Dire Straits – Sultans Of Swing; forever imbedded in our minds.
Dire Straits to end the work-week -recorded no October 19, 1978 at Stadtshouwburg, Rotterdam, and broadcast by VPRO, Hilversum.
In 1978, with everything else going on; music heading in the direction of loud, snotty and beer-soaked, along comes a band that tossed everything then-currently out the window (at least temporarily) and landed somewhere between the late 60s and early 70s, centered possibly around Memphis, or Tulsa maybe Atlanta but certainly not anywhere remotely in the UK.
When Sultans Of Swing became a staple on American FM radio, most everyone swore up and down it was Bob Dylan assuming a new persona and picking up somewhere around Nashville Skyline and JJ Cale’s Naturally.
Imagine our surprise, learning Dire Straits came out of London, with guitar virtuoso Mark Knopfler and his brother David getting started in Glasgow.
Sultans was a hit right out of the park and it laid the groundwork for a string of hits that continued until Dire Straits call it quits in 1988.
But between 1978 and 1988, Dire Straits accumulated some 100 million record sales worldwide, making them one of the highest grossing bands in history.
After a brief reuniting in 1990, followed by a permanent split, Mark Knopfler has continued a solo career and has continued enjoying accolades and consistent sales. It’s a career that knows no ending anytime in the foreseeable future.
But to get an idea of what Dire Straits were all about, one year in since starting, this live gig should give you a pretty good idea of what got people excited in the first place.
Hasn’t aged a bit.
Crank it up and enjoy lunch.
