On the whole, Dire Straits second album continues to follow a similar vein to the first.. This track is co-produced by Kingsley Ward and noted guitarist Dave Edmunds who also makes a musical guest-appearance on Louise. Replacing Pick Withers in Dire Straits is Terry Williams. 82); Behind The Lines (1985); Cut The Wire (1986); Jacob Hinter Der Blauen Tur (1987) [soundtrack]; Lips Against The Steel (1989); Laser Mission (1989) [soundtrack]; Lifelines (1991); The Giver (1993); Small Mercies (1995); Bathory (2000) [soundtrack]; Wishbones (2001); Ship Of Dreams (2004); Songs For The Siren (2006); Anthology 1 1983-2008 (2009); Acoustic (2011) with Harry Bogdanovs; Made In Germany (Live In Enfurt) (2013) with Harry Bogdanovs; Grace (2015); and Anthology Vol. The first single is Private Investigations (UK no. 2, AUS no. Someone in trouble, someone in risky or impoverished circumstances is colloquially said to be in dire straits. Guitarist David Knopfler comments, The notion that the band were literally in dire straits is largely retrospective myth making and not really partially supportable. Brothers In Arms is recorded from November 1984 to March 1985 at AIR Studios in Montserrat, a British overseas territory in the Caribbean. 41); Get Lucky (2009) (UK no. Pick Withers is a member of the prog rock band Spring (1971-1972) under the name of Pique Withers. 47); Shangri-La (2004) (UK no. Misha Lindes does some modelling work. WebThe 70-year-old grew up in Leicestershire but now lives in Hampshire with his second wife, Stephanie. In 1968 Mark is hired as a junior reporter in the Leeds office of the Yorkshire Evening Post newspaper. The latter title, published by Blackwing Books, is a book of poetry. One night, he is stuck with performing with an old acoustic guitar with a badly warped neck and extra-light strings. Sultans Of Swing (UK no. John starts playing guitar on a Rosetti Lucky 7 that he buys for ten pounds. It is said that the brothers had an explosive argument leading to Davids exit. This followed the birth in 1988 of Jacks twin daughters, Caitlin and Nadine, and Jack learning he would have to raise the girls as a single parent. Money For Nothing (1988) (UK no. Badges, Posters, Stickers And T-Shirts becomes the B side of the U.K. single Private Investigations. 4, US no. Career In 1977, Mark Knopfler formed the internationally celebrated rock band Dire Straits along with David Knopfler, John Illsley, and Pick Withers. When Dire Straits go on tour in 1983 to promote both Love Over Gold and the ExtendedancEPlay EP, they are joined by Tommy Mandel (keyboards) to help ease the burden on keyboardist Alan Clark. He pauses and adds, There was never any calculation with Dire Straits. Mr Illsley has two children from his first marriage and two with wife Stephanie. 27). Mark Knopfler first meets Pick Withers when both of them work on an aborted solo recording by Rod Clements, the bassist of British folk rock band Lindisfarne. 54, AUS no. Chris White is born on 13 July 1955 in Bristol, England. The song is inspired by Mark Knopflers brother-in-law who has difficulty contacting Mark on the telephone. When Hal Lindes joins Dire Straits in 1980, his more chord-based guitar washes contrast nicely with Mark Knopflers note-based precise finger-picking approach to the guitar. This compilation includes Mark Knopfler solo recordings as well as Dire Straits material. 19, AUS no. John Illsley is an English musician who rose to fame as the bass guitarist of the critically acclaimed band Dire Straits . At some point, Guy Fletcher also marries. Famed guitarist Eric Clapton fills in for Jack Sonni on this occasion. Bear), prompting group leader Mark Knopfler to start thinking about having a permanent keyboard player in the band. Like almost all the bands recordings, this disc is issued on the Vertigo label. Guitarist David Knopfler had almost completed all his parts on this album before he quit, but big brother Mark Knopfler rerecords all those parts himself. 4, US no. In addition to those musicians already mentioned, other guest musicians on Brothers In Arms include Chris White (saxophone) [who will soon come to join the group], Randy Brecker (trumpet), Neil Jason (bass) and Tony Levin (bass). Mark likened fame to the fumes that come out of a car exhaust., His book, he says, is a celebration of what we did and all the people we worked with.. John Illsley and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits performing at Live Aid, Wembley Stadium 1985, Their first live performance was at a 1977 punk festival, held outside their flat, on the Farrer House lawn we were the odd ones. Terry Williams is born Terrence Williams on 11 January 1948 in Swansea, Wales. In that country, Jack meets the woman who will become his wife. When he is 14, Sonni switches to guitar. John marries his second wife, Stephanie, on 19 June 1999. WebIllsley is a keen painter and the first exhibition of his work was shown at the Nevill Keating McIlroy Gallery, Pickering Place, London in 2007. 9, US no. Less than a fortnight later, on 12 November Mark Knopfler releases his soundtrack for the movie The Princess Bride (1987). However, in August 1980 David Knopfler, younger brother of group leader Mark Knopfler, quits the group. 16); A Shot At Glory (2002) [soundtrack]; The Ragpickers Dream (2002) (UK no. 9, US no. Dire Straits appear at the Live Aid show on 13 July 1985 at Wembley Stadium in London. Skateaway (UK no. He has three children and at least one of them is female. Former Dire Straits keyboardist Alan Clark plays the music of his former band with The Straits in 2011. (Note: Danny Cummings was never officially a member of Dire Straits but he provided percussion for On Every Street and subsequently accompanied Mark Knopfler on the guitarists solo work and also did the same for Guy Fletcher.) Noted, John Illsleys primary income source is Musician, We are collecting information about John Edward Illsley Cars, Monthly/Yearly Salary, Net worth from Wikipedia, Google, Forbes, and IMDb, will update you soon. Illsley now lives in Hampshire, with his second wife Stephanie and his four children. As work begins on Dire Straits fifth studio album, guitarist Hal Lindes leaves the group. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Although So Far Away is both pleasant and popular, it does little to prepare audiences for the albums second single, a song fated to become the most commercially successful single by Dire Straits. Darling releases only one album, Put It Down To Experience (1979). This disc goes multi-platinum in the U.S., selling nine million copies. In 1973 Mark Knopfler moves to London. In 1973 the drummer has a short stint in Brewers Droop using the name Pic Withers. It is one of the first albums to forsake the traditional analogue recording tape in favour of Sony twenty-four track digital tape. Dire Straits is produced by Muff Winwood, the elder brother of rock star Steve Winwood. A waiter brought in a tray of rolled joints and during the meal one of the women sat next to each of us and their hands started wandering under the table. Sultans Of Swing: The Very Best Of Dire Straits (1998) (UK no. It was never just about music. And Dylan like Berry is a well-regarded lyricist. However Withers is gone before Mark Knopfler gets involved with The Droop; Withers and Knopfler do not meet at this time. The Bug (UK no. Firstly, Money For Nothing (UK no. Mark and Kitty have two daughters, Isabella (born in 1998) and Katya Ruby Rose (born in 2003). Additionally, David Knopfler pens two books: Bluffers Guide to the Music Business (1996) and Bloodstones and Rhythmic Beasts (2005). Immediate Family Sarah Ilsley wife Sarah Ilsley Greeley daughter John Ilsley (Ilsly) son Jonathan Ilsley son Ruth I daughter Richard Ilsley father Joanne Jane Ilsley mother About John Ilsley, Sr. Immigration - Circa 1683 on the "Confidence" John was born in 1609. WebJohn Illsleys age is 73. After David and Anna split, Anna Perrera becomes a novelist, publishing her first book in 2001. 17, AUS no. Guys mother, Barbara, was a session music singer. Hes singing the song. 71, AUS no. 62) is rereleased as a single from this album and manages a modest showing on the U.K. singles chart. At the time, Gillett hosts a program called Honky Tonk on BBC Radio, London. John Illsley - VIII (Album Review) March 04, 2022 in Album Reviews, Classic Rock, Singer-Songwriter For many, John Illsley will always be the imposing figure standing next to Mark Knopfler as Dire Straits left the London pub circuit behind and achieved worldwide domination via their fifth album Brothers In Arms'. The fifth song, Sacred Loving, is written by guitarist David Knopfler. Instead, an animated version of a large, brutish workman mouths Knopflers lyrics while his skinny offsider lip synchs Stings harmonies. The 1985-1986 world tour to promote Brothers In Arms kicks off in Split, Yugoslavia (now Croatia) on 25 April 1985 almost a month before the album is released. 14, US no. The response was extraordinary. His father, Ted Fletcher, is a designer of audio equipment. Mr Illsley has two children from his first marriage and two with wife Stephanie. They live in Hampshire. How did your childhood influence your attitude to money? I grew up in Leicester and, because there was still a hangover from the war, I had a simple upbringing. In 1999 the same year in which he marries Stephanie John Illsley learns that he has leukaemia. 5), is released on 15 June. John Edward Illsley is born on 24 June 1949 in Leicester, England. It is not clear exactly when the marriage ends. The latter continues to play guitar in the group but the addition of Knopfler gives Mackay some space to exercise his vocal aspirations as well. From 2000 to 2007 Terry Williams runs a blues club in Swansea, Wales. More directly, Romeo And Juliet is inspired by Mark Knopflers failed romance with Holly Beth Vincent of new wave band Holly And The Italians. Some see the influence of J. J. Cales laid-back blues-rock guitar-picking in Dire Straits music. 1985s Brothers In Arms sold more than 30million copies worldwide. When Dire Straits go on a concert tour in 1980 to promote Making Movies, the group expands to a five-piece outfit with two new official members: Alan Clark (keyboards) and Hal Lindes (guitar). By 2013, David Knopfler is married to his second wife, art professor Leslie Stroz. Name: John Edward Illsley. Jack and his wife have twin daughters, Caitlin and Nadine (both born in 1988). 28); Wag The Dog (1998) [soundtrack]; Metroland (1999) [soundtrack]; Sailing To Philadelphia (2000) (UK no. Mark Knopfler (vocals, lead guitar), David Knopfler (guitar), John Illsley (bass) and Pick Withers (drums) are the founding and definitive members of the band they call Dire Straits. The boy takes an early interest in music learning first piano, then trumpet. It lasted a matter of months, but John had written to Gillett at Radio London asking what records to stock and he wrote straight back with tips. On Every Street receives mixed reviews and is not as popular or as successful as its predecessor. However, when that predecessor is the blockbusting Brothers In Arms, such an outcome is hardly surprising. Dire Straits bassist John Illsley releases his first solo album, Never Told A Soul (1984). 8, US no. During this time, Mark marries Kathy White, his long-time girlfriend from school days. Mark Knopfler graduates from university in 1973. In 1991, as Dire Straits prepare to tour and promote On Every Street, a decision is made to add two more official members to the groups line-up: Chris Whitten (drums) and Paul Franklin (pedal steel guitar). Love Sculpture (1966-1970) is a group fronted by noted Welsh guitarist Dave Edmunds. Private Dancer), this is the most famous example. The Dire Straits bassman reflects on the glory days of huge world tours and his latest solo album, Long Shadows, as well as giving us a look at a few choice pieces from his guitar collection. It was a far cry from life as a privately educated bankers son in rural Leicestershire. It was an incredible thing to be a part of, and that people still listen to it. 17, AUS no. Together with Marks twin sons Benji and Joseph (both born in 1987) from his second marriage to Lourdes Salomone, the guitarist has four children. Dire Straits Mark Knopfler serves as producer on Randy Newmans album Land Of Dreams (1988) (US no. By the time he is 11, David has a guitar, piano and drum kit. 20, AUS no. After a few months of rehearsals and a show at the Rock Garden, Dire Straits make a demo recording. They record only one album, Spring (1971), before breaking up the following year. 2, AUS no. Mark Knopfler and company hope that Charlie Gillett may be able to offer some useful tips but, contrary to their expectations, Gillett begins playing on his show a track from their demo, a tune called Sultans Of Swing. 5), released on 10 May, is a live album by Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler leaves his job as a journalist and returns to school. Former Dire Straits saxophonist Chris White is involved in both of the latter day groups playing the music of Dire Straits, The Straits (2011) and The Dire Straits Experience (from 2012). 60, AUS no. Through this connection, Iovine obtains the services of pianist Roy Bittan from Bruce Springsteens backing group, The E-Street Band, to play on this album. Chuck Berry made a huge impression, adds Mark, referring to the 1950s rock performer who combined singing, twangy guitar parts and songwriting. The debut album, Dire Straits (1978) (UK no. Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler and drummer Pick Withers follow the producers of Communique Barry Beckett and Jerry Wexler over to the recording sessions for a new album by one of Knopflers key influences, Bob Dylan. I feel really blessed. She was working for Warner Bros. Records when Mark met her. Finally, Brewers Droop dissolves at the end of 1973. In April 1977 Mark moves out of his Buckhurst Hill flat and moves into a flat where his brother, David, is living. Between the release of the first single by Dire Straits and the launch of their debut album, the group begins their first full-scale tour as a headline act though the tour does not end until after the album comes out. Im still able to get up there and lay it down fairly well so Im happy about that. 1), released on 20 August. 26) tries to recapture the vibe of Money For Nothing. It was a one-night stand, I had no idea she was attached Father-of-four John now lives However, Terry Williams leaves Man again in 1997. His wife, Pauline, is an Australian woman. Dire Straits on concert in Paris, France 1983, Wise grandpa Paul McCartney tells stories on the buses of the 60's, Andrea Bocelli son Matteo Bocelli teases Solo acoustic version WATCH, Elvis: Girlfriend Linda Thompson 'Why I forgave every time he cheated'. The cover image of a lone figure on a moonlit tropical beach an image seemingly painted on an envelope is the work of Grant Advertising U.K. (record company Phonograms advertising agency). In the first half of each show, Mark Knopfler and Brendan Croker play some Notting Hillbillies material. It is at a makeshift festival at the back of a council block in Deptford. What about the lives of the individual former members of Dire Straits? 19, AUS no. Guy also learns to play both keyboards and guitar. Dire Straits play five songs including a cover version of the 1964 Chuck Berry song Nadine. 8, US no. In 1977 the British music scene is dominated by punk rock or its emerging cousin, new wave. Williams is an in-demand session musician playing on many albums. It is there in 1978 that Jack Sonni first meets Mark Knopfler when the visiting British guitarist looks over the shops wares. It just came alive as soon as I played it on that 61 Strat which remained my main guitar for many years and was basically the only thing I played on the first album and the new chord changes just presented themselves and fell into place. When it is released in May 1978, Sultans Of Swing fails to make it to the singles chart. Tunnel Of Love, a tale of romance in a seaside carnival, is also interpreted by some as Dire Straits own story of their rise to fame: And the big wheel keep on turning / Neon burning up above / And Im just high on this world. Tunnel Of Love showcases a new dynamism in the bands sound and is less laid-back and melancholy. Former Dire Straits bassist John Illsley meets Celtic rock band Cunla in 2005, an act whose chief songwriter is Greg Pearle and their violinist is Johnny Owens. In that locale, Louisa takes a job as a headmistress at a school. In 1977 Pick Withers is briefly a member of folk rock act Magna Carta, a band fronted by Chris Simpson (vocals, guitar). Kitty Aldridges acting credits include Room with a View (1985), Maurice (1987) and Slipstream (1989). 98) has eight tracks. On Every Street (1991) (UK no. John and Pauline go on to have two children together, James (born in 1982) and Jessica (born in 1988). From 2001 to 2006 Jack Sonni is Vice-President of Marketing Communication for Guitar Center. The rest of the album consists of moody, atmospheric instrumentals. Although he resides in that metropolis from 1976 to 1985, Jack Sonni finds only a limited amount of work as a session guitarist. He takes piano lessons as a child. Dire Straits reassemble for the second wedding of the groups ex-bassist John Illsley on 19 June 1999. and later settled in Hampshire with his four children and his wife, Stephanie. Together with the children from his first marriage, James (born in 1982) and Jessica (born in 1988), John Illsley is the father of four children. 31, AUS no. He stayed at a friends Deptford flat, coming home to find the front door had been kicked in and the whole place had been smashed to pieces, including some of my favourite records, there was blood on the floor, ceiling and walls, The angry boyfriend of a student John had slept with had inflicted the damage. But first John, who used to own a driving range in Borehamwood, so knows Watford well, is keen to share the music from Testing the Water, which he worked on with Mark and Straits keyboardist Guy Fletcher as well as some old classics such as Romeo and Juliet. The recordings here come from the On Every Street tour, specifically shows at Les Arenas, Nimes, France, in May 1992 and Feijenoord Stadium, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, also in May 1992. Band who Recruited Machete for their Surf-Noir Soundtrack by Alex James Taylor (2 November 2015), webs.ono.com/joan.duarte/terrybio.html as at 31 July 2017 [Terry Williams girlfriend Louise]. One of those who hear the merit in Dire Straits is Johnny Stainze, a recent appointee to Phonogram Records. An uncredited second guitarist, Sid McGinnis, also plays on Making Movies. 22 Sultans Of Swing (Mark Knopfler) (21 October 2008) via 5 (above) [Sultans Of Swing song], Communique Sleeve notes by Mark Cooper (Vertigo/Mercury Records Ltd, 1996 reissue) p. 2, amarkintime.org posting by jbaent (3 August 2015) [how Mark Knopfler met Holly Vincent and Lourdes Salomone], Written in my Soul by Bill Flanagan (1986) Mark Knopfler interview via 5 (above) [Money For Nothing song] and members.tripod.com (The Interview of Interviews), Love Over Gold Sleeve notes by John Tobler (Vertigo/Mercury Records Ltd, 1996 reissue) p. 2, Sunday Mail (U.K. newspaper) Loud Rock Music Wrecked my Hearing, says Dire Straits StarNow iPod Generation is at Risk John Illsley interview conducted by Bonnie Estridge (26 July 2009) (reproduced on dailymail.co.uk), Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, Australia, newspaper) No Money for Nothing in Move from Bass to Brush John Illsley interview conducted by Samantha Selinger-Morris (27 July 2005) (reproduced on smh.com.au), oneverybootleg.nl as at 9 August 2017 [format of Mark Knopflers Comfort And Joy soundtrack], reneejohnsonwrites.com Jack Sonni Rocker, Writer, Gentleman Chef interview conducted by Renee Johnson (15 April 2015), The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time Rolling Stone magazine (February 2004) p. 66, propertyobserver.com.au Dire Straits Guitarist John Illsley Lists Australian Bolthole as Point Piper Loses Some of its Pop by Jonathan Chancellor (31 January 2013), St Cloud Times (Saint Cloud, Minnesota, U.S.A., newspaper) no author credited (27 October 1986) [Mark Knopfler race car crash], upi.com Rock Singer Hurt in Race Crash no author credited (25 October 1986) [Mark Knopfler race car crash], Rolling Stone (U.S. rock magazine) Mark Knopfler interview conducted by Rob Tannenbaum (September 1988) via 5 (above) [Dire Straits], direstraitsexperience.com as at 30 September 2014, revolvy.com David Knopfler References Buffalo News (Buffalo, New York, U.S.A., newspaper) David Knopfler Performs Sunday at Sportsmens Tavern by Dan Herbeck (1 May 2013), The Daily Telegraph (U.K. newspaper) John Illsley: Four Kids, Two Dogs, a Pub and a Guitar interview conducted by Anna Tyzack (30 June 2015) (reproduced on telegraph.co.uk), The Liverpool Echo (U.K. newspaper) Preview: Jade Wright on an Evening with Pick Withers at the Green Room Liverpool (5 January 2011) (reproduced on liverpoolecho.co.uk), i-d.vice.com Staz Lindes, the Tumblr-Superstar who Stole our Hearts in Moschino Staz Lindes interview conducted by Stuart Brumfitt (8 April 2014), cataloguemagazine.com.au Staz Lindes Discusses Music, Modelling and Body Image no author credited (2014) [confirms mother is Mary Lindes], instantcheckmate.com as at 15 August 2017 [Misha Lindes is 26], dazeddigital.com Introducing Saint Laurents New Indie Kid Muses re: Staz Lindes and Misha Lindes by Ted Stansfield (2016), hero-magazine.com Meet SadGirl, the L.A. David Knopfler is married to English teacher Anna Perrera from March 1984 to 2010. 6, AUs no. Live In Les Beaux De Provence (2007) is credited to John Illsley with Cunla and Greg Pearle. Jacks wife does not remain on the scene and so he raises the two girls as a single parent. When Mark Knopfler is 7 and younger brother David is 2 the family moves to England. The next stop for Terry Williams is the Welsh group Man (1970-1976). When it becomes clear that Jack Sonni will have to raise his children alone, he resigns from Dire Straits in 1988. Another distinguishing element of Money For Nothing is the backing vocal by Sting, formerly the vocalist of U.K. new wave band The Police and just now starting his own solo career. Arriving in the U.K., he went on to fall in love with a teacher, his future wife, Louisa. John Illsley goes on to work as a trainee for a timber firm. Mark Knopfler is said to have cut his first single at 16 but it is never released. 25); Tracker (2015) (UK no. Mark Knopfler surfaces in the company of The Notting Hillbillies in 1990. 116, AUS no. 9, AUS no. The music of Dire Straits is also kept alive by compilation sets and concert recordings. The promotion of Communique concludes with U.K. concerts, the last of which is on 21 December 1979 in London. This graffiti, in turn, was taken from words on the sleeve of an album by rock eccentric Captain Beefheart. Evangeline Lindes is a model and actress who appears in My Life in Venice Beach (2014), Bad Little Fairies (2016) and Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television (2017). 50, AUS no. Beautiful You (2008) is credited to John Illsley and Greg Pearle. 4, US no. And who knew that the 80s megastars owed their entire existence to a grotty south London council estate? The line-up is: Micky Jones (vocals, guitar) (1971-1977), Deke Leonard (guitar, vocals) (1969-1972, 1974-1977), Tweke Lewis (guitar) (1973), Malcolm Morley (guitar, keyboards, vocals) (1974), John Cipollina (guest guitarist) (1975), Clive John (keyboards, vocals) (1969-1971, 1972-1973), Phil Ryan (keyboards, vocals) (1972-1973, 1976-1977), Ray Williams (bass) (1969), Martin Ace (bass,vocals) (1971-1972, 1975), Will Youatt (bass, vocals) (1972-1973), Ken Whaley (bass) (1974), John McKenzie (bass, vocals) (1976-1977), Jeff Jones (drums) (1969) and Terry Williams (drums) (1970-1977). The marriage of Mark Knopfler and his second wife, Lourdes Salomone, comes to an end in 1993. It gets a good reaction. The Studio Albums 1978-1991 (2013) is a box set of Dire Straits catalogue. His marriage to Kathy White comes to an end. By that time, John and Stephanie are already the parents of a son, Harry (born in 1997) and a daughter, DeeDee (born in 1998). He releases the following recordings after Dire Straits folds in 1995: Golden Heart (1996) (UK no. In the late 1970s, Jack Sonni plays some gigs with his own band, The Leisure Class. When he starts college, John Sunni begins being called Jack. The Time Jumpers issue the following albums: Jumpin Time (2007), The Time Jumpers (2012) and Kid Sister (2016). The album is recorded from 28 November 1978 to 12 December 1978 at Compass Point Studios in Nassau in the Bahamas. It is released on 20 September. Dire Straits never reunite as a group in any lasting or significant manner. 20, UK no. Hal and Mary have three children: a son named Misha (born in 1991), a daughter named Nastassia (born in 1993) and a daughter named Evangeline (born in 2000?). Dire Straits saxophonist Chris White releases a solo album, Shadowdance (1991). The angry boyfriend of a student John had slept with had inflicted the damage. Around this time, Dire Straits bassist John Illsley marries. Born John Edward Illsley on 24th June, 1949 in Leicester, England United Kingdom, he is famous for Dire Straits. Illsley fronted a Sky series called Guitar Heroes and appeared on Rick Steins Secret France, but like the rest of Dire Straits, he never courted celebrity. As well as Mark, Erwin and Louisa have a second son, David Knopfler, who is born on 27 December 1952 in Glasgow. Porcaro is subsequently asked to tour with Dire Straits by declines due to his pre-existing commitments with the U.S. group Toto. 35) (on the Mercury label) is also available in one and two disc versions. Bassist Derrick Timms leaves and is replaced by Steve Nachi. We were fortunate a lot of people liked it. This act consists of: Mark Knopfler (vocals, guitar), Brendan Croker (guitar, vocals), Steve Phillips (guitar, vocals), Paul Franklin (pedal steel guitar), Guy Fletcher (keyboards, vocals), Marcus Cliff (bass) and Ed Bicknell (drums). 26, AUS no. I thought it was dull, but as soon as I bought my first Strat (i.e. Knopfler explains, The lead character in Money For Nothing is a guy who works in the hardware department in a television / custom kitchen / refrigerator / microwave appliance store.
