John Illsley of Dire Straits - Episode 60 | Rockonteurs with Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt - Podcast

John Illsley from Dire Straits is the guest this week on Rockonteurs. Yes….a bass player! John was one of only a few members to play from the bands start to their finish and remains great friends with Mark Knopfler.

He has a new book out this week that charts the bands meteoric rise to the top in the late 70’s and throughout the 80’s and in this episode he shares some of those incredible stories.

From pub rock to stadiums, CD’s, sharing studios in Monserrat with Sting to the cultural explosion of MTV – it’s all exactly what this series is all about, great stories from the artists that shaped the music we love.

Rockonteurs is produced by Ben Jones for Gimme Sugar Productions.

Follow Rockonteurs on socials:

#JohnIllsey #Rockonteurs #Podcast

[robertosborne]

ah lads thank you so much for that, i met john here in dublin a few years back and can tell you he is as sound as he comes across

[TomMarvan]

Great interview, great stories. John is an extraordinary friend to Mark, of course, but a wonderful musician and a true custodian of the band that so many of love dearly that words cannot describe. Thank you, thank you.

[Kim-ivty]

Great interview. Gary is a great interviewer who can remember information at the drop of a hat.

[thomasevans]

Cracking stuff. Always particularly loved John's bass work on the Alchemy version of Once Upon a Time in the West :-)

[musicfreak]

By the way, love Rockonteurs! Thank you very much, Gary and Guy!
And John, in this case. :)

[petedix]

The original Sultans single is on line, it is slightly different. Radio 2 sometimes play it.

[glerp]

My mom used to go weak at the knees when she saw John on the telly. I told her the bass player is always the best looking one...just look at your son.

[topattractions]

The Best name for a Pub rock band is "Touching Cloth"

[jimbanda]

John has always come across as a man you could have many long lunches

[ekstradycja]

Fantastic interview. Will read the book definitely. Funny enough On every street is one of my favorite DS album. To me it seems like an entrance to Mark's solo Golden Heart Era... talking about the tour, it may have been difficult psychologically, mentally and physically for all of them but musically it's just phenomenal. Just listen to to this opener (from Basel 92), really amazing sound and atmosphere, I remember watching it live on my tele as it was broadcasted live back then in Poland. What a gig that was

[NOMADCREATIVESOLUTIONS]

To not like Dire Straits is to not like music, period

[musicfreak]

Why should Dire Straits get back together once in a while? To thank the fans for the sucess they had! It would be easy to play Wembley once every 5 years, just for the happyness of their fans.

And why a proper concert movie (filmed in 35mm or high-definition) of Dire Straits was never made? Alchemy isn´t enought!