Simple Minds

The Glasgow band of Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill, whose New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) opens with "Someone Somewhere in Summertime".

From the Self-Abusers to Virgin

The band began as the school-friends cover band Biba-Rom! (Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, Tony Donald, Brian McGee) and then the punk band Johnny and the Self-Abusers, led by John Milarky in early 1977 on the South Side of Glasgow. Their only single, "Saints and Sinners" on Chiswick in November 1977, came out the day the band split. The Kerr, Burchill, Donald and McGee faction went on as Simple Minds, the name taken from a David Bowie lyric, and played their first gig as Simple Minds at Satellite City in Glasgow on January 17, 1978. Mick MacNeil joined on keyboards in March 1978, Derek Forbes replaced Donald on bass in April, and the classic quintet of Kerr, Burchill, MacNeil, Forbes and McGee held from November 1978 to September 1981.

Life in a Day (1979), Real to Real Cacophony (1979) and Empires and Dance (1980), all with John Leckie, were released on Zoom and Arista, influenced first by Krautrock and then disco. In 1981 they moved to Virgin after friction over marketing, and Steve Hillage produced the double Sons and Fascination / Sister Feelings Call (UK 11). McGee left in 1981, Kenny Hyslop and Mike Ogletree followed briefly, and Mel Gaynor drummed from 1982. New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84), in 1982, was the commercial breakthrough at 3 in the UK, then Sparkle in the Rain (1984) and Once Upon a Time (1985) both reached number one, and "Don't You (Forget About Me)" from The Breakfast Club reached number one in the US. John Giblin replaced Forbes in 1985, and the band made their Live Aid debut that year.

Later years

"Belfast Child" was UK number one in 1989 and Street Fighting Years followed, produced by Trevor Horn and Stephen Lipson, though MacNeil left after its tour. Real Life (1991) and Good News from the Next World (1995) both reached 2. There was a first hiatus in 1992 and 1993 and a second after label disputes in 1999 to 2001; Our Secrets Are the Same leaked in 2000 and was released only in 2004 on the Silver Box. Walk Between Worlds (2018, BMG) reached 4 and Direction of the Heart followed in 2022. The official site now promotes a new album, Sacrosanct, and The V Tour in September to December 2027.

Kerr and Burchill remain the core with touring and guest musicians, including Ged Grimes on bass since 2010 and drummer Cherisse Osei since about 2018. The band won the Q Inspiration Award in 2014 and an Ivor Novello for Outstanding Song Collection in 2016, with more than 60 million albums sold worldwide per Wikipedia. Spin-offs include Propaganda and Endgames.

Albums

Life In A Day 1979
A 1979 album.
Real To Real Cacophony. 1979
A 1979 album.
Empires And Dance 1980
A 1980 album.
Sons And Fascination 1981
A 1981 album.
Sister Feelings Call 1981
A 1981 album.
New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) 1982 · Virgin
Their fifth album, the commercial breakthrough, reaching 3 in the UK.
Fools Day 1984
A 1984 album.
Sparkle In The Rain 1984
A 1984 album.
Once Upon A Time 1985
A 1985 album.
Ghost Dancing 1986
A 1986 album.
The Best Is Yet To Come 1986
A 1986 album.
Street Fighting Years 1989
A 1989 album.
Real Life 1991
A 1991 album.
House Of Blues 1995
A 1995 album.
Good News From The Next World 1995
A 1995 album.
Néapolis 1998
A 1998 album.
Neon Lights 2001
A 2001 album.
Cry 2002
A 2002 album.
Black & White 050505 2005
A 2005 album.
Graffiti Soul 2009
A 2009 album.
Big Music 2014
A 2014 album.
Acoustic 2016
A 2016 album.
Walk Between Worlds 2018
A 2018 album.
Direction Of The Heart 2022
A 2022 album.

Songs

Someone Somewhere in Summertime New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) · 1982
The opening track of New Gold Dream, issued as the third single on November 5, 1982.

Sources

Simple Minds, Wikipedia
Simple Minds, Simple Minds
Simple Minds, Trouser Press
New Gold Dream, Live from Paisley Abbey, Atwood Magazine (2023)