# Priptona's Simple Minds Space > May contain a heavy dose of Jim Kerr ## Posts - [The End and (the Need for) a Remedy](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2026/01/04/the-end-and-the-need-for-a-remedy/): Today I finally completed reading Our Secrets are the Same. Still those final chapters brought forth ire and consternation within me. But I think I am finally getting better at shedding it as quickly as it comes. It does me no good to hold onto it, letting it fester and gnaw away at me. I had hoped to finish reading the book before 2026 began, but lo…other things got in the way. Also, I had to be careful to read it at times when I felt more capable of letting it wash over me. Last night, somewhere in the periphery […] - [The Best of 2025 - Part 2: Album of the Year, Podcasts and YouTube Channels](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/12/29/the-best-of-2025-part-2-album-of-the-year-podcasts-and-youtube-channels/): YOUTUBE CHANNELS Last night as I was thinking about what I was going to say for this second part of my ‘Best of 2025’ I realised that although I don’t watch television and I have only seen ONE new release film in 2025, what I DO watch is YouTube content. It is one of my ways of relaxing after study and there are several YT channels I view regularly. An example is the yearly advent countdown produced by Ashens and Nerd3 – honestly, if you know, you know. It was something I got into during probably the first Christmas lockdown […] - [The Best of 2025 - Part 1: Gig of the Year and Single of the Year](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/12/28/the-best-of-2025-part-1-gig-of-the-year-and-single-of-the-year/): I think I am going to find this a hard thing to do! So I think I’ll get the easier stuff out the way first. Thinking about all of the arts and culture there are things that I don’t partake in much, if at all. I don’t watch television, so it’s going to be hard for me to consider topics like ‘TV Series of the Year.’ The same goes for film. The only new release I watched in the whole of 2025 was 28 Years Later – which I did enjoy, but I could hardly award it as ‘Film of […] - [Del Amitri - Barrowland Ballroom - 23/12/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/12/25/del-amitri-barrowland-ballroom-23-12-2025/): I know! It’s Christmas Day…go figure! What else am I going to do today? Take a walk? Eat myself silly (very tempting…don’t even get me started)? Anyway…this might be a short review. Then again, that could be famous last words for when have I ever written a SHORT review? Lol. All the peripherals out the way first. The weather was kind. It was overcast but dry and had been like that for most of the day. The breeze was subtle. I rugged up because I felt like I’d be freezing in the queue. It felt much colder to me than […] - [Merry Christmas 2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/12/24/merry-christmas-2025/): I’m just gonna put this here because, frankly, I still think this version of Jim Kerr was the most beautiful thing EVER. I still appreciate that aesthetic he rocked for like five minutes in 1981/82. There was a period of around 18 months in which he was just DELECTABLE! Amen… And Merry Christmas! - [Vlog Posting For Christmas](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/12/21/vlog-posting-for-christmas/): This goes for an hour – so you can watch it in chunks, or choose not to watch it at all. It’s not imperative. I just felt like doing this for a change. I felt like talking…lord knows why. It was attempt number two as the one I filmed yesterday felt crap. Ha ha. This one is hardly better but anyway…. Watch. Don’t watch. In a few days I intend to post something that will resemble an end-of-year musical highlights thing. Best gig, best album, fave single, etc. Until then (and if you don’t hear from me beforehand), Merry Christmas! - [Hamish Hawk (+ Goodnight Louisa & Cloth) - Barrowland Ballroom - 11/12/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/12/15/hamish-hawk-goodnight-louisa-cloth-barrowland-ballroom-11-12-2025/): I’ve been sitting on this post for days because, well, I’m just trying so hard to concentrate on my studies between the points when I come away from it for a gig and a couple of days off. Then I am straight back to it. When to find the time? Also, what else can I actually say about Hamish Hawk that I haven’t said a million times already? So, I shall try to make this as succinct as possible. Sue came up to stay with us. We had two back-to-back shows booked for last year at the Barras. Two Del […] - [Ist Ist Album Launch in Edinburgh and Hamish Hawk Album Reviews](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/12/10/ist-ist-album-launch-in-edinburgh-and-hamish-hawk-album-reviews/): A bit of a double bill of info for this post. The first was the announcement by Ist Ist on their social media over the weekend of some album launch shows over the country during the week of the release of their forthcoming album, Dagger. I had to check and see if any were taking place near here and to my joy they’ll be back at The Caves in Edinburgh for one of the launch shows. Tickets went on sale yesterday, so I grabbed myself one – eager beaver that I was anxiously waiting for the page on the Assai […] - [Hawkanory - As It Could Come To Be Known](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/12/02/hawkanory-as-it-could-come-to-be-known/): Ah, Hamish – ya wee delight, you! As promised, here is the link to The Quietus piece Hamish wrote about his discovery of and love for Ivor Cutler. Also….I hope this works as, on his socials last night, he shared a wee reading extract from Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 0, which is out this Friday. I really cannot wait to listen to it over again. This wee visual snippet makes me wish and hope that Hamish, Andy and Stefan have actually FILMED a version of it for all to see. That would be really, really special. And […] - [Ist Ist (+ Yaang) - Oran Mor - 29/11/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/11/30/ist-ist-yaang-oran-mor-29-11-2025/): A rare dry night for Glasgow at this time of year. Fantastic. Nothing suits me more. I very easily get put off by attending gigs when the weather is shite. It had been pretty shite for the 48 hours leading up to it. Through Thursday night and into Friday it had been blowing a hoolie, with lashing rain accompanying it on Thursday night. Mercifully it managed to ‘do wan’ by Friday night. Back in August I had bought an extra ticket for Michelle. She’d been to Kendall Calling the previous weekend and I had recommended that she see Ist Ist […] - [Bits and (in) Pieces (NB: not sandwiches)](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/11/29/bits-and-in-pieces-nb-not-sandwiches/): So, where do I start?  TARA FB (AT LEAST FOR NOW ANYWAY) After the Cloth gig review, there were a couple of posts on the Simple Minds Facebook page that riled me. One was to do with “writing your own story” as implied by the text laid out accredited to Kerr. I think the title was something like “What’s stopping you from writing yours?” or some such positively Pecksniffian pretentious phrase. Admittedly, I fell for the bait once again and replied to it by sharing the post on my own FB feed and responding in the dialogue box on the […] - [Cloth (+ Zoe Graham) - King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow - 08/11//2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/11/12/cloth-zoe-graham-king-tuts-wah-wah-hut-glasgow-08-11-2025/): As the weather gets more dreich and the nights get longer, I naturally begin to feel less inclined to venture out of the house, especially at night for gigs – as much as I love going to them.  As it was, some weeks earlier I had decided to abandon going to one gig that I had bought a ticket for. Nation Of Language having changed the venue of their gig from St Luke’s to SWG3. Had the venue been SWG3 from the off, I wouldn’t have invested in a ticket. The disappointing thing is they changed venues probably just for […] - [The Headache of Study - But In Other News, ANOTHER Kerr Interview](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/11/07/the-headache-of-study-but-in-other-news-another-kerr-interview/): Because you gotta plug, plug, plug that product. Also, he seems to like guesting on this podcast. He champs at the bit to get on. Two (scary, feathery) birds, one stone (and all that). Anyway, I’ve been far too busy with uni studies (and more inclined to listen to podcasts on David Bowie – more on those when time allows!) to have listened to it yet…but I’ll get around to it at some point. Here’s the link. Adios, amigos! or listen via Spotify - [Taking the Mick, Only To Return](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/10/26/taking-the-mick-only-to-return/): 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 […] - [In (Extra) Conversation with Mariella](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/10/23/in-extra-conversation-with-mariella/): For shits and giggles I decided to invest a fiver to see how their “in conversation” at the British Library in London would differ from the one in Glasgow. I bought the ticket on Tuesday afternoon but didn’t get to watch it until yesterday. I have to say that compared to the one at The Citz, this one really was something different! Mariella steered the conversation expertly – gave Charlie a good chunk of talk time – even when he did try and wriggle out of it and pass the ball onto Kerr. She was endlessly putting Kerr in his […] - [Rainy Days and Soothside Sundays - A Do at The Citz](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/10/20/rainy-days-and-soothside-sundays-a-do-at-the-citz/): It was a busy weekend. On Saturday morning Sue arrived and during the afternoon we headed into the city to go to the Mitchell Library for an event. It was called ‘Love Letters to a Murder.’ The main aspect of it was a ‘In Conversation’ talk between the author of a fictionalised account of the life of Madeleine Smith called Love and Other Poisons by Lesley McDowell. The ‘love letters’ were scandalous in their time due to the fact they were exchanged between Madeleine and her French lover Emile L’Angelier. She was from a very healthy upper-middle class family, whereas […] - [Warm Digits - Star and Shadow (Newcastle Weekender) - 11/10/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/10/17/warm-digits-star-and-shadow-newcastle-weekender-11-10-2025/): Oh, there is so much to dissect with what happened last weekend but there is so little time! After our return home on Monday night both Tuesday and Wednesday I tried to get more reading of the Glesga Twins’ book done. I’m now just over half-way through with not much of a chance to read any more of it before Sunday night’s thingy at the Citz. I’m in a better position than most! There are many fans still waiting for their copy. Something tells me the promise of signed copies was a bit of overstretch as there seemed to be […] - [MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS (But I don’t think it does) Book Vlog](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/10/09/may-contain-spoilers-but-i-dont-think-it-does-book-vlog/): I am anxious, rushed, rambling, questioning – my usual scary, fucked up hot mess – but I needed to purge (and perhaps vent?) a little on the book. The first 99 pages anyway. IT’S NOT A REVIEW – it’s just my own feelings and thoughts. - [Between Study And Newcastle…](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/10/08/between-study-and-newcastle/): I am a week ahead in my study. A trip to Newcastle is imminent, and so in the lull I am allowing myself time to at least BEGIN to read The Glesga Twins story. I’m a few chapters in – yes, some squares on my ‘Kerr’s repetitive anecdotes’ bingo card have been dabbed. Yet, somehow – maybe because it is there in written form on a page in a book – it doesn’t feel quite so repetitive. I have giggled at some things, yes. I have been vexed at certain others (probably things no doubt others will find hilarious but […] - [They’ve Been Everywhere, Man](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/10/04/theyve-been-everywhere-man/): On the plug, plug, plug trail. On BBC Radio 2 breakfast, on with Lorraine, on TalkSport….the list goes on and on. I used BBC Sounds for tuning in to hear them (obviously THEM being Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill) speaking to Sara Cox on Radio 2. This morning the YouTube algorithm served me up this. I’m in the process of watching it myself. From the snippet I saw on FB, Bruce will have his hackles up again for being shoved aside in the old Virgin Records signing story. The story sticks… Whichever way it actually went, there’s no denying the […] - [Back to 'School' and Chapter 1 of OSATS Available](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/10/01/back-to-school-and-chapter-1-of-osats-available/): I know that these days this blog is not exactly a hive of activity, particularly on the Simple Minds front currently as there isn’t much to report when it comes to the band, but also over the past 12-18 months my fandom has waned and I had also been writing my book (yeah, that still feels unreal to me too, trust me!). This week I am back to uni studies. I am in my final year for my Diploma of Higher Education in English with the ultimate goal of moving on to a BA in Creative Writing (certain things permitting). […] - [Goodnight Louisa - Instore + Signing at Assai, Glasgow - 26/09/25](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/27/goodnight-louisa-instore-signing-at-assai-glasgow-26-09-25/): I must state from the off that I was unaware of Goodnight Louisa until earlier this year. I first became aware of Louise McCraw (aka Goodnight Louisa) when she was part of Zoe Graham’s band at the album launch event for TENT back in March. Louise is making her own strides in music as a solo artist in her own right. Her second album as Goodnight Louisa was released yesterday. Titled Marathon, recent singles released from the album, ‘Jennifer Aniston,’ ‘Goner,’ and ‘Drew Barrymore’ have been attracting attention from the likes of BBC Radio 6 Music with ‘Goner’ gaining radio […] - [Drew Peacock and the Abusers - Pablo Picasso](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/27/drew-peacock-and-the-abusers-pablo-picasso/): It has taken me a bit of time to get to this (apologies to Drew for not responding earlier) but this is quite a fine effort done by Drew of covering Johnny and the Self Abusers track Pablo Picasso. Give a listen – be mindful of young kids being within earshot as there is some strong language used. Enjoy! - [Terrific Tuesday - Tickles and Tigers](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/26/terrific-tuesday-tickles-and-tigers/): Tuesday was a full day. We were out the door by 10.30am and didn’t step back into the house (apart for a 15 minute pit stop) until around 9.45pm. First up was a recording for the 10th Anniversary of Breaking The News happening at the newly transferred Stand Comedy Club which has its new home next to Websters on Great Western Road. A couple of hours of standing around waiting and we were in. It was a great show. Patience is required as it can drag on a bit but they need to make sure they have enough material to […] - [Gorbals Boys at The Citz - Glasgow Book Event Announced](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/25/gorbals-boys-at-the-citz-glasgow-book-event-announced/): Well, at least ONE Gorbals boy anyway (not sure of Burchill’s origins before his family were rehomed at Toryglen – guess I’ll find out soon enough, if such info is revealed in the book?). What am I on about? The news today that the run of Kerr/Burchill book launch dooberries is happening at the recently re-opened-after-a-big-refurbishment Citizens Theatre. I guess it’s as good a place as any. Host for the evening is old buddy, old pal, old chum, Billy Sloan. There’s been a pre-sale this morning but all the tickets have already been snapped up, I’m afraid. I’m assuming with […] - [Zoe Graham (+ Scott C. Park) - The Hug and Pint, Glasgow - 19/09/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/20/zoe-graham-scott-c-park-the-hug-and-pint-glasgow-19-09-2025/): This was my first chance of seeing a full headline set from Zoe, having previously seen her in support slots for Echo and the Bunnymen and Lo Moon, as well as attending her in-store set and signing at Assai Records in Glasgow.  As you may have seen from my list of upcoming gigs I was also due to attend the Edinburgh show Zoe put on the previous night at Leith Depot but the days of two gigs two nights running are becoming a thing of the past. As much as I love going to Edinburgh (maybe not so much in […] - [The Rockonteurs Talk To Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/17/the-rockonteurs-talk-to-jim-kerr-and-charlie-burchill/): In case you missed it, Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt (aka The Rockonteurs) spoke with Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill about their forthcoming (released on 2 October) memoir Our Secrets are the Same. Strap in, it’s just over an hour long! You can listen to the episode of the Rockonteurs podcast via the Spotify link below. You can also watch the interview on YouTube (see link below). The YT version is slightly shorter at 48 minutes. - [Some Succinct Reviews Are In!](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/16/some-succinct-reviews-are-in/): I’ve been keeping an eye out on the book review sections of the music magazines to see if and how they’re rating Our Secrets Are The Same. So far, there have been two reviews. Uncut concentrated on Blitz as their feature book with the Kerr/Burchill offering relegated to the “also ran” bullet-point rating of 8/10. Meanwhile, Mojo have given it a more thoughtful albeit succinct review and given it four out of five stars. The Mojo review manages to cram in the use of the term “bromance” (cringe) while alluding to Kerr’s rather contradictory thoughts on his relationship with Burchill, […] - [Book Appearances Update - Details for London!](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/11/book-appearances-update-details-for-london/): Details for London’s appearance have landed, with JK and CB in conversation with Mariella Sometimes. Taking place at the British Library on Tuesday 21 October at 7pm. London prices too at £20 a ticket! (Edinburgh is only a tenner. Fooking hell!) Handy for the Londoners and those that live within travel distance – the British Library is only a short walk from Kings Cross train station. Seemingly it can also be viewed online for £5. All the details can be found HERE This date coincides with the 40th Anniversary release of Once Upon a Time. - [More Drip-fed Details For Book Signings (Should it be Aye Write or “Aye, right”?)](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/11/more-drip-fed-details-for-book-signings-should-it-be-aye-write-or-aye-right/): A post on the Simple Minds Facebook page confirmed there will be other signing events taking place in Glasgow and London (as well as the Toppings Edinburgh event) but the ‘cloak and dagger’ continues. Now, for me, I don’t give a flying hoot about attending any of these signings but I know a number of fans who do and don’t live in these cities and will most likely want to travel to one of these events. Why the clandestine approach? I just don’t get it! Those in the cognoscenti already know about the Edinburgh signing – I’ve posted about here. […] - [Hamish Is For Every Day - But Also For Christmas!](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/08/hamish-is-for-every-day-but-also-for-christmas/): He had been alluding to something else to come shortly after the performances of Life in a Scotch Sitting Room Vol. 0 but kept us guessing with the whys and wherefores then dropped a teaser yesterday. Then the announcement dropped this morning. Two gigs. One in London in Islington, the other at THE BARRAS on 11 December. A Hamish Hawk gig at the Barras, for Christmas? YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! In like fucking Flynn, I tell ya! Pre-sales are on as we speak, with general sales from 10am Wednesday (10 Sept). Tickets for the Barras available HERE […] - [Lovely Linlithgow](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/07/lovely-linlithgow/): Finally took an afternoon visit to Linlithgow yesterday, and what a lovely place it is! The express train from Glasgow Queen Street takes just around 30 mins to get there/back. The main purpose for going was to see the flotilla of narrow boats that was travelling down the canal from nearby Winchburgh (the borough of kissing – it should be taking that distinctive pun – if it isn’t already. Lol) to Linlithgow Canal Centre. The narrow boats were set to arrive at the Canal Centre at around 5pm. We arrived in Linlithgow around 2.30pm and had a wee wander along […] - [Toppings Appearance in Edinburgh - UPDATE 19/09/25 - It’s back, again (but for how long?) NEW DATE/VENUE](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/04/toppings-appearance-in-edinburgh/): UPDATE 19/09/2025: Thanks to Scott for the heads up on the change of date to the event. It’s now taking place (at least for now!) on Monday 20 October at a different venue. If memory serves me well, it’s the same venue where Graeme Thomson was in conversation with Bruce Findlay back in August 2022. There is also an increase in the price of the student discount, from £12 to £15. The money is just never enough, eh? *rolls eyes* Here’s the link AGAIN with the newest of the new and updated version. If it changes again, I’m gonna delete […] - [Fascination Street](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/03/fascination-street/): Is actually not one of the tracks I would have thought of for the recent topic on the Billy Sloan Show (re: post title). I no longer tune in to the show but I still follow the Facebook posts because I still like to see what the topic will be for each week’s show. Last week it was a “street” themed show. I like to think of the songs off the top of my head, listing them as they come to mind rather than referring to some big old list of songs off the Internet. For one can be lazy […] - [Friday Night in the City - Megan Black 29/08/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/09/01/friday-night-in-the-city-megan-black-29-08-2025/): I had a more laidback night out than perhaps some of the more recent nights out I’ve had during the summer. The gig in question was not on the agenda for me until a few weeks back. My friend Ronnie McGhie invited me along as his ‘plus one’ for the show. The show in question was to see Megan Black at Room 2 – a basement gig venue just off Nelson Mandela Place. Not a venue I was familiar with or had ever been to before. Ronnie had played one of Megan’s numbers on his radio show and I expressed […] - [Callous Contemplations](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/08/24/callous-contemplations/): My most recent post seemed to herald more “interest” than is usually normal for anything I post on this blog. Just as I was feeling comfortable in my place of coming to terms with certain things to do with the past decade of my life I felt I was under attack for certain things I had expressed towards the end of the previous post. Do I always word things well? Erm, no. Can I be crass with my descriptions at times? Yes! Are those things meant to be taken light-heartedly and tongue-in-cheek? Yes. I was asked to – to paraphrase, […] - [Artistic Appeal: Sitting rooms and seduction](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/08/18/artistic-appeal-sitting-rooms-and-seduction/): CUTLER’S CULT On Saturday afternoon I went to Edinburgh, suffering the Fringe hoards to see a new kind of show being performed by Hamish Hawk. A true performance piece titled Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 0. I’m still struggling to pin down a succinct definition of what it was other than just the broad definition of a ‘performance.’ For it wasn’t just a mere retelling of Ivor Cutler’s original work of Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol.2 but it also contained original material that Hamish had written specifically for the show. It bridged between two very different […] - [Hamish and Stefan on Front Row - Wednesday Night](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/08/15/hamish-and-stefan-on-front-row-wednesday-night/): Ahead of the two Fringe Book shows taking place over this weekend, Hamish Hawk and Stefan Maurice appeared on Radio 4’s Front Row where Hamish discussed Ivor Cutler with presenter Kirsty Wark. On Saturday and Sunday nights at the Spiegeltent located at the grounds of the Futures Institute in Edinburgh, Hamish, along with Stefan and Andrew Pearson will be performing Life in a Scotch Sitting Room, Vol.0 – a blend of a retelling of Cutler’s work along with Hamish’s own memories of his childhood in Edinburgh. Both shows sold out in hours. I managed to get tickets for myself and […] - [Hamish Hawk/Billy Nomates/Cloth - Fringe by the Sea, North Berwick 08/08/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/08/10/hamish-hawk-billy-nomates-cloth-fringe-by-the-sea-north-berwick-08-08-2025/): The initial travel plan for me was to get the CityLink 900 coach to and back from Edinburgh and then get the train to/back from North Berwick from/to Waverley. I booked the coach tickets via Megabus instead of booking via CityLink. I’d never had any problems booking with Megabus before but this time, although I could see the booking in the “My Megabus” section of their website, I never received a booking confirmation. I contacted Megabus several times during the days that passed after I made my booking but to no avail. I contacted them via email, through the chat […] - [A Change in Attitude?](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/07/27/a-change-in-attitude/): I’ve been staying off Facebook more and more these days. Even more so at the moment, for as much as I appreciate the “Taormina Team” all being excited and ridiculously enthusiastic about being over there for those final shows, it will be all I’ll see if I open up Facebook and dare step in. I just don’t need it. I’m not begrudging anyone’s pleasure, I just prefer not to be swamped by “Tao this and Tao that.” Rather them than me sweltering in the high thirties Celsius for a miserly sixteen-song set. It’s never been my “holy grail” and never […] - [A Six Six (with a missing six) - Birthday FB Memories](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/07/09/a-six-six-with-a-missing-six-birthday-fb-memories/): I guess with it being what tries to pass these days as a Simple Minds blog, it is imperative that I acknowledge this auspicious date in the calendar. So, here goes… I’ll share what happened on Facebook today. Ta ra P.S. I do love an Irn Bru P.P.S Yes, this photo is still on my bedside table. It might always remain there. I still love the man he was, just not the man he became… - [The Bellahouston Breakdown - A Long Vlog Post (Sorry!)](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/30/the-bellahouston-breakdown-a-long-vlog-post-sorry/): Sorry for the vid – I felt like dissecting it all this way instead of taking hours to compile a written post. I know the vlog posts aren’t to everyone’s liking, so to save you the pain, the condensed summary is: Yes & Maybe – great! Hamish Hawk – you know I can wax lyrical about this guy, so no surprises he was my highlight. KT Tunstall – fabulous and faultless. Future Islands – the Marmite act on the bill. An acquired taste. Not an ‘aye’ nor a ‘naw’ but a ‘mabbies’….? Simple Minds – accomplished but not exceptional. No […] - [The Word(y) Girl](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/24/the-wordy-girl/): I have been enjoying more English language and word etymology content lately – either via YouTube channels or via podcasts on BBC Sounds.  My three favourite YT channels when it comes to all things words are Words Unravelled, RobWords and Otherwords. Words Unravelled is presented by Jess Zafarris and Rob Watts (Rob is also the man behind RobWords). They pick a particular subject or topic and look into the popular word origins and etymology of the subject/topic chosen. Otherwords is presented by Dr Erica Brozovsky and is on the ‘pbsstoried’ channel – PBS being the Public Broadcasting Service, an advertisement-free, […] - [UPDATE: (New Additions) Selling Some Stuff From My Collection](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/22/selling-some-stuff-from-my-collection/): I just wanted to make you guys aware that I am selling off some of my Simple Minds collection on eBay. I’m only posting to UK sellers I’m afraid. There is just too much hassle with posting things overseas. I’ll link to each item. You can see the listings below: Graffiti Soul original 2009 release 2LP vinyl – https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/357412532923 Sparkle in the Rain HMV 1921 Ainniversary orange vinyl – https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/357412477891 Walk Between Worlds 12″ Picture Disc vinyl – https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/357412426237 Celebrate: Live at the SSE Hydro Glasgow Lenticular 3D cover 2CD/2DVD set with signed postcard (signed by Jim ,Charlie, Ged, Mel […] - [Release Date for Kerr/Burchill Memoir Our Secrets Are The Same](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/18/release-date-for-kerr-burchill-memoir-our-secrets-are-the-same/): News of the release date of the Jim Kerr/Charlie Burchill memoir (which can fall under the genre of “creative non-fiction”) is Thursday 2 October 2025. At least that is the date given on Amazon for its release. More details can be seen HERE on the tax-evading Bezos-founded book shop. It is an interesting title; named of course, after the Simple Minds’ ‘never released as a stand-alone’ album. It was a crime that happened in all honesty, as it was a much stronger album in my opinion than the others that immediately followed (in recorded chronology); Neon Lights and Cry. If […] - [Monday Is 1981 Day - New Weekly Theme: First up - In The Garden: Eurythmics](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/16/monday-is-1981-day-new-weekly-theme-first-up-in-the-garden-eurythmics/): Welcome to what will be known as “1981-Day Monday.” A theme that may run all summer long. We’ll see where it goes after that.  The premise? Well, it’ll be for me to write about an album from 1981 that I have either never listened to at all, or have not heard for a very long time, and then share my thoughts on it. The vast majority will be albums I have never listened to before, either by artists I am a fairweather fan of, or perhaps an act I might have heard of at some point but don’t know any […] - [Young Stud In Berlin 1982 (Jim Kerr Interviewed on Countdown - July 1982)](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/13/young-stud-in-berlin-1982-jim-kerr-interviewed-on-countdown-july-1982/): I’ve been delving into YouTube searching for full Countdown episodes that people have uploaded. Started watching this one from July 1982. I had only ever previously seen the ident for the show that Jim had recorded. During the later appearance when the band were in Australia, he mentioned this interview when talking to Molly (the East/West Berlin one). I never thought I’d ever come across it – but in this episode of Countdown here it is! It’s around 20 minutes into the show. Enjoy. P.S. Fuck, I would! Ten times a night. Jaysus!!! - [X Doesn't Always Mark The Spot...](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/09/x-doesnt-always-mark-the-spot/): Even to this day, I wish I was older. Although I am already what I would have considered in my youth as “well old.” On the verge of being exactly in my mid-50s, I sometimes lament at being in Gen X. I have always felt I kind of straddle two worlds, being born in 1970 (which I guess every generation does). I have a number of friends that are late generation Boomers and early generation Gen Xers. Then there’s me – the veritable meat in the sandwich – and then there are my younger friends (more accurately friends that are […] - [Bucket List Gig - 50 Years In The Waiting](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/08/bucket-list-gig-50-years-in-the-waiting/): Last week I had seen that Suzi Quatro would be out on the road touring in 2026. For the past few years I have really wanted to go and see her. She was my very first musical hero, back when I was a wee wean. She hasn’t been to Scotland for her past couple of tours. I know because I thought about travelling to Manchester to see her for the last one, but if I was going to make the effort, I didn’t want a shit ticket and the idea of spending £55 for a ticket at the back of […] - [Jim Kerr on What's On Scotland STV on Friday Night 06/06/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/07/jim-kerr-on-whats-on-scotland-stv-on-friday-night-06-06-2025/): Kerr talks Bellahouston Park, biggest gig highlight and life in Sicily. (Click to view video on home page.) - [True Grit and Rocket Science](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/06/true-grit-and-rocket-science/): Today marks the day of the straw breaking the camel’s back. I never thought a day like this would come but today, I unfollowed the Simple Minds Facebook page because…it’s just too much. It is nothing like it was a decade ago. And I can’t stop groaning at every new post, every new self-congratulatory piece of grandstanding. I’ve had enough.  Kerr would say in his recent past rhetoric how “special” it was to – let’s say… make a living as a “successful” artist and compare that to the chances of becoming an astronaut. It has always been a comparison that […] - [Yes & Maybe, Baby?](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/05/yes-maybe-baby/): Another act on the Bellahouston Park bill was announced this morning. A duo called Yes & Maybe; comprising one Glaswegian and one Parisian. You can find out more about them on their website HERE They only recently performed a show at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow, on 10 May. Can’t say I’ve ever heard of them before – much the same as it was when seeing a certain Mr Hawk’s name for the first time on a Simple Minds bill. Speaking of Hamish – I am hoping that with this new addition to the bill and Hamish’s bump […] - [Kerr-Plug](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/03/kerr-plug/): On Friday, STV will be airing an interviewed recorded with Jim Kerr on their What’s on Scotland program at 7pm BST. A big old plug for the show at Bellahouston Park it seems. Very kind of STV to oblige in such a way. More news on the interview after airing. Stay tuned… - [Well, It’s Going Well?](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/06/01/well-its-going-well/): I’m trying my best not to be contrary to all I’m seeing when it comes to Simple Minds on their current tour of North America. All appears to be going well. Although I still feel that a lot of “smoke and mirrors” is happening when it comes to the “packed houses” portrayal of the arenas on the band’s social media platforms. I’ve seen very few images that truly reflect this scene. The photo from Austin seems an exception from the ones I’ve viewed – which have been predominantly of the band on stage, or of fans in the front rows. […] - [Oz Tunes](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/05/31/oz-tunes/): I keep getting caught by the nostalgia bug lately. At the moment I’m leaning into it. Last night it was quite the mixed bag of stuff. Firstly, I watched the latest episode of In Your Room – the monthly video chat that Th3 Minds have. This month I was very excited to see that they’d be chatting with Steve Hillage and the subject would obviously be focused on his involvement in producing Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call.  After that I wanted to watch that sadly really poor quality bit of video that is up on YouTube of the band being […] - [The American Wave](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/05/30/the-american-wave/): The celebrations have been happening later than its actual official release date (from my own research into its release that I conducted – which to me implied the release date of 15 May – but what the fork do I know about Simple Minds, right? Stupid upstart johnny-come-lately that doesn’t even seem to like them that much any more…am I right?) but I see there has been talk of the 44th anniversary of ‘The American’ on Facebook and, well, all I can think about is that live performance on TV. Whether it was for the Belgians or the French, whether […] - [A Spin Of Nostalgia](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/05/26/a-spin-of-nostalgia/): I have vinyl listening sessions when the mood takes me. I usually listen to two or three albums in a session. For yesterday’s session I had the firm idea of listening to Hamish Hawk’s Heavy Elevator and from there I was going to see where the mood took me. Most likely a David Bowie album from there. I never nearly listen enough to DB these days. Perhaps it is a little too painful to delve into his back catalogue too much? As I find with the passage of time that his passing feels like there is an ever-deepening void from […] - [Please Stop Trying To Invalidate My Feelings! 'Oh Jungleland' Live And What It Means To Be A Fan](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/05/19/please-stop-trying-to-invalidate-my-feelings-oh-jungleland-and-what-it-means-to-be-a-fan/): I can’t help how I feel. For the most part now I am staying quiet because as soon as a speak my mind and express how I feel I get all the crap retorts of akin to “I don’t hear what you hear,” “Just be lucky to get what you’re getting – they’re not getting any younger” (Like that should excuse the fact that, to me, a certain singer, in particular, gets carte blanche to offer performances that are very good at BEST but not actually THE BEST, and certainly not night after night and not in the endlessly espoused […] - [New Hamish Hawk Release - Plus EP Coming Out In September](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/05/13/new-hamish-hawk-release-coming-out-in-september/): On Friday morning there was a teaser on Hamish’s socials about news coming along on Monday. We were then informed that a new cover would be getting its first airing on Steve Lamacq’s show on BBC 6 Music and just before 6pm the tune dropped. And sooo like Hamish, it was a curveball to be sure – a cover of Madonna’s ‘Burning Up.’ The EP it will appear on is called Covers II and is due for release on 5 September. Lamacq also informed us that a cover of Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams’ also appears on the EP. It will be […] - [The Anchoress Rocks, Stuns and Shines in Glasgow](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/05/11/the-anchoress-rocks-stuns-and-shines-in-glasgow/): I really don’t think it is hyperbole to state that this show had been one of the most highly anticipated – especially for Scottish fans of The Anchoress – for some time. The last time Catherine had played solo in Glasgow was at the Royal Concert Hall in 2017 as support for Simple Minds on the Acoustic tour. We’ve had a long wait (although she did perform in Edinburgh at Summer Hall in 2023) us (token) Glaswegians but by heck it was worth the wait! It was also great to be back at the CCA for a gig. The venue/art […] - [The American at 44 - A Song That Never Loses Its Appeal (or relevance)](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/05/08/the-american-at-44-a-song-that-never-loses-its-appeal-or-relevance/): Next Thursday sees the 44th anniversary of the release of ‘The American’ as the first single produced by Simple Minds under then new record label, Virgin Records. Coincidentally, it’s the eve of the start of the U.S. leg of the band’s continuing Global Tour – which for this part of the tour appears to be named Alive and Kicking (South and Central America was still Global, and the UK and Europe leg this year it’s Summer Live) stick with a name guys, maybe? I digress! The U.S. leg starts next Friday in Ridgefield, Washington, at the Cascades Amphitheater – plenty […] - [Ist Ist On Fire In Edinburgh and the Stag And Dagger Mixed Bag](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/05/05/ist-ist-on-fire-in-edinburgh-and-the-stag-and-dagger-mixed-bag/): This post is going to be an amalgam of two gigs that I attended over the weekend(ish). The first gig I went to was to see Ist Ist at The Caves in Edinburgh last Thursday. It’s a venue I hadn’t been to before. Easy to get to from Waverley station. The Caves is located towards the bottom end of Niddry Street where it intersects with Cowgate. It’s a bit of a small venue hot spot for Edinburgh around there. Its name describes exactly what it’s like inside – you’re within a cave basically. Acoustically it sounded great. I’d say the […] - [Night One - Santiago, Chile](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/04/30/night-one-santiago-chile/): It seems as though things went well for the first gig in Santiago last night. Here are a few videos from YouTube that attendees recorded and uploaded. It’s good to see from the videos I saw that Kerr is at least trying to concentrate more on delivering a vocal performance rather than trying to dart around the stage like in days of yore. Too little too late? I hate to say it but his vocal performance didn’t sound the strongest. First night rustiness? Only time will tell. I really am hoping that is the case, otherwise…. The setlist contained all […] - [Two Gigs Last Week - I'm Knackered](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/04/29/two-gigs-last-week-im-knackered/): I don’t have the energy I used to have even two years ago, so doing two gigs in one week – travelling nearly 800 miles over this past week on top of the gigs themselves has taken its toll on me. But it was more than worth it to see two of my most favourite artists. The first of the gigs was last Wednesday night at the Deaf Institute in Manchester to see The Anchoress with support from the fantastic Leoni Jane Kennedy. Despite being ill with a kidney infection, Catherine performed incredibly offering up a great mix of a […] - [Jim Kerr Talks To Simon Mayo - Greatest Hits Radio](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/04/29/jim-kerr-talks-to-simon-mayo-greatest-hits-radio/): The latest interview for radio featuring Mr Kerr. - [Vinyl Revival - In My Room](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/04/22/vinyl-revival-in-my-room/): Even though I have still been purchasing vinyl when finances have allowed, I haven’t listened to vinyl much at all over the past few years. We have one turntable in the house, a Rega Planar 3 that my Other Half bought in 1983, back in the days where there was no such thing as “designed obsolescence” and things were made to last. She was telling me a few days ago, it wasn’t her first choice of turntable. She wanted a Linn (still made here in Glasgow – started out in Castlemilk, of all places) but they were twice the money […] - [Hamish Headlines at the Harbour](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/04/17/hamish-headlines-at-the-harbour/): Another new show for the calendar. Until recently, my gig calendar was looking quite sparse from July onwards but that’s starting to change now. Firstly, due to the recent announcement of Zoe Graham’s two headline shows in Edinburgh and Glasgow (I have Glasgow booked and will book Edinburgh when finances allow). Secondly, the news via his Facebook page that Hamish Hawk will be performing a headline show with Billy Nomates for the Fringe by the Sea festival in North Berwick on Friday 8 August. With tickets at an incredibly reasonable £30 – and having to miss out on the Solas […] - [Finally! The Manuscript Is Delivered....](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/04/15/finally-the-manuscript-is-delivered/): Today I have done something that I felt (at times) was never going to happen – I have finally sent off my completed manuscript for what will be titled Simple Minds: Song by Song. It has been a long, hard slog but with luck it will be published some time in 2026 and then I can actually possibly feel comfortable with the notion of calling myself a writer/author. (Shrugs.) Below is a little sequence of the transfer of the folder on its electronic journey…. Bye bye, wee baby. It’ll be something amazing to behold to see you come back to […] - [Warm Digits - Andrew Hodson Interview](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/04/14/warm-digits-andrew-hodson-interview/): Great to watch this video of Andy from Warm Digits talk about the upcoming Future Collaborations festival in Sunderland with MC for the festival, Adam. The festival is taking place at PopRecs in Sunderland on Saturday 26 April – tickets are available HERE It’s an all-ages, neurodivergent-friendly festival. It’ll be great fun. The boys are headlining and I can’t wait to see them! In the meantime, enjoy the video…. - [Priptona Talks - To Zoe Graham](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/04/12/priptona-talks-to-zoe-graham/): I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing the wonderfully talented Zoe Graham earlier this week. We discussed her recently released debut album, TENT, covering tracks on the album, the production process and other aspects of her career to date. Zoe also talks about her headline shows coming up in September – she’ll be playing at Leith Depot in Edinburgh on Thursday 18 September, and the Hug and Pint in Glasgow on Friday 19 September, with support from Scott C. Park. Tickets are on sale now and available at zoegrahammusic.com – where you can also buy yourself a copy of TENT […] - [Living in the 80(s) Days](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/04/06/living-in-the-80s-days/): There has been yet more nostalgia tripping for the band that prides itself on not wanting to be seen as a ‘heritage’ act. Yet more celebrations to do with THAT SONG having its 40th anniversary. Simple Minds fans had a busy night last night. No sooner was Radio 2’s Sounds of the 80s (being co-hosted by Mr Kerr last night) over when the radio was turned off and the TV put on for a performance of DYFAM on the Jonathan Ross Show on ITV. Here is a link to the Sounds of the 80s on BBC Sounds. UPDATE: For overseas […] - [Doing The Rounds - Promo Circuit Time](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/04/03/doing-the-rounds-promo-circuit-time/): Preparations for this year’s touring has begun with a stint of promotional spots on TV and radio. First of which saw Mr Kerr ‘flying solo’ with a spot on the This Morning couch, the footage of which is only available to view for UK audiences of ITV/STV. People abroad – trust me when I say you’re not missing much. It’s yet ANOTHER tale of ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ with some “Charlie and I met when we were just 8-years-old on a building site in Toryglen, Glasgow. Charlie was on a mound of sand – king of the castle.” Ya […] - [One Month To Go - America's-a-Calling!](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/03/29/one-month-to-go-americas-a-calling/): People of the Americas (South, Central and North) – this is your one month call to say Simple Minds are headed to you starting one month from today! The first port of call is Santiago, Chile on 29 April, followed by dates in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 1 May, Sao Paolo, Brazil on 4 May (unfortunately a concert for Rio de Janeiro the night prior to Sao Paolo has been cancelled) and Mexico City (Mexico) on 7 May. The band then head to North America for dates across the country, starting at Ridgefield, Washington on 16 May and ending at […] - [Yesterday was TENT Day! Zoe Graham Album Launch - Assai Glasgow](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/03/22/yesterday-was-tent-day-zoe-graham-album-launch-assai-glasgow/): If you’ve been following the blog for the past several months, then you’ll be aware that I’ve become an ardent fan and follower of artist Zoe Graham. I first clapped eyes on her at the Echo and the Bunnymen show at Kelvingrove Bandstand last year – and I hate to disparage the Bunnymen but Zoe was absolutely THE BEST THING about that gig. A few months later, I was over the moon to find that she was the support for Lo Moon at St Luke’s for their I Wish You Way More Than Luck tour in November. Most recently, I […] - [Juanita Stein (+ Raff and Kirsten Adamson) - Nice N' Sleazy 18/3/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/03/19/juanita-stein-raff-and-kirsten-adamson-nice-n-sleazy-18-3-2025/): It was quite the ‘chill’ affair last night for a ‘school night’ gig. After seeing Juanita support Travis at the Hydro at the end of last year, both Michelle and I were keen to see her in her own right. I headed into the city in the late afternoon. I do try and save costs as and where I can these days. In the past I would have arrived at Queen Street and then taken the subway to St George’s Cross and got to the top end of Sauchiehall Street that way. Why I would do it that way now […] - [Clashing and Swapping - Gigs To Attend and Ones That Can't Be](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/03/18/clashing-and-swapping-gigs-to-attend-and-ones-that-cant-be/): I feel as if I’ve been a juggler these past few days. Well, weeks, actually. One of the first gigs I booked for attending this year was to see The Anchoress in London next month. From there it’s been a bit of a headache trying to get all the rest of it sorted. Mercifully, there is a certain accommodation site that rhymes with “rooking not rom” that is great for placing a hold on things and then being able to cancel, alter and change without any financial penalties. First off, I booked something very close to the venue and then […] - [Statham In The Studio With Someone Familiar](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/03/11/statham-in-the-studio-with-someone-familiar/): I follow Paul Statham on social media as I like to keep up to date with his musical endeavours – particularly when it comes to the Dark Flowers project. Imagine my surprise to see him share these photos on his socials yesterday. He’d shared them with a blurb that stated he’d been in a recording studio in North London with Herr Kerr and Simple Minds co-producer over the past decade, Andy Wright. No other info given other than that. So….is it a Simple Minds thing? I know Paul has a Dark Flowers release coming out soon so it would seem […] - [International Women's Day 2025 - from The Anchoress to Zoe Graham](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/03/08/international-womens-day-2025-from-the-anchoress-to-zoe-graham/): I would say that my own personal tastes in music has been largely made up of male groups and solo artists. Why is that? I think the link between music and its “feel good” effects combined with my sexual attraction to men and the aural appeal of lower register voices has been the main reasons why this has been the case. I don’t believe it is a case of “men are better” in terms of musical ability or creativity – I’m pretty sure it’s entirely down to that visceral thing of being a red-blooded woman finding the opposite sex an […] - [BBC Sounds Podcasts - Drama on 4: Spring Awakening](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/03/06/bbc-sounds-podcasts-drama-on-4-spring-awakening/): I have been aware of Spring Awakening for a number of years now. I knew it was to do with young people, teenagers – long before the term ‘teenager’ was used in regular parlance to describe a person in their adolescence. That mysterious and perplexing period of one’s life where the evolution of one’s sexual maturity is in action. So, I was aware that it in some way was a story about the teenage experience. I was also aware that it had a German background. I vaguely knew it was controversial, but didn’t know the full extent of the controversies […] - [We Have A Winner!](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/03/04/we-have-a-winner/): Thank you for all the entries received for the giveaway for a copy of Lee Stuart Evans’ fabulous book Pleasantly Disturbed. The correct answer to the question was, of course, Life in a Day. Congratulations to Valeria who, as the first name drawn form the correct entries, has won herself a copy of the book. I hope that you will enjoy reading it as much as I did. - [Yesterday Is So Far Away](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/03/01/yesterday-is-so-far-away/): In my previous post titled ‘The Thrill of it All’ I expressed gratitude to Jim Kerr for unlocking the love I have for live music and going to gigs. And although prior to 2015 my gig-going could have been described as “sporadic” at best, there was a period around the mid 1990s when I did attend several gigs, particularly with my best pal Steven. They were largely Oz bands. I mean…the live music scene in Oz, particularly the bands that play live, have a reputation for being the best in the world – so why wouldn’t you stick with seeing […] - [Hamish Hawk (+ Redolent and Withered Hand) - Usher Hall, Edinburgh 22/02/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/02/23/hamish-hawk-redolent-and-withered-hand-usher-hall-edinburgh-22-02-2025/): The sun shone on Leith yesterday as Saturday had a day-long reprieve from an otherwise very damp and windy weekend. It was also sunny in Glasgow so Sue and I made the most of the good weather by going to the Rebels and Renegades photo exhibition at the Street Level Photoworks at 103 Trongate. I hadn’t been back since the opening day. It was also Sue’s first opportunity to see the exhibition. Then a quick trip to Tantrum for a doughnut then back to Queen Street to meet Michelle for the journey on to Edinburgh together. We got into Waverley […] - [New Release - Live in the City of Diamonds](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/02/21/new-release-live-in-the-city-of-diamonds/): Simple Minds were a fantastic live band from the get-go, yet despite that, it took them almost a decade before they released their first official live album. The hunger was there from the fanbase as many bootlegs exchanged hands from the earliest days. Now, barely a year goes by without the band milking yet another live release. Okay, technically, there hasn’t been a live release since October 2023 and the release of New Gold Dream Live from Paisley Abbey …. so just over 18 months (by the time of LITCID’s release) but…yeah. Okay, they pride themselves in being a fantastic […] - [And... The Gigs Just Keep Coming!](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/02/19/and-the-gigs-just-keep-coming/): Another day, another gig announcement! This time it is the long-awaited return to Glasgow of The Anchoress. To celebrate her signing with label Last Night From Glasgow there is (of course) the impending release of her original recorded material from 2011, Communion. The album gets a release on vinyl for the first time. It is set for release on 20 March 2025. You can find out more about the release of Communion by clicking HERE Added to this was confirmation yesterday that Catherine will be playing at the CCA (just when I was mentioning it in my post about the […] - [The Thrill Of It All](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/02/18/the-thrill-of-it-all/): Interesting that Mr Kerr was talking about the positives of live music in a post yesterday. Talking about AI and money spent to appear human – I’ll bite my tongue until it bleeds …. the irony being it was a glorified plug for their shows, written for Jim – I mean they may have been his words, of course, but these words are now being posted on his behalf. So as I say, a bit ironic. Hey-ho. Anyway, the (tenuous) ‘true’ gist of the post on SM FB was to get people enthusiastic about that ‘real’ connection – people bonding […] - [Hamish Hawk (+ Amelia Coburn) - Digital, Newcastle 12/02/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/02/16/hamish-hawk-amelia-coburn-digital-newcastle-12-02-2025/): My apologies for the delay with this review. It may be a little shorter than usual…perhaps not. We’ll see? I travelled down to Newcastle by train during the afternoon. The usual quickest route is firstly to go to Edinburgh on the express train from Queen Street and then on the LNER Azuma service to London. There’s usually just the one stop on the journey from Edinburgh to Newcastle which is Berwick-upon-Tweed. I arrived in Newcastle just before 3pm. I had secured a Too Good To Go bag on the way down at a cafe called the Olive Kitchen on the […] - [‘Your Name In Lights’ - Pyramid Music Mix](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/02/14/your-name-in-lights-pyramid-music-mix/): Well, I wasn’t sure if I should tempt fate by trying this version of the song out. There was the possibility that it might rectify the things I didn’t really like about the song, or at the very least just make it slightly more listenable. To my surprise – a vast improvement! I can actually make out the lyrics and understand what Sarah is singing in the first verse. Jim’s voice sounds stronger and not like he’s ready for the knacker’s yard. All of it has been given the right tweaks and improvements and …. Dare I say I like […] - [Hamish Hawk (+ Redolent) - The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen - 09/02/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/02/11/hamish-hawk-redolent-the-lemon-tree-aberdeen-09-02-2025/): I’m not sure I can offer up anything else about this man and his band. You’d have had to be living under a rock or you just happen to be a first-time visitor to this blog not to have noticed what an impact Hamish Hawk has had upon me over the past two years in particular. It’s just coming up to two years since I first saw a headline show – at St Luke’s – just when the stellar Angel Numbers came out. Reflecting on this time I now think the Simple Minds gig at Princes Street Gardens was my […] - [Pleasantly Disturbed Is More Than A “Pleasant” Read!](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/02/08/pleasantly-disturbed-is-more-than-a-pleasant-read/): 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 […] - [Field Music - Oran Mor, Glasgow - 02/02/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/02/03/field-music-oran-mor-glasgow-02-02-2025/): It’s a rarity for me to be going to a gig on a Sunday night, and much like buses – my Sunday night gigs have arrived in twos. Last night it was the much-anticipated Field Music at Oran Mor. I decided to head to the city to ride the subway in time before the last trains ran. The subway stops earlier on a Sunday evening – as nothing happens in Glasgow on a Sunday night. Likewise for the train service on the Anniesland line. Our local service via Maryhill has the last train leaving Queen Street at 6.30pm so I […] - [And The Good News Is - Some People Measure Success Differently](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/02/02/and-the-good-news-is-some-people-measure-success-differently/): “I am mightier than most. I am ‘the big I am’.” This self-congratulatory twaddle increasingly gets on my wick. You know, someone with a good measure of humility would just acknowledge that it was the 30th anniversary of the album’s release without all of this “we grew a backbone and did what most people can NEVER do.” Righty-o Mr Hero. Do you know what lots of “normal” people CAN do though? Show humility!  The royal “we” is also getting a bit worn too. I’m assuming it means “we” as in him and Charlie? Like, he’s ALWAYS speaking for the both […] - [The Anchoress Announces Spring and Summer Tour](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/01/31/the-anchoress-announces-spring-and-summer-tour/): The Anchoress has announced more gigs for the spring and summer, which brings her as far north as Leeds, as far west as Cardiff and as far south as Aldershot. The tour is broken in two stages – dates during April comprise of Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and London. Dates in June comprise of gigs in Aldershot, Milton Keynes and Cardiff. I was really hopeful for a gig in Scotland but understand the reasons why that isn’t possible. I would love to see Catherine perform as many shows as possible. This time due to the way the shows and the locations […] - [The Quay Sessions with KT Tunstall and Loudon Wainwright III](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/01/30/the-quay-sessions-with-kt-tunstall-and-loudon-wainwright-iii/): It was a lovely crisp, clear evening in Glasgow last night. It’s amazing to think that less than a week prior, the city was feeling the full force of Storm Eowyn – the contrast couldn’t have been more stark! In recent times making my way to this part of the city (Clydeside – by Pacific Quay/Science Centre) I would have journeyed to Queen St and then taken the subway to Cessnock. But a few days ago I had a revelation – that it would actually be easier to take the train to Exhibition and cross the Clyde over Bell’s Bridge […] - [Conversation, Kimmel and a game of “Who’s that?”](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/01/30/conversation-kimmel-and-a-game-of-whos-that/): Some SM news for you. Firstly, Mr Kerr was on a morning radio show on the SoCal Sound (southern California college radio – can’t believe college radio is STILL a thing!) with Nic Harcourt + Jet. Most of the usual twaddle with lots of selective memory band “history” thrown in for good measure. Fifteen minutes of fluff. Then, if you wish to subject yourself to it, here is the “performance” on the Jimmy Kimmel live show. Once was enough for me, thank you! They somehow seemed to manage to ship Cherisse over for the occasion, but the rest of the […] - [Well, I wasn’t wrong, America, when I said “get your wallets out”!](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/01/29/well-i-wasnt-wrong-america-when-i-said-get-your-wallets-out/): Christ on a bike! You know, I really do not enjoy pooping on the band that I once loved more than anything on earth, but geez they make it hard for me not to do so. The latest gripe I have is this out and out money-grab. Yes! I am aware now that touring is expensive. But much like with everything else that is now dictated by the consumerist way society runs – it is those least able to comply with it that are the ones that feel the brunt of it. Funny how it was during the tour of […] - [This Year's Gigs Are About To Begin!](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/01/28/this-years-gigs-are-about-to-begin/): So far this year, my gig attendances have not been what I would consider a “proper” gig. Just a couple of weeks ago, it was the instore appearance at Mono/rail of Franz Ferdinand and tomorrow night is a “freebie.” I’ll be heading to Pacific Quay to the BBC Scotland studios to attend Roddy Hart’s Quay Sessions featuring Loudon Wainwright III and KT Tunstall. The last time I saw Loudon Wainwright was in 2019. I was in Glasgow for Celtic Connections for a few days to attend a few gigs, namely Massive Attack at the Hydro (not part of CC from […] - [Simple Minds Announce North American Tour with Soft Cell and Modern English - May/June 2025 + more](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/01/27/simple-minds-announce-north-american-tour-with-soft-cell-and-modern-english-may-june-2025/): The tour begins on 16 May in Ridgefield, Washington and ends on 22 June at Noblesville, Indiana. There are a total of 24 dates at this time, including shows in Canada as well as across the United States. Check the Simple Minds website for all venues and ticket purchase details. On top of that, the band have announced a ruby edition 40th anniversary of Once Upon a Time, which is available now on streaming services and will be available on physical formats later in the year. And that’s not all – the band will be appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! […] - [North America - Get Your Wallets Ready!](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/01/24/north-america-get-your-wallets-ready/): I could be wrong, but for me the most telling clue is the date in US format, and the times being US timezone specific first, followed by GMT. I think this is a MAJOR hint that a North American tour announcement is imminent. So, it’s Good News From The Old World for North America. More than that…I think the Alive and Kicking video COULD denote a 40th anniversary of Once Upon a Time – seeing as the album was Simple Minds breakthrough in the U.S., it only stands to reason they’d want to celebrate its anniversary by touring it across […] - [Craig Charles Interview With Hamish Hawk - BBC 6 Music 20/01/2025](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/01/20/craig-charlies-interview-with-hamish-hawk-bbc-6-music-20-01-2025/): I caught this interview this afternoon. This man is so lovely and so humble, I cannot wait for the gigs to come in a few weeks time. First I’ll be off to Aberdeen, then a couple of days later I’ll make my way down to The Toon (aka Newcastle), then it’ll be a patient wait until Edinburgh and my first ever gig at Usher Hall. In the meantime, enjoy Hamish in a chatty yet wonderfully modest tone discussing the excitement of the past 12 months, working at Assai records in Edinburgh, the success of the release of A Firmer Hand […] - [This Week I Have Been Mostly...](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/2025/01/18/this-week-i-have-been-mostly/): …Spending time still devoting way too much of my thoughts to a band that had been the ultimate reason for this blog existing – and not enough time on actually focusing on other things. It’s hard to remove that focus entirely as I am still yet to complete the book. I know! It feels like a noose around my neck. I need to finish the thing so I can just step away from it all for a while. In the meantime, I can’t even objectively write anything here in case it bleeds into what I’ve written for the book. So, […] ## Pages - [Upcoming Gigs](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/event-directory/): [add_eventon_list number_of_months=”6″] - [My Calendar](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/my-calendar/) - [Become a Patron](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/become-a-patron/): It would mean the world to me if you would consider becoming a patron of this website through Patreon. Please click the link below for details. I appreciate you taking the time to visit this page. Enjoy the blog. Thank you PRIPTONA WEIRD PATREON PLEDGE PAGE - [My other blog](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/university-unicorns-personal-blog/): You can view this by clicking the link – http://larelleread.co.uk - [Contact me](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/contact-me/): Get in touch If you have any questions or comments you’d like to pass on, please use the form on this page to get in touch. I’d love to hear from you. - [Vlog posts](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/vlog-posts/): If you have many hours of spare time and want to listen to me waffle on about everything and nothing – you’ve come to the right place. Link below (click image): - [Sons/Sister celebration](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/sons-and-sister-celebration/): This page links to every post I have written in regards to the 40th Anniversary of the release of Sons And Fascination/Sister Feelings Call. More post links will be added as the celebration continues on until the September release date. RECORDING BEGINS THE CARS ARE THE STARS – AUTO iMaGes THE AMERICAN IN TRANCE AS MISSION 70 CITIES AS LOVE BRINGS THE FALL BOYS FROM BRAZIL I’M ON THE ROOFTOP – THE KENSINGTON ROOF GARDENS ON THE COVER ART – THE MEN ARE MARCHING THIS EARTH THAT YOU WALK UPON SONS AND FASCINATION – TITLE TRACK SEEING OUT THE ANGEL […] - [Search/history (archive)](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/search-and-blog-history-archive/) - [About me/this blog](https://priptonaweird.co.uk/about/): How this site came to be. 2006: I am getting into Spotify, exploring new musical horizons and rekindling old flames. Simple Minds are among those “old flames”. Having said that, I was only ever a “fair weather” fan. One that just on the odd occasion listened to compilation “best of” albums. One time doing this, I found myself thinking “Simple Minds are just so great. Why have I not explored their music more? Why do I just keep sticking to ‘the hits’? This has GOT to change!” And so, I gave Life In A Day a couple of listens, and […] [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)