mid-80s, U2ish bands

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Just yesterday I saw a repeat of a 1985 Saturday Night Live with musical guests Simple Minds. I loved Alive & Kicking, All The Things She Said, Sanctify Yourself and Don't You (Forget About me). Then they just kinda went away like most 80's bands.
 
INDY500 said:
Just yesterday I saw a repeat of a 1985 Saturday Night Live with musical guests Simple Minds. I loved Alive & Kicking, All The Things She Said, Sanctify Yourself and Don't You (Forget About me). Then they just kinda went away like most 80's bands.

I don't think it's so much that they went away as it is they no longer were very popular. Apparently they have been putting out work pretty consistantly since the late 70's.

And Big Country spanned about 20 years, although was only really popular during a relatively short time.
 
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Nostalgia fest. :wink:

Whenever I see Big Country mentioned, it just makes me feel sad, 'cos of what happened:(
 
^ ^
U2.com, December 19, 2001

Following the suicide of his friend Stuart Adamson, the Edge has spoken of his admiration for the Scotsman.

"I was very sorry to hear of the passing of Stuart Adamson. I was a fan of his both as guitar player and as a man. He was a great inspiration to me when U2 were starting out. His first band the Skids made such a big noise and with songs like 'Into the Valley' and 'The Saints Are Coming' made most of the other music of the time seem mundane and insignificant. Unfortunately the Skids didn't last long enough. I got to know Stuart when he was touring with Big Country--the group he founded and led after the Skids broke up. Big Country was all about Stuart, he did the singing and was the principal song writer and guitar player. Stuart made some great music during his career and his character came through everything he did. He had a heart as big as a mountain and he was a real romantic soul. He will be missed by all who loved his music and even more by those lucky enough to know him personally."
On an unrelated note, I was a pretty big fan of Television, another early postpunk group to whom U2 were often compared in those early days. Their album Marquee Moon is a treasure.
 
that song by the outfield called 'your love' (you know the one - "i don't wanna lose your love....tonight") has a guitar outro that reeks of the edge.
i love that song:drool:
 
People who haven't checked out *This is the Sea* by the Waterboys, should. As much as I loe Mike Scott, I don't think the later Waterboys ever touched that record.

I just listened to the Alarm's first full-length the other day--wow, it was so intense and evocative of how I felt when I was 17.

Anu
 
Anu said:
People who haven't checked out *This is the Sea* by the Waterboys, should. As much as I loe Mike Scott, I don't think the later Waterboys ever touched that record.

I just listened to the Alarm's first full-length the other day--wow, it was so intense and evocative of how I felt when I was 17.

Anu

One of my fav '80s albums! (I so loved The Whole of the Moon and Bang the Drum and the title track.)
 
The Alarm are good :yes:. I like 'em, too.

Been meaning to check out more from Big Country as well, as I love what I've heard by them, too.

Ah, hell, a :up: to all the bands mentioned in here. Everything I've heard by all of them so far is excellent.

*Adores the song "The Whole Of The Moon", is now in the mood to listen to that*

Angela
 
I adore Echo and the Bunnymen,they are genious. I want to hear Alarms "Rain in the summertime" for 1 year, i cant find it.
And i was into Simple minds a lot, buti will skip their concert on Sunday because of my work! I am not so sorry because i saw them 2 times. They are so uplifting.
 
While I know that the Waterboys and Simple Minds are still active, I haven't checked out any of the recent material.

Has anyone?

But what was news for me and may be for some of the Alarmists on this thread is that Mike Peters has leukemia and a new album coming out with a new line-up.

For the skinny and snippets of songs, check out http://thealarm.com
 
talk about reminiscing. Just saw new concert dates for Waterboys and I was like so jealous...I loved the Waterboys, saw them a few times waaaaay back when. The Alarm as well, I remember when they did 68 Guns live, and they threw a deck of cards into the crowd, and I kept that damn card forever :lol:

I saw so many great bands back then, saw The Call, there was a band called Wire - most people have never heard of them, but they were very U2 sounding - guitar riffs esp. gosh so many bands...so long ago..good times.
 
A primer on post-1985 (Once Upon A Time/Don't You Forget About Me) Simple Minds (Blue Room feel free to add!):

1987: Live in the City of Light (2 CD set captures endless Once Upon A Time tour)

1989: Street Fighting Years (this is the album that killed Simple Minds in America. The heavy political content, slow-tempo, long songs were radio-unfriendly. While still a stadium act in Europe, a planned N. America tour was scuttled, and at year's end keyboardist and major contributer Mick MacNeil departed the band, and manager Bruce Findlay was sacked. A time of trial. The irony? SFY may be my favorite album by the group).

1991: Real Life (minus MacNeil, the band regroups with an effort mared by so-so production and some derivative songs, including a 'Waterfront' ripoff). Has some obvious filler but a couple very good tracks, the title song, Banging on the Door, and my fav SM song "See The Lights"

1995: Good News... (long hiatus, SM is now a duo of Kerr/Burchill and Good News is overproduced but has some unapologetic catchy tunes in She's A River and Hypnotised)

1998: Neapolis (electronica influenced album only released properly in Europe, despite return of longtime drummer Gaynor and bassist Forbes). Short summer tour, and no traction from this album, and Forbes departs again.

2002: Cry (not a particularly memorable album in any way shape or form, but does bring SM out for first worldwide tour since 1995-1996 and the extensive live show is terrific with many old songs getting dusted off)

2005: Black & White (haven't heard the new one but reviews have been generally good if not sympathetic, definitely an uptick over Cry and the current lineup has been stabilized and the live concerts are still top notch).
 
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