What's people reaction when I say...'Dire Straits'

[Wild Frank]

Just curious what people think of Dire Straits. Not a band I see mentioned around here a whole lot. I used to love them back in the 80's. I heard Private Investigations on the radio the other day and that made me revisted some of my old vinyls (Alchemy and Love Over Gold). They did record a number of great songs. So...Dire Straits...anyone?

[hardwood floor]

making movies is an all-time top-20 record for me

[PopTodd]

I love 'em.

"Romeo and Juliet" is one of those songs that chokes me up.

 

There was a while that I refused to play guitar with a pick, because I wanted to play like Mark Knopfler.

Guess what?

Never got there.

[IATTBYB]

making movies is an all-time top-20 record for me

I concur. Side 1 of that album (Tunnel of Love, Romeo and Juliet, Skateaway, Expresso Love) is absolute gold-standard songwriting

 

I've loved Dire Straits since I first heard Sultans of Swing back in the late '70s. It was such a different sound to what you would hear on the radio back then. Haven't listened to much of them lately, since everything I have by them is on vinyl and my turntable wen kaput last summer. Maybe this thread will finally get me off my arse and get me to rectify the situation.

 

And to the OP, great topic, to you.

[mjpuczko]

i love dire straits and mark's solo stuff. all very solid.

[jff]

When I hear the words Dire Straits, I think:

 

Handfull of excellent songs, albums don't hold my attention, reserve the right to discover their greatness at some point in the future.

[cryptique]

Their debut and Making Movies are still spun in my house fairly often, and Love Over Gold every once in a while. I also enjoy Alchemy quite a bit.

 

I don't really care much for Brothers In Arms ... there are some good songs there, but I never liked "Money For Nothing," and "Walk Of Life" got beaten into the ground from relentless airplay.

 

I know there are DS haters out there, but I always have to wonder whether they've heard anything beyond "Sultans of Swing," "Money For Nothing," and "Walk Of Life."

[Sir Stewart]

When I hear the words Dire Straits, I think:

 

Handfull of excellent songs, albums don't hold my attention, reserve the right to discover their greatness at some point in the future.

 

Pretty much the same for me. I also think of Knopfler working with Dylan. And that headband.

[MattZ]

jff + SirS = Matt (the Z)

[Moss]

Skateaway, Water of Love, Expresso Love, tons of good songs. What a great guitar player, he has that unique guitar tone that is instantly identifiable. I spent hours learning every lick on Sultans of swing back in high school.

[bobfrombob]

I think "I saw them at Convocation Hall when the first record came out and enjoyed that. That guy could really play some guitar. Then I lost interest at the exact time that Money For Nothing was everywhere all the time." Totally unfair that I lost interest when they had a big hit but that's what happened.

 

On the other hand, this thread will probably make me go back to Making Movies.

[dtram]

As soon as I saw the topic was going to gush about Making Movies but got beaten to the punch so I'll give their final record, On Every Street, some love. I seem to remember a lot of nighttime drives with that record when it came out in '91. Since it was 6 years since Brothers in Arms, I think Dire Straits kind of left the public consciousness and couple that with the fact that there really weren't stand out singles, that record isn't really remembered but I loved it.

 

Haven't listened to it in years, might pull it out this weekend.

[jff]

The guitar sound in Money For Nothing makes it one of my favorite DS songs.

 

I didn't have MTV in the '80s, so I never got burned out on that song.

[Central Scrutinizer]

When you say "Dire Straits" I think about what might have been.

 

Imagine if Mark Knopfler had been more enigmatic, more ruthless in lineup (Be like Jeff); more ego-driven; had been more prolific and meandering like Neil Young. If something had driven him closer to the edge. Making Movies was a phenomenal album (with the throwaway "Les Boys" tacked on the end. Love Over Gold was excellent though over-produced. There are moments -- the haunting opening then churning rhythm of "Down to the Waterline." Lots of tongue-in-cheek throwaways -- both lyrically and musically. Promise hinted but undelivered. Most times, though, it's just enough.

 

His solo career has been worthy of following. He does what he want, when he wants, al'a Young. I think the soundtrack for Local Hero, and his recent collaboration with Emmylou are high-water marks. But it's a refined approach, sometimes dabbling rather than an immersion and renewal, warts and all.

 

At some point at the close of winter, when the weather turns just so, the windows all have to be opened, the breeze blowing in, the stereo turned to 11, and the EP "Twisting By the Pool" blared to welcome the spring.

[bleedorange]

I love Dire Straits.

[borracho]

i think... why did i see Heart instead of Dire Straits that night back in '85?

[bobfrombob]

i think... why did i see Heart instead of Dire Straits that night back in '85?

'Cause they were hot sisters influenced by Led Zeppelin?

[Sir Stewart]

'Cause they were hot sisters influenced by Led Zeppelin?

 

Good a reason as any.

[borracho]

'Cause they were hot sisters influenced by Led Zeppelin?

you could be on to something...

[marino13]

I've been reading about the new releases from Black Keys and Band of Horses titled "Brothers" and "Infinite Arms". For some reason, just yesterday, it made me think of "Brothers in Arms". I bought that cassette when I was in grade school and played "Money for Nothing" and "Walk of Life" endlessly. Later, I learned to love "So far Away" way more than those two. I also remember the music video for "Walk of Life" with the football bloopers. Good memories.

[jakobnicholas]

...it made me think of "Brothers in Arms".

 

 

Great album.

 

My least favorite cuts are the radio hits. I prefer the songs after them...'Your Latest Trick', 'Why Worry', 'Ride Across The River', 'The Man's Too Strong' and the title cut.....wow! Think I need to listen to this again.

[mountain bed]

Hands down, my favorite band that came out in that period (late 70s - mid 80s). Love Over Gold is one of my top 20 LPs alltime. Telegraph Road is the very definition of "epic".

 

Never got to see DS live, but I did see Knopfler a few years ago and it was just a fantastic evening.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

I've never heard much DS beyond Money for Nothing and Sultans, but I love the album Knopfler did with Emmy Lou Harris and I've been meaning to grab some DS records. I love Knopfler's guitar tone.

[theashtraysays]

Love Over Gold is one of my top 20 LPs alltime. Telegraph Road is the very definition of "epic".

 

+1

 

I don't listen to it all that often; gotta be in the right mood and have time to spin it front to back. But when I do, I enjoy it immensely.

[fif1435]

Makes me think "I was gonna start a thread...."

 

About 6 weeks or so ago, I stuck in On Every Street after not listening to it for awhile. It stayed in my player for a month or so. I remember thinking "I should start a thread on VC; I don't read much about Dire Straits".

 

Used to crank up "Twistin by the Pool" and "Industrial Disease" in college. Like some have mentioned, I got burned out on Brothers in Arms due to the constant air play of some of those songs. But their first album, Making Movies, Love Over Gold...very good. I'm not much of a fan of overly-long songs, but Telegraph Road alway kept my attention for its full length. It's been so long since I've heard it though, that I can't remember why. I tried to dig them up after my On Every Street resurrection, but can't find any of my Dire Straits discs....rats!

 

I will say that my wife and I were long-distance dating when Brothers in Arms came out. So "So Far Away" has a special meaning there. Romeo and Juliet, too. Oh, also, early that summer before Brothers in Arms came out, I was working 1/2 days cleaning college dorm rooms. My work day started by meeting the rest of the crew in a break room while they finished their lunch. One day MTV was on and I remember the vj talking about this new Dire Straits album coming out and saying that it featured a song with Sting singing "I want my MTV...". I remember thinking "that sounds really stupid...".