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Simple Minds - Someone, Somewhere in Summertime

This performance is from the early days when Jim Kerr was still wearing make-up and sang in a less commercial style. The last single from the New Gold Dream album only reached No.36 in the UK charts, even though it was one of their finest moments in my opinion.

This single was taken from Simple Minds' sixth studio album, New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84), which was released in 1982. It was the first album to feature a slick and sophisticated sound, although the stadium rock sound still hadn't kicked in just yet. That would be left for the following album Sparkle In The Rain.

Featuring deep electronic beats by Mick MacNeil and some neat guitar riffs by Charlie Burchill, Promised You A Miracle brought Simple Minds their first Top 40 success in the UK, reaching #13 and charting for a total of 11 weeks.

 Simple Minds - Waterfront Live (1989)

Released in November 1983, Waterfront was the lead single from Simple Mind's sixth studio album Sparkle In The Rain. The song was the first track by the Scottish band to feature the familiar stadium rock sound and reached Number One in several countries, although it peaked at #13 in the UK.

Due to my immaturity, I wasn't a Simple Minds fan during the 80s when they were producing their best music, and I remember listening to Waterfront on a Now That's What I Call Music album and not being impressed at all. But hey, I was only 14 years old and it took me another five years to finally discover the band and realise what other rubbish I had been listening to!

   

Simple Minds earlier work was more synth-based and Jim Kerr's vocal style and dress sense was very much different in the early days.

One of the most-played Simple Minds tracks is "Don't You Forget About Me", which was the No.1 soundtrack of the film The Breakfast Club.

Simple Minds are still performing and releasing albums. All of the album links will take you to Wikipedia.

• Life in a Day (1979)
• Real to Real Cacophony (1979)
• Empires and Dance (1980)
• Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call (1981)
• 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)
• Good News from the Next World (1995)
• Neapolis (1998)
• Our Secrets are the Same (2000)
• Neon Lights (2001)
• Cry (2002)
• Black & White 050505 (2005)
• Sunday Express - Live (Volumes 1 & 2) (2007) (2-CD live album) (promotional exclusive Sunday Express free release)
• Graffiti Soul (2009) 15th studio album
• Searching for the Lost Boys (2009) (bonus covers album included in the "Graffiti Soul" Deluxe edition 2-CD set)

Simple Minds - Belfast Child (1989)

This epic reached No.1 in 1989 as part of the Ballad Of The Streets EP which also included the tracks Mandela Day and Biko which all featured on the the double-platinum selling album Street Fighting Years. The music to Belfast Child is borrowed from the Traditional Irish folk song She Moved Through The Fair, although the lyrics are completely different.

Simple Minds performing Ghost Dancing at Live Aid in Philadelphia on July 13th 1985

Ghost Dancing was taken from the seventh studio album "Once Upon a Time", which was released in 1984. Four singles were taken from the album; "Alive and Kicking" (UK #7, US #3), "All the Things She Said" (UK #9, US #28), "Sanctify Yourself" (UK #10, US #14), and "Ghost Dancing" (UK #13). The album proved to be highly successful and topped the UK charts. It reached #10 on the US charts.

Simple Minds performing "Chelsea Girl" live on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1979 

Released in 1979, Chelsea Girl was the second single release by Simple Minds and featured on the bands debut studio album Life In A Day. It didn't chart anywhere, although the title track from the album (the band's debut single) had managed to reach #62 in the UK singles chart.

The first Top 40 success came in 1982 with Promised You A Miracle which reached #13 in the UK. The first Simple Minds song to break the Top 40 outside of the UK was Love Song, the lead single from the album Sons And Fascination. This peaked at #16 in Sweden, #17 in Australia and #47 in the UK.

Check out this remix of King Is White and In The Crowd at my 80s Remix Blog