Interview John Illsley , Streets of Heaven

Interview John Illsley new album 2010: Streets Of Heaven

John Illsley Streets Of Heaven Release May 2010 Tracklist : Toe The Line / Tell Me / Streets Of Heaven / Young Girl / Only Time Will Tell / Banks Of The River / That’s No Way To Say Goodbye / I Thought I Saw It Coming / Is It Real / Big Top / Foreign Land

Biography taken from John's Website :

JOHN ILLSLEY is well known as a bass player. After all he was an original member of the international mega-successful Dire Straits (120 million albums and counting) and played with them till they disbanded in 1995. A musical hiatus followed, while John focused on his family and his second love, painting. But a chance recording of a rare live show in France turned into a CD release (Live In Les Baux De Provence), and the passion for music was re-ignited. 2008’s “Beautiful You” saw John teaming up with Irish musician Greg Pearle to deliver 11 expressive and melodic tracks. Released in 2008 on Creek Records, John’s first venture into the studio in over 10 years met with huge acclaim. Indeed the reaction was so good that his web site www.johnillsley.com had to put up another server just to cope with the incredible volume of download traffic. As a painter, John has had five solo exhibitions to date culminating with the recent “Guitar Solos/French Lessons at the Chelsea Gallery. The exhibition comprised a substantial body of paintings focusing on his two great loves, the guitar and the French countryside. Being a member of one of the worlds biggest ever groups allowed him to travel the globe and visit many major art galleries. His self-styled retirement gave him the opportunity and time to hone in on his art. But John’s love of music comes through not just his brushwork but also, once again, through playing and performing music itself. Following a Radio 2 Bob Harris session and a sold out Bush Hall gig in 2008, John returned to London to promote “Beautiful You” via a sold out 100 Club gig. In September 2009, he re-released two solo albums, which were, recorded when he somehow managed to find the time during the 1980’s heyday of Dire Straits. Glass and Never Told A Soul, consisting of all original Illsley compositions, feature some eminent guest performers. Long time friend and Dire Straits’ co-founder Mark Knopfler played guitar on much of both records, as likewise did Jerry Donahue. Both Guy Fletcher and Alan Clark lent their hands to the keyboard parts and Chris White guested on sax. The albums sold in their hundreds of thousands across the world but in recent years had been unavailable, apart from changing hands for ridiculously large sums online. John has many strings to his bow. On leaving Dire Straits besides venturing into his second career as a painter, he co-founded the UK leg of Life Education with Prince Charles, recently amalgamated with the UK’s oldest charity, Coram, which continues to keep him busy today. And now with his appetite for performing and recording now seriously whetted, a yet another musical career is being carved out. Material for the next album is currently being worked on and further dates are planned for the near future. It is safe to say that John Illsley is back where he belongs – firmly in the realm of music.

Q. John , can you tell us where you come from ?
A : I come from Leicester.

Q. How did you become interested in music ?
A : When I first heard Chuck Berry and Elvis , 1960/61.

Q. Was it immediately the guitar that you were interested for and do you play other instruments beside the guitar ?
A : Yes , but then I got interested in the bass and it felt good. I play a little piano also.

Q. Did you ever take lessons for the guitar or are you a selfmade man?
A : Just listened to what other players were doing , if I liked it I tried to learn it.

Q. Was it OK for your parents that you would be a musician or was that difficult for them , they are from a totally different world? Do you have other musicians in the family?
A : They were not against it ,but could see no future in it ,then off course things changed !!

Q. Is one of your children a musician?
A : All 4 have some musical tendencies.

Q. We all know the story how you met MK , but how did you meet David Knopfler?
A : I met David first and he became my flat mate ,then I met MK.

Q. There is a picture from one of the first concerts from Dire Straits , I always wondered if that are real people in front or are that dummies ?
A : They were 2 small children who wanted to get close .

Dire Straits

Q. As we all know Dire Straits was a huge success , can you share with us one or more moments from total histery or "Spinal Tap" moments?
A : The night in the early days when we had an audience of 3 and there was a fight ,and we didn’t get paid ,the cheque bounced.

Q. How did you decide to do no more music anymore?
A : I needed to have a break ,the last tour was big in so many ways ,and I wanted to explore my love of painting .

Q. You became a painter , was that always a point of interest?
A : I have painted from an early age then music took me away it was good to return.

Q. What made you decide to make music again?
A : I really missed the playing with other people ,some gigs with Greg Pearle and other Irish musicians got my juices flowing again.

Q. How did you team up with Greg Pearle ?
A : Met him doing a gig in the country side in England.




Q. With "Streets Of Heaven" you have a new solo record , why solo now?
A : I have been jotting down ideas for a while and gradually the cd took shape and it felt good.

Q. You also play lead guitar now besides bass guitar , did you always played lead guitar also?
A : I have always fiddled around on lead guitar ,I have spent more time trying to get better.

Q.What can you tell about "Street Of Heaven" , are the songs connected with each other and what's the story behind the songs? (You can read the press release here .)
A : Each song has its own journey but there is a link , some make more sense than others.

Q . A traditional question , how does the songwriting develop for you , first lyrics , first melody ,a mix of both?
A . No rules just keep a tape recorder handy.

Q: Where do you find ideas for the songs ? Do you have an idea for a song at the beginning or is a song growing whilst jamming?
A : They just appear but you have to be ready when they do.

Q. You did record the new album with Guy Fletcher at his A-Bay studio and also at MK's British Grove , nice experiences I suppose?
A : Working with Guy always a pleasure ,both studios are great but for different reasons.



Q. Mark Knopfler plays on two tracks , which tracks are that and why these particular tracks?
A : Mark plays acoustic on “Only Time Will Tell “ and electric on “Streets of Heaven” , they just seem to work at the time.
Q. I believe Polly Wood and Chris White also worked on the album , what was their contribution?
A : Polly is a singer that Chris manages ,very talented singer/writer she does some beautiful backing vocals ,Chris plays flute and Sax .

Q. Will there be a tour for this album and if so where will it bring you to ?
A : Just sorting some dates out now.

Q. Are you nervous before a show or totally relaxed after all these years?
A : Always apprehensive especially now I am singing.

Q. Who will play with you on tour?
A : I have my Irish rhythm section and a new keyboard player Steve Fletcher and others will join in on different shows.

Q. What are the most pleasant things and the most boring things about touring for you?
A : Being away for long periods is tough but the compensations are enormous.

Q. Which guitars do you have from your own at this point and which one is your favorite?
A : A few old fender basses some strats a nic e 335 gibson,a les paul ………

Q. In 2009 you re-released "Glas" and "Never Told A soul" , these are older records from you ,what was the reason to do that?
A : I wanted to have all my cd’s available so I got them back from the record co.



Q. The cover of "Never Told A Soul" is very similar to Dire Straits's "Walk Of Life" , how did that happen?
A : “Never told a soul” came first “Walk Of Life’ has elements of the busker idea in it !!

Q. Is "Streets Of Heaven" also from your own company "Creek Records"?
A : Yes.

Q. Illegal downloading from the internet is a big problem for the music industry. Do you think it affects your sales numbers and what is your opinion about it?
A : It affects everyone who makes music ,they will sort it out in time ,I expect people to be honest nothing else is free in this world unless some one decides it is.

Q: Now you're back in music , are you still painting?
A : Yes but not so much ,time is a problem.

Q. Did you ever consider to write film scores?
A : Love too.

Q. If you could do a wish , with who would you make a record?
A : JJ Cale.

Q. Are there other projects coming your way at this point?
A : Some charity music show for The Warrior program.

Q. Which dream do you still have to make come true after all these years?
A : Good health.

Q. Which career would you have, if you not were not a professional musician?
A : Painter.

Q. What do you like to do the most in your free time?
A : Play the guitar.

John , I would like to thank you very much for this interview and I wish you all the best with your new album “Streets Of Heaven”. It is a pleasure and an honour to talk to you , Henk


At this point you can listen to the title track "Streets Of Heaven" on the latest news page from MKNews .
You can find some picture's from the recording sessions at a Guy Fletcher diary .


Published March 2010

Approved by John Illsley

You can order “Streets Of Heaven” (2010) at Townsend Records here and you can listen to some snippets here .
You can order “Beautiful You” (2008) at Amazon here
. You can order “Live in Les Baux de Provence” (2007) at Amazon here .