New Gold Dream is rightly seen as the Minds’ greatest, and is one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the 80s.
Its follow-up Sparkle in the Rain was always going to be in its shadow, so it was wise to go for a completely different feel. I remember Steve Lillywhite’s ‘crash bang wallop’ style of production on SitR being criticised at the time but I think it was a breath of fresh air. To my teenage self the above track (Speed Your Love to Me) was the most thrilling thing in the world. Still sounds pretty damn good to me.
I was working in Boots record dept when this came out, and there wasn’t a better record to blast out across the shopfloor after closing time.
Could do without the cover of ‘Street Hassle’ though.
Agreed. Thinking more of the epic Waterfront and the aforementioned SYLTM. Maybe it would have made a great EP…
Up On The Catwalk, East At Easter – used to play that album to death.
Funnily enough, I was just browsing through my CDs a few minutes ago and my eyes alighted on Sparkle In The Rain and I thought I would give it a spin.
I had it on cassette when it came out and I remember liking Waterfront, in particular.
Although I have New Gold Dream, Sons and Fascination and the Early Gold compilation on CD, I had never bothered up-grading Sparkle In The Rain until I saw a copy in a charity shop a couple of months ago. I bought it and was pleasantly surprised. I really did enjoy it, not just for old time’s sake, but after some 20-plus years of not having listened to it, it was like hearing the songs again for the first time, especially the tracks in the second half that weren’t singles.
I shall just go and put it on now….
listening agai
Please ignore the “listening agai” at the end. An undeleted, discarded fragment.
If not an “edit” function, can’t we have the “view before you post” function back? Failing that, I’ll just have to pay a bit more attention!
Loved Simple Minds up to NGD, which was decent enough. SITR is where big production came in to cover up the total lack of tunes and, well, inspiration. The model from which a certain manic Welsh band built their career…
Love early Minds – Love Song, I Travel and the American being vivid examples. Strong memories of hearing these while ‘cuttin aboot the toon’ back in the day (translation – being a young man enjoying the Glasgow nightlife in the early 1980s).
But New Gold Dream, for me, is pretty damn perfect, having the hallmark of classic albums in being both of its time and timeless.
This track alone still does it for me…
Someone Somewhere in Summertime
Up on the Catwalk.
What a way to open. I always think they always missed Brian McGee’s more cerebral playing, Mel Gaynor’s thump and vim work best on this record.
Yes, a brilliant side 1 and an album I played to death. I have never seen them live – but I am wondering if the bass line for Waterfront is played live, or is it memorex? It would be a bit like hitting a drum with one stick for 4 minutes.
I think it’s a live bass, but heavily processed and with an echo/delay applied to get that dunga-dunga effect.
Sounded cheap and nasty like it’s crap cover design back then, so I never bought or even ‘taped’ it.
I’m giving it another go on Spotify™ though, haven’t heard it in many a day/decade. Waterfront will always be a great song.
I loved it when it came out and have given it a couple of listens in the past few months. It stands up very well (as does all of their stuff before it. It was the last Simple Minds stuff that was exciting and different.
Will give it another try, have hated it since it came out and I saw them give one of the worst live peefoances I have ever seen (Hammersmith Odeon).
Arsehole Kerr dedicated Speed Your Love to Me to Ray Davies which was pretty unpleasant (all to do with Chrissie Hyne)
Bluster and bombast was my initial judgement back in 1984, my opinion is unchanged.
Then it all went Pete when Derek Forbes left.
According to legend* Bono and Jim Kerr took a walk along Sandymount beach on New Year’s Eve 1983. Something was exchanged (and I’m not implying it was definitely vital bodily fluids) and by the light of that ‘ol New Year’s Day magic Bono began to take an interest in the subtle tones and s-p-a-c-e which had characterised the New Gold Dream sound, while Jim was struck with a sudden appreciation of the anthemic bombast which we recognise from U2’s War.
I’m sure there’s no truth in any of this because I saw Simple Minds in 1983 and, an hour into a glorious New Gold Dream centred set, they dropped their “new song” Waterfront which was greeted like a turd in a swimming pool..**
*legend, as I remember it incorrectly
**i still think there’s a Freaky Friday style comedy to be mined from this idea, however untrue it may be…
Re my post in the ‘When They Lost It Thread’ I’d add Ian Mcculloch to that beachside walk.
Anyone want to talk about Reel to Real Cacophony?
Film Theme! Chooooooooooooooooooon!
Premonition was the one that hooked me.
He has that great Glam Rock echo on his voice on that album – like a spooked Alvin Stardust who’s woken up in the DDR.
It’s such a quantum leap from the first album, which was alright but pretty unexceptional.
Isn’t Changeling on that one? That’s a fine tune…
Actually my fave on that album is probably Changeling – the drums sound terrific.
Theme for great cities….what’s that on? Now that WAS when they were good.
Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call – double LP at special price I think the Virgin sticker said
Produced by Steve Hillage…. none more Afterword.
I prefer SFC to SAF. It’s more… raw. Great tunes.