The Pop Corporation

Sure, you’ve heard Dire Straits ‘Walk Of Life’ a million times over. It’s a Dadrock masterpiece. It’s got that thin synth organ and boogie guitar, but did you know how hard it went live?

Let’s not get bogged down in the whys and the whens, and just get straight into it – this is one of the greatest live recordings you’ll ever witness and if you think you’re too cool for it, feel free to leave.

People talk about how hard the Grateful Dead boogied at shows, but honestly, this Dire Straits performance is a searingly great time. The crowd are engaged and wild, and the song breaks down into a country rock choogle that is impossible to ignore. Seriously – when the pedal steel kicks in, you’ll be wanting to take your clothes off and get loose. It’s insane.

The high tempo chug from the rest of the gang is nothing to be sniffed at either and of course, the song itself is great.

This is from 1991 and remarkably, for such a killer performance, the band were thoroughly miserable.

Manager Ed Bicknell said: “The last tour was utter misery- whatever the zeitgeist was that we had been part of, it had passed.” Bass player John Illsley agreed: “Personal relationships were in trouble and it put a terrible strain on everybody, emotionally and physically – we were changed by it.”

Unreal. Blistering. Regardless of their feelings, this is the hottest shit you’ll see today.