My Life In Dire Straits by John Illsey

This is the autobiography of British musician and founding member of the legendary British rock band Dire Straits John Illsey and in this books he talks about his upbringing in Middle England, getting his first guitar at 12, playing in bands the Knott and Blind Alley, meeting Dave and Mark Knopfler, playing in the Cafe Racers with Mark Knopfler, formed the band Dire Straits who would go on to great success with hit albums including the self titled album, Brothers In Arms, Communique as well as hit singles including Money For nothing, Sultans of SWing, Walk Of Life, Romeo and Juliet, Twisting By The Pool, line up changes, encounters with Pete Townshend, Talking Heads, Jerry Wexler, Bert Whiteley and many others. It is an FANTASTIC, BRILLIANT and an SUPERB book with FANTASTIC, AWESOME, Impressive and very entertaining stories and it is great to see someone from the band telling his life which it is an great read and is worth reading again and again. Mark Knofler his former bandmate did the foreword and next year he will be touring the UK doing the Life and Times of Dire Straits An Evening of Music and Memories and also does painting and owns a pub. This is a must for Dire Straits fans and I give it 5 stars as it's in the shops now so do yourselves an favour and BUY IT which you will be amazed and impressed.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Buddy Holly/Jerry Lee Lewis/Paul Anka/Jodie Sands/Johnny O'keefe Australian tour 1958

Image
this is another new segment on Rockin Luke as we look at the rock'n'roll tours of Australia from the 50's,60's and 70's from the well known tours and to some that don't get a lot of mention so let's start off with the Buddy Holly tour of Australia in 1958. Buddy holly & the Crickets/Jerry lee Lewis/Paul Anka/Jodie Sands/Johnny O'Keefe and the Dee Jays- The Big Show promoter-Lee Gordon Buddy Holly and the Crickets-Buddy Holly,Jerry Allison & joe B Mauldin Jerry lee Lewis Paul Anka Jodie Sands Johnny O"Keefe and the Dee jays- Johnny O'Keefe , John"Catfish" Purser, dave Owens, Johnny greenan, Lou Casch and Keith Williams Dates- Sydney Stadium January 30th 1958 Newcastle January 31st Sydney Stadium February 1st Cloudland Ballroom Brisbane February 3rd West Melbourne Stadium February 4th and 5th This tour in 1958 was the only Australian tour that Buddy holly ever did as well as the tour of the UK an month later as he would be kille
Read more

Vale Peter Flanagan(the Fauns/The Flanagans)

Image
Peter Flanagan member of legendary Australian singing family group the Fauns aka the The Flanagans passed away on September 2nd aged 73 at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney. Peter along with brother Paul and Sister Margaret began as the Fauns in 1959 as they had been doing classical music training which they released 3 singles on the Leedon label- Dance With Me/Don't Take the Stars, We Should Be Together/While Susan Sleeps and Nursery Rhymes Rock and as the Flanagans they released 4 singles on the HMV label-He/Wonderland Of Love and Dreams(1965), Follow the Wind/Land OF Beyond(1965), You Were Meant FOr Me/That's How Man Began(1966) and This is My Song/For Bobby(1967). the group did appearances on Bandstand,Six O'Clock Rock, Teen Time, The Johnny O'Keefe Show, Sing Sing Sing, the Mike Walsh Show, IMT, Revue 61, Revue 62 and many others as well as performing on the Matt Munro TV special in 1966 as well as performing in the clubs too as well as co writing the song
Read more

Roland Storm , Bryan Davies and the Mighty Guys show @ South Tweed Sports Club June 6th 2015

Image
On Saturday June 6th I went to the South Tweed Sports Club in the evening where I saw legendary Australian singers Roland Storm and Bryan Davies as well as the rock group the Mighty Guys. Dad took me to the Club, signed in, went inside, bought an Pepsi max, drank it, saw Mick Hamilton(had not seen since Sunday June 9th 2013) and Leon Isackson and waited. The show started after 8pm with the Mighty Guys doing a few songs which were classic rock n roll songs with lead vocals done by both Leon Isackson and Mick Hamilton and then Roland Storm and Bryan Davies came on stage which they did a few songs together which then Roland did his set which he performed an set of classic rock songs as well as doing his hit from 1992 with Rolling With the Flow and there was an interval which Roland was selling CD's as I already have them but he came which people bought them as well as seeing Mike Lawler which I mentioned to him about the Rajahs version of a Beatles song on the Australia Salutes the
Read more