The title is not a dis of anyone but the name of my favorite band in just about the entire universe. Some of you oldsters might remember this band, which was briefly dragged into the spotlight in the States back in the eighties by a John Hughes movie, and then dropped more or less out of site over here once the burnish of whatever-it-was wore off ("So, it's another Scottish band..." "Is that the band Bono likes?" etc.) I had stopped listening to them for a few years myself, and had almost forgotten them (or would have if it were not for the ubiquitousness of that song that the "rock" stations here still dig out every month or so). Then for some reason I dragged out some tapes I had made of my LPs, and then dug out my portable cd player. I had purchased Neon Lights a while back; it is a surprisingly good set of cover songs. I had forgotten how good Jim Kerr's voice was; in my chase for The Different!* in everything I had dismissed their post-Breakfast Club output as bland, studio-smoothed pop. (More on their music later; I'm too tired to write up my review, and I have others pending.) Their official site makes you register to read anything except the first few pages, but it's free. And they have a blog of sorts; so far it seems to be mostly the lead singer's diary, updated every week or two. The entry for this past August 1st has some amusing tidbits. On tour in countries nowhere near me, Kerr confronts a whiny fan:
Afterwards I want to sign some autographs and talk to some familiar faces. But all I get is a guy complaining that we did not play "Catwalk". I apologize sincerely. He complains again. I smile and apologize. He complains a third time so I tell him that it is not always possible to play every song, and that since last year we have played more than 50 or so songs including " Catwalk" many times and we will be playing more as the year progresses. He complains again, telling me that we always play the hit songs
and ask me why we have to do this? I tell him that there are no rules but some logical conclusions. He says, like what? I say that despite our hardcore following, the reality is that most of the people who go to rock shows are initially drawn with the prospect of hearing the hits. I tell him
further that I am sure that if we did not play the hits, then promoters would soon become reluctant to promote our shows, and no shows in our case eventually means no more band!!! He tells me to fuck off!.
Eventually, and to the singer's relief, the troll -- I mean, fan -- stomped off after declaring he would never attend another Simple Minds show.
Kerr gets a phone call:
My ex wife Chrissie Hynde calls. We have not spoken for a few months but I always enjoy hearing from her. Read Daniel Pinchbecks " Breaking Open The Head"
Any unconscious irony there? Nah. He doesn't strike me as the type. Right.
Kerr is greatful for modern inventions:
I need to go to bed somewhere quiet, somewhere with air conditioning. I need to go now!
Train food seems to have gone even further downhill in Blighty than the depths it had reached back in '81 when I went:
I am not complaining and I should appreciate my seat in the first class compartment, but after the buffet trolley comes round the whole place stinks of cheese and pickle sandwiches. Ohhhh! Get me back to the continent please!
Cheese and pickle sandwiches in first class? (Shivers.)
By the way, if my nattering on about some defunct eighties band has bored you, then.... Bwahahaha! Made ya look!
*The Different! was mostly Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus, and suchlike bands. They don't really seem as Different! now as I once thought.
Update: edited a zillion times, because I really should be sleeping.
Update the second: what does Jim Kerr and Saddam Hussein have in common? All is revealed!
Posted by Andrea Harris at September 17, 2003 11:05 PM