Biography
Scottish rock band Simple Minds have been on an extraordinary journey – from humble beginnings in post-punk 1970s Glasgow to becoming one of the UK’s most successful and pioneering bands – selling over 60 million records, achieving six number one albums, topping the American chart with ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’, and playing sold-out stadiums across the globe.
2022 saw the release of their eighteenth studio album, ‘Direction Of The Heart’, which reached #4 in the UK charts.
Simple Minds have achieved five No.1 albums as well hitting the top spot in countless other territories including Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is that people say to me what Simple Minds are you talking about? The avant-garde, the art-rock, the pop, the ambient, the instrumental group, the political, the folk, the stadium band? We’ve been on one hell of a journey. To play all those different styles but at the same time be quintessentially Simple Minds is an amazing thing.” Jim Kerr.
Simple Minds have been musical pioneers for 40 glittering years. Catching the mood of the post-punk era, when the angry sounds of 1977 were splintering into a thousand different shapes. They went on to become one of the great bands of their generation, deploying rousing choruses and booming atmospherics to provide a soundtrack that has endured.
Topping the American chart with Don’t You (Forget About Me) and in the UK with Belfast Child and selling over 60 million records, they have seen three of their 20 studio albums reach number one in the UK – Sparkle In The Rain, Once Upon A Time and Street Fighting Years – a chart-topping feat equalled by their live album Live In The City Of Light and the compilation Glittering Prize. A spellbinding touring band, they have graced the world’s biggest stadiums, starring at Live Aid and playing three momentous London shows in honour of Nelson Mandela.
2022 saw the release of their eighteenth studio album, ‘Direction Of The Heart’, hitting #4 in the UK charts.
Social Feed
DAZED
"Usually, still in a daze from the night before, we would wake in cheap rooms in cities strange to us.
Before the blind had even been pulled up, a feeling of contentment would suddenly have taken over, usually to do with memories from the previous night’s gig.
Sure. ...It was the 1970's and the venues we played might have been almost empty - but the reactions we would get from those few who did venture to see Simple Minds in our earliest days in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam etc, always gave the signal that we were on our way to bigger and better things.
Least it did to those who believed, and I always believed in Simple Minds." Jim Kerr
Celebrating 5 Decades of Music - See Simple Minds perform in 2027.
Link in bio.
DAZED
"Usually, still in a daze from the night before, we would wake in cheap rooms in cities strange to us.
Before the blind had even been pulled up, a feeling of contentment would suddenly have taken over, usually to do with memories from the previous night’s gig.
Sure. ...It was the 1970's and the venues we played might have been almost empty - but the reactions we would get from those few who did venture to see Simple Minds in our earliest days in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam etc, always gave the signal that we were on our way to bigger and better things.
Least it did to those who believed, and I always believed in Simple Minds." Jim Kerr
Celebrating 5 Decades of Music - See Simple Minds perform in 2027.
https://www.simpleminds.com/
Where it all began: an early Simple Minds’ gig at the Mars Bar in Glasgow, circa 1978.
“The journalist guy said to me, what do you want out of all this? I was only 19. I said we want three things. We want to be a great live band, we want to take it around the world and we want to make... a life out of it." - Jim Kerr
Photo by Laurie Evans
Where it all began: an early Simple Minds’ gig at the Mars Bar in Glasgow, circa 1978.
“The journalist guy said to me, what do you want out of all this? I was only 19. I said we want three things. We want to be a great live band, we want to take it around the world and we want to make... a life out of it.” - Jim Kerr
Photo by Laurie Evans
Where it all began: an early Simple Minds’ gig at the Mars Bar in Glasgow, circa 1978.
Photo by Laurie Evans
Don't You (Forget About Me) - Live at @isleofwightfest, 2009. #simpleminds
Speaking to @bbcradio2, Jim reveals the origins of Simple Minds' new single 'Beginner Boys'.
Speaking to Sara Cox for @BBCRadio2, Jim reveals the origins of Simple Minds' new single 'Beginner Boys'.
Listen to the track now: https://simpleminds.lnk.to/BeginnerBoysLT
Speaking to @djsaracox for @bbcradio2, Jim reveals the origins of Simple Minds’ new single ‘Beginner Boys’.
Listen to the track now via the link in bio.
DAZED
"Usually, still in a daze from the night before, we would wake in cheap rooms in cities strange to us.
Before the blind had even been pulled up, a feeling of contentment ...would suddenly have taken over, usually to do with memories from the previous night’s gig.
Sure. It was the 1970's and the venues we played might have been almost empty - but the reactions we would get from those few who did venture to see Simple Minds in our earliest days in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam etc, always gave the signal that we were on our way to bigger and better things.
Least it did to those who believed, and I always believed in Simple Minds." Jim Kerr
Celebrating 5 Decades of Music - See Simple Minds perform in 2027.
Link in bio.
Where it all began: an early Simple Minds’ gig at the Mars Bar in Glasgow, circa 1978.
“The journalist guy said to me, what do you want out of all this? I was only 19. I said we want ...three things. We want to be a great live band, we want to take it around the world and we want to make a life out of it.” - Jim Kerr
Photo by Laurie Evans
Speaking to @djsaracox for @bbcradio2, Jim reveals the origins of Simple Minds’ new single ‘Beginner Boys’.
Listen to the track now via the link in bio.
Simple Minds lighting up Stirling Castle last month with their new single ‘Beginner Boys’ from the forthcoming album ‘Sacrosanct’, which releases on January 29th 2027.
To see the ...band live on the V Tour 2027, tickets are available at the link in bio.
PARIS IN SPRING: We refuse to dream a lesser dream than the one we have been living our entire lives. For that reason, we feel the same level of excitement whenever we tour. No doubt about it. Some ...cities have a particular significance within the story of Simple Minds. Paris is always more than memorable!" Jim Kerr
Image of Paris Metro: Christophe Duron
Celebrating 5 Decades of Music - Simple Minds perform in Paris, April 10, 2027.
Watch the new music video for ‘Beginner Boys’, the lead single from Simple Minds’ upcoming album ‘Sacrosanct’, now on YouTube at the link in bio.
Speaking to @chrisevanstfi on @virginradiouk, Jim shares how it feels to be touring with Simple Minds after five decades together.
Tickets for the band’s V Tour 2027 are on sale now via ...the link in bio.
Simple Minds performing their hit single ‘Alive and Kicking’ for #R2InThePark, first released in September 1985.
What a week. Rehearsals, a photoshoot, a few radio interviews, and one night under Stirling Castle with the lot of you. Thank you, Scotland. Next year we celebrate fifty. Together. BBC Radio 2 in the... Park was a moment we’ll never forget
Film by: Trent Barboza (@indietrent)
MINDS DIVA! "Diva" traces back to the Latin diva, feminine of divus — "divine, godlike." Italian opera culture picked it up in the 19th century for a celebrated female singer, a... "goddess" of the stage — someone whose talent set her apart, almost otherworldly."
Not many can make me break down and laugh as @sarahbrownvocal does, but it's the VOICE I want to mention. Her voice!
Before blessing SM with her talents, I had witnessed Miss Brown singing backing with Roxy Music, Duran Duran, Simply Red - and could not for the life of me understand how for someone so especially great - very few seemingly knew her name?
From the moment she began with SM I decided to change that.
Surely you'll agree that if ever someone deserves a spotlight... Sarah Brown does.
Jim Kerr : Villa Angela: Taormina: Sicily
sarahbrownofficial website
Simple Minds’ triumphant show in Stirling last Sunday for @bbcradio2 in the Park! Watch the full performance on BBC iPlayer.
Simple Minds return to the UK in Spring 2027 for the V Tour, ...tickets are on sale now at the link in bio.
Simple Minds are excited to share that ‘Beginner Boys’, the lead single from their upcoming album ‘Sacrosanct’, has been announced as @bbcradio2’s Record Of The Week.
Where it all began: an early Simple Minds’ gig at the Mars Bar in Glasgow, circa 1978.
Photo by Laurie Evans
Speaking to Sara Cox for @BBCRadio2, Jim reveals the origins of Simple Minds' new single 'Beginner Boys'.
Listen to the track now: https://simpleminds.lnk.to/BeginnerBoysLT
Simple Minds lighting up Stirling Castle last month with their new single 'Beginner Boys' from the forthcoming album 'Sacrosanct', which releases on January 29th 2027.
To... see the band live on the V Tour 2027, tickets are available here: https://www.simpleminds.com/
Watch the new music video for 'Beginner Boys', the lead single from Simple Minds’ upcoming album ‘Sacrosanct’, now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnJ1xHNdrTM
...Pre-order 'Sacrosanct' here: https://simpleminds.lnk.to/Sacrosanct
Speaking to @achrisevans on @VirginRadioUK, Jim shares how it feels to be touring with Simple Minds after five decades together.
Tickets for the band’s V Tour 2027 are on sale now: ...https://www.simpleminds.com/
Simple Minds performing their hit single 'Alive and Kicking' for #R2InThePark, first released in September 1985.
Simple Minds’ triumphant show in Stirling last Sunday for @BBCRadio2 in the Park! Watch the full performance on BBC iPlayer: ...https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0031n83/radio-2-in-the-park-simple-minds
Simple Minds return to the UK in Spring 2027 for the V Tour, tickets are on sale now: https://www.simpleminds.com/
Simple Minds are excited to share that 'Beginner Boys', the lead single from their upcoming album 'Sacrosanct', has been announced as @BBCRadio2's Record Of The Week.
To celebrate #NationalAlbumDay, Simple Minds' 1989 album 'Street Fighting Years' will release as a limited-edition 2LP on Green Transparent vinyl.
Releases on October 17th, ...pre-order now: https://SimpleMinds.lnk.to/StreetFightingYearsNAD
The new music video for ‘Beginner Boys’, the lead single from Simple Minds’ upcoming album ‘Sacrosanct’, is out today. Watch it now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnJ1xHNdrTM
Due to phenomenal demand, Simple Minds will be playing an extra date at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, UK on the 15th May 2027.
Tickets for the V Tour are on sale now: ...https://www.simpleminds.com/
Celebrating five decades of Simple Minds. The V Tour comes to the UK and Europe in 2027.
Tickets are on sale now: https://www.simpleminds.com/
Don't You (Forget About Me) - Live at @isleofwightfest, 2009. #simpleminds
Speaking to @bbcradio2, Jim reveals the origins of Simple Minds' new single 'Beginner Boys'.
Simple Minds lighting up Stirling Castle last month with their new single 'Beginner Boys'.
Watch the new music video for 'Beginner Boys' now on the #SimpleMinds YouTube.
Jim speaking to @VirginRadioUK about touring with Simple Minds after five decades together.
Simple Minds performing their hit single 'Alive and Kicking' for #R2InThePark
Simple Minds at Stirling Castle 2026 | Behind The Scenes
Simple Minds’ triumphant show in Stirling last Sunday for @bbcradio2 In The Park!
Simple Minds performing New Gold Dream - Live in Newcastle, 1982.
The new music video for ‘Beginner Boys’ is out today. #SimpleMinds
Simple Minds - Beginner Boys (Official Video)
Celebrating five decades of Simple Minds. The V Tour comes to the UK and Europe in 2027.
