Despite Dire Straits being notified of their election to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this week, former member David Knopfler didn't find out until Wednesda, and it wasn't from his older brother and former bandmate, Mark Knopfler.
We broke the news to David, who left the band in 1980 due to creative differences with Mark. He spoke to us from his home in Southwest England and said there's still an "estrangement...to some extent" from Mark. "Things definitely cooled off after I left the band. There's weddings and funerals now, you know. It's not the kind of intimacy that we had."
Told about Mark telling us Tuesday he is reluctant to perform with the original line-up during the ceremony in April, David said he understands, but added that he is certainly up for playing:
"I think there should be a reunion and I think probably Mark's -- understandably enough -- in the school of think it'd be like feeding the gulls. You know, that the more you do the more it will want. Nobody should have their arms twisted to do nostalgia. Mark's not someone that you're going to be able to herd through a gate, you know. Mark will do what Mark wants to do and he'll figure out his own way of doing it. And then commands will be issued and he's earned that right to do that. So, it is up to him what he wants to do."
Asked if he'll reach out Mark, David said their managers will do the talking.
In addition to David and Mark, the Hall is also inducting drummer Pick Withers, keyboard players Alan Clark and Guy Fletcher, and bassist John Illsley, who was by Mark's side for the band's entire run.
John tells Billboard that he spoke to Mark about the honor, and John echoes what David told us, saying, "It's essentially up to him if he wants to do anything, and I completely respect his feelings about it. He doesn't want too much white light... [But I will] definitely talk Mark into coming as well."
The ceremony takes place on April 14th at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland.