Why Tour?

Why Tour?

One of the most often asked questions put to us, is “Why do Simple Minds tour so often?” And the right answer is……
“We tour as often as we do, because we like nothing more than playing our music, and all the mores when it is in front of a live audience.”
To answer more broadly. In our case, since our audience is to be found in many parts of the world, we go out to them.Therefore we hit the road, rails, skies, and seas, doing whatever it takes to bring “our thing” on tour. An example of this is how over the last 12 months, we will have performed in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, UK and Ireland, North And South America, and most recently South Africa. Next year is already shaping up for more of the same and you won’t find anyone connected with us complaining about that.
Through touring of course, we also promote our band by keeping our name and reputation alive to those interested. In many ways, but again no more so than through touring, we are tentatively growing and in some parts regrowing, a global audience for Simple Minds. And as for connecting with that audience? Well, as much a blessing as the social networks etc might be for dishing out info and tittle tattle. There is still nothing that beats standing in front of their eyes and filling their ears with live renditions of Mind songs.That is our way of communicating best.
Reading this, some will be thinking. “Come on, you also tour because you make money!” There is truth in that sometimes. It is after all through writing, recording, and performing, that we mostly make our living as professional artists. That – on a good day – keeps the band in business. But it doesn’t always add up financially, and the reasons for that I might explain some other day. Believe me though, we don’t always arrive home with suitcases full of filthy lucre. Think – dirty laundry and little else – on too many occasions.
In any case, I still say that the main reason for our touring activities is the sheer enjoyment involved in playing our music together in front of a live audience. Note that the key words here are “in front of a live audience.”
Because if it was only about playing and singing, this would still be possible by staying at home and practicing in the garage, or a rehearsal room. As we do in fact, when preparing our tours.That incidentally, can be fun too. Fun at a much more quiet volume for sure, fun without any real challenge beyond hitting the right notes. Fun without getting all sweaty and constantly packing and unpacking our bags on a daily basis.
Nothing though compares with the feeling of reward when we sense, usually at the end of an evening, that we have travelled long distances, to successfully engage with a challenge that involves making many people happy. People who in their own ways have invested so much in us, people for whom we  would rather quit than knowingly let down.
And that, above all else, is why we tour.
Jim Kerr