Dire Straits Story How Dire Straits the band was started

Though I only caught the last part of the Ken Bruce show with Mark Knopfler, it proved to me he hasn’t yet lost his sense of humour, and that he knows or reads what I write about him. In my blog I stated he should be singing,” If I were a Rich Man,” a song about a Jewish immigrants dream in a country where there is hope to prosper if you have the talent and are willing to be guided towards that goal, by someone who though talented had already used up their own gift and handed it to you? The Boxer by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel and the line,” I’m just a poor boy,” was not exactly you Mark, and it sounded to me like you were mocking those of us, for I do not believe for a minute you know, ” Where the poorer people go,” and unlike the original lyricists of the song, who obviously did know and did care, though I know you were just having a jest, your take of a classic song and lyrics was like a saw tearing through metal.?

When you deviate away from your strengths like being a great guitarist, and try and sing a popular song made famous by two people who can sing, your heading for trouble, and I will repeat myself again, I know what you were trying to prove, and in honesty your fans would have rather heard a song from Whatever. I knew you could imitate another persons voice, and that was proved on the Dire Straits album, and you know what I’m talking about, but Mark you have got to wind yourself back, get back on that motor bike and be a Rock and Roll artist, you’ve become the Harry that I wrote about on Sultans of Swing, Rockers don’t retire Mark they fight on to the very end. ” If I were a rich man,”…

On the 6th July 1978 the Dire Straits Album was released  songs by Mark Knopfler, lyrics written by Robert Marshal and kindly reproduced by Straitjacket Songs.

The band Mark Knopfler lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist David Knopfler, bass guitarist John Illsley, drums David Pick Withers.This was the beginning of a journey into the music industry for three of the group, who would never have believed it was possible. Though there is a claim a band existed called the Cafe Racers, the only Cafe Racer was a motor bike and perhaps owned by one of the Knopflers, and the only band that played or recorded Sultans of Swing, were Dire Straits. David Pick Withers was the only member of the band who was a professional musician, the youngest player David Knopfler was working for The Social Work Department in London and sharing a one bedroom house South of the Thames in Deptford with John Illsley, who was a mature student at Goldsmiths College, and when Mark Knopfler arrived in London he became a student at the same College and joined the other two at the house in Deptford.

Mark Knopfler and Illsley were both at a age 25 that was to old to join a punk band, though Illsley used to invite young would be punk guitarists back to the house on a Tuesday, and as already quoted to mainly tune their guitars, so any thoughts of forming a band were never in reality within their sights or capabilities. You can Jam till your fingers bleed but it takes something everyone can join in on that doesn’t have any of their stamps on it to make them jell together equally, and that was the lyrics that belonged to none of them, though only Mark Knopfler and Illsley knew the truth about who had written them, that is why even though the older Knopfler tried to include his own lyrics into the first Dire Straits album, it was more productive and prudent to just stick to those written outside the trio by Robert Marshal.

With the introduction into the group of David Pick Withers, the band was formed, and with his knowledge and contacts in the business people in the industry started taking notice, and though the band played a few gigs in Camden Town, it was in Europe where they scored their biggest fans. Punk was a English thing Rock and Roll was Universal, and the latter time of the 70s was dry of of that type of music so the Dire Straits album slotted in nicely into a niche made for their flair. Though it also started the cracks of jealousy to appear when their second album was released, this time songs and lyrics all written by Mark Knopfler, the hedonistic thread missing from the first album by having a stranger write the lyrics had gone, and the bickering and fighting for recognition had begun. Happy Birthday guys.

They say every picture tells a story, and that you can fool the public some of the time, but not all of the time. So has Mark Freuder Knopfler O.B.E. thrown in the towel and allowed the pack of a so called brotherhood to take over his life and ruin his reputation and career. When the Beatles were given the O.B.E. it was returned because of a political gesture, so shouldn’t Mark return his as a noble gesture or share the honor with the lyricist who wrote the groups hit lyrics.

And what idiot convinced him to accept it in the first place, he says he was a lecturer, so by this act of accepting the gong it doesn’t actually seem like his ethics were honest as a educationalist, in fact the opposite to what we’d expect from one, if your allowing students to copy or say plagiarize to get a pass you shouldn’t be in the job in the first place, and of course opening yourself up to be blackmailed, so Mark give it back.

You’ve already surrounded yourself with a brotherhood of back stabbers, jealous of your fame how you play guitar, and still you call them friends, its now ten years since I tried to get to speak to you, and every time we got close, the hulking shadow of Illsley appeared and put another nail in your and my coffin. And talking about coffins Mark if the shadow thinks this blog will die with me he’s wrong I have made sure many years will pass before this story closes, unless you come clean and stop cheating with the exam papers. Its not difficult to be honest pal and I can assure you, it gets rid of all the stench and rubbish you have surrounded yourself with, it stops the lies and gets rid of the liars.

Between your music and my lyrics we gave something good to a hell of a lot of people, to see it all being exploited and turned into a mockery by a handful of your choice of friends, and you doing nothing about it only proves what Ive been saying, an O.B.E you could have been knighted, and  all concerned should have been proud to share that honor with you, but because of greed and jealousy its all gone down the drain. Illsley started this and you have allowed it to continue, your the boss pal, he’s made his money, its you who has the gift and its you who has the highest to fall.

When Dire Straits ascended to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the other night, it was a bit of a squirm inducting moment, to say the least. All the other inductees BON JOVI, NINA SIMONE, THE MOODY BLUES, either performed or were honored by a tribute performance, and received a induction speech from a celebrity, NONE of this happened for Dire Straits.

 

This snubbage was apparently a reaction to Mark Knopflers non-acknowledgment of the bands induction. He did not attend the ceremony with no explanation for his absence, Pick Withers was not in the house either along with Marks band mate David who said the Rock Hall had backed out of a agreement to pay for his travel expenses, so with three quarters of the original line up missing, John Illsley, Alan Clark and Guy Fletcher pretty much inducted themselves, making Dire Straits to become the first band in the history of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame not to be introduced by a induction speaker at the ceremony, with Illsley designating himself as the official presenter.

He said, as a fellow member I found I might be the most qualified to do this. Its a bit weird but life is strange, I know its a bit odd, but its my honor to welcome Dire Straits into the Rock Hall of Fame, he added I know there has been a lot of speculation about the fact that Mark is not here, but I can assure you its just a personnel thing its personnel reasons just leave it at that. This is really about a group of people more than one, its a collective a brotherhood and that’s what needs acknowledging tonight.

Dr Scott JamesThis article was written by a independent author who attended this disgraceful mockery to the Dire Strait induction into the R.R.H.of F. When you cannot get a celebrity to make the induction, there has to be a reason, and Mark Knopfler knows the reason, as does David and Pick Withers, I wrote the lyrics of the songs that made the band famous. And you can bet your last euro on that most of the musicians and lyricists in the music business know that as well, and would any of them ruin their reputations by getting mixed up with Illsley’s underhand dealings, not on your life. Mark inveigled Sting to take credit for shouting, ” I want my own T.V.,” something I had joked leaving the desolate flat in Deptford. So would it not be prudent for Mark to just come out with the truth about me, before Illsley’s lies condemn him as a pawn in a game of fraudulence that because of Mr Bassmans jealousy for his so called friends talent on the guitar, will discredit him into the ranks of criminality rather than a respected musician. Personnel reasons are being caused by you Illsley for standing on that stage, and the speculation is now known throughout the industry, your a crook pal and your enjoying it, as long as everyone around you suffers for your pleasure, there’s another word that starts with a S.D.sT. that reveals your character to the T.

Dire Straits enter into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or just a load of cock and shame. David Knopfler wont go because the promoters wont pay his taxi fare from the airport, no wonder I cannot get them to discuss money with me, he must be on the Dole, or maybe he should join me and demand he gets paid for his contribution playing on the album Making Movies where he to got ripped off. He also says his brother is far to busy to go and receive the accolade of the band he fronted getting admitted into any Rock Bands Havana, THE ROCK and ROLL HALL of FAME. Of course his decision not to go has been well documented by his fans, who have again made every excuse in the book for their Messiah giving the event the bums rush.

And perhaps overlooking the fact he may have at last broke the spell of years of forgetfulness, of who actually wrote the lyrics of the bands greatest hits, and maybe and I say maybe has a guilty conscience for the wrong that broke a family apart because of leaving his brother from knowing the truth about who wrote the lyrics for the D.S. album and who named the band before the innocent guy was conned into believing he was actually one of the founders, no David you were just a player and I’m really hoping you now know who the puppets were, you and brother?

Now here’s another strange scenario, why has David Pick Withers the drummer of D.S. been so easily overlooked, not only was he a great musician whose C.V. has every great Rock artiste bowing to his mastery on the drums. But having his knowledge of the music and friends in the business, the three amateur’s were allowed into a scene where only the greatest are privilege too? So has Pick also knocked back the offer of attending this sham gig, and found something more demanding of his time, like making a cup of tea?

So who does that leave, the Sham himself John Illsley the bass player of D.S. the Judas who for a free meal would sell his soul and the Knopfler’s to, for a doggy bag. This appearance for him to collect the award on behalf of D.S. is a mockery, and Mark should have declined the offer rather than let Illsley take any part in this theater where the greats of the music industry have stood, that makes the whole event just a sham, and with Guy Fletcher and Alan Clarke in attendance it becomes the Three Stooges show without their talent, SHAME Illsley doesn’t know the meaning of the word.

 

Who was it that said if you have one friend in your life your a very lucky person, when I contacted Mark Knopfler in 2006 to work with him again and reinvent Dire Straits, I was that person in his life I’d waited for him to get in touch and kept to my side of the bargain of not getting involved in D.S. unless I was needed and called for.

So it came as a shock when it was confirmed that Mark had no interest in reforming Dire Straits, and had gone solo that I got in touch as our agreement was over, and as this friend who had not interfered during his career, I honestly expected to be welcomed like a Brother in Arms. But instead my meeting with John Illsley who actually turned his back on me was so humiliating, it felt like I had Leprosy and he couldn’t get away from me quick enough in case he became contaminated with my presence.

Of course there is another wise saying, Do Not To Others unless you want it to happen to you, and this is now being proved by the way previous band members of Dire Straits and so called friends have turned feral and biting the hands that once fed them.

This is what has happened and  if it wasn’t seen by Knopfler and Illsley in the stars, it was certainly in my lyrics  and inevitable  especially when a bands reputation is being allowed to go to the wall because of lies, and deceit, maybe Mark Knopfler could let Illsley hypnotize him into believing that Wrong was a Right, but try telling that to the feral cats that would have killed to get the fame Knopfler achieved from being the front man of Dire Straits.

And now the cat is out of the bag, because of John Illsley’s negativity in his dealings with me, and now he has been exposed as a fraud and whether this has been deliberate to hurt Mark Knopflers reputation for going solo is debatable.

However because of what other people see as the truth, and Knopfler and Illsley’s  lack or interest to this real situation that not only effects their reputation in the music industry but as people, their negligence in protecting the rights of D.S. is now a free for all. Anyone SEEMINGLY can call themselves Dire Straits and get away with it, and if the public don’t look close enough at the article they could believe they are going to hear the original Dire Straits.

Now Chris White the guy who played the saxophone with D.S. is at it with a band called The Dire Strait Experience with the claim, Music Of Dire Straits Live on the Stage, if I played a record of D.S. it would mean almost the same thing, and of course we had the New Straits with Alan Clark, NOW ITS THE DIRE STRAIT LEGACY, and even Danny Cummings who I admire has left the sinking ship. Everyone of them dipping into the D.S. coffers because of John Illsley and his failure to be honest and whose lack of savvy has allowed Plagiarism to become the main interest of his old pals who are now taking liberties through his lack of back bone and seedy character traits.

This is the guy who like the Queen with the back of his hand dismissed and totally humiliated the person who started the Band Dire Straits whose lyrics and giving a name to the band started it all in the first place. And in truth its all being allowed to happen by Mark Knopflers lack of interest in a band that made his reputation and money, in fact he’s seemingly wiped his hands and left it all to a idiot like Illsley, who doesn’t give a damn as long as he holds the key to the Dire Straits bank vault.

So Ive put on his statement he supposedly wrote to my Solicitors, that I believe is fraudulent, and to expose his weak claims for denying me what is mine, were the time and dates and the name of the coffee house where we met were not concluded, did he not read my lyrics the Barocco Bar dumb dumb. And I have never said he and I wrote together, and as a person who has gone three rounds on many occasions the only thing I’d like to do with him his knock his lying head off. He also concluded that he’d never met me and he would take offense at being called a plagiarist, that is why I started this blog to see if he would really stand by his word and take the person who wrote the lyrics that started his and the Knopflers career in the music industry to court. And like all thiefs he bottled out and sneaked away hoping I would disappear and his lies would not be seen, I’m afraid Illsley its here for anyone to read, your not only a plagiarist your a liar and a thief, so come on dear stand by your threat take me to court and leave the Knopflers alone. The only old or new experience the Dire Strait fans want is for the real Dire Straits to stand up on stage and be the band they love and want to hear, and now that David Knopfler has said he would gladly play again with his brother lets get it together again and become the real Dire Straits eh Mark one more time, or one more thing the Vultures are coming down from the trees, I warned you pal. Robert Marshal

He sneaked into Scotland for three gigs and found his behavior as a plagiarist had followed him, so he was not seen as musician on stage but a rip off merchant, so we hope he doesn’t come back, he’s had enough money for nothing. And his crocodile tears about hiding the fact he had cancer and looking for sympathy, the guy never even asked me how I was keeping when I had traveled to London to speak to him, in my book this guys character is so low, you’d have to be a bug to see eye level with him. Its nearly 2018 so lets see how he behaves in the New Year, however if cancer didn’t get him to see his faults, perhaps there wont be much change, what on earth did the Knopflers see in him.

Well he’s started 2018 with a bang, ‘I received a phone call from a friend of mine congratulating me,’ not Mark Knopfler that in 2018 Dire Straits would be going into the Rock Hall of Fame, and I Robert Marshal got a phone call from a friend of mine that he John Illsley was going to come clean about my part in Dire Straits, I thought the guy had a few loose nuts when I met him, now I know its not dementia or delusional hysteria he’s suffering from, its just that the old queen is a born liar and is needing another visit to his shrink, who if his treatment was based on his part in Dire Straits would have had to tell the doctor about me, so before you spin anymore stories Illsley remember a secret is only a secret if you keep it to yourself, and I never told a soul is just another crock of lies.

I’ve just read a news article in the Scottish Sun newspaper written before his failed attempt to be recognized as the founder of Dire Straits to the Scottish D.S. fans where he’s grovelling about Mark Knopfler being his friend, for if he wasn’t standing in front of the guy with his begging bowl with his Never Told a Soul bollocks honestly Mark. Not just the truth about me would come out but the reason for the brothers break up that obviously has the Illsley seedy characteristics about it, something I witnessed twice when I was in Deptford, that riled me to the point of decking the big queen stopped only by Mark telling me he had the situation with Illsley under control, or in his own words, ‘I know how to handle him,’ no you don’t pal you lost your brother because of him, and now your allowing him to lie while using your name to support him.
And in the article he claimed that Pick Withers came up with the name of the band, again making another person out to be a liar, and with the amount of artists that have come and gone during the time he’s been with Knopfler, its obvious his scheming and dishonesty has worked on them to, so its time for Knopfler to stop taking his forgetful medication and clean up his act and get the liar sorted out before the shite hits the fan and hits him on the face because of his former boyfriends hold over him, you might not be able to polish crap Mark but you can flush it down the toilet.

In fact if his head was not so empty he would have realized when I was writing the lyrics that not only the house in Deptfords surrounds were giving me the pictures in my mind, like Water of Love that I wrote from the gloomy hostility of the area surrounding the house, and after his second hostile attempt to threaten me about his sole claim on Mark Knopflers affections I wrote “Setting Me Up” and if you visualize the scenario of having been threatened by a six foot four nutter for showing to much attention, in a house somewhere in Deptford with two people you have only recently met, and your thinking to yourself, how the hell will I get out of here without using violence, well you say.

They say I’m the greatest bound for glory, well the word is that I’ve learned, I got the last part of your story, so I’m pulling out before you get burned, Well your hands are squeezing me down to the bone, but I’ve never saw you breaking no law, Stands to reason I got to leave you alone, What you taking me for, Are you setting me up to put me down, Your making me out to be a clown, You better give it up, Quit your messing around, You think I care for your reaction, you think I don’t understand, All you wanted was a piece of the action, Now you talk about another man. Robert Marshal

And that’s how setting me up became a lyric for the Dire Straits when you read the story behind Money for Nothing keep Setting Me Up in mind for in those lyrics that are about Knopfler and Illsley, see those yo yo’s was my way of responding to the way I’d been treated and believe me happy to vacate the premises, even with Illsley’s offer of introducing me to the younger Knopfler who had yet not returned to this house of intrigue and jealousy. This is why I know Illsley was playing the third party between the brothers, and though I’ve explained to David that with this conspiracy of him not being told about me should change his and Marks thinking about what went before, he continues to see Illsley as a friend and not the snake in the grass. And believe me I would love to see the brothers united, as I feel I’m partly to blame for whatever caused the split up between them, so come on guys read the lyrics.