Mark And David Knopfler Reportedly Won’t Attend Dire Straits’ Rock Hall Induction
The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony takes place this weekend, and it looks like neither of Dire Straits’ Knopfler brothers will be in attendance. Both Mark and David Knopfler have individually expressed that they probably won’t be there — David in a Facebook comment saying that the organization wouldn’t pay for his visa or travel arrangements from the UK, and Mark in an interview with radio station WNCX last week. Mark did say that he would like Bob Dylan or Eric Clapton to induct the band, but as of this time no presenters for Dire Straits have been announced. (The rest of the presenters were announced last month.)
As Vulture points out, it looks like that, among the six Dire Straits members being officially inducted, only Alan Clark, John Illsley, and Guy Fletcher will attend. That does not a reunion make! Typically, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame hosts some pretty stellar reunions, but Dire Straits do not appear to be one of them.
In a Q&A former DS keyboardist Fletcher said that a “video presentation” will take the place of a traditional performance. For inductees whose members are deceased or can’t reunite for whatever reason, typically a selection of contemporary artists perform the band’s songs in their place. It doesn’t seem as though Dire Straits will be receiving this honor, or at least it hasn’t been announced yet.
The ceremony takes place in Cleveland on Saturday, 4/13.