“We were lucky we weren’t teenagers – that would certainly have been fatal” writes Mark Knopfler in his forward to John Illsley’s autobiography, reflecting on the band’s meteoric rise and an ever-changing landscape.

“The ride is not for everyone” Knopfler concludes, “not for those who can’t take the pressures and the pace, for whatever reasons. It was a different world. And John has remembered a pretty big chunk of it.”

From his thoroughly British Leicester 50’s childhood, to sharing a Deptford flat with David Knopfler, and founding one of Rock’s biggest bands with David’s brother Mark – My Life In Dire Straits is John Illsley’s striking account of the legend’s musical journey. Here Illsley reflects on his childhood, Dire Straits’ phenomenal ascend, Knopfler’s timeless tunes, their lifelong friendship, why context matters and the serendipity that guides our destinies.

HG My Life In Dire Straits is an awesome read – it is intelligent, insightful and honest.

JI It is really just a story. When I was revisiting it I found it interesting how all of these things come together in your life, and that’s one thing that I was trying to get across in the book, the idea that some things you do unconsciously and consciously – all these change the course of your life quite significantly, maybe not straight away but certainly down the track. So you should always go with your gut feeling and not worry about what others think, do what you feel is right  – everything you do in life is an experience and adds to the rest of your life.

HG I definitely got that vibe from the book – the choices you made and the people you have encountered. You observe the actions of people around you and reflect on their impact, from girlfriends to your brother’s self constructed, life changing little radio.

JI That little crystal radio which my brother built was a very significant moment because we could tune in to pirate radio stations like Radio Luxembourg and Radio Caroline that were playing music that the BBC weren’t playing. This was the early 60s , and the BBC had a very conservative view of what was played, you wouldn’t hear Bob Dylan or the Stones. We also started getting records from America, this was a vital source of inspiration to all of us looking back this was a unique time to be growing up.

HG You embraced change and made courageous decisions throughout the band’s journey

JI Mark and I often spoke about how our age played a part, if we’d been 18 at the time when everything started getting a bit hectic, we’d probably be dead now, or on drugs, burnt ourselves out, you don’t have much common sense when you’re 18 years old, we were 26, 27 which to get started in the rock world was quite late.

Neil Young, Frank Zappa, The Temptations, Bob Marley, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Chuck Berry, Lou Reed, Jimmy Cliff, The Ramones, Patti Smith, Etta James, Jerry Lewis, B.B. King … and ‘Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, all the way from London, England, yes, please give it up for … Dire Straits!’ Or, in my head at least, please give it up for four lads from the borough of Lewisham.

Neil Young, Frank Zappa, The Temptations, Bob Marley, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Chuck Berry, Lou Reed, Jimmy Cliff, The Ramones, Patti Smith, Etta James, Jerry Lewis, B.B. King … and ‘Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, all the way from London, England, yes, please give it up for … Dire Straits!’ Or, in my head at least, please give it up for four lads from the borough of Lewisham.

HG You remember........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)