A couple of things I have noticed: TOTT seems to have alot of "candidates". Now, does that say something about the candidates, or maybe more about Mark? I mean, if you work with a bunch of people you can't get along with, chances are YOU are the problem and not them.
Mark tends to get treated as a God of some sort. Reality check: he's just flesh and blood, like everyone else, and his opinion doesn't have to be the right one just because he's a good guitarist and songwriter. And if he's mad because other DS band members keep the name alive and play songs they have some kind of artistic ownership to, at least from being there and playing some instruments, then that's an attitude problem of his. He should mind his own business rather than worrying about if Phil Palmer plays some tune on a stage somewhere in a band that has "Dire" or "Straits" in it. Especially when he's not performing the same songs himself.
As for the single, it's not on par with the DS version, but it's a nice alternative version, nonetheless. I think AC did a respectable job here.