This is a new series for my blog. In addition to my usual essays, I’ll be posting YouTube videos by bands that I believe deserve a second chance.
THIS WEEK'S VIDEO: Simple Minds “I Travel”
It’s rather unfortunate that Simple Minds are only remembered for their cover of “Don’t You Forget About Me” and their shameless arena rock grandstanding during the mid to late 1980s. When they started, Simple Minds was one of the most intriguing and challenging groups around. Their first five albums, recorded between 1978 and 1982, boasted the influence of American New Wave, Giorgio Moroder, avant-garde jazz and punk. Yet their music never came off as contrived or frigid. There was always a believable emotional edge to their songs.
The song “I Travel” was the first single from Empires And Dance (1980). Vocalist Jim Kerr wrote the politically charged number after noticing the stark differences between East and West Berlin. While Kerr would later regret his “unmoved” vocal performance on the album version, he certainly makes up for it in concert. I stumbled upon this German TV performance a few weeks ago and I haven't been able to stop watching it since.
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2 comments:
Sounds like Duran Duran from their first album.
The great Simple Minds. Gotta love 'em. Interestingly, last week the band announced a string of arena shows in the UK at the end of 2008. Seems like the band will be embarking on a 30th Anniverary tour and will perform the entirety of their landmark 1982 album 'New Gold Dream'. Awesome.
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