Dear everyone,

Yes, we're back! Looks like quite a lot is happening in the next year, so we are re-starting the Information Service again, and you will be receiving quarterly newsletters. Of course, you will have to pay some subscription moneys first, and at the back of this newsletter you will find a page telling you how to pay, and a subscription form which you should send in with your payment. This current newsletter is free, so your payment will cover the NEXT four letters. I should tell you now that most of the news I'll be sending out over the next 12 months will be related to Mark. He is due to finish recording and mixing his solo album at the end of this year, and will then do some press and promotion during the first three months of next year. The album is due out on (or about) March 1st, probably preceded by a single, April has been set aside for tour rehearsals, and we have tour dates booked for May to October of 1995.

MARK KNOPFLER - SOLO ALBUM/TOUR

At this stage I've only heard roughs of some of the songs, which Mark played to us on a rather crappy portable cassette player, and which were without any lead guitar and without any vocals, so obviously it was a bit difficult to determine the end result! Some of it sounded a little like early Straits-type stuff, there were a couple of fairly heavy rock tracks. and some Irish and Nashville influenced songs. Since I've been on holiday, I haven't heard how it's coming along, but hopefully I'll get a chance to hear some more and I'll give you the low-down in the next newsletter. We are not now filming a TV Special to coincide with the album's release, because the TV companies need incredibly long lead-times in order to "book a slot" and we just couldn't fit it in along with the recording, mixing, promotion, etc. that Mark is doing.

As yet, the touring band doesn't have a name. In fact, it doesn't even have any confirmed band members so far, but all this will obviously come together within the next couple of months. We are not intending for this to be a massive production with millions of lights and so on, it will be far more 'basic'. Just two planks resting on beer crates for the stage and a couple of 60 watt lightbulbs (only joking)...

PROPOSED TOUR

At present, we have dates booked in the UK/Eire, Europe, the USA and Canada. We do have venues on hold in most places, but I can't tell you at this stage where they are, you will have to be patient until everything is confirmed. Obviously I haven't yet got as far as tickets/prices etc., but all those details will be in future newsletters, ...

MERCHANDISE

I get lots of letters from people wanting t-shirts etc., and we don't have anything here at all at the moment. This is just to let you know that we WILL be doing merchandise to coincide with Mark's tour, but this won't be available till next year. We want to try and tie the designs in with the album artwork etc., which we haven't done yet! We'll be selling stuff at the gigs, and it will also be available via mail order. We may well be doing items exclusively available to DSIS members too.

ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOON GUARDS

Mark did indeed go to The Usher Hall in May, and performed with the Dragoon Guards' pipes and military band as mentioned in the last newsletter (hope those of you who went enjoyed it). However, as far as the release of a single is concerned, we haven't heard anything from them, so we can only assume that the idea has been shelved...

GUY FLETCHER/CHRIS WHITE/DANNY CUMMINGS

Briefly, here's a round up on what Guy, Chris and Danny are doing: Guy was rehearsing with Roger Daltrey for his forthcoming tour, but the tour got put back and put back and put back, and eventually coincided with the rehearsals that Guy was going to do with Bryan Ferry. He has therefore decided to undertake the Bryan Ferry rehearsals instead and will be on Bryan's forthcoming tour, so go along and wave at him! According to Guy, there are dates in the UK, Europe, Australia and Japan, but he didn't know when they were! Chris White has had a really bad year. He's nearly better now after his motorbike accident (it's been a very long and slow process), and is currently in the process of trying to get compensation (as he may well have gone on the Pink Floyd tour had he not been injured). The driver of the car was uninsured, had already got several convictions, and now has a warrant out for his arrest since he never turned up at court. Danny got married a few weeks ago to his long-time girlfriend Shelley, and has been doing 'a few bits and pieces' on Mark's album. Haven't heard from any of the others since I got back from my hols.

CALENDARS

Once again, the Culture Shock calendar company have a Dire Straits calendar in their annual range. The 1995 calendar will be available from this office via mail order, although don't forget, these are unofficial products (i.e. they have not been first approved by us so I don't know what the pictures are like). ...

DIRE STRAITS MEMORABILIA AUCTION

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DRAWING COMPETITION - WINNERS DRAWING

The winning drawing from last winter's competition - by Doug Forrest - is featured on the next page (hopefully it will have come out OK when copied). I think you will all agree that it is really excellent!!! Drawings by runners-up will feature in next newsletters.

TRIVIA

In previous newsletters we have sometimes included amusing newspaper cuttings, or extracts from some of the weird and wonderful letters we receive here, and lots of you have written in asking for more of the same. If you see anything related to MK or DS which fits this category, send it in! In the meantime, here's a letter we received a short while ago. Obviously written in the spirit of 'well, if you don't ask, you don't get...'!

...and another which obviously sums up this person's impression of the NHB's...

YOUR LETTERS TO ME

If you write to me about something which need a personal response, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE remember to put your full name and address on your letter. I often get letters just signed with a first name and with only a postmark to go on to give me a clue, so I often can't work out who they're from! Incidentally, several of you have written in asking if I can supply you with names and addresses of other fans (presumably for penpal purposes). Just so you know, I never supply this information. If you want a penpal, you must advertise in the "'Penpals"' section and wait for other fans to contact you. It is not fair to fans who don't want to receive letters if I give their details out to others.

Lots of you asked how I was getting on doing my two jobs. Well, no sooner had I started the second job, Mark decided he WAS going to tour after the release of his album. It therefore suddenly got a lot busier here, so I have now given up the other job, and I'm back to four days a week here (Monday to Thursday). imagine it will soon get so busy that I will end up here five days a week again (obviously destined to be here till the day I die!). And in response to those who asked, yes, I had a great holiday - started in Detroit, went all round the Great Lakes area. then to Toronto and the Niagara Falls. Weather was dreadful, but I did manage to see some good shows (Elton John/Billy Joel, The Stones, and Aretha Franklin).

Oh yes, and a big thanks from MK to everyone who sent birthday cards and presents.

That's all for now,

PS. No competition in this newsletter (can't cope with anything else at the moment!) but will try and do one in next issue...