A Very Simple Mind

by Derek Forbes

The long-awaited autobiography by Derek Forbes, the Simple Minds legend known for those iconic spine-rattling bass riffs which we recognize in many Simple Minds' songs. This is his story. Derek Forbes started his musical career as a lead guitarist but soon changed to bass guitarist. He is known for those iconic spine-rattling bass riffs which we recognize in most Simple Minds' songs and he wrote and co-wrote many of the band's earliest classics. 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 won an Ivor Novello Award for 'Outstanding Song Collection' in 2016 for his song writing for Simple Minds, voted best bass player in the World 1982 and best- bass player from Scotland in 2010. He still lives in Glasgow and is planning his next tour.

272 pages, Hardcover

Published May 31, 2024

Reviews

[Michael Halliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first properly heard Simple minds around 1983 or 84. One of my mates had got into them and a lad at college was also an SM fan and played a cassette of their songs. I first bought New Gold Dream then Sparkle In The Rain, quickly followed by their first four albums. I liked their sound but it was the bass lines which really caught my attention and listened to those six albums consistently - not bad for someone who was more likely to listen to hard rock at that time.
As I was beginning to look forward to their next release (Once Upon A Time) I heard that Derek Forbes had left the band but never heard the reason. Once Upon A Time is not one of my favourite albums nor it's successor "Street Fighting Years". I did really like "Real Life" and "Good News From The Next World" but really wasn't impressed with much else until "Black & White 050505" and "Graffiti Soul" but lost interest in their more recent stuff. the band had splintered too much without Derek, Mick McNeill and the only decent releases were those that Mel Gaynor played on. But it's the bass lines and, whilst the likes of Malcolm Forster and Eddy Duffy have done a decent job there's just no one quite like Forbes. he had made a few brief returns to the band but there was always an air of mystery around why he had left and just what role he had played in the band since.
In this book Derek tells his story. How he got into music, how he became a member of Simple Minds and what his and other contributions to the songwriting process were. he opens up a lot of truths about life in the band and tells the true story around his initial departure and why subsequent returns have been brief.
What I also really like about this book is the way it's written - enough detail without getting too long winded about things.

[Ray Smillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought I read Themes For Great Cities not long ago but transpires it was just short of three years ago. Enjoyed that and found myself enjoying Derek Forbes' tale even more. Not the longest book but it is jam packed with memories, both good and bad. If you love early Simple Minds then you need to buy this book. On a tangent discovered that Derek, along with Mick MacNeil and Brian McGee, has formed Th3 Minds. Looking forward to them very much indeed.

[Ralph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A grand account of his life in Simple Minds. Certainly not the gospel according to Jim Kerrr