A couple of reviews of the SFY box set have been printed in both Mojo and Uncut magazines this week. The Mojo one is particularly scathing but the “fortune cookie wisdom” in regards to Jim’s lyrics in the Uncut review isn’t exactly complimentary, either! Although overall, it is a kinder review.
The reissue lands in two weeks time.
This played on the radio yesterday. I was stunned to hear someone play it. It is a favourite Police song. And a Stewart Copeland penned composition.
But whenever I hear it, it just reminds of how I am with a certain Mr Kerr. Just the whole awkward damn thing. Just…adoring someone and feeling like the most inept, inadequate, stupid human being on the planet in front of them.
That is me every time I’m around him. And even when I’m nowhere near him…
I just love listening to early interviews with Jim. Just…you can hear all the emotion and drive in him. His intelligence and just…yeah. I love him. I really, really love him. He’s just beautiful.
The one I’ve shared first. I mean, there’s no talk of money or any of that. It’s just wanting to play and give people pleasure and make them feel uplifted and inspired. Not being pretentious about it at all, either. Or at least definitely not sounding that way.
Just wanted to share all these little snippets here because they’re wonderful and he’s wonderful. (Yeah, I know! I’ll take my lovelorn rose-tinted glasses off now. Lol)
Well played Ronnie Gurr for revealing this this evening. I’ve only ever seen a few of Richard Coward’s SM images. Obviously his photography was used for the Empires And Dance artwork and there’s an image of Jim he took in the Scottish Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, but these are the only things I have ever seen.
THIS IS BEAUTIFUL! JIM IS BEAUTIFUL….
An interesting post on SMOG from a long-time fan, reminiscing about the Floating World tour of 2002.
It gives a little pang of envy. I know this person has been relatively close to the band in the past. They have stories to tell. Lovely memories. You know…it sounds like more than just “band and fan”. A thing that I had always dreamed of. A thing that I sometimes kidded myself I had, you know. Not overtly so! It’s just that yearning of reciprocation. You love the band, so you hope the band loves you too. “She is your friend, until the bitter end.” But it can only go so far. And I just want more than I can have. It’s that simple. But even that little bit I *did* feel I had is all but gone.
I’ll shut up about it!
Anyway, said fan asked what our favourite tour was. He had talked about this tour like the “gig hop” tours I’ve been on. Following the band around, seeing them all over the place. But again, his experiences were back in “halcyon days”. Soundchecks you didn’t have to pay for to experience. Time just hanging out with the band after shows and stuff. Like, not just a quick signing and a photo op, but a chat at a bar or restaurant. Talk that went into the wee hours. A number of fans have these stories.
Anyway, I think his gigging goes back to 1986? Or maybe ‘89. A long way back anyway. But the Floating World tour was his favourite, he said. Others chimed in with 5×5 Live…just to make me spit even MORE chips!
I gave it a second’s thought. Of my EXTENSIVE range of tours, Big Music (technically one gig, though I saw them twice in 2015, the second was a festival slot, so not strictly a Big Music tour gig, I guess), Acoustic and Walk Between Worlds…I dunno. I have to discount Big Music, it was just two gigs – but that first ever Simple Minds gig at Cambridge will always hold a special place. And of the other two, Acoustic and Walk Between Worlds – both were amazing for differing reasons. But I guess Acoustic just pips it because…just…meeting Jim and hearing him say my name at Bristol and…yeah. All that silly “falling in love” business. Lol. But for WBW there was the album signing, Barras and the meet and greet at Colchester.
But who knows what this year will hold? I am on a MASSIVE 12 show hop-a-long, seeing them in six different countries (seven, if you separate England and Scotland). Let’s see where the wind takes us…
Got some prized memorabilia I want to share for Kerrsday Thursday. The pictures in this were available on Flickr for a time but the images inside are even better quality than I imagined – given it’s an amateur fanzine and the age of it now. I got it off eBay for under £5! Have been wanting a copy a good few years. So glad I finally got one.
I also got of copy of a Jackie magazine with His Kerrness as pin-up boy inside. And what a pin-up he is! DELICIOUS!
Lastly, we picked up a little battery operated light box for £1.50 yesterday and I have made it my Simple Minds gig countdown display!
