11 Apr, 2010 Will Ye No Come Back Again!
In the last journal posted I wrote about the effect of applause and what it can do to encourage all of us. This time it is a shorter piece giving thanks where thanks is more than due, and as brief as it is it nevertheless comes straight from the heart.
This week saw the departure of two people who have worked behind the scenes with Simple Minds for the biggest part of their working lives. I am referring to Sandra Dods who has looked after much of SM’s administrational affairs for more than the last two decades. She in fact also worked for us in years prior to that appointment, albeit in a more slender role.
In effect then she has easily given the largest chunk of her life to maintaining stable business conditions that enabled Simple Minds to get on with playing and making music. For this there are few words to describe our thanks to Sandra, but it is beyond enormous.
Words like hard working, loyal, conscientious, honest etc, do not do justice in describing how she has performed on our behalf. We may have crossed paths with many impressive people in our working lives, but never have we come across anyone as impressive as Sandra. Our grieving at her decision to retire is well under way, but our admiration, like our thanks, genuinely knows no end.
Gordon Smith likewise has done SM more than proud over the last fifteen years, and indeed many of the same adjectives could be used in describing his efforts in playing second in command to Sandra.
A “train” – creative or otherwise – needs a track to get to where it has to go, and Gordon has both helped lay and maintain a track that kept us moving and never standing still. Charlie or myself will never forget his efforts.
As mentioned last week, we get overwhelmed with applause whenever we take the first step on stage. We also receive wonderful plaudits from all manner of people when we release music that means something to them. It is a great thing to experience but it is not warranted without also recognizing the people who put the shoulder to the wheel for us on a daily basis, particularly the crew, the musicians, but indeed also the management and backroom staff.
Sandra and Gordon never ever looked for any recognition, which is just as well. Especially since we in our innocent way, were somehow always too busy getting on with the next thing, to really dish that much out. I do hope however that they always knew we held them in the highest esteem and will continue to do so as we move on in our way into the future.
Boy, do they deserve it!
Jim Kerr