Simple Minds Deliver ‘Big Music’
The remarkable creative and critical renaissance of Scottish rock trendsetters Simple Minds continues with today’s confirmation that ‘Big Music,’ their first album of new material for five years, will be released through Caroline International on November 3. The band have also announced plans for a major UK tour next year.
‘Big Music,’ Simple Minds’ 16th album, follows the recent release of the band’s ‘Celebrate Live’ DVD and CD package, recorded at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow. Their last album was 2009’s ‘Graffiti Soul,’ which was followed by the ‘X5’ box set and a subsequent live album and tour.
Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill, founder members of the long-running tastemakers, are joined in the modern-day live band by longtime drummer Mel Gaynor plus keyboard player Andy Gillespie, bassist Ged Grimes, backing vocalists Sarah Brown and Catherine AD, who also plays additional keyboards and guitar.
Contributors to the album include co-writer Iain Cook, from acclaimed Glasgow band Chvrches, and producers Steve Osborne and Andy Wright. Cook co-wrote the album’s first single ‘Honest Town,’ which will also be released on November 3. There’s a reunion, too, with progressive rock giant Steve Hillage, who produced the 1981 album ‘Sons And Fascination/Sister Feelings Call,’ and is now a co-producer on a new record that recalls much of the spirit of electronica-based experimentation of their work of that time.
As well as the regular CD format, ‘Big Music’ will be available in limited edition double vinyl and deluxe box set editions, the latter featuring two CDs and a DVD that has the full videos of the tracks ‘Honest Town’ and ‘Blindfolded’ and extracts from three more clips, a behind the scenes film of the video production and photoshoot, and an interview with the band about the album. The bonus tracks on the second CD include a cover of the Doors’ ‘Riders On The Storm.’
A huge UK tour behind the album will begin on March 27, continuing all the way through April and concluding on May 4.
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