Dire Straits Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals), and Pick Withers (drums and percussion). The band became one of the world's best-selling music artists, with album sales of over 100 million. Their first hit single "Sultans of Swing", from their self-titled debut album, reached the top ten in the UK and US charts in 1978. They released hit singles in the 1980s, such as "Private Investigations" (1983), "Money for Nothing" (1985), and
Dire Straits 1978 to 1981, which mostly featured the original line-up of the band. Released in June 1995, their third and final live album was a contractual release to Vertigo Records (now a division of Mercury Records). At this time, Mark Knopfler quietly disbanded Dire Straits and prepared to work on his first full-fledged solo album (still signed to Mercury Records). After disbanding Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler started his career as a solo artist, releasing his first solo album, "Golden Heart", in March 1996 after nearly 20 years of collaborations. "Brothers in Arms" was certified nine times platinum in the US in