11 Aug, 2009 A Belated Thank You!
The film director John Hughes died this last week and although it would be wrong for me to say that I knew him well, there is however no denying that the effect of his enthusiasm for our music resulted in our band receiving genuine worldwide recognition.
“A number one tune in the American Billboard charts is a f***king No1 on the American Billboard charts after all!” As our then never lost for words, manager Bruce Findlay, liked to say at any given opportunity.
And indeed why not? A No1 record in Lilliput even, is worthwhile celebrating. But when it is the biggest market in the world, and you are No1, (As opposed to the measly No 2 spot which is where our far better in my opinion – Alive and Kicking – got derailed.) surely then one must savour the moment and indeed cherish it for the rest of your living days. That is precisely what we do as it happens!
And so it is that during the forthcoming Graffiti Soul Tour, and when each and every night we dig into ourselves in order to pull out the greatest ever version of Don’t You Forget About Me. It is John Hughes that I will be considering, and how in particular it was his enthusiasm for the sound of Simple Minds that made us go the extra mile back in December ’84, when we pulled up at a draughty and soulless Wembley recording studio. Hell-bent nevertheless on making a classic piece of pop rock, and one at that which would figure perhaps among the best of a generation whenever looked back on.
John Hughes and his movie The Breakfast Club, gave us above all the thrilling opportunity that everyone who starts a band dreams off. The opportunity that is of aggregating the kind of success that enables an act to go through the door and into what is considered to be “The Big League.” That we were maybe destined for it in any case is neither here nor there, the fact is that John helped us kick the door down and once there no one could ever lock us out or tell us again what it felt like to be No1 in America.
Because thanks to John Hughes and his film The Breakfast Club, we had been there and done it for ourselves, and not so many can say that unfortunately!
Thank you John!
Jim Kerr