Dire Straits: Elämäni bändissä

by John Illsley, Ilkka Villi (Lukija)

Eräänä heinäkuisena aamuna 1976 John Illsley saapuu kotiinsa ja löytää tuntemattoman miehen makoilemasta kämppänsä lattialta kitara sylissään. Outo vieras esittäytyy Mark Knopfleriksi. Tästä alkaa miesten elinikäinen ystävyys. Syntyi Dire Straits, joka sai nimensä poikien senhetkisestä, puutteen ja vaikeuksien leimaamasta elämäntilanteesta. Muutaman onnekkaan sattuman ansiosta lahjakkailla muusikoilla ei kuitenkaan ollut pian puutetta mistään. Dire Straits - ja Mark Knopflerin omaperäinen soittotyyli - tunnettiin kaikkialla. Yhtyeen basisti ja alkuperäisjäsen John Illsley on tallentanut Dire Straitsin 15-vuotisen taipaleen värikkäät vaiheet. Viihdyttävät mutta myös koskettavat muistelmat paljastavat, mitä kaikkea kätkeytyi menestyksen ja myyntilukujen taakse.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Memoir, British Literature, History

Audiobook

First published October 21, 2021

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 seemed to live on the road after the release of their first album.

Illsley has written a non-typical rock & roll memoir; it's not a chronicle of wild parties, excessive drinking and parades of women. He spends a few chapters on his life before meeting Mark & David Knopfler in London, but the book really got interesting for me after Mark Knopfler asks Illsley one night "Do you want to start a band?"

If you are a Dire Straits fan you will enjoy reading about how they recorded all of the albums that we all remember so fondly. It's a well written memoir, especially compared to others in this genre.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Nonfiction/Autobiography. The author is the bassist for Dire Straits. I like their music. I loved the sound and they had great lyrics.

The author's call to music, so-to-speak, was a strong pull especially in the era he was growing up in. Music was exploding into new territory and he definitely jumped in.

I liked the way he talked about his childhood, his family, how his love of music came about, and his life in Dire Straits. But what I loved, is that he didn't blame others or point fingers when it came to his own poor choices, his failures or whatever bad thing happened. He owned it and he was so nice when talking about it...like it was a lesson learned instead of being unfairly acted upon. This moved a little on the slow side for me, so 3 stars.

[Jeff Bursey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable tone, thankful for success (not happy with fame), free of hotel room destruction or drug excess, but weighed down by the pressures of life on tour and an ego that swells as the crowds get bigger and the family back home grows unhappy. (Remarkable how much Dire Straits did in only a few years.)

What's missing is how John Illsley added his bass parts to the songs, and by that I mean the creative process. What did he think as, say, "Walk of Life" was first played about how he could contribute? What choices did he make, and why? What suggestions from Mark Knopfler (and others) did he reject or accept? He likes his bass strings to be old, not new (Joey Spampinato of NRBQ likes his tuned a bit flat), but apart from reading that two or three times, Illsley doesn't get into the nitty-gritty of his actual playing. That's really too bad. He's articulate about much else, but less time on a slew of shows and more on his musical art (and his painting) would have been welcome.

[Alasdair MacCaluim · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 living outside London. We then learn about John's schooling, career, university education and music. The that he studied sociology was no doubt advantageous in his music career, instilling critical thinking and a tendency to question everything. We then learn about his friendship with Mark and David Knopfler and about Dire Straits from the earliest days onwards and the rise and rise of the band. The book is very honest about the personal consequences of coping with rapid success and a gruelling tour schedule and gives an account of the reasons for David Knopfler's departure from the band. It also looks at the negative effects of lengthy tours on Illsley's personal relationships. My only complaint is that Illsley writes relatively little about his solo music and about his life after Dire Straits. All in all this is a great book which all Dire Straits fans and rock fans in general will enjoy.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 a tale of rock and roll excess, though it doesn’t shy away from the downsides – Illsley suffered two failed relationships as a result of the pressures of touring – but it does offer an insight into life with a hugely successful band.

If you believe in the power of fate you’ll also find affirmation here. Joining his first band at school to find it already has two guitarists forces Illsley to learn bass. Then moving to London he finds himself sharing a flat with Mark Knopfler’s brother, and when the group needs to pay to record demo to make the transition from pub band to serious players he receives a timely legacy on the death of an elderly relative.

This isn’t one of the great music memoirs, but Illsley writes in an engaging style that will keep you entertained and produce a few wry smiles along the way.

[Cees Oomens · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 en van Londen en van eigenlijk alles. Mij sprak vooral de beschrijving van zijn jeugd, zijn muzikale invloeden, zijn toevallige ontmoeting met David en Mark Knopfler en de begin periode van de band aan, omdat de periode die hij beschrijft ook mijn eigen jeugdjaren betrof (ik ben van 1954) en ik veel raakvlakken en herkenning voel. De eerste hit van de band: Sultans of Swing verscheen in 1978 en sloeg in als een bom. Ik hoorde het nummer voor het eerst in een auto in België op de terugweg van vakantie toen we de Nederlandse grens naderden. Gezien de datum Juli 1978 zou het best wel eens de eerste keer kunnen zijn dat het in Nederland op de radio was. Bij mij sloeg het in als een bom en enkele dagen later heb ik de LP Dire Straits gekocht. Ik was verkocht en heb daarna alles van de band gekocht dat in de loop der jaren is uitgebracht, de band 2 X live gezien (in hun beste periode) en Mark Knopfler later nog een keer tijdens zijn solo periode.
Het boek beschrijft heel indringend hoe snel succes en continue over de wereld crossen en concerten over heel de wereld geven, aan het eind voor volle stadions, artiesten helemaal kapot kan maken. Mark en John hebben beiden een zware prijs betaald, maar ze zijn er, omdat ze op zeker moment stopten en andere dingen gingen doen, goed uit gekomen.
Ik heb het boek in één adem uitgelezen. Het is vlot geschreven, met veel onderkoelde Engelse humor. Voor fans van de Dire Straits een must read.

[• L A U R A • · Rating 3 out of 5]

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 listening to so much no dogs in space I felt like their bands story was so like normal? but I guess not everyone is as unhinged as the replacements and lou reed.

[Leon McNair · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Life In Dire Straits

John Illsley recollects his time as the bassist in the band Dire Straits with remarkable ease, well reflected within each new page as he pours out his passion for the music-making, content-creating, band detailing all sorts of troubled beginnings, hardened refusals, and grafted dedication between him and his band members, notably Mark Knopfler, to make it to the top as the most successful band in the World with one of the most sold albums ever made. Evidently, the reason behind this particular band's end was unique: it was not, as is often, creative differences or disagreements between band members that led to the - arguably early - dissolution of Dire Straits, it was that as a band they'd achieved all that could be achieved.

[Diego Otero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leí este libro porque me encantaba Dire Straits cuando tenía 14-16 años.
El libro está bien, se deja leer, sobre todo si te gusta la banda, pero me parece la típica autobiografía en la que tienes la sensación de que el autor se deja mucho en el tintero.
Tiene un efecto secundario interesante: mientras lo lees es inevitable volver a escuchar toda la discografía de Dire Straits.

[Julio San José Duque · Rating 4 out of 5]

No fueron los más punk así que su biografía pues tampoco pero ey no te meta con lo dar estrai nos damos de hostias por los dir streps

[Penny Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and a very interesting story.

[Kimmo K]

Mr. Illsley is unfortunately one of those guys in the joke "what do you call a member of rock band that has IQ over 100 - a band"-persons. So if you are looking after a book with deep analysis of Dire Straits' music, factors behind the band's popularity, deeper views on anything related to rock-stars or actually analysis of anything of some worth, you must await that Mark Knopfler gets along.

Mr. Illsley knows very well - even though he effortlessly tries to claim otherwise - that he and and all the other members of Dire Straits rode on one man's talent - that of Mark Knopfler's. (Despite the fact that the original band was tight and all its members good players. And same can be said of the later members) Illsley tells that in many places in the early years of their career people thought they were band from USA. That's very easy to believe as I listened their 2.-4.- albums after reading the book and noticed on many songs they sound like stinking Bruce Springsteen, only with "cooler" and more interesting play of guitar.

The book features some interesting insights. It's also somewhat "coherent". Still I was disappointed of the frivolousness of the book.

Theoretically I could appreciate mr. Illsley for his sincerity about his delinquencies in his relationships, but practically he was just making excuses while being ignorant and callous. E.g. members of Rush were doing at least as long tours and always staying true for their partners so those are some embarrassing explainings of evil cheater, Mr. Illsley! *Thumbs down*

[Linda W.]

Unfortunately this was bit of a disappointment for me even though I really enjoyed reading this book. Mostly it is my fault for having such high expectations. I had hoped to read more about Dire Straits' music itself instead of just touring around. Maybe there could have been chapters based on albums and/or tours instead of what felt like random divisions? I understand that this is a book written by John, not Mark, but I still hoped to get to read about what inspired the songs and how the iconic riffs or bass lines came to exist.

This book was mostly about how baffling it was to suddenly be on top of the rock world and how exhausting touring is. It was really interesting to read about the downsides of endless touring and how the band felt like they lived on a space capsule, never actually seeing the foreign countries and cities, but only the insides of hotels and arenas. I also really felt for John when he wrote about Mark getting all the attention from John's biggest idols. It was a very interesting topic and I would have loved to read some deeper insight about that.

What the book felt like lacking was acually getting deeper into the stories. I would have killed to know more about performing in Live Aid or recording Alchemy Live, or what it was like to meet Princess Diana, perform between U2 and Queen and find Sting in the Bahamas to sing "I want my MTV". Everything was covered, yes, but only on the surface. Of course when you try to fit two decades on a 300-page book, you can't really dig deep on everything but it kinda felt like everything was only quickly touched upon. I also understand that remembering details or conversations from 40 years ago is pretty difficult. But on that note, I think I enjoyed the describing of the 70's and 80's music scenery the most. It just keeps surprising me how small the circles were back then.

[Byron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most open, insightful insider accounts of being in a successful band that I have read in a long time. Whether you're a Dire Straits fan or not (and I am a big fan) hardly matters in this case, strange as that may sound. Illsley is a talented, perceptive storyteller and his voice is clear, consistent and accessible from start to finish in how he writes about each key contributor (both on stage and behind) and every turning point in the evolution of a band that ended up becoming one of the best-known, most popular in the world for over two decades, starting in the late 1970s. Worth every minute for anyone who loves music and wants to better understand what it takes to achieve a successful career in the business.

[quentin bamford · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first part of the book detailing Illsley’s early life and the formation of Dire Straits is interesting enough but the story becomes a little bland once the Straits achieve success. Illsley has been very diplomatic in order to avoid upsetting his friends. But that doesn’t make for a particularly interesting read. And let’s face it, he had the easiest gig in the world, being paid a fortune to play simple bass parts for somebody else’s songs. Nevertheless, a must read for Straits fans.

[Steve Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I became a big fan of Dire Straits when I first heard Sultans of swing, Down to the Waterline and Water of Love back in 1978 and still a fan and one of those who bought the first cd to sell one million albums of Brothers in Arms. I still have a “memory” playlist on YouTube music filled with most of fav Straits for when Im walking or going to the gym or just feeling nostalgic

[Anaís Muñoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leí este libro movida por el amor profundo que siento desde siempre por la música de Dire Straits. Durante muchos años evité conscientemente conocer la vida personal de los miembros de los grupos y artistas que me marcaron, por miedo a que una biografía incoherente o moralmente decepcionante contaminara algo tan íntimo como la relación con su música. Este libro me llegó como regalo, y decidí leerlo con la mejor disposición posible.
Desde el punto de vista estrictamente informativo, el libro cumple: uno se entera de la historia del grupo, de giras, grabaciones, tensiones internas y del papel que el propio autor eligió desempeñar dentro de Dire Straits. En ese sentido, no puede decirse que sea un libro vacío.
Sin embargo, a medida que avanza la lectura, se va imponiendo algo mucho más incómodo que termina eclipsándolo todo: la mirada del autor. John Illsley no escribe solo desde su experiencia personal, sino desde una posición de clara superioridad cultural y moral que atraviesa el libro de principio a fin.
El desprecio —explícito o apenas disimulado— hacia buena parte del sur y el este de Europa resulta especialmente desagradable. Italianos y balcánicos aparecen retratados con un tono condescendiente, estereotipado y profundamente injusto. De España se dice poco, casi nada, lo que no sé si interpretar como neutralidad o simple indiferencia. En contraste, el autor se deshace en elogios hacia el mundo anglosajón y hacia el norte de Europa, especialmente estadounidenses y australianos, pero también holandeses y alemanes, presentados casi como paradigma de normalidad, civilización y virtud.
A ello se suma un anticomunismo tan burdo como fuera de lugar en un libro que, en teoría, debería centrarse en la música y en la vida de un grupo. Las referencias al antiguo bloque soviético están cargadas de paternalismo y de una compasión mal entendida, como si la mera visita a una ciudad de la órbita socialista bastara para concluir que sus habitantes vivían inevitablemente peor, sin el menor intento de comprensión histórica, social o humana. No se reflexiona: se juzga.
Todo esto termina dibujando el retrato de un autor que no solo cuenta su historia, sino que la filtra constantemente a través de una mentalidad que roza el supremacismo cultural británico. No es tanto lo que dice —cada cual tiene su ideología— como la falta absoluta de pudor al imponerla en un relato que no lo necesita y que, de hecho, sale claramente perjudicado por ello.
A todo ello se añade la forma en que el autor aborda su vida sentimental. Illsley reconoce abiertamente haber sido infiel a sus parejas durante las giras, presentándolo como algo prácticamente inevitable en la vida de un músico profesional. Habla de «tentaciones» a las que, según él, resulta imposible no sucumbir, y relata sin especial conflicto moral decisiones tan significativas como abandonar una relación al borde de la ruptura para marcharse a Estados Unidos a continuar unas grabaciones, en lugar de quedarse y tratar de arreglar las cosas. Aunque en algunos pasajes admite lo que sus parejas debieron soportar, el relato acaba siempre desembocando en la misma justificación: la música estaba por encima de todo. Se transmite así la idea de que tocar, pertenecer a un grupo del nivel de Dire Straits y vivir esa vida era superior a cualquier vínculo personal, y que perder una relación era un daño colateral casi asumible, cuando no lógico. Más que una reflexión autocrítica, el lector encuentra una naturalización de la renuncia afectiva en nombre del éxito artístico.
Como lectora y como admiradora de Dire Straits, el libro me ha dejado una sensación amarga. He terminado la lectura con la esperanza —quizá ingenua— de que Mark Knopfler, de quien nunca he escuchado afirmaciones públicas de este calibre, no comparta esta forma de mirar el mundo y sea, como universitario y como artista, un poco más cuidadoso y menos obsceno en sus juicios.
En definitiva: un libro que aporta datos, sí, pero que también confirma algo decepcionante sobre su autor. Para quienes solo busquen información factual sobre Dire Straits puede resultar útil; para quienes lean esperando sensibilidad, apertura cultural o una mirada mínimamente crítica hacia uno mismo, la experiencia puede ser francamente desagradable.

[Stephen Clynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Illsley is the bass guitarist and founder member of Dire Straits, the British rock band.

This book is his memoir and I found it to be an OUTSTANDING 5 star entertaining and informative read. My Life in Dire Straits starts off with a Foreword by Mark Knopfler, the lead guitarist, songwriter and the other founder member of Dire Straits. Mark’s Foreword puts the reader in the right frame of mind to enjoy this book to the full.

I liked how this book gives the reader the full picture of the life of a successful musician, the stresses involved in touring and working as part of a big team. This is not a glamorous showbusiness story but an honest revelation of what life is like doing long tours and the effects it will have on your family back home. The frankness makes this book such a joy to read and it feels like making a new friend whilst on holiday. John’s story is not one of fame and fortune but of honest steady work. He rightly makes the comparison between soldiers engaged in war theatres and rock bands performing around the globe. People do suffer fatigue from these long campaigns/tours of duty only to find it difficult to adjust to life on their return home.

I loved the tonnes of anecdotes in this memoir and the nice dry but gentle humour. It was great to learn all about his time playing bass guitar as he explains that it is all about feel…

It’s vital for the bass player and drummer to sync. I had come to realize that good playing was essentially about feel. I stopped trying to play every note the same every time; I started playing them as they felt right in the moment and for the song. I kept it really simple, and I’ve been playing that way ever since.

…I loved how John was able to explain the buzz musicians get when playing live and why once they get that buzz from live performances, they don’t want to stop playing, which is why so many play until their dying day.

I liked how John quietly explained just how professional Dire Straits and their support crew are when touring. None of them were divas or drama queens but professionals in their field. Each concert started on time as though they were operating a long distance coach or train service. This was not a handful of gigs but on one global tour lasting 366 days performing 248 concerts, at 118 cities in 23 countries. This was an intensive workload spanning 10 years on the road and over 15 years had produced 6 studio albums. It was a big touring crew and they all pulled their weight and worked as a team…

Our bubble had been blown way bigger and it was uplifting to be part of this huge, daily collective effort: arrive at the venue, unload, build the stage, set up the equipment, build the lighting rigs, uncoil miles and miles of leads and cables, prep the instruments, do the soundcheck, walk on stage at eight-thirty, go straight into the set, drink beer, grab food, conduct post-mortem, pack up and hit the highway for the next city. Our crew, most of them Welsh, were as good as any attached to any band on the road at the time and a great many of them stayed the course with us.

…I got an awful lot from John’s memoir and it is great that his working life is in the public domain. Nowadays people are not allowed to write about their day jobs because employers do not want the public to know the nitty gritty of their business - thankfully John being self employed, he can choose to share his life with anyone. I now know how and why the name Dire Straits was chosen for the band. Even if you are not a fan of Dire Straits, I still think you will enjoy this book if you like any genre of popular modern day music.

[Antti · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Massive disappointment. The book suffers a pacing problem at start as it takes over 80 pages to first mention Mark Knopfler after the (overused in memoirs) start sequence, then followed by the dry childhood and youth years part. When the start sequence comes again later in the book, it feels so cheaply put together as it's the same sequence copy-pasted without any extra insight or deeper thoughts, just pure repetition. The early years part is a total slog to read through, with the only thought of getting to the more interesting parts being the driving force. But there isn't much to have after the slow start to get things going rather than "the road".

The book doesn't offer any meanigful musical throught on the songs, the studio work, writing process or how the musical tastes change during the years etc. At points some insights are made about the world around them, but mostly it's just about the touring part. It's also painful how much pondering there is about the marriage problems, but none of the criticism is pointed about their touring schedules or management on doing the crazy long world tours constantly and going to really unstable places just because they were big. I felt really annoyed with the constant escaping of the band from their real life struggles and at least it was somehow put together in the last chapter, but in rather "the road is hard" way than some kind of critical thought process of any sort.

I guess I would have liked to hear some insights of how the life of a musician has changed during the years, some deeper aspects of the money and why they were touring that much (other than the escapism) and how much it the touring affect album sales, their market value and were there any struggles on the creative side. By omitting any of that, it all feels like it would be up for Mark Knopfler to write a book about any of the creative side. This only has sort of "I never change strings on my bass" feel, which for such a known hifi-sound band is quite weird. I guess it was up to the other people to make it happen.

There was no "bass player" talk. None. No mention of the instruments used, amps, gear, playing styles, any issues with the gear, sponsorship things of them or anything. No influences mentioned after the early years. It really was the "I went and played for the masses of people and it gave me energy like a drug" thing over and over again.

I'm wondering if the book ultimately gave me much insight on the band either, as the writer tries so hard not to annoy anyone with the book, thus not giving much away about his friends. Some of the stories and road encounters were interesting, some art based insights indeed more about his interests in life than anything to do with the band really.

I wish I liked the book more than I ultimately did. I really struggled to finish this one, as there wasn't that many interesting points or insights. It's a feelgood bandbook with some meaningful events, but with such a light storytelling aspect, it feels quite boring to me. Nothing strikes me as a music lover, not much as a fan of the band or Mark Knopfler in general, even less strikes me as an amateur musician part. In the end, I'm not sure who this book is for actually? Or does it even target any audience than just being there. Now I'm just hoping for a deeper musical insight of sorts.

[Joe Kovacs · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say? Dire Straits' album, Brothers in Arms, remains to this day the most influential album of my life. Funny that I received it as a gift from my parents simply because they thought I enjoyed the sports bloopers video for the song Walk of Life on MTV. But once I began listening to the lesser-known songs--Why Worry, Ride Across the River and, of course, the eponymous Brothers in Arms track--the course of my life was set.

So when John Illsley, bassist for Dire Straits, published an autobiography, I was all over it. The two areas of his writing that work the best are the pacing and the personal insights you would never pick up from an interview. It was exciting to hear how John was raised in pastoral England, in a family that was slightly better off than its neighbors, perhaps, but for whom a trip to London would have represented the experience of a lifetime. He admits his studies didn't really prepare him for much in the way of a vocation - his love of music superseded most else, to the dismay of his parents.

What a lucky break then that, in the course of his studies, he should take on David Knopfler as a roommate and through him, eventually meet Mark Knopfler, a trio from whom Dire Straits would be born. Illsely moves skillfully through life events, leading up to and through the launch of the band and its rapid ascendancy to global fame on the heels of their first single, Sultans of Swing. It was also great to hear Illsley's opinions about some of the bands they toured with in their early days (Talking Heads - great group of people, to hear John say it, and very supportive; Styx - not quite as great since they developed a serious attitude problem from the fact that England were not in thrall to them, as fans were in the States).

The only slightly disappointing quality to the book was the fact that, for his clear dedication to music, painting and, in his own words, self-expression, he writes in a very workmanlike style. While this absolutely does wonders for the pacing, I would have liked to hear conversations between he and Mark as they were rising rock and roll stars. What did they say to each other about the experience? How did it affect their friendship? John writes about his relationship troubles with women due to his role as bassist in Dire Straits. I would have also liked the band members fleshed out in greater detail, and was surprised that they were not given the author's artistic talents.

But overall, this was an enjoyable read, taking me behind the scenes of one of my favorite bands of all time. I don't suppose Mark Knopfler would ever write an autobiography but it's probably better to have one from John Illsley, who was an essential part of the Dire Straits phenomenon but who also recognized that once the music is over, the lights go out and the crowds go home, that real life awaits. And once things slow down enough, he'll have the time to tell a really interesting story.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a founding member of Dire Straits, one of the most popular rock bands of recent times, bassist John Illsley had a view from the driving seat as the band released hit single after hit single, released one of history’s most popular CDs with Brothers in Arms and toured around the world many times.
Illsley offers us a glimpse of life on the other side of the curtain, the travelling, the hotels, the stress of rehearsals, of playing bass with one of rock’s foremost lead guitarists and songwriters Mark Knopfler, of their early start playing in pubs in Deptford, to breaking America before they had any form of recognition in Britain. We learn of the early tours supporting Talking Heads, the many hours spent in studios around the world, crafting songs and sounds that are still regularly heard on the radio.

We also learn much about Illsley’s early life, and he has a great line in evoking the atmosphere of the band’s early days in 1970’s London, of the early rehearsals. We learn about his alternative lives before joining Dire Straits, of the relationship between Mark and his brother David in the early days of the band.

As well as the glamour of silver, gold and platinum discs, and the endless number of awards, we also hear of the personal cost that the band members paid in terms of their relationships, their marriages, even the breakdown in relationships between band members. We learn about the meticulous nature of writing and rehearsals, and the release of time spent on stages around the world, playing well-loved songs with talented musicians.

The book is told with a deftness of touch, and Illsley’s sense of gratitude for meeting the Knopfler brothers, and the life that he has enjoyed, both in the band and after it all came to an end is evident throughout the band.

In the years since Dire Straits has stopped, Illsley has also led something of a charmed life, using the lucrative time he spent in the band to allow him the opportunity to continue as a musician, having now released his eighth solo album, running his own pub and continuing with his career as an artist.

My Life in Dire Straits is an honest appreciation of life behind the scenes, and a steady and heartfelt glimpse into the life of a successful musician in the heady days of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, an age for CDs, massive sold-out stadium gigs and musical appreciation on a massive scale that only comes to the lucky few who work hard, play harder, and deliver musically, and happen to be in the right place at the right time.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable and light autobiography of a member of one of the most successful bands in rock history. It should be subtitled, "Oh lucky man," as Illsley was in the band on a fluke. He was an adequate bass player when the band got rolling, not a songwriter or someone who practiced 4 hours a day. He's honest in that he gives Mark Knopfler the credit, many times and deeply, for what made Dire Straits special.

Illsley does answer a few questions I've always had about Dire Straits, why did people leave the band and how did they get Sting to sing on their biggest hit? He does a good job describing how they came together, their early gigs, meteoric rise, album by album recording history, burnout, and wind down. He gives brief descriptions of many people to whom he owes a debt of thanks. He isn't great at anecdotes. There are a few, but very few. For instance he mentions Billy Connelly is funny a few times, and writes that several people are characters, but he doesn't show us that with illustrative anecdotes. He does mention a few people who were not cool, which is refreshing, as sometimes in these sorts of autobiographies people will talk about the bruises but not where they came from.

He writes about how hard big tours are, and here there is a bit of a blind spot. Their manager had never managed a band before. When Dire Straits schedule is brutal, even when they have become one of the biggest bands on Earth, they are doing that to themselves. They choose to work every night, where many bands choose to do shows 4 nights a week. They choose to travel in a convoy, where many bands travel apart from the crew so that the musicians get more hotel sack time. Their manager sends them to do many concerts in Italy, where they make no money and feel there is real danger, while other bands do not visit Italy or do a single show in Rome. They perform shows under the thumb of the Teamsters, while many bands refuse to do so by avoiding certain venues. I was left wondering, "Is there manager choosing, 'work them as hard as possible?' or is Knopfler directing the manager to 'push it'?"

Of course we have no idea how reliable the author is describing himself. He had been in 5ish serious relationships by the time he was 35 and produced a couple of children from 2 of the women involved. Any rough edges these facts lead one to expect are not seen in this book.

The author is a good reader.

[Ape · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a big expert on Dire Straits - I have to admit I hadn't heard of John Illsley when I picked up this book. Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler I obviously have heard of and love the music of, so I was interested in reading a history of the band.

It's a well written and engaging auto biography, not too heavy on the brain and a good read. They come across as genuine, down-to-earth folk and that's refreshing to read where it's not all self-absorbed bleating and me, me, me. Perhaps it helps that they weren't all 16 when they started out, that they'd done other things, been skint and, well, lived a little. Gives you perspective. You learn all kinds of little nuggets throughout the book. I didn't realise that Mark Knopfler had once been a journalist for the Yorkshire Post, or that he'd written Tina Turner's song, Private Dancer.

I hadn't realised that they'd done as many tours as they did. Between those and the albums, it's no surprise Illsley has two failed marriages behind him - he was never home. Fifteen month tours. By God, you've got to love the music to keep up that momentum. It's also eye opening to see how at times they basically made nothing from concerts, whilst everyone else and his mother (and bizarrely once the wife of an Italien mayer) cashed in, which is a little depressing considering they're not the creative talent. And being sent limos to take them to concerts, having producers order food to be flown in from New York, only for all of this to be billed off the money they would earn. And then certain countries sounded demented. Italy in the 70s and 80s, lordy, the concerts sounded like life and death situations. Yikes!

I've been listening to their debut whilst reading this - scary to consider all the random chance that brought it all about - must get on and listen to the other albums. Never seen Dire Straits live myself, probably a bit too young, but have seen Mark Knopfler play live.

Borrowed from the library.

[Martin Peel]

Dire Straits are legendary. Way back as a student I loved their music. The original white album, Communique, then the fabulous Making Movies and the simply stupendous Love Over Gold. It was downhill after that for me but that was the music of my growing up years. I would lie on the floor and play Tunnel of Love ( the opening track on Making Movies) in the dark. I still find that piece tuneful, soulful and beautiful.

I was given this book for Christmas and what a great present. Reading it took me back to those late 70s early 80s years. There were two gigs, one at the Rainbow Theatre in London and one in a smallish venue in Bridlington of all places. John Illsley describes in some detail many of the tours but my two gigs don't get a mention ( not that I imagined they would). Maybe this is the fallback of the rock auotbiography. Music is so much an evocation of the time it is from, in this case my younger years, that any one else's view of it including the views of those that made the music cannot come close to identifying its personal meaning to you.

I felt the book was too much of a blow by blow account of what the band did when and not enough of an account of the making of the music. Too much on where they were and not so much on sense of that journey. Maybe I am being hard. John Illsley writes very personally at times about his own life. He chronicles failing marriages, infidelities, a poor track record as a father; so the book is a personal one. What it can't do, and could never have done is evoke the power of the music because that resides in me.

I did enjoy the book, especially the first couple of chapters that take you back not only to John Illsley's beginnings in life but also to the beginnings of the band. As it went on and became more expansive in the life it described, I became less interested. Maybe that was just a repeat of my musical feelings about the band. Fabulous then incredible then a bit boring actually.

[Benjamin Kahn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointing read. Illsley's early life, surprisingly, was the most interesting part. Once he joins the band, success comes quickly and easily, and he spends most of the rest of the book talking about the grind of touring. A little bit talking about the celebrities he meets. He glosses over the frictions in the band - Dave Knopfler, Dire Straits original rhythm guitarist, has a falling out with his brother, Mark and quits the band. Illsley decides to avoid going into details about the split. Fair enough, but it does make the book a lot less interesting. The same when the original drummer, Pick Withers, quits.

Similarly, he takes the high road on his failed long-term relationships - his first marriage and subsequent relationship, both producing offspring. He basically blames it on his being on the road all the time, although there are hints that he chose to avoid the burgeoning problems by simply staying away.

I learned a little bit about Dire Straits. I didn't know that they were successful from the get-go, and just got bigger and bigger. I first became aware of them when I heard "Industrial Disease" from the Love Over Gold album, and kind of thought they were a bit of an obscure band before Brothers in Arms came out. So that was interesting. But because of their early success, there were no stories of band struggles, and since Illsley's avoids the details of inter-band struggles, you're left with a bland story of a band's steady rise to being "the biggest band in the world."

Perhaps if I was a bigger fan of the band, this would be more interesting, but as I'm more of as casual listener, there was nothing here to keep me engaged and as Dire Straits got bigger, the story became less interesting. But it least it was relatively short.

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

'My Life in Dire Straits: The Inside Story of One of the Biggest Bands in Rock History' by bassist John Illsley was a very interesting book, overall. I didn't know a lot about Dire Straits before I started reading it, and I don't think I had ever listened to their music intentionally - but as I was reading I listened to some of their stuff and I think they're a great band, and they make exactly the kind of music that I can listen to easily.
It's soft, with an element of the blues and a little bit folk-y - but there's definitely rock in there, which is what I like!

Illsley concentrated a lot on his childhood, which other autobiographies I have read did not. I am not too fond of reading about people's childhoods, though I do think that how a person is brought up has a big impact on who they become - but Illsley seemed to go on forever about his!

And it took forever to get to anything about the band, or even for Illsley to meet a member (it was Dave Knopfler who he met first). But when they did meet, it seemed like they hit the ground running. It moved quickly from then on and was easy to get through.

This book is probably one of the best that I've read in terms of educating the reader on what the music scene was like in the 70s and 80s. Illsley doesn't paint it as all-glamorous as some artists do and have done; he writes about it how I imagine it was. He points out that it was gritty and dirty, but it was fast and exciting and you had to be a certain kind of person to survive in it.

And I also think that 'My Life in Dire Straits: The Inside Story of One of the Biggest Bands in Rock History' counts as an instruction manual for how to pull one over on the establishment in the 70s. Illsley makes no secret of how much he and the rest of the band feel about the British government during that time - in a way, it reflects the political landscape of today, so it was actually quite familiar.

I really got a lot from this book; I discovered a (new-to-me) band which I am now really fond of, and I found it more informative than a lot of other autobiographies which have touched on that time period (70s/80s). 'My Life in Dire Straits: The Inside Story of One of the Biggest Bands in Rock History' was honest - sometimes to the detriment of its author - and it was entertaining.

[Henk De · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of Dire Straits for as long as I can remember, or rather, since my dad put on “Water of Love” in the car during my earliest years. I’ve loved all of their music but have struggled, despite my best efforts, to get to know a lot about them and their history. Fortunately, John Illsley wrote this book and it has been one of the most enjoyable reads.

John starts off with his own history, and he fills you in on how life was back then in his childhood. He then works his way to his early career, how he met Dave and Mark, their early efforts, their first albums and tours, their rise to fame, the end of the band and the life afterwards, and all the interesting stories and memories in between.

What I like most about the book is that it’s written as if John Illsley is sitting next to you at the bar, and with a great deal of humility, gratitude, cool, and humor, he paints this mesmerizing picture of his life in the band. It sounds cliché but it reads like you’re there in the hallway in Deptford when the original Dire Straits members played together for the first time. What helps the illusion of listening to Illsley in a bar is the life lessons he works into the book. And I think there’s a lot of lessons to be learned from a rock star who’s experienced many extremes and anomalies compared to the average person.

Moments I particularly enjoyed were the second-person perspectives on Mark and his character. It made me respect and appreciate his music even more.

[Tiina Susanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taas näitä kirjoja jonka lukemiseen menee aikaa kun luettuaan pari sivua, pitää poukata pystyyn ja mennä levyhyllylle ja kuunnella biisi jotta pääsee jatkamaan.

Erityisestin pidän rosoisuudesta joka kirjasta nousee esiin, omat virheet myönnetään ja huomioidaan myös ne kaikki jotka mahdollistivat bändin nousun.

Swingin sulttaanit on niitä joita olen kuunnellut jo nuorena vaikka genre lie hiukan aikuisempaan makuun kuin itse olin.
Tosin en muutenkaan usko genrerajoihin vaan hyvin tehty on hyvin tehtyä.

Tätä lukiessaan jää pohtimaan että onneksi elämme ajassa jossa on tilaa etsiskellä paikkaansa, ties mitä muusikoita niistä etsiskelijöistä syntyy.

Taustalla löytyy myös perhe joka auttaa, vaikka joskus huokaileekin josko jälkikasvu löytäisi paikkansa maailmassa.

Löysihän hän. Meidän onneksi


Helmet-lukuhaaste 2022


3. Kirja, jonka tapahtumissa haluaisit olla mukana
6. Kirjan on kirjoittanut sinulle uusi kirjailija
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31. Kirjassa on jotain sinulle tärkeää
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43. Kirja sopii ainakin kolmeen haastekohtaan

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[Justin Lahey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The return road trip from Gatineau to Kitchener needed a different kind of audiobook, and John Illsley’s My Life in Dire Straits was the chosen one. Dubbed as “The first, and only, inside story of one of the greatest bands in rock history - Dire Straits - as told by founding member and bassist John Illsley” how could I possible pass up the opportunity to listen to the story behind some of the most memorable and exciting rock tracks of my youth.

John Illsley’s memoir did not disappoint, starting with an insightful backstory of his love for music and how he came to play the guitar and bass, as well as his early bands. But die-hard fans of Dire Straits will gobble up the album by album walkthrough of the song writing, recording, and touring around each. I enjoyed it so much that I wanted even more content for each album!

For a rock memoir from that covers the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, it’s surprisingly PG and quite innocent, with the exceptions of a few references to the usual attractions and pitfalls of the life of a musician and rock star on the road most of the year. But Illsley didn’t have to spill all the beans to make My Life in Dire Straits a captivating inside-look at one of the most iconic rock bands behind some of the biggest and memorable radio and video hits of the 80s and 90s.

[Stacey Dighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most of the world in the eighties, when Brothers in Arms (perhaps the Straits' most famous album) was released, I was instantly hooked. As a guitarist myself, I wanted to know how Mark Knopfler nailed those smooth tones, the killer Money For Nothing riff and the heartfelt tragedy of the title track. Forty years on and I'm now more of a hard rock guy, but when my son bought this for me for Christmas, I was intrigued. I'd never really noticed the bass player, John Illsley, so I was keen to know what his take on the Dire Straits fable was. The answer is, it's a pretty good yarn. If you've been in bands, particularly those that have gigged the London circuit, then there's plenty in here for you, and if you like musician autobiographies that are honest, to the point, and contain stories about other superstars of the era (Sting, Clapton, Bob Dylan), then you'll love this. There are a couple of moments that drag, particularly early on, but in the main it's a punchy narrative that covers all the high spots of a glorious career. I even dug out some of those old Dire Straits albums, spun the wheel and remembered how good they once were.