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[isamu]

Seriously....has there ever been a band that went from shining like a star in the mid 80s to being virtually unknown, the way Simple Minds has? Everyone's heard their anthem, Don't You Forget About Me, but if you ask people today if they've heard of tracks like Up On the Catwalk, The American, New Gold Dream or All the things She Said, they'd gaze at you like a deer in the headlights.

Why has Simple Minds' popularity faded so much since then? They, to me, are the greatest band to ever play music. Seriously....as much as I love New Order, they are nothing compared to Simple Minds.


I started listening to SM way back in 1989. I first heard Alive and Kicking and instantly fell in love. No other band caught my attention the way they did. I was absolutely SPELLBOUNDED by songs like All the Things She Said and Promised You a Miracle. I consider New Gold Dream(the album) absolute perfection, with Street Fighting Years running a very close second.

Yet despite all this, they continue to make music, releasing album after album and go virtually unnoticed except in places like their hometown of Scotland. Why is this? What is wrong with America? Why are Americans listening to shit like the Offspring and Coldplay, when a band like Simple Minds are still out there going unnoticed? Why have Simple Minds' album sales decreased over time, despite them being at least competent if not remarkable, and very valiant efforts?

What is your favorite Simple Minds album? And what kind of sound would you like them to return to/create? What direction would you encourage them to go in, to get umm, noticed again?

 

[enjoy bell woods]

All the kids I know are listening to the Offspring while the underrated Simple Minds are out there, and I'm pissed!

 

[enjoy bell woods]

I like pekingese dogs

what dude??? simple minds rawk!

 

[Varian]

I always thought OMD was underrated

 

[J2 Cool]

Wow, I caught them on the radio today, and realized some of there stuff was pretty memorable. Wondered why they weren't bigger.

 

[Evenball]

Why has Simple Minds' popularity faded so much since then?

We all forgot about them.

 

[isamu]

why did you forget?

 

[dskillzhtown]

why did you forget?

I didn't know that they were still together. they need to get on a soundtrack or something so people will know they are alive.

 

[Templar Wizard]

simple minds had their day. they were HUGE.
they were one of the 'stadium bands', back in the 80s when that meant something.

but unlike U2, another SB, they didnt re-invent themselves enough. they stuck to synth-light rock.

which is still a great sound to this day...

they should have got Flood to produce their early 90s album...

 

[SlickWilly223]

Offspring rocks, fuck youz.

 

[isamu]

simple minds had their day. they were HUGE.
they were one of the 'stadium bands', back in the 80s when that meant something.

but unlike U2, another SB, they didnt re-invent themselves enough. they stuck to synth-light rock.

which is still a great sound to this day...

they should have got Flood to produce their early 90s album...

didn't they have a big riff with Flood cuz Flood refused to work with anyone else beside U2?

 

[number386]

The song "Dont you forget about me" is strangely prophetic. And ironically the biggest reason it is remembered is because it was the song in the breakfast club. Most people I know dont know or remember who simple minds are but when they hear "Dont you forget about me", most of them say would say it's the song from the breakfast club. That's gotta hurt.

 

[teruterubozu]

iTunes recently stocked up on Simple Minds and I started downloading like crazy. I was always a huge fan of SPARKLE IN THE RAIN - what a fucking awesome album!
I preferred Simple Minds over U2 when I was growing up.
I think the reason why they faded so fast was because the follow up to Once Upon A Time - Street Fighting Years - was a HUGE letdown even for the most dedicated SM fan. They never recovered from that album.

 

[isamu]

iTunes recently stocked up on Simple Minds and I started downloading like crazy. I was always a huge fan of SPARKLE IN THE RAIN - what a fucking awesome album!
I preferred Simple Minds over U2 when I was growing up.
I think the reason why they faded so fast was because the follow up to Once Upon A Time - Street Fighting Years - was a HUGE letdown even for the most dedicated SM fan. They never recovered from that album.

Dude....you have to give SFY a chance. I fucking HATED it at first, then once it grew on me I couldn't stop listeing to it. The subtlety of the album is what you need to appreciate. The messages are powerful and Charlie Burchill is at his best!

 

[Diablos]

So did you end up buying all those SP albums yet?

 

[isamu]

So did you end up buying all those SP albums yet?

not yet man, gonna do that definietly b4 the year ends though!!

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

When looking at this thread at first, I thought you said "Simple Plan."

 

[isamu]

Some info on the new "Black and White" album:

* "We wanted to make an album once again that was full o dramatic and atmospheric pop music. We felt that we needed an album that proved as much to ourselves as anyone else, that the big beating heart of Simple Minds was very much alive and driving us on once again. Having delivered Black and White 050505, an album that we believe is 'classic Simple Minds, albeit with a whole new energy. We can honestly say that we are delighted with the results and look forward with a totally revitalised outlook to this next phase of our on going creativity. We feel with some certainty that people who grew up with Simple Minds will share our enthusiasm for this new work. While at the same time, given the chance, we also feel that these new songs are good enough to interest a whole new contemporary audience. - Jim

* Work started on the follow-up to Cry in 2002. As Jim and Charlie were performing at Proms 2002 in the evening, it left plenty of time to compose new material during the day.

* They had a head-start: material was left-over from Cry including some Mark Kerr/Charlie Burchill songs.

* And a new song, Freedom Angel, was sessioned on Billy Sloan's show on the 15th April, 2002.[/quote]


Can't wait

 

[teruterubozu]

Dude....you have to give SFY a chance. I fucking HATED it at first, then once it grew on me I couldn't stop listeing to it. The subtlety of the album is what you need to appreciate. The messages are powerful and Charlie Burchill is at his best!

I didn't mind SFY actually. The first 4-5 songs are pretty good and yes there's a lot more guitar on that album. It was just bad timing on SM's part. They wanted to make an artisitic album instead of a pop album, while everyone was expecting Alive and Kicking part 2.

Hey, I just read in Wikipedia that the song "Don't You Forget About Me", written by J. Forsey, was originally offered to Bryan Ferry, but he declined. I can't imagine Bryan Ferry singing that song! :lol