Band doesn't reunite shock

Amongst all the bands who - with varying degrees of welcome - reconstituted in the last few years, there are few hold-outs. Dire Straits is one. Mark Knopfler is saving us all, says bassist John Illsley:

"I think we've definitely got one more tour left in us, and probably another record too," Illsley said. "[But] he's [Knopfler] doing different kinds of music now.

"He's doing incredibly well as a solo artist, so hats off to him. He's having a perfectly good time doing what he's doing."

Or maybe - like the rest of us - Knopfler feels if he never has to hear Walk Of Life again, he might just die a happy man.

EC opens up royalty market

The European Commission has ordered royalty collection agencies across the continent to open themselves up and abandon the insistence on artists dealing only with their local agency.

When the EC was considering the question, some grumpy (and, it would be noted, rich) artists argued that if the status quo was changed, they might throw a strop and have a sort of strike, withdrawing permission for their music to be performed in Europe at all.

Which artists?

More than 220 singers, musicians and composers — including the Bee Gees' Robin Gibb, Charles Aznavour, Sade, David Gilmour, Julio Iglesias, Maurice Jarre, Mark Knopfler and Michel Legrand — have signed an appeal to the EU saying pan-European music licensing will stifle creativity.

Yes: Mark Knopfler thinks that saying he'll withdraw Walk Of Life from the European airwaves is some sort of threat.

Mark Knopfler doesn't forget his brothers in arms

Not that Knopfler actually fought in the Falklands, mind, but he's about to re-release Brothers In Arms to raise funds for a charity which takes soldiers who fought in the Falklands back to the islands to try and help with the PTSD.

It's interesting that this is being announced on the same day as Asda drop the CD single - Brothers In Arms was usually considered the first proper single released on the format. This time, though, it's just going to be a download.