Fly On The Wall

Knopfler introduced his older brother, guitarist Mark Knopfler, to his bassist flatmate John Illsley. After gaining the interest of drummer Pick Withers, the four founded the rock band Dire Straits. One of Mark's friends came up with the band's name, which was supposedly a reference to their financial situation at the time the band was beginning to gain notice in the music industry.
David however, asserts on his website that "[the] notion that the band were literally in dire straits is largely retrospective myth making and not really factually supportable. We all had day jobs until we got a whacking big advance from Polygram."

Knopfler played rhythm guitar beside his brother, who was lead guitarist in the band. He appeared on Dire Straits' first two albums: Dire Straits (1978) and Communiqué (1979). The stress of composing, arranging songs, recording the then-requisite two albums and tours to support them took its toll on the brothers, and David left the band during the recording of their third album, Making Movies (1980), leaving him uncredited on the album.

Gardner started playing music at the age of seven by taking piano lessons. When he was a teenager he started playing the tenor sax. In 1959 he played with Bud Wattles & his Orchestra's album Themes from the Hip. Later he played with Joanna & the Playboys in 1962. By late 1966 Gardner had joined Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention, playing tenor sax and other woodwinds. The Mothers found success, with Absolutely Free and We're Only in It for the Money entering the charts. In late 1968 his brother Buzz Gardner joined the Mothers, staying until the group disbanded a year later. Gardner played with Menage A Trois with Buzz and John Balkin. Later he recorded with Geronimo Black and the Grandmothers.In 1980 Gardner and other members from the Mothers of Invention reunited to form the Grandmothers, recording a few albums and reuniting again in 2002. Gardner has done a few projects with Don Preston, a member of the Mothers, making a few albums and touring with him.Gardner also plays flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, and bass and soprano saxes.Don Preston remains Gardner's close friend. In 2010 he recorded Gardner's autobiography (audiobook) "The Bunk Gardner Story" (featuring Don Preston), in Arthur Barrow's lotek studio, produced by Jon Larsen for Zonic Entertainment.

Gardner started playing music at the age of seven by taking piano lessons. When he was a teenager he started playing the tenor sax. In 1959 he played with Bud Wattles & his Orchestra's album Themes from the Hip. Later he played with Joanna & the Playboys in 1962. By late 1966 Gardner had joined Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention, playing tenor sax and other woodwinds. The Mothers found success, with Absolutely Free and We're Only in It for the Money entering the charts. In late 1968 his brother Buzz Gardner joined the Mothers, staying until the group disbanded a year later. Gardner played with Menage A Trois with Buzz and John Balkin. Later he recorded with Geronimo Black and the Grandmothers.

In 1980 Gardner and other members from the Mothers of Invention reunited to form the Grandmothers, recording a few albums and reuniting again in 2002. Gardner has done a few projects with Don Preston, a member of the Mothers, making a few albums and touring with him.

Gardner also plays flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, and bass and soprano saxes.

Don Preston remains Gardner's close friend. In 2010 he recorded Gardner's autobiography (audiobook) "The Bunk Gardner Story" (featuring Don Preston), in Arthur Barrow's lotek studio, produced by Jon Larsen for Zonic Entertainment.

Joel Selvin is an American San Francisco-based music critic and author known for his weekly column in the San Francisco Chronicle, which ran from 1972 to 2009. Selvin has written books covering various aspects of pop music—including the No. 1 New York Times best-seller Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock with Sammy Hagar—and has interviewed many musical artists.[2] Selvin has published articles in Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times, Billboard, and Melody Maker, and has written liner notes for dozens of recorded albums. He has appeared in documentaries about the music scene and has occasionally taken the stage himself as a rock and roll singer.

Joel Selvin is an American San Francisco-based music critic and author known for his weekly column in the San Francisco Chronicle, which ran from 1972 to 2009. Selvin has written books covering various aspects of pop music—including the No. 1 New York Times best-seller Red: My Uncensored Life In Rock with Sammy Hagar—and has interviewed many musical artists.[2] Selvin has published articles in Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times, Billboard, and Melody Maker, and has written liner notes for dozens of recorded albums. He has appeared in documentaries about the music scene and has occasionally taken the stage himself as a rock and roll singer.

Medicine HeadBritish 1970s rock band led by John Fiddler and Peter Hope Evans. The group recorded six albums in the seventies, the opening trio of which were on John Peel's Dandelion label. Fiddler & Hope Evans formed Medicine Head in 1969. At the end of 1971, Peter left for about nine months and John continued the band with John Davis on drums and Keith Relf on bass guitar. They left when Peter returned in the summer of 1972 and the band once again became a duo. It came off the road in October 1973 while Peter and John recruited three more musicians.Medicine Head switched from Dandelion Records to Polydor as Hope-Evans returned for the album One & One Is One, recorded with various session musicians. The title track became the band's biggest hit, reaching no.3 in the UK in 1973, and they followed it up with Rising Sun (no. 11). For the next album Thru' A Five, the duo were augmented on a regular basis by Rob Townsend of Family on drums, Roger Saunders on guitar, and George Ford on bass. The album featured the Slim Harpo-influenced song Slip and Slide which became the band's final hit, reaching no.22 in the UK in 1974. Despite consistent touring, often as a supporting act, Medicine Head failed to place an album on the UK Albums Chart. For their final album Two Man Band, recorded at Pete Townshend's Eel Pie Studios, they reverted to being a duo.Medicine Head finally folded in 1977. In 2005, Angel Air released the album Don't Stop The Dance, a 'lost' album, compiling some singles from an unsuccessful period with WWA Records and some unreleased sessions of the band as a five piece. John Fiddler released solo albums after the breakup of the band but revived the Medicine Head name for Fiddlersophical in 2011. In 2020 Cherry Red released a 50th Anniversary edition of the New Bottles Old Medicine debut with a second disc of singles, sessions & live material spanning the 1970-1975 period.

Medicine Head


British 1970s rock band led by John Fiddler and Peter Hope Evans. The group recorded six albums in the seventies, the opening trio of which were on John Peel's Dandelion label. Fiddler & Hope Evans formed Medicine Head in 1969. At the end of 1971, Peter left for about nine months and John continued the band with John Davis on drums and Keith Relf on bass guitar. They left when Peter returned in the summer of 1972 and the band once again became a duo. It came off the road in October 1973 while Peter and John recruited three more musicians.

Medicine Head switched from Dandelion Records to Polydor as Hope-Evans returned for the album One & One Is One, recorded with various session musicians. The title track became the band's biggest hit, reaching no.3 in the UK in 1973, and they followed it up with Rising Sun (no. 11). For the next album Thru' A Five, the duo were augmented on a regular basis by Rob Townsend of Family on drums, Roger Saunders on guitar, and George Ford on bass. The album featured the Slim Harpo-influenced song Slip and Slide which became the band's final hit, reaching no.22 in the UK in 1974. Despite consistent touring, often as a supporting act, Medicine Head failed to place an album on the UK Albums Chart. For their final album Two Man Band, recorded at Pete Townshend's Eel Pie Studios, they reverted to being a duo.

Medicine Head finally folded in 1977. In 2005, Angel Air released the album Don't Stop The Dance, a 'lost' album, compiling some singles from an unsuccessful period with WWA Records and some unreleased sessions of the band as a five piece. John Fiddler released solo albums after the breakup of the band but revived the Medicine Head name for Fiddlersophical in 2011. In 2020 Cherry Red released a 50th Anniversary edition of the New Bottles Old Medicine debut with a second disc of singles, sessions & live material spanning the 1970-1975 period.

Michael Carabello grew up playing the congas on the streets of San Francisco. If Michael hadn’t convinced his rather shy high school friend, Carlos Santana, to merge his blues-influenced guitar with conga drums, there wouldn’t be the Santana sound that remains internationally recognized today for its percussion and guitar work. Michael was able to perceive and initiate the use of intricate Latin rhythms and percussion into a blues-based rock and roll band. After playing gigs around the city, Santana was suddenly thrust into the limelight by promoter Bill Graham, who insisted that he would only be involved in Woodstock if Santana played. Santana's show was one of the highlights of the concert and made the band world renowned. Michael has set the standard for all conga players in rock and roll, world music, and dance music. He set the benchmark that is still firmly in place today. As a result, Michael is the first and only Latin percussionist and conga drummer inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with Santana. After playing on Santana’s first three albums, Michael has gone on to play and record with such influencial musicians as The Rolling Stones, Ronnie Spector, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Eric Clapton, Joe Satriani, Neal Schon, Stevie Wonder, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs, Al Jarreau, Gabor Szabo, Chick Correa, Herbie Hancock, Nicky Hopkins, Booker T, Steve Miller, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, Elvin Bishop, Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller, Alphonso Johnson, Nathan East, Noel Redding, Bernie Worrell, Dennis Chambers, Buddy Miles, Simon Kirk, Harvey Mason, Cindy Blackman, Harold Jones, Narada Michael Walden, Steve Smith, Zakir Hussein, Baba Olatunji, Tito Puente, Patato Valdez, Victor Pantoja, Willie Bobo, Vince Guaraldi, Sly Stone, George Benson, and many others, as well as numerous film scores. His artistry, influence and versitility have helped turn 15 albums and CD’s to platinum and 15 to gold. In 2016, the original Santana line-up was re-grouped and released the CD Santana IV, which became a top ten album on the Billboard 200. In 2018 Michael released his album The Primitive Medicine Sessions. Michael is now mentoring young artists, both children and adults, at his pre-production recording studio, KingShy Studios, with his bass player and musical director Roger Kimball.

Michael Carabello grew up playing the congas on the streets of San Francisco. If Michael hadn’t convinced his rather shy high school friend, Carlos Santana, to merge his blues-influenced guitar with conga drums, there wouldn’t be the Santana sound that remains internationally recognized today for its percussion and guitar work.



Michael was able to perceive and initiate the use of intricate Latin rhythms and percussion into a blues-based rock and roll band. After playing gigs around the city, Santana was suddenly thrust into the limelight by promoter Bill Graham, who insisted that he would only be involved in Woodstock if Santana played. Santana's show was one of the highlights of the concert and made the band world renowned.



Michael has set the standard for all conga players in rock and roll, world music, and dance music. He set the benchmark that is still firmly in place today. As a result, Michael is the first and only Latin percussionist and conga drummer inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with Santana.



After playing on Santana’s first three albums, Michael has gone on to play and record with such influencial musicians as The Rolling Stones, Ronnie Spector, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Eric Clapton, Joe Satriani, Neal Schon, Stevie Wonder, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs, Al Jarreau, Gabor Szabo, Chick Correa, Herbie Hancock, Nicky Hopkins, Booker T, Steve Miller, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, Elvin Bishop, Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller, Alphonso Johnson, Nathan East, Noel Redding, Bernie Worrell, Dennis Chambers, Buddy Miles, Simon Kirk, Harvey Mason, Cindy Blackman, Harold Jones, Narada Michael Walden, Steve Smith, Zakir Hussein, Baba Olatunji, Tito Puente, Patato Valdez, Victor Pantoja, Willie Bobo, Vince Guaraldi, Sly Stone, George Benson, and many others, as well as numerous film scores. His artistry, influence and versitility have helped turn 15 albums and CD’s to platinum and 15 to gold.



In 2016, the original Santana line-up was re-grouped and released the CD Santana IV, which became a top ten album on the Billboard 200. In 2018 Michael released his album The Primitive Medicine Sessions. Michael is now mentoring young artists, both children and adults, at his pre-production recording studio, KingShy Studios, with his bass player and musical director Roger Kimball.

Living in Paris for 30 years as an expatriate New Yorker, veteran rocker and author Elliott Murphy’s career in music and literature is more active than ever. He has released over 35 albums, still performs shows all over Europe as well as the U.S. and Japan and is a prolific author of fiction. Four decades have passed since the release of Elliott’s classic first album Aquashow (1973) and fans continue to fill his shows while critics praise his albums. In 2016 a bio-pic of his career The Second Act Of Elliott Murphy featuring interviews with Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen was released all over Europe and won the Audience award at the Dock of the Bay Film Festival in Spain. Born to a show business family, Elliott began his music career with a troubadour like odyssey in Europe in 1971 including a bit part in Federico Fellini’s film Roma. Returning to the US he quickly secured a recording contract and following the success of his first album Aquashow came Lost Generation (Produced by Doors producer Paul Rothschild), Night Lights (featuring Billy Joel), Just A Story From America (featuring Phil Collins and Mick Taylor), and Selling The Gold (featuring Bruce Springsteen) all the way to his most current releases Prodigal Son (2017), Elliott Murphy Is Alive! (2018) and Ricochet (2019), all produced and mixed by his son Gaspard Murphy.