Simple Minds and U2....

[greenslimer]

As most know, both of these bands are good friends.. especially Bono and Simple Minds lead singer, Jim Kerr.

Has anyone here ever met Jim before? Or know anyone that has. If so, what's he like in person?

Also, how did both bands become friends, or meet anyway?


Thanks!

 

[Zoots]

I can't answer your question but I'm tempted to go...

Don't you... forget about me
Don't don't don't don't...

 

[Adam'sbaby]

I heard that Jim Kerr said something about Bono being full of shit because he talks to politicians. I don't think you can call that a friendly thing to say.

 

[boystupidboy]

I heard that Jim Kerr said something about Bono being full of shit because he talks to politicians. I don't think you can call that a friendly thing to say.

Thats the scottish for you

 

[Blue Room]

I met Jim and Charlie in 2002 when they were on tour in the U.S. Very nice guys, they appreciate their fans in a similiar way that U2 does. If you get the chance to see them live, go, you wont be disappointed.

Regarding Jim and Bono, they are friends, but I dont think they are super close friends. They met because they were both the up and coming bands at the same time around 1982. They played several festivals together and it developed from there.

 

[U2DMfan]

Jim Kerr was giving Bono shit because he was seen with Tony Blair, and he thought he was warming up to the wrong people.

Yet, I'm still convinced that they are really good friends, as most adults can disagree and even give each other a lot of shit and get over it. Bono and Geldof have had a few spats here and there, but they remain great friends.

If you are in the public eye doing what Bono is doing, you are bound to piss some people off, even your friends.

 

[Canadiens1131]

That drumming in Don't You Forget About Me (?) before the laa da da daa part is nice

 

[greenslimer]

canadiens160: you do realize that the band has other songs than Dont You Forget About Me, right? they didnt even write that song, and i dont even think they like it. none of their other music is like that song. in fact, they are very very similar to U2..., at least for during a certain time period...

maybe you should check out their other.. oh 15 albums before making a judgement just based on that thing.

 

[isabelle_guns]

In the music industry it is easy to make friends with others as most are at the same events

 

[jvferrandiz]

I've never seen a picture of bono and Jim kerr on stage but i have a song in mp3 of a simple minds concert in glasgow 85. He introduces bono during the middle of the song "all the way from dublin...bono!" and he starts singing. something like that. I don't know if they are still friends but back then i'm sure they were. The song is new gold dream.

 

[RobH]

Wow...Simple Minds causing a ruckus on the boards...we've officially run out of things to argue about.

 

[greenslimer]

well, supposedly they used to spend a lot of time together... bono and ali spending time at Jim's parents house, and stuff like that. there was even a time when jim lived right next door to bono, or so i heard. bono invites the guys in Simple Minds to their shows a lot, and vice versa.

bono's even done a cover of some Minds songs, or at least some lines.

they sound so much alike sometimes though. not sure if it was both bands sharing producers or what, but daaaamn.

 

[Blue Room]

RobH, who is arguing or causing a ruckus about anything? The post is about Simple Minds and how Jim Kerr is friends with Bono. One person mentioned that Jim said some critical things of Bono recently. But that was not the purpose or point of the thread from what I can tell??

 

[Blue Room]

they sound so much alike sometimes though. not sure if it was both bands sharing producers or what, but daaaamn.

They have some similiar sounds. The song that stands out to me is GhostDancing, the guitar riff is similiar to Streets with the chiming. Alot of U2 fans think Simple Minds copied U2 or were trying to emulate them with it. Problem is GhostDancing was written in 1984 and released in 1985 BEFORE Streets obviously. I dont think either copy each other though and I'm not implying that. I just think they had some similiar influences and styles in the 80's. Both are great bands IMO.

 

[Zoots]

canadiens160: you do realize that the band has other songs than Dont You Forget About Me, right? they didnt even write that song, and i dont even think they like it. none of their other music is like that song. in fact, they are very very similar to U2..., at least for during a certain time period...

maybe you should check out their other.. oh 15 albums before making a judgement just based on that thing.

I don't think canadiens160 is making a judgement on the band at all. She merely mentioned (I think it's a she, sorry if I got it wrong ) that she loves the drumming in that part of the song, that's all. And so do I. Actually, I haven't heard anything of theirs either apart from DYFAM and She's A River up from 1993.

 

[Zoots]

up

Okay, that was supposed to be a ( ).........

 

[dazzledbylight]

interesting I thought that Kerr very much resented U2's superfame....

I eventually prefered U2 overall musically etc, but i still love 'New Gold Dream" & Sparkle In The Rain" as [I hope i got the titles right!] albums.

around the early-mid '80's I as a fan of all three....U2, Simple Minds & Big Country.

 

[greenslimer]

dazzledbythelight: where did you hear that Jim resented U2's superfame? just curious. he's said a few times on his official site jouirnal that he thought they deserved every bit of fame they got (which i agree as well) and that he greatly admired bono. he always seemed to be praising him some way or another.. except for that Blair thing.

 

[cardosino]

They have some similiar sounds. The song that stands out to me is GhostDancing, the guitar riff is similiar to Streets with the chiming. Alot of U2 fans think Simple Minds copied U2 or were trying to emulate them with it. Problem is GhostDancing was written in 1984 and released in 1985 BEFORE Streets obviously. I dont think either copy each other though and I'm not implying that. I just think they had some similiar influences and styles in the 80's. Both are great bands IMO.

Ghostdancing was a re-do of another Minds song recorded in 81 (I think) called I Travel

I was at both Glasgow shows where Bono came on stage to do New Gold Dream, first night was a total shock, 2nd night everyone was waiting for it.

 

[Axver]

Ghostdancing was a re-do of another Minds song recorded in 81 (I think) called I Travel

I was at both Glasgow shows where Bono came on stage to do New Gold Dream, first night was a total shock, 2nd night everyone was waiting for it.

cardosino, could you possibly help with some details on a setlist site I co-administrate? I presume this is one of the Glasgow shows you're talking about. Bono appeared at another for the same song? What was the date for that show? I'd like to add it to the database.

 

[greenslimer]

Axver: These two shows took place on January 4th and 5th, 1985 at the Glasgow Barrowlands.

I have both on audio and it's spectacular... and kind of humorous at the same time. Bono sounds so excited to be there and so does Jim and it's quite cute. They mix a little bit of the Door's "Light My Fire" into the "New Gold Dream" song.

In 2001, U2 did a couple of lines to Simple Minds "Up On The Catwalk" song during "Elevation"...
Also very excellent.

There is also a rumor that Bono also appeared in their video for "Up On The Catwalk" back in 1983-84, wearing a mask, walking on the catwalk behind the band. It sure does look like his side profile (hair and nose included) and that "Bono walk" he does. lol. He's uh... pretty easily identifiable, lol... but then again it could have been someone purposely trying to look like him.
Anyone know anything concrete on this?

 

[Pero]

Difference between them:u2 makes rock, and Simple Minds make crybaby rock, when i hear it i start to cry.

 

[Axver]

Axver: These two shows took place on January 4th and 5th, 1985 at the Glasgow Barrowlands.

I have both on audio and it's spectacular... and kind of humorous at the same time. Bono sounds so excited to be there and so does Jim and it's quite cute. They mix a little bit of the Door's "Light My Fire" into the "New Gold Dream" song.

In 2001, U2 did a couple of lines to Simple Minds "Up On The Catwalk" song during "Elevation"...
Also very excellent.

Great, thanks! Just added the 4 January show. Did they do the Doors snippet on both nights or if it was only one, which one? And at what show did the Simple Minds snippet occur during 2001?

 

[greenslimer]

Axver,

They did it both nights.

As for the U2 - Up On The Catwalk bit, I don't know the date, but all I know is that it took place at a Glasgow show in 2001.

 

[greenslimer]

Difference between them:u2 makes rock, and Simple Minds make crybaby rock, when i hear it i start to cry.

That's just not right, Pero. It just isn't. lol.


They do have some pretty, energetic, happy songs though.
And besides... Bono's a big fan of them, so...

 

[Axver]

Axver,

They did it both nights.

As for the U2 - Up On The Catwalk bit, I don't know the date, but all I know is that it took place at a Glasgow show in 2001.

Just added the snippet to both nights.

Ah, that's alright. There were two shows in Glasgow in 2001 - might the setlists remind you which it was? They played on 27 August and 28 August.

By the way, if anyone has other corrections/additions to offer to the site, I'd love to hear them.

 

[greenslimer]

Well, I only heard that song and the Up On The Catwalk part that someone had on their site... and that's it. It's not on there anymore. Someone else gave it to them like that, too.
But, I can probably find out though.
I don't know what other songs were played, sadly.

 

[Axver]

Well, I only heard that song and the Up On The Catwalk part that someone had on their site... and that's it. It's not on there anymore. Someone else gave it to them like that, too.
But, I can probably find out though.
I don't know what other songs were played, sadly.

Ah, right. Well, it's no big deal, just a snippet. I'm sure I'll come across the date one of these days. In fact, I may actually have one Glasgow Elevation show in my bootlegs collection ... not sure ...

 

[Blue Room]

Ghostdancing was a re-do of another Minds song recorded in 81 (I think) called I Travel

I was at both Glasgow shows where Bono came on stage to do New Gold Dream, first night was a total shock, 2nd night everyone was waiting for it.

Thats interesting, but I Travel sounds nothing like GhostDancing to me. The part of GhostDancing I was referring to thats sounds sort of like Streets (the guitar riff) is certainly nowhere to be found in I Travel from what I can tell.

 

[Tania]

Alive and Kicking was one of my fav songs by Simple Minds...