GuilFest 2005. The Guildford Music Festival on 15th, 16th and 17th July 2005

About the bands
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Artist: Simple Minds
Genre: Pop
Performing: 17th July 2004 / BBC Radio 2 Main Stage
Website Address: [www.simpleminds.com]

Timeless and epochal; Simple Minds formed in 1978 with Jim Kerr (vocals), Charlie Burchill (guitar), Tony Donald (bass) and Brian McGee (drums). They rose out of the ashes of punksters Johnny And The Self-Abusers, and in true anarchic fashion they deliberately folded the band on the day their debut single was released.

A second guitarist, Duncan Barnwell, was recruited from a local newspaper and a keyboard player Mick MacNeil was added to beef up the sound before Derek Forbes replaced a disaffected Donald.. The numerous upheavals of this initial era were completed with Barnwell's departure, during this time they did manage an impressive demo mini-album which caught the attention of NME writer Ian Cranna. This key exposure gave them immediate notoriety and they quickly established themselves as one of Scotland's hottest new attractions after being signed by Bruce Findlay, formerly owner of the hip record shop Bruce's, as their manager. Kerr soon charmed other music journalists with his precocious banter, they recognizing his charisma. They were signed to Zoom, an Edinburgh-based independent label marketed by Arista Records. 'Life In A Day', the group's debut single, broached the UK Top 75 in March 1979 on the strength of their fast growing fan-base. The debut album Life In A Day reached number 30. Critics were divided over its merits and within weeks the band began decrying their creation and embarked on a more radical direction. Real To Real Cacophony unfolded within the recording studio in an attempt to regain an early spontaneity and while this largely experimental collection was a commercial flop, it reinstated the group's self-respect and won unanimous approval from the music press and their fans.

Empires And Dance, was released in September 1980 and snuck in the album chart at number 41. The set fused the flair of its predecessor to a newly established love of early dance music and reflected influences they picked up during European tours. It included 'I Travel', a pulsating travelogue which became a firm favourite throughout the club circuit and helped establish a new sense of optimism in the group's career to be a major force in the marketplace. Now free of Arista after the collapse of Zoom, Simple Minds were snapped up by the Virgin label in 1981, and paired with master producer/guitarist Steve Hillage. The resultant sessions spawned two albums, Sons And Fascination/Sister Feelings Call, which were initially released together. This became the group's first UK Top 20 entrant, spawning three minor hit singles with 'The American', 'Love Song' and 'Sweat In Bullet' and began Simple Minds' transformation from a credible cult act to mass appeal favourites. Kerr's confidence at this time left no doubt that they planned to be huge. This very success unnerved Brian McGee, who disliked being on the road. In August 1981 he jumped ship and was replaced by former Slik and Skids drummer Kenny Hyslop, although the newcomer's recorded contribution was confined to their first classic, 'Promised You A Miracle'. This hypnotic song reached number 13 in Britain, and proved popular in Europe and Australia where the group already enjoyed a fanatical following.

Although Mike Ogletree joined on Hyslop's departure, session musician, Mel Gaynor, eventually became the band's permanent drummer. Both musicians were featured on New Gold Dream, Simple Minds' most successful album to date which peaked at number 3. Here the group was harnessing an effortlessly commercial sound, and they achieved a series of hits with some magnificent singles, 'Glittering Prize' and 'Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)'. A sixth album, Sparkle In The Rain, united the quintet with producer Steve Lillywhite, inspiring comparisons with his other protégés, U2. 'Waterfront', a brash, pulsating grandiose performance, and 'Speed Your Love To Me', prefaced its release, and the album entered the UK chart at number 1. The set also featured 'Up On The Catwalk', a further Top 30 entrant, and a brilliant version of Lou Reed's 'Street Hassle', a long-established group favourite.

Kerr's profile reached an even wider audience when he married Pretenders' singer Chrissie Hynde in 1984, but their relationship could not survive the rigours of constantly touring and being in different parts of the world. The following year Simple Minds chose to record in America under the aegis of producers Jimmy Iovine and Bob Clearmountain. It was during this period that the group contributed another classic, 'Don't You (Forget About Me)' to the soundtrack of the film The Breakfast Club. It became a US number 1 when issued as a single and Simple Minds completed their world domination. Although the group initially vetoed a world-wide release, they reneged in the light of this achievement whereupon the record became a massive international hit and confirmed the group's world-beating status. However, the track did not appear on the following Once Upon A Time which, despite massive international success, drew some criticism for its bombastic approach. This album saw the introduction of bassist John Giblin, and three tracks, 'Alive And Kicking', 'Sanctify Yourself' and 'All The Things She Said' all reached the UK Top 10 while a concurrent world tour, documented on Live In The City Of Light, was one of the year's major events.

The proceeds of several dates were donated to Amnesty International, reflecting a growing politicization and conscience within the group. They were also one of the many highlights of the legendary Live Aid in 1985 when Kerr was clearly relishing the moment. In 1988 they were a major inspiration behind the concert celebrating Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday, but although a new composition, 'Mandela Day', was recorded for the event, Simple Minds refused to release it as a single, fearful of seeming opportunistic. The song was later coupled to 'Belfast Child', a lengthy, haunting lament for Northern Ireland based on a traditional folk melody, 'She Moved Through The Fair'. This artistically ambitious work topped the UK chart in February 1989 and set the tone for the group's subsequent album, the uncompromisingly honest Street Fighting Years, their first studio set in four years which achieved platinum status within five days, and became their 4th consecutive chart-topping album in the UK. Two further singles entered the UK Top 20, 'This Is Your Land' and 'Kick It In' while The Amsterdam EP, which included a version of Prince's 'Sign 'O' The Times', reached number 18 at the end of a hugely successful year. This period closed with the departure of Mick MacNeil, replaced by Mark Taylor, and the ending of the group's ten-year association with Bruce Findlay and Schoolhouse Management.

Simple Minds entered the 90s with an official line-up of Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill. Malcolm Foster joined as bassist for the next two albums. Real Life saw the band re-introducing more personal and emotional themes to their songwriting after the political concerns of previous albums. The new material recaptured the grand, epic sound that is Simple Minds' trademark The highly commercial 'She's A River' came in advance of Good News From The Next World in 1995. After another lengthy hiatus during which time Derek Forbes rejoined his old chums, the band returned with Néapolis, an album that marked a determined effort to recreate the edgy, electronic style of their early 80s albums. While not always successful, it did at least indicate a band willing to once again take a few chances. Simple Minds made a major contribution to quality pop music of the 80s (over 30 hit singles) with their uncompromising attitude and their anthemic and often uplifting music.

Now, Simple Minds & Eagle Records have clinched a deal that will see the band release 2 brand new albums and embark on a world-wide headline tour all within the next 18 months.

Neon Lights is the first of the two forthcoming releases and is an album Simple Minds feel they had to make. Consisting of tracks that first inspired the band to write music, it is an album of classic covers with each song given the unmistakable sound and feel of Simple Minds.

The next year and a half is set to be one of the busiest in the band's history with singles, albums and tours, emphasising the fact that their short period of rest at the end of the late nineties has paid dividends artistically, giving them that much needed time to consolidate and develop new ideas.