Making Movies is the third studio album by the British rock band Dire Straits released on 17 October 1980 by Vertigo Records internationally, Warner Bros. Records in the United States and Mercury Records in Canada. The album produced the single “Romeo and Juliet“, which reached #8 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached #1 on album charts in Italy and Norway, #19 in the United States and #4 in the United Kingdom. Making Movies was later certified platinum in the United States and double-platinum in the United Kingdom.
Background
After the Communiqué Tour ended on 21 December 1979 in London, Mark Knopfler spent the first half of 1980 writing the songs for Dire Straits’ next album. He contacted Jimmy Iovine after hearing Iovine’s production on the song “Because the Night” by Patti Smith—a song she had co-written with Bruce Springsteen. Iovine, who had also worked on Springsteen’s Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town albums, was instrumental in recruiting E Street Band keyboardist Roy Bittan for the Making Movies sessions.[1]
Making Movies was recorded at the Power Station in New York from 20 June to 25 August 1980. Jimmy Iovine and Mark Knopfler produced the album.
David Knopfler left Dire Straits in August 1980 during the recording of the album. His guitar tracks were almost complete for the album, but were re-recorded by his brother. David appears on video playing “Solid Rock” and “Les Boys” live in concert, but these performances preceded the recording.
Four outtakes were recorded but not released on the album: “Making Movies”, “Suicide Towers”, “Twisting by the Pool”, and “Sucker for Punishment”. “Making Movies” and “Suicide Towers” appear on bootlegs. “Twisting by the Pool” was released on the ExtendedancEPlay EP on 10 January 1983. The title of the album is taken from a line in the song “Skateaway” and from the outtake “Making Movies”.
Comments