The Dire Straits founder plans a new album and new UK dates. And has an expanded lineup for the shows…

Released on Friday 16th November 2018 on Mark’s own British Grove imprint via Universal/Virgin EMI, the follow-up to 2015’s ‘Tracker’ features 14 songs recorded at his West London studio, also dubbed British Grove.

Co-produced by Mark and keyboardist Guy Fletcher, 13 tracks on the record are penned solely by Mark except ‘Just A Boy Away From Home’, which features the melody of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’; the anthem of Mark’s beloved football club Liverpool FC.

“’Down The Road Wherever’ is a line from ‘One Song At A Time,’” says Mark. “I remember my pal Chet Atkins once saying that he picked his way out of poverty one song at a time, and it just stuck in my mind. You get to an age where you’ve written quite a few songs.

“But Down The Road Wherever seems to be appropriate for me, just because it’s what I’ve always done. I’ve always tried to make a record and also to keep my own geography happening in the songs.”

Reflecting more on the album title, Mark adds: “I think the business of making a record, from having written a song and then bringing it to musicians, it can be quite a bendy route.

“It’s not just motorways all the way…and you can end up in the occasional cul-de-sac, then you have to do a 16-point turn to try to get your truck back out on the main road, as unobtrusively as you can. That’s part of the fun of it.”

Down The Road Wherever’ will be released on digital download, CD, double vinyl (with one bonus track), deluxe CD with two bonus tracks, and as a box set including the album on both vinyl and deluxe CD.

The box set will also contain a 12” vinyl EP with four bonus tracks, a download code for all tracks, a 12” print of the artwork and a 12” guitar tablature of a selected song.

Fans who pre-order the record will receive the song ‘Good On You Son’ as an instant free download.

Alongside Mark and Guy Fletcher, other performers on the record include Imelda May (vocals) Jim Cox (keyboards) Nigel Hitchcock (saxophone) Tom Walsh (trumpet)  John McCusker (fiddle), Mike McGoldrick (whistle and flute), Glenn Worf (bass), Ian ‘Ianto’ Thomas (drums) and Danny Cummings (percussion).

The ‘Down The Road Wherever’ track-listing is as follows:

Standard CD:

1. Trapper Man
2. Back On The Dance Floor
3. Nobody’s Child
4. Just A Boy Away From Home
5. When You Leave
6. Good On You Son
7. My Bacon Roll
8. Nobody Does That
9. Drovers’ Road
10. One Song At A Time
11. Floating Away
12. Slow Learner
13. Heavy Up
14. Matchstick Man

Deluxe (Standard album plus 2 bonus tracks):

1. Trapper Man
2. Back On The Dance Floor
3. Nobody’s Child
4. Just A Boy Away From Home
5. When You Leave
6. Good On You Son
7. My Bacon Roll
8. Nobody Does That
9. Drovers’ Road
10. One Song At A Time
11. Floating Away
12. Slow Learner
13. Heavy Up
14. Rear View Mirror
15. Every Heart In The Room
16. Matchstick Man

Double Vinyl (2 x heavyweight vinyl in a gatefold sleeve):

Side A
1. Trapper Man
2. Back On The Dance Floor
3. Nobody’s Child

Side B
1. Nobody Does That
2. Good On You Son
3. Floating Away

Side C
1. One Song At A Time
2. Heavy Up
3. Slow Learner

Side D
1. Just A Boy Away From Home
2. My Bacon Roll
3. When You Leave
4. Matchstick Man

BOX SET:

Double Vinyl + Deluxe CD – tracklistings as above

Additional 12” vinyl EP

Side A
1. Drovers’ Road
2. Don’t Suck Me In

Side B
1. Sky And Water
2. Pale Imitation

In addition, Knopfler has announced a six-date UK arena tour for May 2019 to support the release. Beginning on Saturday 18th May 2019 at First Direct Arena, Leeds, United Kingdom the tour will then visit Newcastle, Glasgow, London and Manchester before concluding on Thursday 30th May 2019 at Birmingham Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

A full list of dates, venues and ticket links can be found below.

Mark says of the tour: “My songs are made to be performed live. I love the whole process of writing them alone and then recording them with the band, but ultimately the best part is playing them to an audience live.

“I enjoy the whole circus, travelling from town to town and interacting with this group of players is a total pleasure. I’m really looking forward to it.”

On tour with an expanded ten-piece band most of whom have been working with him for more than two decades: Guy Fletcher (keyboards), Richard Bennett (guitar), Jim Cox (piano), Mike McGoldrick (whistle and flute), John McCusker (fiddle and cittern), Glenn Worf (bass), Danny Cummings (percussion) and Ian Thomas (drums). New additions will be Graeme Blebins (saxaphone) and Tom Walsh (trumpet).

Pete Sargeant