Charlie always smiling & laughing...Jim always sayin..."let me see your hands"...but brilliant brilliant band... massively underrated, especially by the lazy music press.
I absolutely loved this band between 1982 and 1995. ❤️ Have seen them 12 times over the years and live they were also amazing. Saw them a couple of years ago and it was like watching a Karaoke version of the band. Quite sad really because they were that good back in the day that watching them now was such a come down. Great interview though and great to hear the way the band made it and wrote the albums.
I bought all first 5 lps!Saw them as Johnny and the self abusers in Glasgow summer 77 at Mars bar 🍸 Superb night 🌙 And when Life in a day was released i was there to buy its naive but i loved that innocence and bought each lp and loved the fact with each lp they progressed until Sparkle in the rain half great lp but after that pomp and bombast that was it for me! But those early years were magick 🥳
They completely still diss Forbes don't even mention he was crucial in the writing of those first 5 albums acting like these 2 wrote everything which is BS. I hate when bands hold grudges 40 years later and totally disrespect an original member that was a key to their whole success it just rubs me the wrong way.
@@DrPhil-pw2to Yeah. Couple of guys who were against apartheid, who've earned a fortune travelling the world as creative artists and have lived in Italy for years, hang on to grudges based around two shit football teams.
Don't forget Brian McGee. That rhythm section is just killer. Much as I love Mel Gaynor's work, McGee and Forbes sit with me like Nile and 'Nard, Liebezeit and Czukay, Harris and Rustin' Man... unbeatable.
Had the privilege of spending a few days staying at Mick McNeil’s house in Glasgow Christmas 1986. Just the most generous, gentle and down to earth guy with an accordion. Made a big impression on me as a youth fresh out of Uni. I so wish I’d learned to play an instrument! I send my regards wherever you are
"No-one bought our first 5 albums" .. excuse me Jimmy, I was a schoolboy and I queued outside Bruce's records on Rose St in Edinburgh on the day 'Life In A Day' was released and it was the single greatest thing in my life. The next four albums were sheer brilliance and i bought them all on day of release. I wanted to like Sparkle as much, i really tried, but the magic had been replaced by the bombastic. Thank you for those first 5 - the magic dust, no one can take that away.
Absolutely knocked it on the head Andy. I think when Derek Forbes and then Mick left the band it was all over. Not forgetting the politics . Not playing Murrayfield and going to Meadowbank instead. Big mistake.
I started with Empires and Dance, then bought Reel to Real Cacophony, SAF/SFC, NGD and SITR. I lost interest with later releases, but like so many, love the earlier stuff! (I agree with Jim re; Sparkle in the Rain side 2. That may be why I started to lose them a bit. Its hard to recall now.)
Great Band, greater personalties. You still can feel the enthusiasm inside them. Looking forward to their next tour. Live always an experience. Worth every single Euro.
They summed it up perfectly: "Life Affirming"! I have always gotten that from their music and their interviews. "Waterfront" has fished me out of the Slough of Despond many times since the 80s. But let's not forget "New Gold Dream" and "Promised You A Miracle" as powerful songs! I hadn't been following closely for a few years and have only recently discovered "Big Music" and "Walk Between Worlds". Hard to keep with these brilliant artists! Thank them for me until the fates allow me to do that in person!
One of the GREATEST BANDS in the history of Rock N Roll! I found them here in America with the import Sister Feelings Call. Like a few others that have defied time, they just keep on rockin'!!! NEW GOLD DREAM is a MASTERPIECE that belongs in every collection and to this day the songs and music is timeless!! "Someone, Somewhere, in Summertime". They also had some of the very best bass players of all time and great drummers. What an era, the 80's. How did we survive???? Who remembers Hatfield And The North? Camel? Gong? Henry Cow?
Loved this interview - thanks a lot. Would really like to hear them interviewed about the start of the re-birth era (Cry etc) and how the band picked itself back up.
It’s unfortunate that most people say their “first 5 albums th oh s and that”… I love those but I wager their last 5 albums are just as really damn good!!
I played the hell out of ONCE UPON A TIME....I also love the opening song and often wondered was it ever released as a Single...It was also the great Bands introduction song for their huge amount of fans to Robin Clarke who added an amazing chapter to Simple Minds. The video to ALL THE THINGS SHE SAID is the most iconic 80s clip of all time in my honest opinion~ I would love to know how they did it and whether it can be done these days, Also LOVE the songs Mandela Day, Promised you a Miracle, SHES A RIVER, ALIVE & KICKING (HUGE SONG!) and the beautiful GLITTERING PRIZE...From a HUGE First Nations Fan of Simple Minds way down in southern Australia! Much Love to you 2 AND ALL THAT HELPED ALONG THE WAY...and THANKYOU! WE LOVE YA xx
Talking of producers, why no mention Steve Hackett and Pete Walsh, who I consider to be the producers of their best work. Lillywhite meets Gaynor was the beginning of the end.
Please anybody help! I want to watch it but here in Germany there is no way to find this documentary. Even at Paramount + Germany it seems not available. Any suggestions ? Many thanks in advance!
It's telling that the focus of the interview musically, jumped from street fighting years to the acoustic album as if there was little of worth in between..... which is just about how I regard the Simple Minds catalogue.
Stop interrupting this genius.. This guy caught my attenttion as a 4 year old... and now hes better thann before .vert underrated... i study classical baroque.. amd learned 6 instuments... And this guy was one of my favorite guitarist in the eighties... i love hunter and the hunted...
A powerfully symbiotic and aesthetically stimulating musical union established Kerr and Birtchall on a road they could only dream of - Fans - fame & fortune ! How glorious and grand their music is and more importantly their loyalty in friendship and respect to one and other ! One of the greatest bands Britain has ever produced and who's music to this very day stir's ones auditory senses to the very marrow ! I have and do love their music with a passion and gratitude like no other !
BTW, Elvis Costello is a great alt artist too who also started out in punk. When you guys came out with Sparkle in the Rain, U2, Big County, Tears For Fears also had big albums out and I could see you all in large venue together. But when I saw you in 1990, it was a medium-sized venue, U-shaped and not a bad seat in the house. I really appreciated that. Less is more and smaller venues are the best.
Blows me away how thick Jim’s accent is, but when he sings you don’t detect it. I recall learning in college, going back to the 50s and 60s, English/uk artists would sing to appeal to the US audiences.
By Sparkle/Rain and beyond, they would have been ready for Lallapalooza if it was around. Although, I saw them in 90 in a medium sized venue and I appreciated that.
Very good interview but it does confirm that after the 1st 5 awesome albums they did “sell out”. Backing singers, hits, stadiums, “You turn me on”, etc. All the stuff other people were telling them to do. Obviously it worked for them but the character and soul was gone. Still thank them for those first 5 👌
Great interview, I just listened to their three first records I never heard when I was young. They were incredible back then! Only, it feels weird to hear the old stuff for the first time Now when I'm almost 60.. I loved them, but had no way to hear the older songs then.
jim hasnt said it (yet) but the influence of early U2 on their live shows and subsequent future tracks cant be understated . myself and many others bore witness to their transformation,which actually i think led to their ultimate artistic demise. that and also the loss of derek forbes,who was essential to the sound and compositions.
You are correct. SM influenced U2 originally. However when U2 started selling out stadiums in USA SM thought we’ll have some of that. Jim has openly said they wanted to earn some money. Who can blame them! Wasn’t my cup of tea but hey ho. I’ve got their first 5 / 6 albums to listen to. I’d probably forego a limb to see the original line up perform their early stuff again
I love their 2nd album up to and including Sparkle in the Rain. Sheer brilliance. Although they seem a bunch of nice guys, what followed then was just so shameful....songs like Alive and kicking, Sanctify yourselves. Yak....a big mistake and I could not believe it was the same band who produced that crap. I never ever listen to anything new from them eversince. I only listen to the first 6 albums. the rest is irrelevant.
