Simple Minds

[Library Jon]

I pre-ordered the new Simple Minds live CD/DVD book box set when it was made orderable, last November 2013. Anyone that ordered it before the end of December 2013, received an advance "Big Music EP" in the mail during January 2014 which I did receive. The book box set is due to be shipped out during May 2014. I have to recommend that the "Concert Live" website is selling sound board recordings of several Simple Minds shows which occurred during fall 2013. Being a big fan, I bought them. They sound great.


Library Jon

[Library Jon]

It was posted on Simple Minds' official web site that the soon to be shipped Simple Mind's live CD/DVD book box set will cease to be orderable at the end of March 2014.

Library Jon

[bob_32_116]

I only have Sons and Fascination. there are 13 tracks; I have an idea that my copy of S&F is in fact the original album plus Sister Feelings Call.

I bought it for Love Song,but I like most of it, with special mention going to In Trance as Mission (amazing album opening), The American, Theme for Great Cities and Wonderful in Young Life. I have to be in the mood for songs like Boys From Brazil,Sweat In Bullet and Sons and Fascination.

Simple Minds are one of those bands I can like without feeling I need to own more than one album. They did seem to go a bit dull and too "radio-friendly" around the time of New Gold Dream. Belfast Child was an interesting exercise, though I think they dragged the song out too long.

[Mythos]

And calling them "practically prog albums" is way off. Nothing prog about any of them at all.

Don't feel bad Pete, a lot of people don't understand what prog is, but you are in the right place to learn, listen and enjoy...!

[markwoll]

^^^

[brahseph]

Is it possible that Simple Minds opened for Yes at some shows on the 90215 tour? It seems like they both played on the same date at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany:

Simple Minds - The American
Dortmund Westfalenhalle, Germany (24/06/1984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sR7t6LcAhA

Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart
Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany, 1984-06-24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgsGQBaijig

I know that Yes planned to have some "new wave" bands like Berlin opening for them on the 90125 tour, but then settled on showing Bugs Bunny cartoons instead (at least in the U.S.) Can anyone confirm that Simple Minds & Yes played together that year?

[bob_32_116]

Bugs Bunny cartoons instead - I'm not sure what that says about Yes' opinion of Simple Minds.

[Halmyre]

Is it possible that Simple Minds opened for Yes at some shows on the 90215 tour? It seems like they both played on the same date at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany:

Simple Minds - The American
Dortmund Westfalenhalle, Germany (24/06/1984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sR7t6LcAhA

Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart
Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany, 1984-06-24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgsGQBaijig

I know that Yes planned to have some "new wave" bands like Berlin opening for them on the 90125 tour, but then settled on showing Bugs Bunny cartoons instead (at least in the U.S.) Can anyone confirm that Simple Minds & Yes played together that year?

Derek Forbes - tremendous. What a pity we can't hear Mick McNeil's keys.

[Rufus]

I cant believe no one has mentioned the two Trevor Horn produced albums, which i think are just fantastic!:Real Life and Street Fighting Years!

^^^^Their best albums IMO. Never new Trevor Horn produced them!!!!

Just bought their new CD Big Music & its quite strong. Something to like for fans of the early stuff & also for fans of their stadium rock period!

[Library Jon]

My deluxe copy of the new Simple Minds' CD titled "Big Music" came in the mail, a few days ago. It is a 2 CD/DVD set with six bonus tracks and some music videos. So far, I think that it is very good. I feel that it is one their best releases in a few years. Highly recommended to any Simple Minds fan.

Library Jon

[Dusty Chalk]

Did they re-record Theme for Great Cities for it again? Aye keed, aye keed

I love them, from the original Theme for Great Cities -- which we almost tried to cover in our garage band, way back in the day -- all the way through their stadium rock period. I'll probably buy Big Music eventually, I bought everything else.

[progeezer]

For your hilarity:

http://youtu.be/D6Rl0LSknqs

Yup, that's me.

[Sunlight Caller]

I have to say that am really enjoying Big Music. I thought the title was off-putting, and harked back to the stadium days (and The Waterboys earlier phase) , but this album has a sheen that comes from earlier Minds periods (Sons/Sisters -> New Gold Dream) and the tracks are mostly very strong. Steve Hillage produces in part too I am told, but I haven't studied the sleeve notes to see which tracks. I'll definitely be looking out for them when they next tour, it's great to see one of my favourites still producing the goods.

[Rick L.]

Revisiting Empires and Dance the past few days. Still holds up. The early stuff is really killer shit.

[aith01]

Their early stuff up through Sparkle In The Rain was really something else, lots of great music to be found there.

That being said, I love their mid-period and even later-period stuff too. Once Upon A Time was an absolutely brilliant art-pop record IMO.

[Mythos]

I gotta a new vehicle and it has a 10 speaker 550w stereo (with a sub) and the remastered version of New Gold Dream has the most awesome bass and drums...!

[Sunlight Caller]

Resurrecting this old thread to highly recommend a new biography of the band, Themes For Great Cities, by Graeme Thomson, it’s a fascinating read about those classic early years, when they produced so much wonderful music in such a short span of time.

[EBES]

Revisiting Empires and Dance the past few days. Still holds up. The early stuff is really killer shit.

Perfectly said. Seems like there's a bit of a bifurcation on this thread between early album people and late album people, with the cusp being New Gold Dream. You can put me in the early camp. I tried Sparke In the Rain and Street Fighting Years but it felt too smooth; I missed the weird abrasive edge of the early stuff.

[aith01]

Sparkle In The Rain smooth?

I have both early and late albums by the band, and enjoy both for what they are.

[Geoff O'Donoghue]

Sparkle In The Rain smooth?

Sparkle In the Rain's follow up, Once Upon A Time, is where my Simple Minds collection ends. After that one they pushed further into the epic stadium rock world and I lost interest. However, I have always gone to see them live whenever I have the opportunity as they always deliver. I'm not sure if I'll continue to go to their shows as they had a significant line-up change after 2018's Walk Between Worlds and, based on the performances on Live In The City Of Angels, the change has not been for the better. The replacement for drummer Mel Gaynor is particularly lacking in my opinion.

[aith01]

Didn’t realize Mel Gaynor wasn’t with them still. That’s a difficult guy to replace; loved his work with SM over the years.

I think they still made some interesting and worthwhile music even after Once Upon a Time. But like a lot of bands, their later stuff has a very high bar to clear when comparing it to their heyday.

[Sunlight Caller]

Put me down for the early album camp, I don’t mean to be judgmental, but anyone who prefers the stadium era is plain wrong

I was such a huge fan that I stayed on course through to Street Fighting Years, but it was diminishing returns after the high of New Gold Dream. I did enjoy both Sparkle and Once Upon A Time though, even though by the latter it was definitely aiming at rock glory. Fundamentally I really missed Derek Forbes bass, which is an absolute unsung cornerstone of the golden era. Some of those bass lines sound simple, but try playing along to In Trance As Mission, it’s nigh on impossible. I did like Mel Gaynor’s drums, but Brian McGee’s metronomic simplicity and unusual patterns complemented Forbes completely.

I find that I have acquired most of their latter day catalogue too, and live they are still worth seeing. They play London on Thursday, I don’t actually have a ticket, but I may yet be tempted. I so enjoyed the tour when then played selections from the first five, it put me right back to the golden days, when they were the soundtrack of my Uni days. I’m not sure what the setlist is for the current tour, I may have to check it out and see if it’s one for me.

[JKL2000]

I loved New Gold Dream and Sparkle in the Rain, and still play New Gold Dream sometimes - it's a great album! I seem to remember In Trance as Mission being good too - I hadn't thought of that title in so long! One they had that big hit in "The Breakfast Club" it was all over for me.

[Geoff O'Donoghue]

Put me down for the early album camp...

Basically I agree with everything you said Sunlight except that I personally don't own any of their studio releases after Once Upon A Time.
I would have loved to have seen the 5x5 Live tour - the album run from Real to Real Cacophony through New Gold Dream is astonishingly good (they were still finding their feet on Life in a Day IMO). I at least have the live album from that tour.
The rhythm section combination of Forbes and McGee is remarkable and I love how many songs in the early era are basically grooves laid down by those two with guitar and keyboards adding colour on top. I've read an interview with Mel Gaynor where he said he had to work really hard in preparation for the 5x5 Live tour to capture the feel of some of those early tracks.
If you go to see them then please do a review. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I'm not sure if the new line-up is still able to deliver live.

[Sunlight Caller]

I read an interview with Mel Gaynor where he said he had to work really hard in preparation for the 5x5 Live tour to capture the feel of some of those early tracks.

If you go to see them then please do a review. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I'm not sure if the new line-up is still able to deliver live.

Funnily enough I saw Mel Gaynor playing drums not that long ago at the Jazz Café, where we was playing with the reformed Brit Funkers “Light Of The World”, I was surprised to see him as I had no idea he wasn’t still with Simple Minds, and the music was very different. The last time I saw Simple Minds was soon after the 5x5 tour (I don’t have the live album btw) when they played a festival date, which I enjoyed a lot. Catherine Anne Davies was with them then on keys, she releases solo music as The Anchoress, but she too is now out of the live line up, so it’s just Jim and Charlie and a collection of support players. I’m not sure I’ll make it to Wembley tomorrow, it’s my least favourite venue in London and tickets look to be very expensive on the resale market.