I have seen news of Mick MacNeil releasing new material, something which is very welcome, and might come as some surprise to at least one former musical collaborator.
With that said, it is hardly the first foray for MacNeil when it comes to musical output since he departed from Simple Minds in 1990. It made this next quote from Our Secrets are the Same something truly acrimoniously dismissive by Mr Kerr. To say it “beiled mae pish” would be somewhat of an understatement.
“[…]Chances are Mick’s character predetermined that a decade was as long as he could do it before he no longer enjoyed being in Simple Minds – or any band, seemingly. Despite his incredible talent, to my knowledge Mick has never attempted to form or join any other collective unit since leaving.” [2025, p. 183]
Firstly, I would say in response that perhaps he was tired of being in a room full of arseholes? Tired of feeling as if he was talking to a brick wall and not being heard? Or perhaps just tired of singing from a different hymn sheet? What came along shortly after (in musical terms not necessarily in expanse of time) was Good News from the Next World – so where was he going to figure in that?
Secondly, I’d say – Jim Kerr had obviously never heard of ‘Four Good Men’ – a collaborative musical project involving MacNeil, Forbes, Ian Donaldson (formerly of H20) and Bruce Watson (of Big Country) – perhaps deemed “super groups” don’t count in his eyes? It’s a group nonetheless.
And now, well, there is Th3 Minds.
I was curious as to why that (this notion of him never joining or forming another group) would be as almost a means for “justification” of how it all fell apart with Mick MacNeil. Like, “he was obviously getting tired and no matter how talented someone is, if their heart isn’t in it any more, you need to sever that limb.” I just find that ssoo bleak and despicable. I can’t help it, I just do. It’s all that kind of machismo behind it. “You think we need YOU? You think it’s gonna stop us from continuing on? Fuck off outta here then. Be gone with you. Waste of space.”
Even during last Sunday’s ‘In conversation” talk – the mention of the former members was conciliatory at best. Always this air of “yeah, they helped, back then – but look where we are now!” Yes, and let’s look (STILL) at the amount of input they have upon the setlists performed TO THIS DAY, particularly Mick.
I know it’s an argument that will never die, because it can’t help but look like someone was screwed over. Their contribution was more substantial than the “founders” want to give them credit for, and yet they continue to be happy to reap the endless rewards of those efforts. You know…
That’s how I see it anyway. I dismissed it for so long, and I detest myself for having done that. I let my affections for Jim Kerr cloud the very injustices of it for so long. No more! I’ve come to realise it isn’t about taking sides, it’s about righting wrongs. Kerr can try and justify these behaviours all he likes, it will no longer wash with me.
I can’t tell you how much that chapter in the book riled me, particularly that passage on Mick. I nearly flung the book out of my bedroom window. To hell with the signatures in it. What did that matter?
Anyway…I could go on and on and on but it’s not my war to wage, nor my fight to fight. ‘Cause you know what? I’m tired now. Mick doesn’t need me to fight his battles. His body of work is there for all to hear.
I’ll close with this, because it keeps coming to my mind every time there is an air of downplaying or downright dismissive attitude in Kerr when it comes to Mick’s contribution to the Simple Minds story and it is this….
There was one even further praising Mick and it is both that and the one above that stick in my mind. I cannot find the other piece but it went into a little more detail about Kerr listening to demos given to him by Mick for songs on SAF/SFC. I’ve tried searching for it but I’ve spent too long on this post already (some 60 minutes has passed since I started searching for the other piece on Mick’s demos).
And with that, I shall come down from my mountain. I’ll wrap it up here. I’ll add the intro to Mick’s new musical endeavour here. Enjoy!
