Dire Straits are one of the biggest bands in rock history, having sold more than 100 million records, having won four Grammy Awards, and having embarked on some of the biggest tours the industry has ever seen.
But there hasn't been any literature about the band from any of its members -- until now. Bassist and founding member John Illsley - along with guitarist and frontman Mark Knopfler, the band's sole constant member - has just released his memoir, My Life in Dire Straits, with Knopfler adding the foreword.
Illsley joins the show to discuss the Dire Straits story and why New Zealand will always hold a special place in his heart.
He said he remains on good terms with Knopfler and while both are busy they still catch up.
"It's a long friendship and it still works extremely well, I'm pleased to say."
Dire Straits members with John Illsley, far left and Mark Knopfler beside him. Photo: Supplied
His first guitar was a Rosetti Lucky Seven - the same choice as Beatle George Harrison and Rolling Stone Keith Richards.
"They were cheap and cheerful basically and not only did you cut your teeth on those things but you really hurt your fingers as well."
His musical epiphany was the Kinks' song 'You Really Got Me' which appealed for its simplicity and power.
He said the vast majority of great songs have only got three or four chords but "it's a question of how you play them".
He puts the Beatles' Please Please Me and the Who's 'Can't Explain' in the same category.
"Those moments just hit you, hit you very hard and you don't forget them."
Illsley once worked in a timber yard and during this time he met Dave Knopfler who introduced him to his brother, Mark.
He said the latter is an unusual guitarist possibly because he is left-handed but plays the guitar right-handed.
"If you're left handed your left hand is very very strong so this is the reason why he can actually do vibrato with his left hand on the fret board probably in a fairly unique way.
"So it's not just the finger-picking style he did but it's also the fact that he had a very strong left hand and if you listen to the music with that in mind you can tell that he's not just bending one string at a time; he is bending two or three at the same time which is quite difficult to do."
Mark Knopfler performing at a concert in Vienna in 2010. Photo: AFP
A pint of beer and a sandwich
The pair's first band was the Cafe Racers with the four members "playing for love" and living "hand to mouth" as they struggled to survive on around five pounds profit from each gig. It was enough for a pint of beer and a sandwich each, he said.
Illsley used a 500 pounds bequest from his grandmother to pay for recording songs they had been working on in a council flat.
They took a tape of Sultans of Swing to a Radio London DJ Charlie Gillett and four days later he played their debut single on the radio - to a huge reception which grew into an international hit.
However, initially, the BBC refused to play it "because it had too many words in it".
At the time punk music was taking hold around the world and Illsley believes fans responded to the band's distinctive sound.
"The style right from the word go was very much ours. We weren't part of a trend and never have been."
Asked if he ever met the real sultans of swing, who were a band that the Knopfler brothers once saw playing in a pub in Greenwich in London, he said he didn't.
He believes they may have approached Dire Straits soon after Sultans of Swing became a hit to ask the band to be their managers but it did not eventuate.
Approach from Richard Branson
Soon after their first hit, in the early days of Virgin Records Richard Branson tried to sign the group. At a function marijuana joints were handed around and attractive women paid them plenty of attention but both Knopfler and Illsley did not like Branson's approach, especially as the financial deal he offered was worse than those from other record companies.
Their first album did well in Australia and New Zealand but took time to gain favour in Britain. More importantly, "it took off in the [United] States".
Their concert crowds in New Zealand were the largest ever until they were overtaken by Adele in 2017.
"Playing live you really felt connected to the people who were buying your music. In New Zealand we had an incredible audience which really took us by surprise to be honest. We didn't really expect that kind of response.
"When you get it it means a lot. I haven't forgotten those days."
The band played more than 1000 major concerts, enjoyable because they had good songs and a great lineup who got along, he said.
However, in Italy fans were so out of control they feared for their safety.
"They did embrace it because obviously Romeo and Juliet was a massive deal in Italy because of Verona.
"The audiences were extraordinary - they were completely mad, thousands and thousands of them."
Brothers in Arms is one of the biggest albums in history with 'Money For Nothing' a controversial hit single with some wording that caused offence at the time.
Illsley said it was "a little edgy" but was based on a conversation that Knopfler heard in a store.
It's been changed now to reflect different times.
Other worlds outside Dire Straits
While Knopfler did not turn up for the band's induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, Illsley said their most famous member is proud of the Dire Straits era.
"You need to change, you need to develop. I've developed as a songwriter and a player beyond the Dire Straits' years.
"My eighth solo album is coming out I think it's just after Christmas ...I've loved it. There are other worlds
outside Dire Straits."
From left, John Illsley, lan Clark and Guy Fletcher of Dire Straits attend the induction ceremony in Cleveland Ohio in 2018. Photo: AFP
He agrees with Knopfler that there aren't any benefits to fame, with Dire Straits playing to seven and a half million people on their final tour leading to the decision to call it a day.
They reached the pinnacle and it seemed pointless to continue, he said.
"Thankfully our friendship has survived because of that. If we had gone off and tried repeating and repeating what we had done before it might not have done. I have no desire to try and put that thing back together again."
Illsley kept leukaemia a secret for 15 years and is now healthy again. He said it was important for him that he received support from his wife and a few close friends and did not want to have it being constantly referred to in the public arena.
