My Life in Dire Straits, John Illsley
My Life in Dire Straits, John Illsley
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

My Life in Dire Straits
The Inside Story of One of the Biggest Bands in Rock History

Author: John Illsley

Narrator: John Illsley

Unabridged: 9 hr 8 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 11/09/2021


Synopsis

Dire Straits filled giant 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 live on
today: still racking up sales, still being played on the radio on every continent. Starting with his own unlikely beginnings in Middle England, John Illsley recounts the band’s rise from humble origins in London’s spit-and-sawdust pubs to the
best-known venues in the world, the working men’s clubs to Madison Square Garden, sharing gigs with wild punk bands to the Live Aid stage at Wembley until, ultimately, the shattering demands of touring on a global scale and living life in
the spotlight took their inevitable toll.

John’s story is also a tribute to his great friend Mark Knopfler, the band’s lead singer, songwriter and gifted guitarist. They were the only band members to stay the fifteen-year distance. Told with searching honesty, soulful reflection and wry
humour, this is the first and only account of that incredible story.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Susan on November 11, 2021

I pre-ordered this book the day I found out that it was coming out. I really like Dire Straits' music and own every studio album they released, as well as several of Mark Knopfler's solo releases. I never managed to see them live which after reading this book really surprises me since the band seeme......more

Goodreads review by Alasdair on December 30, 2021

John Illsley's book starts with his middle class upbringing in small-town Leicestershire where he became obsessed with music at an early age in a very un-rock and roll place. It gives a fascinating insight into the time and how the swinging sixties were far less colourful and cosmopolitan for those......more

Goodreads review by Ian on December 18, 2021

It used to be said that if you bought a new CD player in the 1980s you weren’t allowed to leave the shop unless you also had a Dire Straits disc – such was the huge appeal of the band at that time. John Illsley, the band’s bassist, chronicles his life recording and on tour with the group. This isn’t......more

Goodreads review by Cees on May 18, 2024

De schrijver was de bassist van Dire Straits en heeft met Mark Knopfler de hele periode van het begin in 1977 tot het einde in 1995 meegemaakt. Het is tevens een - niet helemaal complete - autobiografie van John Illsley. Geboren in 1950 in een dorp in midden Engeland, zoals hij zegt ver van de zee e......more

Goodreads review by • L A U R A • on March 09, 2025

kind of wish this had been written by mark because honestly was reading this for him. my fav part is where they talk about all the eccentric sessions and tour players they get in. like the guy on keys who randomly starts playing siberian wind noises over sultans of swing in one concert?? also after......more