It will be released tomorrow, Thursday 11 November, simultaneously in England and Italy, the only and unpublished Dire Straits autobiography titled ‘My life in Dire Straits’ written by John Illsley, founding member, bassist and backbone of the rock group British. The preface is entrusted to the band’s singer and friend Mark Knopfler. The book is on sale in major bookstores and can also be purchased in the most famous digital stores. In the eighties Dire Straits were one of the most important bands on the planet. In ‘My Life in Dire Straits’, Illsley evokes the spirit of those times and tells the story of one of the greatest live bands of the rock epic, a global musical phenomenon. Dire Straits have filled gigantic stadiums around the world and sold hundreds of millions of records. Their classic songs – ‘Sultans of Swing’, ‘Romeo & Juliet’, ‘Money for Nothing’, ‘Brothers in Arms’ – formed the soundtrack of a generation and remain alive today: they continue to sell, they continue to be broadcast on radios on all continents.
Starting from his unlikely beginnings in Middle England, John Illsley traces the rise of the band, from modest beginnings in seedy pubs to the most famous locations in the world, from workers’ clubs at Madison Square Garden, from concerts shared with unleashed punk groups on the stage of the Live Aid at Wembley, until eventually the grueling demands of global touring and a life in the spotlight demanded their inevitable price. John’s story is also a tribute to his great friend Mark Knopfler, the lead vocalist, songwriter and talented guitarist of the band. The two of them were the only members of the band to walk the entire journey that lasted fifteen years. Exposed with intense honesty, with passionate analysis and caustic humor, this is the one and only account of that incredible story.
John Illsley is an English musician who became famous as the bassist of Dire Straits, a critically acclaimed band. With Dire Straits, John has won several BRIT and Grammy Awards, as well as a Heritage Award. As one of the founding members (along with Mark Knopfler, his brother David and drummer Pick Withers), John played an important role in the development of Dire Straits’ sound. When the band stopped touring in 1993, John actively devoted himself to the art world. He has gained an excellent reputation as a painter, and has performed solo in London, New York, Sydney and throughout Europe. He also helped found the Life Education children’s charity in 1987, recently merged into Coram, one of the UK’s oldest charities. John also owns a pub, the East End Arms, in New Forest.