richard branson missed out on siging dire straits?

[Pottel]

anyone knew this??
http://www.usatoday.com/videos/life/people/2013/10/24/3178827/

[dmg]

They all had a joint in a Greek restaurant! 

Need to look that one up next time we're all down for the RAH shows gang!

Nice find Pottel, I didn't know that.

[singv]

Interesting revelation that a joint may have driven away Dire Straits. I knew they were clean, but so squeaky clean?? I Like how RB says, "big loss".

Nice one Pottel!

[Lestroid]

I've seen that story in print a number of times but wasn't sure that it was true.  Guess it must be given that we see it directly from the horse's mouth.

I don't know that they were necessarily squeaky clean - after all they did smoke the joint according to Branson.  But they were probably wary of signing with someone that they thought might try to keep them drugged to a stupor so they could be controlled - like Col Tom Parker and Elvis...

[vgonis]

I have read this story as well, can't remember where. A Greek tavern and a joint are two things that do not go together. Maybe they had run out of ouzo and raki and tsipouro and retsina and wine and had to offer a substitute from the next door Dutch restaurant. 

[ingridswing]

Lol, must be from a dutch coffeeshop not restaurant. Coffeeshops in Holland serve no coffee by the way

[vgonis]

Lol, must be from a dutch coffeeshop not restaurant. Coffeeshops in Holland serve no coffee by the way

   Never been to such a coffeeshop or in Holland for that matter, but they are famous and have some Greek variations from what I'm told. ;-)

[ds1984]

Although during the DS days it was not widely known but Mark had been a (then past?) pot smoker.

[vgonis]

Then it was not the pot that put him off the virgin deal, after all? 

[ds1984]

Then it was not the pot that put him off the virgin deal, after all? 

Remember that the band had a manager who knew the music business.

[dillzh123]

Although during the DS days it was not widely known but Mark had been a (then past?) pot smoker.

Are there any articles or interviews at all that reference knopfler's drug use?  ...I seem to remember one where he talked about being in the US for the first time and being stoned whilst there?

[ds1984]

Although during the DS days it was not widely known but Mark had been a (then past?) pot smoker.

Are there any articles or interviews at all that reference knopfler's drug use?  ...I seem to remember one where he talked about being in the US for the first time and being stoned whilst there?

I can't find one but I think that the news comes from a MK interview.

[JF]

I remember reading in an itw that he wrote Once upon a time by watching the movie, being drunk....
maybe he wasn't drunk but stoned ? 

[dillzh123]

Did some digging and found this quote supposedly from David:  "I used to leave elementary school, take the train without paying, go to Whitley Bay, which is about eight miles, hide in the bathroom until the reviewer had happened, get off at the last station and walk about three quarters mile to Spanish City and spend several hours playing the slot machines. He knew all the tricks, and I always got by getting the enough money to ride the rides. He was obsessed with amusement parks. Mark and I used there a lot. "

http://www.knopflertk.net/libro/2.htm

Not sure if the translation might be dodgy, though...

[boboDS]

Did some digging and found this quote supposedly from David:  "I used to leave elementary school, take the train without paying, go to Whitley Bay, which is about eight miles, hide in the bathroom until the reviewer had happened, get off at the last station and walk about three quarters mile to Spanish City and spend several hours playing the slot machines. He knew all the tricks, and I always got by getting the enough money to ride the rides. He was obsessed with amusement parks. Mark and I used there a lot. "

http://www.knopflertk.net/libro/2.htm

Not sure if the translation might be dodgy, though...

Hi,
so I was just reading Mike Oldfield great book yesterday and I immediately recognized that this paragraph is probably originaly from there. The translation is dodgy indeed. In the book (page 33-34) it says,
(just the last 2 sentences):

DAVID: "I knew all the wheezes on fruit machines, figuring out ways to get enough money to pay for rides. I was obsessed with fairgrounds; Mark and I used to go to them together quite a lot."


Another interesting info is on the page 43:

"Record companies were eager to sign Dire Straits - but on their own terms. One offered the band 1,500 pounds to record the first album, which would then be 'thrown against the wall to see if it sticks'. Another plied them with drink and dope in an effort to get them to sign on the dotted line.

The Richard Branson's story might very well be included in this sentence. (or the whole sentence is about him actually, but it's a bit twisted).

Anyway, a great book all in all. Regarding the band's 'cleanliness', the overall message from the book is clear and strong - they were clean and down to earth people. From my point of view - fags and alcohol (hopefully not too much), but the heavier stuff, I doubt it. Maybe somebody tried in once, but that's it.

I vaguely remember reading an interview from the 80s (maybe EC tours) where Mark was asked about his writing style, if he ever tried to write under the influence of (I think it was) cocaine. He said no, he would like to find out if it would ignite his creativity, but he was too scared to try it.