Editing Dire Straits (section)

===1987–1990: First break-up===
After the ''Brothers in Arms'' tour ended, Mark Knopfler took a break from Dire Straits, and, during 1987, he concentrated on solo projects and film soundtracks. Dire Straits regrouped in 1988 for the [[Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute]] concert, staged on 11 June 1988 at Wembley Stadium, in which they were the headline act. Guitarist Jack Sonni was unable to play the show as it coincided with the birth of his twin daughters, so [[Eric Clapton]] played rhythm guitar with the band, and during the set performed his hit "[[Wonderful Tonight]]" with them.<ref name=knopfler>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mark-knopfler-news.co.uk/biogs/mark.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040210131315/http://www.mark-knopfler-news.co.uk/biogs/mark.html|url-status=dead|title=Mark Knopfler – Authorized Biography|archivedate=10 February 2004|accessdate=3 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZW4Wk_h-5M&ab_channel=AMARKINTIMECONCERTS|title=Dire Straits & EC - Mandela Benefit Concert 1988|website=[[YouTube]] |date=26 March 2013 }}</ref> Sonni and Terry Williams both officially left the band shortly afterwards.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Whitburn |first1= Joel |title=Joel Whitburn's Rock Tracks: Mainstream Rock 1981-2002: Modern Rock, 1988-2002: Bonus Section! Classic Rock Tracks, 1964–1980 |date=2002 |publisher=Record Research |page=48}}</ref>

[[File:Dire Straits' Guitar @ blues bar, Chicago.jpg|thumb|upright|A 1989 signed Knopfler guitar at the Blues bar in Chicago]]
Mark Knopfler announced the dissolution of Dire Straits in September 1988. He told Rob Tannenbaum in ''[[Rolling Stone]]'': "A lot of press reports were saying we were the biggest band in the world. There's not an accent then on the music, there's an accent on popularity. I needed a rest."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.enotes.com/contemporary-musicians/dire-straits-biography |title=Dire Straits Biography: Contemporary Musicians |publisher=Enotes.com |access-date=17 April 2011}}</ref> The tremendous success of the ''Brothers in Arms'' album and the tour that went with it left the band members under a significant amount of stress, and Knopfler announced that he wanted to work on more personal projects. A best of / greatest hits compilation, ''[[Money for Nothing (album)|Money for Nothing]]'', was released in October 1988 and reached number one in the UK.<ref name=CHRT/> The group's first hit single "[[Sultans of Swing]]" was re-released as a single in the UK to promote the album.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/16752/dire-straits/ |title=Dire Straits &#124; full Official Chart History |website=[[Official Charts Company|Official Charts]]}}</ref> Also in 1988, John Illsley released his second solo album, ''Glass'', which featured Mark Knopfler, Alan Clark, Guy Fletcher and Chris White.<ref>{{cite web |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |title= Glass |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/glass-mw0000195686 |work= All Music |access-date=16 December 2017}}</ref> During this period, Alan Clark joined Eric Clapton's band for three years, during which time Knopfler also briefly joined.

In May 1989, Dire Straits reunited for a one off charity concert at the Mayfair Ballroom in Newcastle in honour of 11-year-old Joanne Gillespie – the National Children of Courage and North East Personality award winner who published the 1989 book Brave Heart about her fight against cancer. The concert raised more than £35,000. This was the last ever appearance by Terry Williams as the band’s drummer, and [[Brendan Croker]] played rhythm guitar in place of Jack Sonni.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.amarkintime.org/forum/index.php?topic=3644.0|title=AMIT :: About EGHAM concert in 1989|website=www.amarkintime.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.direstraits.com/timeline |title=Timeline |website=direstraits.com |access-date=4 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oneverybootleg.nl/tourdates_1983_1990.htm|title=Tour dates|website=www.oneverybootleg.nl}}</ref> Also in 1989 over a meal at a Notting Hill wine bar,<ref name=knopfler/> Knopfler formed [[the Notting Hillbillies]], a country band featuring Guy Fletcher, Brendan Croker, and [[Steve Phillips (musician)|Steve Phillips]], and their manager, Ed Bicknell on drums. The Notting Hillbillies' one album, ''[[Missing...Presumed Having a Good Time]]'', with its single "Your Own Sweet Way", was released in March 1990. The Notting Hillbillies toured for the remainder of the year and appeared on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. Knopfler further emphasised his country music influences on his 1990 collaboration with the guitarist [[Chet Atkins]], ''[[Neck and Neck]]''.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Neck and Neck |others=Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler |year=1990 |pages=1–3 |type=booklet |publisher=Columbia Records |id=CK 45307 |location=New York}}</ref>

In 1990, Dire Straits (Knopfler, Illsley, Clark and Fletcher), performed alongside Eric Clapton and his band at the [[Knebworth Festival]], playing "Solid Rock", "Money for Nothing" and "I Think I Love You Too Much". Knopfler explained that the latter was an experimental song and was unsure if they should record it on a following record.<ref>[https://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/dlPjxz4LGak/search/Dire%20Straits Dire Straits – Money For Nothing (From "Live At Knebworth" DVD) video] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110215803/http://www.nme.com/nme-video/youtube/id/dlPjxz4LGak/search/Dire%20Straits |date=10 November 2013}} NME. Retrieved 26 December 2011</ref> The song, a [[blues rock]] track with solos by Knopfler and Clapton, also appeared on the 1990 album ''[[Hell to Pay (The Jeff Healey Band album)|Hell To Pay]]'' as a gift<ref>Healey, Jeff (2005). ''The Jeff Healey Band Live at Montreux 1999'' [CD booklet], paragraph 5. Eagle Records.</ref> to Canadian blues/jazz artist [[Jeff Healey]] from Knopfler. This was prior to the time that Knopfler, Illsley and manager Ed Bicknell decided to reform the band the following year.<ref name=REUN>Tobler, John. (1991) ''Who's Who in Rock & Roll'', p. 1988. Crescent Books.</ref>