Biography

The Scottish band Simple Minds was formed in 1978 by vocalist Jim Kerr, guitarist Charley Burchill, bassist Tony Donald and drummer Brian McGee. The original lineup was complete after they were joined by guitarist Duncan Barnwell and keyboardist Michael McNeil. Soon, Donald left his duties to Derek Forbes and, in a short while, Simple Minds parted ways with Barnwell. Right after the start, the group won the status of a strong concert act, which helped the young musicians enter partnership with ZOOM. The first studio works by Simple Minds differed greatly from each other by genre as the band was experimenting with trends much looking for the optimal sounding. The debut album of the Scots was called Life In A Day and sneaked into the UK charts, although the musicians were not happy with what they had done and right after the release came back to the studio to work on fresh material. Within shortest terms, they recorded the sophomore album, Reel to Real Cacophony. Compared to its pop-loaded predecessor, this one was much darker and more experimental.

Critics praised the approach utilized by Simple Minds, yet the sales of the release left much to be desired. It was followed by the dance album Empires and Dance. This record marked the group’s turn to the widely demanded format of pop music. In 1981, they released one album uniting two different long players, Sons and Fascination, and Sister Feelings Call, each re-released separately later. In a year, Simple Minds presented their first effort to reach high acclaim in the YSA. That was New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84), promoted by a large-scale tour. McGee refused to take part in it due to the stated dislike of performing on big stages. He was replaced by Mel Gaynor. After the 1984 release of Sparkle in the Rain, Jim Kerr married the singer of Pretenders, Chrissie Hynde. Upon that event, both bands toured a lot together. In the meantime, Simple Minds continued to conquer the American market. Despite Kerr’s reluctance, the group performed the song Don't You (Forget About Me) for the movie Breakfast Club (1985). This was the band’s only composition to top the US charts.

The vocalist of Simple Minds was still dissatisfied with the lyrics of this hit and insisted on the release of the Once Upon a Time album without it. This did not stop the record from becoming golden and hitting the UK Top Ten. The releases of the concert album, In The City Of Light, and too political studio effort, Street Fighting Years, late in the eighties appeared commercial disasters. The Scotts decided to pen more personal stuff with the focus on rock music. In the end, they made a solid record, Real Life, but by the moment of its release in 1991, the group had lost too many of their supporters and gone through irksome lineup changes.

However, the Simple Minds leaders, Kerr and Burchill did not show signs of giving up. In 1995, the Scottish group recovered slightly from the recent failures with the ambitious long player, Good News From the Next World. It featured the composition She's a River, a strong radio hit. In 1998, Derek Forbes came back to Simple Minds to release another studio work, Neapolis. The record proved to be too colorless. It was obvious that the musicians doubted which way to move further. In 2001, the group issued a collection of covers, Neon Lights, paying tributes to celebrated performers. In 2002, they hit the stores with Cry, an album with new studio material. The last efforts by the Scottish band, Black & White 050505 (2005), and Graffiti Soul (2009) demonstrated an attempt to come back to the most successful period in the group’s history, the first half of the eighties.

Studio Albums

Simple Minds, Direction of the Heart mp3Direction of the Heart
2022
  • Pop Rock
  • New Wave
Simple Minds, Walk Between Worlds mp3Walk Between Worlds
2018
  • Pop Rock
  • New Wave
Simple Minds, Acoustic mp3Acoustic
2016
  • Folk Rock
  • Pop Rock
Simple Minds, Big Music mp3Big Music
2014
  • Pop Rock
  • New Wave
Simple Minds, Graffiti Soul mp3Graffiti Soul
The British rock band Simple Minds recorded a new studio attempt Graffiti Soul. The long-play features eighteen rock tracks – both danceable songs and arena-ready slow burning ballads
2009
  • Pop/Rock
Simple Minds, Black & White 050505 mp3Black & White 050505
Simple Minds were the most successful Scottish band of the 80's. Maybe there's something good about all this '80s nostalgia - inspiration for older acts to issue surprisingly strong albums, as evidenced by Black and White 050505
2005
  • Pop/Rock
Simple Minds, Cry mp3Cry
2002
  • Pop/Rock
  • Synth Pop
Simple Minds, Sons and Fascination / Sister Feelings Call mp3Sons and Fascination / Sister Feelings Call
2002
  • Post-Punk
  • Art Rock
  • New Wave
  • Synth Pop
Simple Minds, Neon Lights mp3Neon Lights
2001
  • Pop/Rock
Simple Minds, Neapolis mp3Neapolis
1998
  • Pop/Rock
Simple Minds, Real Life mp3Real Life
1991
  • Pop/Rock
Simple Minds, Once Upon a Time mp3Once Upon a Time
1985
  • Pop/Rock
  • New Wave
  • Synth Pop
Simple Minds, Sparkle in the Rain mp3Sparkle in the Rain
1984
  • Pop/Rock
  • New Wave
  • New Romantic
Simple Minds, New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) mp3New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)
1982
  • New Wave
  • New Romantic
  • Synth Pop
Simple Minds, Empires and Dance mp3Empires and Dance
1980
  • Post-Punk
  • New Wave
  • Synth Pop
Simple Minds, Life in a Day mp3Life in a Day
1979
  • Post-Punk
  • New Wave
  • New Romantic
  • Synth Pop
Simple Minds, Real to Real Cacophony mp3Real to Real Cacophony
1979
  • Post-Punk
  • Krautrock
  • New Wave

Compilation albums

Simple Minds, 40: The Best of 1979-2019 mp340: The Best of 1979-2019
2019
  • Pop Rock
  • New Wave
Simple Minds, Celebrate mp3Celebrate
2013
  • Pop/Rock
Simple Minds, Icon mp3Icon
2013
  • Pop/Rock
Simple Minds, X5 mp3X5
2012
  • Post-Punk
  • New Wave
  • Synth Pop
Simple Minds, Silver Box mp3Silver Box
2004
  • Post-Punk
  • Pop Rock
  • New Wave
Simple Minds, Glittering Prize 81/92 mp3Glittering Prize 81/92
1992
  • New Wave
  • New Romantic
  • Synth Pop
Simple Minds, Celebration mp3Celebration
1982
  • Post-Punk
  • New Wave
  • Synth Pop

Lives

Simple Minds, Live in the City of Angels mp3Live in the City of Angels
2019
  • Post-Punk
  • No Wave
Simple Minds, Acoustic In Concert mp3Acoustic In Concert
2017
  • Folk Rock
  • Pop Rock
Simple Minds, Big Music Tour 2015 mp3Big Music Tour 2015
2015
  • Pop Rock
  • New Romantic
Simple Minds, 5X5 Live mp35X5 Live
2012
  • Post-Punk
  • New Wave
Simple Minds, Live in the City of Light mp3Live in the City of Light
1987
  • Post-Punk
  • Coldwave
  • Rock
  • Art Rock
  • Pop
  • Pop/Rock
  • New Wave
  • New Romantic
  • Synth Pop