california' and 'simply the best'

However I like them, most of the albums have some redeeming feature, their original pared down sound was a breadth of fresh air in its day. knopflers virtuosity has never been in doubt, check out Knopflers work with chet atkins 'neck by neck'.

But really they are and always have been seriously uncool, and thats why they are a guilty pleasure for me, and I susoect for many more

Ah, I see... I think I'm a bit young to have them as a guilty pleasure, or whatever. Then again, I occasionally listen to Phil Collins. Ahem. :eek: WWho said that?! :pac:

And as for which band -> I honestly didn't know the lineup changed or anything, I only listen to the albums which I like I just meant they maded really good music (IMO!). So, yeah....

I actually have neck by neck around somewhere, I think I'll give it a go if I can find it later.