Simple Minds - Best Album?
Discussion
When I saw the topic heading I immediately thought that I'd post it was Real Life, as no-one else would have. Clearly happy to be proved wrong. Although Street Fighting Years has some great tracks, I always thought it's success gave them the confidence to drag themselves out the 80's, and try something new & "mature" with Real Life
To me, New Gold Dream is head and shoulders above the rest. Sparkle In The Rain and Live in The City Of Light (aka Liveish all over the place) are runners-up. It may just be down to my age at the time, and what was happening in my life, but it is in my top 5 albums and I still play it now and then.
Halmyre said:
From Real to Real Cacophony through to New Gold Dream, a great run, hard to pick one out. Sparkle in the Rain not quite as good and then it all went arena and empty bombast with Once Upon A Time.
My take on it, too, pretty much. Picked up Street Fighting Years second hand some time ago, have only played it once - not bad but very MOR/AOR for my tastes. Sparkle in the Rain had some potentially storming tracks but production was by Steve 'deaf' Lillywhite...These things are always subjective and can be totally affected by when you heard them first listened them/what was going on at that time etc.
My favourite is Sparkle In The Rain. It is such a splendidly powerful album, but as someone else has said, why was Steve Lillywhite ever allowed to produce so many bands? I also love the "bombast" of Once Upon A Time and some of the live recordings on Live In The City Of Light are fantastic. I am also a fan of their more "mature" work on Street Fighting Years (a beautiful recording) and Real Life.
I've since been back and listened to the earlier albums and have come to appreciate those too. Big Music is a real return to form as well I have to say.
My favourite is Sparkle In The Rain. It is such a splendidly powerful album, but as someone else has said, why was Steve Lillywhite ever allowed to produce so many bands? I also love the "bombast" of Once Upon A Time and some of the live recordings on Live In The City Of Light are fantastic. I am also a fan of their more "mature" work on Street Fighting Years (a beautiful recording) and Real Life.
I've since been back and listened to the earlier albums and have come to appreciate those too. Big Music is a real return to form as well I have to say.
rover 623gsi said:
1: New Gold Dream
2: Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call
3: Sparkle in the Rain
saw them back in the day - a couple of times at the Hammersmith Odeon, once at The Lyceum. I think they were never the same once Derek Forbes left / was booted out.
I thought that too, Derek was a great loss, and then Michael McNeil left as well.2: Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call
3: Sparkle in the Rain
saw them back in the day - a couple of times at the Hammersmith Odeon, once at The Lyceum. I think they were never the same once Derek Forbes left / was booted out.
Here's Derek demonstrating the "I Travel" bassline.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZs_l9hF8IY
Empires & Dance.
Back in the day when i was a lad the sounds coming out from it were amazing. I'd put it up there with the first three studio albums by Gary Numan from Tubeway Army to The Pleasure Principle.
Then there was Reproduction & Travelogue by the Human League - before Phil went a bit mental and decided to go 'disco' and effectively a great band was killed off.
Also John Foxx with Metamatic. Orchestral Manouvres In The Dark's first album was another belter.
I am so glad i was there to live it and i would go back there in a heartbeat. Heady days indeed.
Back in the day when i was a lad the sounds coming out from it were amazing. I'd put it up there with the first three studio albums by Gary Numan from Tubeway Army to The Pleasure Principle.
Then there was Reproduction & Travelogue by the Human League - before Phil went a bit mental and decided to go 'disco' and effectively a great band was killed off.
Also John Foxx with Metamatic. Orchestral Manouvres In The Dark's first album was another belter.
I am so glad i was there to live it and i would go back there in a heartbeat. Heady days indeed.
killingjoker said:
Then there was Reproduction & Travelogue by the Human League - before Phil went a bit mental and decided to go 'disco' and effectively a great band was killed off.
Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Carry on.
Saw Simple Minds in Norway a few months ago, was a great concert but the Noggies just stand there with arms folded, nodding away to the music, whilst a group of us expats were going Spazzo in the corner down the front!
Jim Kerr looking his age, and more though.
NGD best album of all time for me!
Jim Kerr looking his age, and more though.
NGD best album of all time for me!
Marvindodgers said:
killingjoker said:
Then there was Reproduction & Travelogue by the Human League - before Phil went a bit mental and decided to go 'disco' and effectively a great band was killed off.
Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Carry on.
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