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Simple Minds

Simple Minds is a Scottish New Wave pop band, known mostly for their output in the 1980s. In spite of great commercial success in Europe, they were never able to break into mainstream United States, where they are known primarily for one song, "Don't You (Forget About Me)". After one single as Johnny & The Self Abusers, Charlie Burchill and Jim Kerr formed the band in 1978 (1978 in music), along with Brian McGee and Tony Donald. Drummer Mel Gaynor later joined the band. The band's name was taken from a line in the David Bowie track Jean Genie: "...so simple-minded, he can't drive his module".

Their initial recordings, such as Reel to Real Cacophony and Empires and Dance were critically acclaimed, though sales were slow until the band moved towards a more pop-oriented sound, beginning with the Steve Hillage-produced Sons and Fascination (1981 in music). Their early work and a number of experimental pieces subsequently were heavily inspired by Kraftwerk.

By 1984 (1984 in music), due to their much more accessible releases New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) and Sparkle in the Rain, as well as a number of UK charting singles, Simple Minds had gained a widespread fanbase, setting the stage for their breakthrough "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (this song was originally offered to Billy Idol, but he declined). The song quickly became an American chart-topper, the only one Simple Minds would ever achieve there, as a result of its use in the popular film The Breakfast Club. It was initially less popular outside of the US, but soon became a top-selling hit across the world, as was the next album, Once Upon a Time (which did not include that song). After a live album, Simple Minds, in an attempt to regain critical acceptance, released the unabashedly political and un-pop Street Fighting Years to positive reviews but relatively poor sales. However the band did score their only number one UK singles hit from this album with Belfast Child, a reworking of the folk song She Moved Through The Fair. By the time the band returned with Real Life (1991 in music), synth-pop was no longer popular and they have since released albums to a dwindling audience. Most recently, they released Cry in 2002 (2002 in music).

Discography of Albums

  • Life in a Day (1979)
  • Real to Real Cacophony (1979)
  • Empires and Dance (1980)
  • Sons and Fascination (1981)
  • Sister Feelings Call (1981)
  • Themes for Great Cities (1981)
  • Celebration (1982)
  • New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982)
  • Sparkle in the Rain (1984)
  • Once Upon a Time (1985)
  • Live in the City of Light (1987)
  • Street Fighting Years (1989)
  • Real Life (1991)
  • Glittering Prize 81/92 (1992) (Greatest Hits compilation)
  • Good News from the Next World (1995)
  • The Promised (1997)
  • Neapolis (1998)
  • The Early Years (1998) (compilation)
  • Neon Lights (2001)
  • The Best of Simple Minds (2001) (compilation)
  • Cry (2002)

Detailed Discography of Albums

Albums

Life In A Day (1979) UK #30

  1. Someone
  2. Life in a day
  3. Sad affair
  4. All for you
  5. Pleasantly disturbed
  6. No cure
  7. Chelsea girl
  8. Wasteland
  9. Destiny
  10. Murder story

Real To Real Cacophony (1979)

  1. Real to real
  2. Naked eye
  3. Citizen (Dance of youth)
  4. Carnival (Shelter in a suitcase)
  5. Factory
  6. Cacophony
  7. Veldt
  8. Premonition
  9. Changelin
  10. Film theme
  11. Calling your name
  12. Scar

Empires And Dance (1980) UK #41

  1. I Travel
  2. Today I Died Again
  3. Celebrate
  4. This Fear Of Gods
  5. Capital City
  6. Constantinople Line
  7. Twist - Run - Repulsion
  8. Thirty Frames A Second
  9. Kant-Kino
  10. Room

Sons And Fascination (Sept. 1981) UK #11

  1. In trance as mission
  2. Sweat in bullet
  3. 70 cities as love brings the fall
  4. Boys from Brazil
  5. Love song
  6. This earth that you walk upon
  7. Sons and fascination
  8. Seeing out the angel

Sister Feelings Call (Sept. 1981) UK #11

  1. Theme from great cities
  2. The American
  3. 20th century promised land
  4. Wonderful in young life
  5. League of nations
  6. Careful in career
  7. Sound in 70 cities

New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) (1982) UK #3

  1. Someone somewhere in summertime
  2. Colours fly & Catherine wheel
  3. Promised you a miracle
  4. Big sleep
  5. Somebody up there likes you
  6. New gold dream (81, 31, 83, 84)
  7. Glittering prize
  8. Hunter & the hunted
  9. King is white & in the crowd

Sparkle In The Rain (1984) UK #1

  1. Up on the Catwalk
  2. Book of Brilliant Things
  3. Speed Your Love to Me
  4. Waterfront
  5. East at Easter
  6. Street Hassle
  7. White Hot Day
  8. "C" Moon Cry Like a Baby
  9. Kick Inside of Me
  10. Shake Off the Ghosts

Once Upon A Time (1985) UK #1

  1. Once Upon A Time
  2. All The Things She Said
  3. Ghost Dancing
  4. Alive And Kicking
  5. Oh Jungleland
  6. I Wish You Were Here
  7. Sanctify Yourself
  8. Come A Long Way

In the City of Light (live 1987) UK #1

  1. Ghostdancing
  2. Big Sleep
  3. Waterfront
  4. Promised You A Miracle
  5. Someone Somewhere In Summertime
  6. Oh Jungleland
  7. Alive And Kicking
  8. Don't You (Forget About Me)
  9. Once Upon A Time
  10. Book Of Brilliant Things
  11. East At Easter
  12. Sanctify Yourself
  13. Love Song/Sun City/Dance To The Music
  14. New Gold Dream

Street Fighting Years (1989) UK #1

  1. Street fighting years
  2. Soul crying out
  3. Wall of love
  4. This is your land
  5. Take a step back
  6. Kick it in
  7. Let it all come down
  8. Mandela day
  9. Belfast child
  10. Biko
  11. When spirits rise

Real Life (1991) UK #2

  1. Real life
  2. See the lights
  3. Let there be love
  4. Woman
  5. Stand by love
  6. Let the children speak
  7. African skies
  8. Ghostrider
  9. Banging on the door I
  10. Banging on the door II
  11. Travelling man
  12. Rivers of ice
  13. When two worlds collide

Good News From The Next World (1995) UK #2

  1. She's a river
  2. Night music
  3. Hypnosed
  4. Great leap forward
  5. 7 deadly sins
  6. And the band played on
  7. My life
  8. Criminal world
  9. This time

Néapolis (1998) UK #19

  1. Song for the tribes
  2. Glitterball
  3. War babies
  4. Tears of a guy
  5. Superman v supersoul
  6. Lightning
  7. If I had wings
  8. Killing Andy Warhol
  9. Androgyny

Neon Lights (2001)

  1. Gloria (Van Morrison)
  2. The Man Who Sold The World (David Bowie)
  3. Homosapien (Pete Shelley, Buzzcocks)
  4. Dancing Barefoot (Patti Smith)
  5. Neon Lights (Kraftwerk)
  6. Hello I Love You (The Doors)
  7. Bring On The Dancing Horses (Echo & The Bunnymen)
  8. Needle & The Damage Done (Neil Young)
  9. For Your Pleasure Roxy Music)
  10. All Tomorrows Party (Velvet Underground)

Cry (2002)

  1. Cry
  2. Spaceface
  3. New Sunshine Morning
  4. One Step Closer
  5. Face in the Sun
  6. Disconnected
  7. Lazy Lately
  8. Sugar
  9. Sleeping Girl
  10. Cry Again
  11. Slave Nation
  12. Floating Wold

Our Secrets Are The Same (2002)

  1. Swimming Towards The Sun
  2. Jeweller To The Stars
  3. Space
  4. Death By Chocolate
  5. Waiting For the End Of The World
  6. Neon City Cowboys
  7. She Knows
  8. Hello
  9. Happy Is The Man
  10. Sleeping

Compilations

  • Celebration (1982), UK #45
  • Glittering Price 81/92 (1992), UK #1
  • The Promised (1997)
  • The Early Years (1998)
  • The Best of Simple Minds (2001), UK #34

Bootlegs

  • Summertime in Glasgow (1985)
  • Live in USA (1995)

Hit singles

  • 1979 "Life In A Day" #62 UK
  • 1981 "The American" #59 UK
  • 1981 "Love Song" #47 UK
  • 1981 "Sweat In A Bullet #52 UK
  • 1982 "Promised You a Miracle" #13 UK
  • 1982 "Glittering Prize" #16 UK
  • 1982 "Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)" #36 UK
  • 1983 "Waterfront" #13 UK
  • 1984 "Speed Your Love to Me" #20 UK
  • 1984 "Up on the Catwalk" #27 UK
  • 1985 "Don't You (Forget about Me)" #7 UK; #1 US
  • 1985 "Alive and Kicking" #7 UK; #3 US
  • 1986 "Sanctify Yourself" #10 UK; #14 US
  • 1986 "All the Things She Said" #9 UK; #28 US
  • 1986 "Ghostdancing" #13 UK
  • 1987 "Promised You a Miracle" #19 UK
  • 1989 "Belfast Child" #1 UK
  • 1989 "This Is Your Land" #13 UK
  • 1989 "Kick It In" #15 UK
  • 1989 "The Amsterdam EP" #18 UK (Sign Of The Times,Jerusalem & Let It All Come Down)
  • 1991 "Let There Be Love" #6 UK
  • 1991 "See the Lights" #20 UK; #40 US
  • 1991 "Stand By Love" #13 UK
  • 1991 "Real Life" #34 UK
  • 1992 "Love Song/Alive and Kicking" (re-issue) #6 UK
  • 1995 "She's a River" #5 UK
  • 1995 "Hypnotised" #18 UK
  • 1998 "Glitterball" #18 UK
  • 1998 "War Babies" #43 UK
  • 2002 "Cry" #47 UK
  • 2002 "Monster" #67 UK (Liquid People vs Simple Minds)

External Links

  • Official Simple Minds site (http://www.simpleminds.com)
  • Dream Giver Redux (http://www.simpleminds.org/home.htm)

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Images of Simple Minds

Our Secrets Are The Same (2002). Official Stereophonics Website (http://www.stereophonics.com). Cry (2002).
. Neon Lights (2001). Above: The new line-up of the band, featuring new drummer Javier Wayler. Néapolis (1998) UK #19. They achieved their first #1 song with the first single of the new album, entitled "Dakota", on the week of Monday March 7th 2005.

Good News From The Next World (1995) UK #2. Other? involving their new drums player - Javier Weyler. Real Life (1991) UK #2. Violence. Street Fighting Years (1989) UK #1. Sex. In the City of Light (live 1987) UK #1. The band's 5th studio album is set to be released in early 2005 with the title Language.

Once Upon A Time (1985) UK #1. Having embarked on a world tour in 2003/2004, which culminated in an appearance at the Manchester Move Festival in July 2004, the band are now taking a well deserved break. Sparkle In The Rain (1984) UK #1. ending with a christmas show at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff supported by Feeder and Ocean Colour Scene. New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) (1982) UK #3. Towards the end of the year the did a sell out tour of the U.K. 1981) UK #11. 2003 saw the release of their latest album You Gotta Go There To Come Back and a change to their logo.

Sister Feelings Call (Sept. They then played back-to-back dates at Donington Park, supported by Ash, Black Crowes and Proud Mary in front of 120,000 fans and Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium to a capacity 80,000 that summer. 1981) UK #11.
The band had a relatively quiet 2000 and didn’t really hit the headlines again until the launch of Just Enough Education to Perform in April 2001. Sons And Fascination (Sept. They also cooperated with Tom Jones for a track on his album Reload. Empires And Dance (1980) UK #41. Later that year saw them play what was widely regarded as the best gig of the year in Britain in front of 50,000 people at Morfa Stadium in Swansea.

Real To Real Cacophony (1979). Following on from the success achieved with The Bartender and the Thief in late 1998 the second single from Performance and Cocktails, Just Looking, was released and reached number 4 in March 1999 and the same month the much anticipated new album was finally released, entering at number 1 and within three weeks had gone platinum. Life In A Day (1979) UK #30. During that year they had successful tours in Europe, Australia and the USA. Most recently, they released Cry in 2002 (2002 in music). In February 1998 they received a Brit Award for Best New Group the same week as a re-issue of Local Boy in the Photograph made number 14 in the charts and their first album went gold selling over 100,000 copies. By the time the band returned with Real Life (1991 in music), synth-pop was no longer popular and they have since released albums to a dwindling audience.
In the early days they supported both Manic Street Preachers and Ocean Colour Scene.

However the band did score their only number one UK singles hit from this album with Belfast Child, a reworking of the folk song She Moved Through The Fair.
. After a live album, Simple Minds, in an attempt to regain critical acceptance, released the unabashedly political and un-pop Street Fighting Years to positive reviews but relatively poor sales. Writer, although long term fans would probably plump for the earlier Local Boy In The Photograph, A Thousand Trees, Looks Like Chaplin and The Bartender and the Thief as more memorable. It was initially less popular outside of the US, but soon became a top-selling hit across the world, as was the next album, Once Upon a Time (which did not include that song). Their most well known songs include a cover of Chris Farlowe's Handbags and Gladrags; Have a Nice Day, and Mr. The song quickly became an American chart-topper, the only one Simple Minds would ever achieve there, as a result of its use in the popular film The Breakfast Club. They hailed from Cwmaman, South Wales and after they changed their name they were one of the first bands to be signed to Richard Branson's V2 label in August 1996.

By 1984 (1984 in music), due to their much more accessible releases New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) and Sparkle in the Rain, as well as a number of UK charting singles, Simple Minds had gained a widespread fanbase, setting the stage for their breakthrough "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (this song was originally offered to Billy Idol, but he declined). They started out as a teenage cover band and later, inspired by Stuart's gran's gramophone changed their name to Stereophonics. Their initial recordings, such as Reel to Real Cacophony and Empires and Dance were critically acclaimed, though sales were slow until the band moved towards a more pop-oriented sound, beginning with the Steve Hillage-produced Sons and Fascination (1981 in music). Their early work and a number of experimental pieces subsequently were heavily inspired by Kraftwerk. Stereophonics (never "The Stereophonics") are a Welsh music group formed in 1992 and originally known as Tragic Love Company, a name inspired by their favourite bands Tragically Hip, Mother Love Bone and Bad Company. The band's name was taken from a line in the David Bowie track Jean Genie: "...so simple-minded, he can't drive his module". Violence. Other? (2005). Drummer Mel Gaynor later joined the band. Sex.

After one single as Johnny & The Self Abusers, Charlie Burchill and Jim Kerr formed the band in 1978 (1978 in music), along with Brian McGee and Tony Donald. Language. In spite of great commercial success in Europe, they were never able to break into mainstream United States, where they are known primarily for one song, "Don't You (Forget About Me)". You Gotta Go There to Come Back (2003). Simple Minds is a Scottish New Wave pop band, known mostly for their output in the 1980s. Just Enough Education to Perform (2001). Dream Giver Redux (http://www.simpleminds.org/home.htm). Performance and Cocktails (1999).

Official Simple Minds site (http://www.simpleminds.com). Word Gets Around (1997). 2002 "Monster" #67 UK (Liquid People vs Simple Minds). The band first met Argentinian Javier when they were recording album demos, and then again in late 2003 when they were visiting Argentina. 2002 "Cry" #47 UK. Javier Weyler (drums) was announced as a replacement to Stuart Cable in December 2004. 1998 "War Babies" #43 UK. Stuart Cable (drums) was sacked by the other two members of the band in September 2003 and was replaced by ex-Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman for several tour dates.

1998 "Glitterball" #18 UK. Richard Jones (bass). 1995 "Hypnotised" #18 UK. Kelly Jones (vocals/guitar and songwriter). 1995 "She's a River" #5 UK. 1992 "Love Song/Alive and Kicking" (re-issue) #6 UK.

1991 "Real Life" #34 UK. 1991 "Stand By Love" #13 UK. 1991 "See the Lights" #20 UK; #40 US. 1991 "Let There Be Love" #6 UK.

1989 "The Amsterdam EP" #18 UK (Sign Of The Times,Jerusalem & Let It All Come Down). 1989 "Kick It In" #15 UK. 1989 "This Is Your Land" #13 UK. 1989 "Belfast Child" #1 UK.

1987 "Promised You a Miracle" #19 UK. 1986 "Ghostdancing" #13 UK. 1986 "All the Things She Said" #9 UK; #28 US. 1986 "Sanctify Yourself" #10 UK; #14 US.

1985 "Alive and Kicking" #7 UK; #3 US. 1985 "Don't You (Forget about Me)" #7 UK; #1 US. 1984 "Up on the Catwalk" #27 UK. 1984 "Speed Your Love to Me" #20 UK.

1983 "Waterfront" #13 UK. 1982 "Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)" #36 UK. 1982 "Glittering Prize" #16 UK. 1982 "Promised You a Miracle" #13 UK.

1981 "Sweat In A Bullet #52 UK. 1981 "Love Song" #47 UK. 1981 "The American" #59 UK. 1979 "Life In A Day" #62 UK.

Live in USA (1995). Summertime in Glasgow (1985). The Best of Simple Minds (2001), UK #34. The Early Years (1998).

The Promised (1997). Glittering Price 81/92 (1992), UK #1. Celebration (1982), UK #45. Sleeping.

Happy Is The Man. Hello. She Knows. Neon City Cowboys.

Waiting For the End Of The World. Death By Chocolate. Space. Jeweller To The Stars.

Swimming Towards The Sun. Floating Wold. Slave Nation. Cry Again.

Sleeping Girl. Sugar. Lazy Lately. Disconnected.

Face in the Sun. One Step Closer. New Sunshine Morning. Spaceface.

Cry. All Tomorrows Party (Velvet Underground). For Your Pleasure Roxy Music). Needle & The Damage Done (Neil Young).

Bring On The Dancing Horses (Echo & The Bunnymen). Hello I Love You (The Doors). Neon Lights (Kraftwerk). Dancing Barefoot (Patti Smith).

Homosapien (Pete Shelley, Buzzcocks). The Man Who Sold The World (David Bowie). Gloria (Van Morrison). Androgyny.

Killing Andy Warhol. If I had wings. Lightning. Superman v supersoul.

Tears of a guy. War babies. Glitterball. Song for the tribes.

This time. Criminal world. My life. And the band played on.

7 deadly sins. Great leap forward. Hypnosed. Night music.

She's a river. When two worlds collide. Rivers of ice. Travelling man.

Banging on the door II. Banging on the door I. Ghostrider. African skies.

Let the children speak. Stand by love. Woman. Let there be love.

See the lights. Real life. When spirits rise. Biko.

Belfast child. Mandela day. Let it all come down. Kick it in.

Take a step back. This is your land. Wall of love. Soul crying out.

Street fighting years. New Gold Dream. Love Song/Sun City/Dance To The Music. Sanctify Yourself.

East At Easter. Book Of Brilliant Things. Once Upon A Time. Don't You (Forget About Me).

Alive And Kicking. Oh Jungleland. Someone Somewhere In Summertime. Promised You A Miracle.

Waterfront. Big Sleep. Ghostdancing. Come A Long Way.

Sanctify Yourself. I Wish You Were Here. Oh Jungleland. Alive And Kicking.

Ghost Dancing. All The Things She Said. Once Upon A Time. Shake Off the Ghosts.

Kick Inside of Me. "C" Moon Cry Like a Baby. White Hot Day. Street Hassle.

East at Easter. Waterfront. Speed Your Love to Me. Book of Brilliant Things.

Up on the Catwalk. King is white & in the crowd. Hunter & the hunted. Glittering prize.

New gold dream (81, 31, 83, 84). Somebody up there likes you. Big sleep. Promised you a miracle.

Colours fly & Catherine wheel. Someone somewhere in summertime. Sound in 70 cities. Careful in career.

League of nations. Wonderful in young life. 20th century promised land. The American.

Theme from great cities. Seeing out the angel. Sons and fascination. This earth that you walk upon.

Love song. Boys from Brazil. 70 cities as love brings the fall. Sweat in bullet.

In trance as mission. Room. Kant-Kino. Thirty Frames A Second.

Twist - Run - Repulsion. Constantinople Line. Capital City. This Fear Of Gods.

Celebrate. Today I Died Again. I Travel. Scar.

Calling your name. Film theme. Changelin. Premonition.

Veldt. Cacophony. Factory. Carnival (Shelter in a suitcase).

Citizen (Dance of youth). Naked eye. Real to real. Murder story.

Destiny. Wasteland. Chelsea girl. No cure.

Pleasantly disturbed. All for you. Sad affair. Life in a day.

Someone. Cry (2002). The Best of Simple Minds (2001) (compilation). Neon Lights (2001).

The Early Years (1998) (compilation). Neapolis (1998). The Promised (1997). Good News from the Next World (1995).

Glittering Prize 81/92 (1992) (Greatest Hits compilation). Real Life (1991). Street Fighting Years (1989). Live in the City of Light (1987).

Once Upon a Time (1985). Sparkle in the Rain (1984). New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) (1982). Celebration (1982).

Themes for Great Cities (1981). Sister Feelings Call (1981). Sons and Fascination (1981). Empires and Dance (1980).

Real to Real Cacophony (1979). Life in a Day (1979).