Podcast: Desert Island Discs (LS 75 · TOP 0.01% what is this?)
Episode: Mark Knopfler, musician
Pub date: 2024-08-31

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Mark Knopfler OBE is one of the UK’s most successful rock musicians and composers. He co-founded the band Dire Straits and their album Brothers in Arms is one of the bestselling albums of all time with 30 million copies sold. Alongside the many successes of Dire Straits, Mark has also composed hit songs for other artists like Private Dancer for Tina Turner and many soundtracks including Local Hero which features the perennial favourite Going Home.

He first worked as a journalist on the Yorkshire Evening Post and was briefly an English lecturer in Essex before moving to a flat in Deptford with his brother and John Illsey. Dire Straits was born and became one of the UK’s most successful bands before Mark called time in 1995 and pursued his own solo career.

In recent years, Mark invested some of his money to build one of the UK’s best recording studios to record his own music in alongside being a destination for other artists.

He lives in London with his wife and still visits his studio most days to make music.

DISC ONE: Ol’ Man River - Ray Charles

DISC TWO: Red Sails in the Sunset – Dean Martin

DISC THREE: Wonderful Land - The Shadows

DISC FOUR: Write Me a Few Lines - Mississippi Fred MacDowell

DISC FIVE: Duquesne Whistle - Bob Dylan

DISC SIX: Deborah’s Theme - Ennio Morricone

DISC SEVEN: Cleaning Windows - Van Morrison

DISC EIGHT: Jessye ’Lisabeth - Bobbie Gentry

BOOK CHOICE: The Blue Flower by Penelope Fitzgerald

LUXURY ITEM: A guitar

CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Duquesne Whistle - Bob Dylan

Presenter Lauren Laverne

Producer Sarah Taylor

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