The First Strains Begin to Show
Dire Strait’s second album, Communiqué, came in 1979 and provided the world with the modest hit Lady Writer. It got stuck just outside the Top 40 in both the UK and US. Then, their third album, Making Movies, came out in 1980. This one involved much more complex arrangements and production, with many of Mark’s personal compositions (Romeo and Juliet and Tunnel of Love).
Pick Withers – Dire Straits. Photo By Fraser Gray/Shutterstock
The recording sessions during the making of this album took a toll on the brothers, and the strain began to show. Tensions in the band were brewing, too, which only intensified by being constantly on the road or in the studio. In the end, the brothers’ relationship bore the brunt of it.