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Biography of Mark Knopfler

Dire Striats was formed in Detford, southwest London in 1976. The band appeared at the peak of punk music. , but had little in common with the movement, eventually earning the title of a mainstream rock band. They have sold a large number of records around the world, and their success is mainly due to the unique Dylan-influenced singer and guitar player Mark Knopfler (born 1949), the core figure of the band. August 12) guitar performance.

Knopfler did not start his music career until he was 28 or 29 years old. Before that, he had worked in two professions (journalist and teacher). During this time he absorbed many musical influences [most notably Bob Dylan and J.J. Kyle] and his songwriting and guitar playing skills fully matured, both factors contributing to "Dire Straits" "Getting accepted by various musical groups played a big role in the early days. Joining forces with his brothers David (guitar) and John Illsley (bass), Knopfler added drummer Pick Withers to the cast. , they began playing small gigs in London tavern syndicates. They ended up spending ￡120 on a demo tape, which included their later classic "Sultans of Swing", which was played on London radio presenter Charlie Gerald's show However, as a result, various record companies rushed to sign the band.

In 1978 they signed with Phonogram and recorded the song "King of Swing" and an album "Dire Straits". Although critics appreciated their flashy and expert style, British fans They don't pay much attention to it. However, the record was more palatable to American rock fans and therefore easier to play on radio than most records from England at the time. In the blink of an eye, they had a song and a record that was popular in the United States. The success was repeated elsewhere, including a return to the UK, where the song reached number 9 and the album reached number 5. After this, "Dire Straits" quickly became an internationally successful rock band. The album "Communique" released in 1979 was almost the same as the previous record, and it also sold well all over the world. After the release of this record, David left the band to pursue a solo career.

The third album "Making Movies" in 1980, Roy Bittan from Bruce Springsteen's "E Street" band Giving this record a fresher sound. Making a Movie achieved considerable success in the United Kingdom and the United States, although critics criticized their music for being too draggy. But the album still went gold, and "Romeo and Juliet" and "Skate Away" became radio and MTV hits. For the 1980 tour, guitarist Hal Lindes and keyboardist Alan Clark also joined the band.

Meanwhile, Mark Knopfler's reputation as a guitarist continued to grow, and he temporarily left the band to work with Bob Dylan and Steely Dan. ) for some cooperation. Therefore, it took a long time before the fourth album "Love over Gold" was released in 1992. The record, produced by Knopfler himself, sold more copies than any previous record.

The album is full of lengthy and experimental works. The single "Private Investigations" reached No. 2 in the UK charts and became the number one album in the UK. It also became a gold record in the United States. Shortly after the album was released, Withers was replaced on drums by Terry Williams. At this time, Knopfler began to explore new musical avenues outside of the "Dire Straits", scoring films (including the films "Local Hero" and "Comfort and Joy") and Appears on Van Morrison's album.

Except for the release of an EP album "Twisting By the Pool" in 1983, "Dire Straits" was inactive for most of the two years between 1983 and 1984. During this period, Mark Knopfler produced Bob Dylan's album "Infidel" and wrote "Private Dancer" for Tina Turner's comeback album. "Aztec Camera" produced the album "Knife". In the spring of 1984, the band released the double album "Alchemy". At the end of this year, the band entered the studio to record their fifth album and added a new member, keyboardist Guy Fletcher. Brothers In Arms, Dire Straits' breakthrough album, was released in the summer of 1985 and ironically included a single that mocked music videos, "Unearned". "Money for Nothing" actually became a hit song with the help of MTV, staying in the top 10 of the US charts for 9 weeks and selling 9 million copies; in the UK, the album was also the best-selling album of the 1980s. "Walk of Life" and "So Far Away" kept the album on the charts until 1986. To promote the album, the band played nearly two hundred shows.

Subsequently, Mark Knopfler produced albums for Randy Newman and Joan Armatrading, and participated in Eric Clapton ) tour, and collaborated with Chet Atkins on the album "Neck and Neck". In 1989, he formed the country rock band "Notting Hillbillies" and released an album "Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time" the following year. . After a series of solo activities, Mark Knopfler resumed Dire Straits in 1990. The main members at this time were: Easley, Clark and Fletcher, as well as some professional musicians.

In 1991, the new album "On Every Street" was released as expected, but unfortunately, this album did not turn out as people expected. It only became a platinum album in the United States, but it didn't even enter the top 40 of the charts, and it didn't even have a hit song. Likewise, their tours were disappointing, with tickets for their European and American tours sometimes not selling at all.

After this tour, the live album "On the Night" was released. Subsequently, Mark Knopfler published his first official album "Golden Heart" in 1996, but it was not released. It did not receive much acclaim. Perhaps, "Dire Straits" and Mark Knopfler's outstanding talent were gone forever with the passing of the 1980s.

From a commercial perspective, Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler in particular have proven themselves to be one of the most successful rock groups since the 1970s, selling nearly 20 million records worldwide . However, with the exception of the excellent King of Swing, Dire Straits' recordings have generally been criticized for their lack of excitement. Suspicions remain that Knopfler was not so much a gifted person as he was a skilled craftsman. Nevertheless, this does not affect the love of guitar lovers for Mark and "Dire Straits".