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| SIMPLE MINDS CDs available from Peace & Freedom Press - in association with Amazon.co.uk |
| At their peak, in the mid-late 1980s,
Simple Minds were considered to be the best young British/Irish
stadium rock group, alongside U2. From Glasgow, Simple Minds have had great success in Europe, but, US number one, 'Don't You (Forget About Me)' apart, have failed to make it as big in the US as their Irish contemporaries. The music of Simple Minds has, though being rock-based, been a tad more influenced by elctronic music than U2's, and American rock audiences tend to prefer music which is strongly guitar-driven. Originally the hopelessly uncommercially named Johnny & The Self Abusers, one unsuccessful single on, they became Simple Minds - a name which came from David Bowie's classic 'Jean Genie' song, when the unfortunate genie was so simple-minded he couldn't drive his module. The long-lasting original line-up was: Jim Kerr (vocals); Charlie Burchill (guitar); Derek Forbes (bass); Brian McGee (drums); Mick MacNeil (keyboards, synth). Mel Gaynor replaced McGee in 1984. Simple Minds began to make an impact in the early '80s, and, by 1985, were considered big enough to join the rollcall of legends at Live Aid in Philadelphia. 1985 also saw the release of arguably their best album, 'Once Upon a Time'. The band were producing memorable songs in the '80s, such as 'Waterfront', 'Alive and Kicking', and their first (and only) UK number one, 'Belfast Child'/'Mandela Day'. Having also recorded Peter Gabriel's haunting 'Biko', they proved themselves to be a band with good hearts, and had the rare distinction of recording songs about two of the leading lights of the apartheid struggle. Those mid-late '80s heights were never really reached again, though songs like 'Cry' from 2002 prove Simple Minds are still well capable of putting out good material in the 21st Century, but the music industry is fickle, and it's not always just quality that counts. Maybe they just never sucked up to the right people. - Paul Rance, Peace & Freedom Press. booksmusicfilmstv.com
1970s Music Index |
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| SIMPLE MINDS CDs available from Peace & Freedom Press - in association with Amazon.com |
| Buy the new album by Simple Minds at Amazon |
Amazon.co.uk |
Amazon.com |
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Simple
Minds Albums |
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