Memorable Tours?

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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…

Regrets – I Have A Few…

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The biggest one being: not becoming a mega Minds fan just 2 years earlier than I did (or that it didn’t gel for me when I first tried in 2006…gave up after not really liking Life In A Day too much – and how that changed once I gave it more time in 2014! It’s still not my most fave Minds album…but there are tracks I love and I hear the OOZING potential).

I would have loved this tour so, so much! 

I have finally scored myself a copy (a rather pristine copy, I must say!) of the 5×5 Live box set. It is now, bizarrely, out of print – which seems daft to me.

I’d also love to see Yvonne Bird’s suggestion of 5×5 Live being produced on coloured vinyl, in a limited run for Record Store Day 2017, come to fruition. I’ll definitely be lined up outside the local HMV for that one (I have vouchers to use…otherwise I’d go to an independent store for sure)!

In the meantime, I will continue to live in eternal regret that I couldn’t expereince at least ONE of these gigs by being there.

Future Re-issues and Box Sets

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I am starting to theorise as to what we may get in the next several months. 

We can safely assume that the release of album number…17? 18? I always like to think of Sons and Sister as separate entities, so that would make it 18, in my eyes (and if you count Neon Lights – 19?) – won’t be until towards the end of the year. 

In the meantime, I am pondering what things will be on offer for Record Store Day and whether there will be another super deluxe box set released. Over the past (just coming up to) two years now, we’ve had, the Sparkle In The Rain, Once Upon A Time and New Gold Dream box sets…so…what may be next? I’m sure a lot of it is down to original recording techniques, etc, what gets picked, or what can be worked out. Bonus materials, etc. 

I would absolutely LOOOOOOOVE a Sons And Fascination/Sister Feelings Call set. It would be one HELLUVA set (one would hope) and…potentially a bit pricey…but, I think there really could be some interesting stuff to come out.

Some of that stuff on a 5.1 mix??! Oh…if it can be done. Sweet JAYSUS!!!! I think I would actually get a little…moist…if a Sons/Sister box set was released. With the right extras…that top class packaging we’ve been getting, and 5.1 mixes. I’d be VERY excited!

The other proposal I’ve seen is Street Fighting Years as a super deluxe box set. I hate saying this…but, I wouldn’t be in a rush to buy it. It’s just my personal taste. I like certain tracks from the album, yes. Soul Crying Out is an awesome song…but it’s not an album I listen to from start to finish. I have done, in the past. I gave it due respect…but…it ain’t my bag. Sorry. I will end up buying the box set if SFY is the next one to be released. But I’ll probs end up finally buying OUAT.

As for RSD 2017…well, we could get ANYTHING, really. I loved my friend, Yvonne’s suggestion of a 5×5 Live vinyl release. That really could be quite fabulous. The Johnson Somerset Big Music mixes on vinyl could work too.

Repackaged mixes from New Gold Dream or OUAT – ones that as far as I am aware, have not had vinyl releases before (but have no doubt probably have been and I’m none the wiser.

I suppose we shall see in the ensuing months!