From Record Deal to Record Deal
At first, the group was rejected by MCA records. So, they took their demo tapes to BBC Radio London DJ Charlie Gillett. He had a radio show called Honky Tonk. Their intentions were to get advice, but once Gillett heard their music, he liked it so much that he played Sultans of Swing on the show. Two months later, Dire Straits signed a record deal with Vertigo records.
Dire Straits. Photo By Richard Young/Shutterstock
Their first album, also called Dire Straits, was recorded at Basing Street Studios in the infamous area of Notting Hill, London, in February 1978. That same year, they began touring as the opening band for Talking Heads. After Sultans of Swing finally started to hit the charts, they hit the money when they made it over to the United States.