I don’t want you to get the wrong impression from the book’s title. It’s not all about Simple Minds! Neither is it completely devoid of Simple Minds content. One check at the number of the times Jim Kerr is mentioned within its pages will attest to the liberal smattering Simple Minds appears throughout. The novel’s story centres around Robin Manvers. The young protagonist has grand desires to emulate his musical hero, Jim Kerr, into rock music stardom, desperate to escape the East-Midlands of England to embark on his world adventure of … if not exactly “sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll,” then at least making great music and playing it live to crowds the world over, much like his paladin has been for the past decade.
Set during the late 1980s, Robin is counting the days before seeing Simple Minds on stage at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute, taking place on 11 June 1988. Until stardom strikes, he holds down a day job at Stonebridge Motor Company working in the parts department. It keeps the money coming in until he’s all set for world domination. The other thing that keeps him out of trouble is Fliss, the girl Robin thinks probably has more talent and musical ability than he ever wishes himself to possess. Her musical heroes are Prince and Kate Bush. Fliss, quite literally, lives on the “other side of the tracks.” Her parents run an equestrian supplies business. Is it fair to presume that Robin is punching above his weight? The undertone seems to suggest so. Fliss is definitely smitten with Robin and he is likewise with her. As Robin busily involves himself with all the workings of the car dealership he strikes up a friendship with Vern, the dealership’s on-site mechanic. Vern lives near Fliss’s house and he has been noticing some odd goings on as he takes his nightly stroll with his dog, Betty. Vern asks for Robin’s assistance in some dilettante detective work. What do they discover? Well, that would spoil it now, wouldn’t it?!
I really enjoyed this book. I haven’t quite completed it yet. I just have the epilogue to finish reading, around 25 pages left to go. The novel flows at a good pace. Robin as a character is one I immediately warmed to. He’s smart, he’s funny, he’s a little dorky – why he wants to be Jim Kerr, I don’t know! (Actually, I do…but, you know – I don’t want my own personal experiences to sully it. Suffice it to say that for a lot of the past decade if I wasn’t fantasising about doing many questionable things with Jim Kerr, I was hoping to attain something akin to the esteem with which the man is held by many of his fans.) If I could speak to Robin I would tell him he is ssoo much better than that! Fliss is also a wonderfully drawn character. The kind of girl that exudes self-confidence outwardly but scratch at the surface and she really isn’t sure once she is truly drawn out of her cocoon. Vern is also a wonderful character. I couldn’t help but envisage the persona actor Paul Copley to him.The main setting is the car dealership, with Fliss’s house being the secondary location for action. With the dealership being the focus of a lot of the action there is car talk and that appealed to me as a “Tomgirl” that grew up with a love of cars. I have to say it was news to me that Jim Kerr owned a Saab 900, although I had read that he bought his dad a Porsche Carrera 911 in the mid 80s. These days a Piaggio Vespa seems to be the thing. Modesty does happen, on occasion.
Every book needs its antagonists and so Robin has a couple of adversaries he refers to as ‘Billy Eyesore’ and ‘Glue Boy,’ who provide some tension as well as some slapstick light relief throughout the book. Tension also comes from elsewhere in the book. No spoilers! But it will keep you intrigued and involved in the story.
I love how Lee Stuart Evans has used his comedic craft to great effect. There’s a lot of humour weaved through it, some that will bring a wry smile, such as the language used to denote horizontal pursuits – the use of ‘listening to records’ as code was one I quite enjoyed. The subtle way that teenage sex has been handled offers up enough to know what is going on and for it not to veer into the voyeuristic, which has been expertly achieved. Robin’s constant dis-ownership of copies of Smash Hits magazines also made me giggle. Not to mention an episode of envy he had with one of Fliss’s horses. I’ll say no more about that (except to say that I doubt his hero would have expressed such envy. Lol).
Robin’s flights-of-fancy during his little scenes of emulating his hero also brought broad smiles to my face – mostly due to the images in my head of this young lad jumping about like Jim Kerr at his most ridiculous (sorry, but it has to be said!). As for musical ambitions I, like Robin, are championing Fliss to succeed. But Fliss’s biggest stumbling block is herself. That’s where the dynamic between the two characters shifts – Robin wants the fame but the feeling is he’ll never really get there and deep down the talent probably isn’t there. Fliss on the other hand has the talent by the bucket load, but fame is definitely NOT her driving factor. Robin wants the spoils, Fliss wants the artistry. The mundanity of Robin’s life is punctuated by his stunning horsey girlfriend, the fast cars that flow through the dealership and the Simple Minds soundtrack that accompanies his daily routine.
It truly is a great read. And I haven’t even finished it yet! Also, if I hadn’t enjoyed it, I would say so. In fact – I have enjoyed it so much that I am going to give a copy away to one lucky reader! Yes! You read that correctly. To enter, all you have to do is answer the following question: The Simple Minds song that gives the book its title (‘Pleasantly Disturbed’) features on which album? Please enter by filling out the form (placing your answer in the message box) HERE – clickable link.
Entries will close at 23:59 GMT on Sunday, 2 March 2025. I will announce the winner shortly after. Good luck!