My life in Dire Straits - John Illsley

With a foreword by MARK KNOPFLER

'An uplifting
journey through the sheer hard work, pitfalls and thrills of navigating a
great rock band to the pinnacle of success. I so enjoyed the ride!'
ROGER TAYLOR
__________

Dire Straits filled giant
stadiums around the world and sold hundreds of millions of records.
Throughout the eighties they were one of the biggest bands on the
planet. Their classic songs - 'Sultans of Swing', 'Romeo and 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. In My Life in Dire Straits, John Illsley - founding member, bassist and mainstay - evokes the spirit of the times and tells the story of one of the great live acts of rock history.

Starting
with his own unlikely beginnings in Middle England, he 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 man's clubs to Madison
Square Garden, gigging 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 - 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.