A Very Simple Mind: On Tour - Hardcover

Derek Forbes; Foreword By Peter Walsh

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0857162624 ISBN 13: 9780857162625

Publisher: McNidder & Grace, 2023

Synopsis

The long-awaited autobiography by Derek Forbes, the Simple Minds legend known for his iconic spine-rattling bass riffs which we recognise in many Simple Minds' songs. This is his story.

We were a band of working-class lads from 1970s Glasgow and we took on the world. We toured together, we laughed together, we laughed at each other, we had fights and arguments, we learned how to best work with the music industry, but most of all, we always had fun.

If you are a Simple Minds fan this is the book for you.

Praise for Derek Forbes

‘…beneath the distinctive interplay between guitar and keyboards there was a powerful engine with a deep, punchy bass line driving the music forward. Enter Derek Forbes!’Peter Walsh, award-winning record producer

‘I couldn’t get Derek’s riffs out of my head. ‘In Trance as Mission’, ‘Sweat in Bullet’, ‘Love Song’, ‘The American’ … bass lines! And again the next year, ‘Glittering Prize’, ‘Promised You a Miracle’, ‘Big Sleep’ and the mother lode: ‘New Gold Dream’. Who plays like that and gets away with it? And the next year, ‘Waterfront’, ‘Up on the Catwalk’, ‘Speed Your Love to Me’. Those songs based on the mighty and hypnotic bass lines of Derek Forbes are still some of my favorite music ever made.’Jon Carin, musician, producer, songwriter

‘At the root, the bass work of Derek Forbes, one of the great British musicians. A man who plays with the dexterity and invention of someone who, ideally, would like to have more strings – and perhaps a couple of more fingers – at his disposal, but who also values the art of simplicity, repetition, mood, motion.’ Graeme Thomson, author, Themes for Great Cities

‘Empires and Dance was a great record to make. Derek was there with the bass lines which really formed the backbone to Simple Minds music right up to time he left and very often his line was the first idea written.’ John Leckie, record producer

‘Derek Forbes - now that cat could PLAY!’ Mutterer

‘Derek Forbes bassline to ‘Glittering Prize’ is absolute genius.’ Andrew Maguire

‘A controversial inclusion to some, perhaps, but (one) of the best from the Derek Forbes era of Simple Minds would not be complete without his most famous moment – Waterfront’s solitary bass note, repeated over and over.’ Dave Simpson, The Guardian

About this title

About the Author

Derek Forbes started his musical career as a lead guitarist but soon changed to bass guitarist. He wrote and co-wrote many of Simple Minds’ earliest classics and won an Ivor Novello Award for ‘Outstanding Song Collection’ in 2016 for his song writing for Simple Minds. He was voted best bass player in the World 1982 and best bass player from Scotland in 2010.

Derek is also well-known on the international stage as songwriter and bassist for Big Country and Propaganda and has recorded with Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd and Kirsty MacColl.He still lives in Glasgow and is planning his next tour.

Edition details

• Publisher: McNidder & Grace
• Publication date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0857162624
• ISBN 13: 9780857162625
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192