It’s coming up to 9 years since Jim Kerr released his first solo album, under the moniker “Lostboy! AKA”. And it appears as if it will be destined to remain Lostboy’s only solo venture.
There was a promise of more to come for 2011 with a follow up album earmarked. Sadly personal family issues took precedence and a quick follow up was put on the backburner (as was some of the Lostboy electroset tour).
I would seriously love to ask Jim why he thinks the impetus he had and that more prolific period that he found when embarking on the Lostboy! project seemed to fall away, not to be regained (it would seem…well not in as a prolific a state, as he was in SMs early days – on a par with that)? It may be a tough question to answer, as the number one assumption would be the loss of his mum, Irene, playing the largest part of that.
There has been times when he has posted on SMO about the anniversary of the release of Lostboy! AKA and seemed to suggest that he may return. Or at the very least there is still a desire there sometimes to resurrect him.
But Jim has subsequently “stolen” material from Lostboy! for Simple Minds. Kill Or Cure on Big Music is one obvious one – released initially as a Lostboy! track. And last year on the Walk Between Worlds album, Sense Of Discovery was also “reimagined” for Simple Minds.
I do fear poor Lostboy!, with all his drive, passion and enthusiasm (and his potential for proliferation of material) is destined to be a “fly by night”, a “flash in the pan”. To me he held much, much promise. It was a very strong start in 2010.
I don’t get the sense Jim wanted to put him to bed…but he hasn’t really mentioned “The Boy” since last year and the reworking and inclusion of Sense Of Discovery on the WBW album. And he didn’t much register a post for a while before that. Just a fleeting mention, or as I say, and anniversary of album release acknowledgement.
Maybe he is happy to have now “been there, done that” and worn the T-shirt?
Can’t say he never tried in the first place, can oor Jim? (Trying out the solo career.)
I don’t know why…but when I ponder whether Lostboy! will return, I lament that he may never see the light of day again.
Hi Larelle. I hope your book writing is going well. Yesterday I was remembering your book, and thinking about certain words that Jim frequently used, at least in the songs I know. I’m not planning to listen to records post 80’s, to be honest. I watched a gig of the 5×5 in Milano. I didn’t know about this record, and I find interesting that although Jim and Charlie seem to be reluctanct to accept that SM was five or four of them (thinking about Derek and Mick, but the first drummer was very important in the composition process, according to what I read in Themes for great cities), and now that they’re a duo who play with other musicians, that record confirms they realized at certain moment how important that era was and is. I’m aware they also recorded the New gold dream songs a few years ago. So returning to the words he has repeatedly used (something to which Graeme refers to in his book, several times), I visualized those wordcloud plots. To me, it would be a nice way to visualize the words used on each record, or period.
In any case, related to nostalgia, I searched for some Lostboy videos. And I found a lovely short interview where Jim speaks in Italian. Being Spanish my first language, I understand everything he says. It’s funny because when he says words in English, they sound like an Italian is speaking. Probably that particuar Scottish accent helps, I’ve noticed how he pronounces the “r” frequently. He has said similar things in other interviews, about the nostalgia he felt about that boy he was, when around 18-19, that when you grow up you put layers above who you were, you forget, etc. Anyway, the video was uploaded by Edgardo Grassi and it’s called “Jim Kerr (lost boy) Milano 2010”, in case your interested and you’ve not seen it.
Regards,
Ximena
Thanks Ximena for getting in touch again and my apologies for the delay in posting your comment and replying.
The writing of the book is moving along very well.
I am sure I have seen the interview with Jim that you are referring to but I will make the time to search YT and double check.
I hope you are well and thanks again for your continued interest in the blog.