Simple Minds

Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. Although experiencing significant personnel changes, it has continued to tour to a cult following through that decade and into the new millennium. The core of the band is the two remaining founding members – Jim Kerr (vocals, songwriting) and Charlie Burchill (guitars, keyboards after 1990, other instruments, songwriting) – and drummer Mel Gaynor (who first joined the band in 1982). The other current band members are Andy Gillespie (keyboards) and Ged Grimes (bass guitar). Former members include bass guitarist Derek Forbes, drummer Brian McGee, and keyboardist Mick MacNeil.

Links To Peel
Like most of Simple Minds' first wave of fans, Peel preferred their earlier experimental incarnation to the more globally popular stadium rock which took over from the mid 1980s. On the show of 02 January 1980 he says he was less than impressed with their first album but had listened to Real To Real Cacophony several times and fearing it would get little airplay, decided he should play the entire album over four shows.

In John Peel's Scottish Sessions Jim Kerr talks about how much better the Skids were than Johnny and the Self-Abusers but that Peel was crucial to Simple Minds success.

A great favourite of Peel was the 1981 single The American, which he played sporadically over the years, though he was caught out by the sudden ending on his first play of the record.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1982 Festive Fifty: Glittering Prize #45
 * 1982 Festive Fifty: Someone Somewhere In Summertime #32
 * 1982 Festive Fifty: Promised You A Miracle #30

Sessions
1. Recorded: 1979-12-19. First broadcast on John Peel Show: 07 January 1980. Repeated: 31 January 1980. Available on CD Box Set Silver Box Virgin CDBOX9. Premonition also available on v/a album Movement: BBC Radio 1 Peel Sessions 1977-1979 BBC Worldwide / EMI CDPEEL 7779 2. Recorded: 1982-02-15. First broadcast: 01 March 1982. Repeated: 23 March 1982, 20 April 1982, 20 December 1982, April 1985, 03 April 1985 (Muriel Gray)
 * Changeling / Premonition / Citizen (Dance Of Youth) / Room
 * I Promised You A Miracle / Love Song / Sons And Fascination / King Is White And In The Crowd

(Please correct mistakes and add any missing info)

Other Shows Played
1979


 * 04 December 1979: Naked Eye (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 05 December 1979: Premonition (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 06 December 1979: Carnival (Shelter In A Suitcase) (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 11 December 1979: Changeling (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109


 * 1980
 * 02 January 1980: Real To Real (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 02 January 1980: Naked Eye (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 02 January 1980: Citizen (Dance of Youth) (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 02 January 1980: Carnival (Shelter In A Suitcase) (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 03 January 1980: Factory (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * Simple Minds-Someone Somewhere (Live Newcastle 1982) REMASTERED STEREO]]03 January 1980: Cacophony (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 09 January 1980: Veldt (LP (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 09 January 1980: Calling Your Name (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 09 January 1980: Scar (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 10 January 1980: Premonition (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 10 January 1980: Changeling (album - Real To Real Cacophony) Arista SPART 1109
 * 26 August 1980: Constantinople Line (album - Empires And Dance) Arista SPART 1140
 * 27 August 1980: This Fear Of Gods (LP – Empires And Dance) Arista
 * 01 September 1980: I Travel (album - Empires And Dance) Arista SPART 1140
 * 02 September 1980: Celebrate (LP – Empires And Dance) Arista
 * 03 September 1980: Today I Died Again (album - Empires And Dance) Arista SPART 1140
 * 24 September 1980: I Travel (album - Empires And Dance) Zoom SPART 1140
 * 14 October 1980: I Travel (7") Arista ARIST 372


 * Simple Minds - Promised You A Miracle]]1981
 * 16 February 1981: Celebrate (7") Arista ARIST 394
 * 06 May 1981: The American (7") Virgin VS 410
 * 18 May 1981: The American (7") Virgin VS 410


 * 1982
 * 06 January 1982: Love Song (12”) Virgin
 * 15 April 1982: Promised You A Miracle (7") Virgin
 * 23 September 1982: The Hunter And the Hunted (album - New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)) Virgin V 2230
 * 28 October 1982: 'King Is White And In The Crowd (Kid Jensen Session version) (b/w 7" - Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) Virgin VS538
 * 16 December 1982: Glittering Prize (album - New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)) Virgin V 2230 F50 #45
 * 21 December 1982: Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) (album - New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)) Virgin V 2230 F50 #32
 * 22 December 1982: Promised You A Miracle (12") Virgin VS 488-12 F50 #30


 * 1983
 * 30 May 1983: League of Nations (live at Pinkpop)


 * 1984
 * 11 January 1984: Speed Your Love To Me (album - Sparkle In the Rain) Virgin V2300
 * 1x January 1984: Book Of Brilliant Things (album - Sparkle In the Rain) Virgin V2300
 * 1x January 1984: "C" Moon Cry Like A Baby (album - Sparkle In the Rain) Virgin V2300
 * Late February 1984 (BBC World Service): Up On The Catwalk (album - Sparkle In the Rain) Virgin V 2300
 * Late February 1984 (BBC World Service): Book Of Brilliant Things (album - Sparkle In the Rain) Virgin V 2300
 * 16 May 1984: The American (7") Virgin VS 410


 * 1990s
 * 07 August 1990: The American (7") Virgin VS 410

(Please add any missing info)
 * 2000s
 * 16 January 2000 (BFBS): The American (7") Virgin VS 410
 * 01 May 2002: The American (7") Virgin VS 410
 * 08 July 2003: The American (7") Virgin VS 410