David Knopfler

“For me, the idea of a band is a group of people who are making music together, and they're all contributing something.”

“I left because I wanted to make my own music, on my own terms.”

“Being in a band like Dire Straits was like being in a pressure cooker.”

“I don't really have any regrets about leaving Dire Straits. It was the right thing for me to do.”

“Art is long, and life is short, and success is very far off.”

“I'm not interested in being a rock star. I'm interested in being a musician.”

“Success for me is being able to make the records I want to make and to have a life.”

“My songs are my kids. I love them all.”

“You have to have a certain amount of arrogance to be a songwriter.”

“I think Mark felt that the band was his. I didn't necessarily agree.”

“There's a lot of things that are more important than being in a successful rock and roll band.”