MORE EARLY DEMOS
 
Artist Dire Straits
Venue Pathway Studios, Islington (London), UK
Date 24th July 1977
Source Soundboard
Format 1CD-R
Tracks
  1. Wild west end
  2. Sultans of swing
  3. Down to the waterline
  4. Water of love
  5. Southbound again
  6. In the gallery
  7. Six blade knife
  8. Setting me up
  9. Eastbound train
  10. Real girl
  11. Sultans of swing (Honky Tonk)
Additional comments

Demos for Dire Straits' first album. Information from the official Mark Knopfler site: "On the 27th of July 1977, Dire Straits recorded the now famous demo tapes of five songs: Wild west end, Sultans of swing, Down to the waterline, Sacred loving  (written by David Knopfler, never released afterwards) and Water of love. In what was probably October 1977, they recorded Southbound again, In the gallery and Six blade knife for BBC Radio London. Finally, on the 9th of November 1977, demo tapes were made of Setting me up, Eastbound train and Real girl. Many of these songs reflected Mark's experiences in Newcastle, Leeds and London, and were to be featured on the first Dire Straits album the following year." Tracks 1-9 are taken from the original bootleg "Early Demos" and speed corrected. Very rare recording and a version of Setting me up that is really different from the version that was later released on the first album. Track 11 is taken from the Honky Tonk show, broadcasted on 31st July 1977 and presented by Charlie Gillett who played Sultans of swing from this demo tape on his show. It's the same as track 2 but in great sound quality. It is however, a different version compared to the official album version! Click here for a picture of the original tape received by Charlie Gillett, taken from the forum of his own site. It also lists the exact recording date which is 24th July 1977 instead of 27th July 1977 as other sources used to say.

Front & back cover LP
The Honky Tonk demos

    
 
Detail of Dire Straits part
on the back cover