Simple Minds are one of those bands that fall into the almost category with me. In fact by falling into a band I mainly followed on the radio through hearing their singles, I ended up missing out on so much of their classic material. I suppose this is the downside to the old 7" single as singles don't always fully represent the material of a band. If I was to be totally honest "Promised You A Miracle" kind of put me off Simple Minds and I don't really know why even now. I think back then I was really into my alternative guitar music and was not completely won over by the electronic element. This meant that during the hugely successful years in the 1980s for the band I pretty much only followed them on the radio.
The first Simple Minds album I bought was the live album "Live in the City of Light". I was actually delivering some printed carrier bags to a record shop in Dorset on the week of it's release. I was given a cup of coffee and got the album at a very friendly price I seem to recall.
Picking out a favourite song by the band is difficult as there are the big hit anthemic singles right up there, but fortunately I have been educated in their back catalogue by friends over recent years and "New Gold Dream 81 82 83 84" has to take the top prize for me.
Interestingly in 2012 Simple Minds have re-released the 5 first albums over 6 discs, which has given someone like myself the perfect opportunity to delve into the band's back catalogue for a bargain price! The band are touring this release as the 5x5 live tour during which they are performing for the first time 5 songs from each of their first 5 albums released from 1979 to 1982. So finally after many years 2012 gave me my first opportunity to see the band live in London at The Roundhouse on the 5x5 tour. It was a stunning show although in some ways I felt like maybe I should not have been there as I got to see the band play songs some not played for many years that maybe more long standing fans would have deserved to see more than me. But hey I loved it especially as they ended the show playing "New Gold Dream"!
Did they do "Don't you forget about me!" my FAVOURITE Simple Minds song!
ReplyDeleteNo as this tour was playing 5 tracks from their first 5 albums which was before that. If anything that made it all the more special that they could carry off a show without playing some of their massive hits.
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