X-Nico

7 unusual facts about Simple Minds


2010 Australian Grand Prix

Rock Bands Powderfinger & Simple Minds performed live after the last track event on Saturday & Sunday.

Jimmy Johnstone: Lord of the Wing

The film culminates with Jimmy joining Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill (from Simple Minds) to record a cover of the Ewan MacColl classic, "Dirty Old Town", which was later released as a charity single, to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Sonnit

Despite various glamorous festival- and television gigs between 2002 and 2004, the Popgun-Tour in Autumn 2002 as well as the tour-support for parts of the Simple Minds-Tour in Germany in summer 2003, the band didn't achieve a commercial breakthrough yet.

Stylorouge

Formed by creative director Rob O'Connor in 1981, it is notable for creating record sleeve designs for bands such as Blur, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Stereophonics, Killing Joke, Sandie Shaw, Adam Ant, Catatonia, Jesus Jones, Squeeze, Crowded House, Dr John, Simple Minds, Sarah Brightman and Menswear.

Sylvia Mason-James

She has appeared as a backing vocalist on music by artists including Go West, Simple Minds, Adam Rickitt, Robbie Williams, Cher, Bo Selecta, Swing Out Sister, Sheena Easton, The Blow Monkeys and most frequently, Pet Shop Boys.

The Palladium Niteclub

During their 1986 tour of New Zealand, Simple Minds spent the evening there after their show at the Christchurch Town Hall.

WXXJ

The last song heard on "102.9 The Point" was the first song played when the station launched 9 years earlier, "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds.


Absolute 80s

The marketing plan for Absolute 80s started with targeted sampling at 80s events such as Madness, Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode at the O2 Arena, and Simple Minds at Wembley Arena.

Alan Stivell

He continued working with a variety of musicians, inviting Paddy Moloney (of The Chieftains), Jim Kerr (of Simple Minds), Khaled and Youssou N'Dour to be in his very international 1 Douar / 1 Earth album.

Bring On the Dancing Horses

American skater punk group Lagwagon released a version on their 2000 B-sides and rarities album Let's Talk About Leftovers and Simple Minds recorded a version for their 2001 covers album Neon Lights.

China Crisis

Another concert in the Philippines was held on 9 September 2011 at the SMX Convention Center, together with Ex-Simple Minds with further shows in the Philippines, Singapore and Hong Kong that followed.

Cornwall Coliseum

Through the 1970s and 1980s, various major acts of the era would perform at the venue, including The Clash, The Jam, The Who, Black Sabbath, Cliff Richard, Iron Maiden, Rainbow, Slade, Bon Jovi, Simple Minds, Deborah Harry, T'Pau and Glen Campbell who recorded a live album there in 1981, as well as many comedy and light entertainment acts.

Duke Quartet

They are also widely known in the popular music field, and appeared on Morrissey's Viva Hate album, and have also worked with The Pretenders, Blur, Catatonia, Simple Minds, The Cranberries and The Corrs.

Ethan Dettenmaier

In terms of writing, Dettenmaier is currently developing a novel under the title Soldiers of Destruction along with a biography project involving former Simple Minds' bassist Derek Forbes (who was voted Scotland's Best Bass Player Ever) and drummer Brian McGee.

Hamilton Lee

As a session player or guest musician, Lee has played or programmed for Natacha Atlas, Simple Minds, Jeanette and Fiamma Fumana.

Hearts and Knives

The band's official website confirmed that former Visage/Magazine keyboardist Dave Formula, and former Simple Minds keyboardist Mick MacNeil have also contributed to the album.

Kirklevington Country Club

Terry Reid, Simple Minds, Yes, Mott the Hoople, Buddy Guy, Paul Young, The Alan Bown Set, Goldie & The Gingerbreads, Jimmy James and the Vagabonds, Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, Spooky Tooth, the Jeff Beck Group (feat. Rod "The Mod" Stewart and Ronnie Wood) Chris Rea, Paul Rodgers, David Coverdale, Dire Straits, Marc Almond / Soft Cell etc. many of whom went on to superstardom.

Mothers Talk

The strings at the beginning of the song were culled from a Barry Manilow record, while the drum sample around which "Empire Building" is built was lifted from the Simple Minds song "Today I Died Again".

Silver Box

Silver Box is a 5-CD box set by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released on 18 October 2004, mostly made up of previously unreleased demos, radio & TV sessions and various live recordings from 1979 to 1995..

Stadio Alberto Braglia

Artists that have performed at the stadium include Sting, Prince, Simple Minds, U2, Pink Floyd, Guns N' Roses and Rage Against the Machine, among others.

Tablewaiters

Several tours and important support spots included playing with Simple Minds, The Psychedelic Furs, Split Enz, INXS, Midnight Oil, Machinations (band), Laughing Clowns, Models (band), Hunters and Collectors, Eurogliders & The Birthday Party (band).

The Brat Pack Years

The album was produced by Paul Tarnopol and includes music by Simple Minds, INXS, Modern English, The Bangles, Eurythmics, Howard Jones, John Parr, General Public, Oingo Boingo, Wang Chung, Thompson Twins, Sheena Easton, Nick Heyward and Spandau Ballet.

Then Jerico

The album was co-produced by Mark Shaw and Andy Taylor with collaborations from Taylor, Simple Minds' keyboard player Mick MacNeil and author Iain Banks.


see also

Anthony Davie

He is currently manager/tour manager for Los Mondo Bongo (celebrating the music of Joe Strummer) which includes Joe Strummer's post-Clash bandmates Pablo Cook (percussion) and Smiley Culture/Steve Barnard (drums) from The Mescaleros, as well as bassist Derek Forbes (Simple Minds), guitarist Steve Harris (Gary Numan) and vocalist Mike Peters (The Alarm), plus Ray Gange of Rude Boy film fame DJing.

Jez Coad

He continued working with the Simple Minds singer Jim Kerr, on the Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr project in which he produced, wrote, and played.

Jim Kerr

A new remix, more suitable for radio airplay, was done by Cenzo Townshend whom Jim Kerr chose because of Townshends's previous work with Simple Minds' latest album Graffiti Soul.

Mel Gaynor

Gaynor joined Simple Minds in 1982 as a session drummer for the New Gold Dream album (as a recommendation by the record producer, Pete Walsh) then later joined the band permanently for the New Gold Dream tour, as a replacement for Mike Ogletree.

In addition to Simple Minds, he has played alongside other acts such as: Sir Elton John, Lou Reed, Tina Turner, Meat Loaf, Samson, The Associates, Orange Juice, Peter Gabriel, The Pretenders, Prljavo kazalište, Gary Moore, Jackson Browne, Little Steven, Brian May, The Nolans, Goldie, Robert Palmer and Joan Armatrading.

Street Fighting Years

The lyrics built on the more political themes which the band had introduced with 'Ghostdancing', moving away from the impressionistic or spiritual concerns of earlier 1980s Simple Minds songs and covering topics including the Poll Tax, the Soweto townships, the Berlin Wall and the stationing of nuclear submarines on the Scottish coast.