noelk27 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 You know, I don't think I've ever seen Derek Forbes mentioned here - or on the old versions of the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Horse Murphy Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 [quote name='noelk27' post='291939' date='Sep 25 2008, 04:23 PM']You know, I don't think I've ever seen Derek Forbes mentioned here - or on the old versions of the site.[/quote] I'm sure there was a Youtube clip posted of him on here, as he had the same Siennaburst P Bass as (I think) Etienne was selling. Great player and criminally underrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilb Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Er.......look here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=11122&view=findpost&p=117232"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&sho...st&p=117232[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 here he is on youtube playing I travel and colours fly & catherine wheel- [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZs_l9hF8IY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZs_l9hF8IY[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX0eJkGmYUw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX0eJkGmYUw[/url] watching the Newcastle 1982 show on the Simple Minds "seen the lights" DVD was an education- fingerstyle, pick and slap all in just a few songs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Fantastic bass player and I would love to know the truth behind his departure from Simple Minds. I have been listening to him non-stop this past few weeks and have come to appreciate his bass playing skills all over again. I saw him live back in 1982ish and he dominated the stage and sound. He has a blog which is quite amusing and worth a read for some old archive photos. [url="http://derekforbes.blogspot.com/"]http://derekforbes.blogspot.com/[/url] Cheers John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 He's namechecked a few times on this forum, but definitely underrrated. Big influence on myself when I started, along with Andy Rourke. IMHO, think his best moment was on 'Themes for Great Cities' from 'Sisters Feelings Call' album [i](recommended)[/i]. I've said it before that I think he's playing for his life here: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJDx-1L3V9U"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJDx-1L3V9U[/url] Though pretty much everything he did with Simple Minds was pure class. Why did he leave Simple Minds, was he pushed(?). There's a few opinions & thoughts, on the internet if you dig enough. Maybe his style stood in the way of them becoming a bland, stadium act they turned into. Draw your own conclusions. However he did return for their 'Neapolis' album in '97 & tour albeit a year or so, which had some good moments. Anyway, good call! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 (edited) He stated that he "found himself surplus to requirements". It is hard to believe that the others would sack him given the central role he played to their sound but there you go. The promise of fame and fortune can do strange things to bands. They may have achieved greater fame and fortune after his departure but I think everything they did afterwards was poor and hasn't stood the test of time in the same way as the Derek Forbes era. Edited October 6, 2008 by JohnR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 I think it was an ego clash with Jim Kerr that got him sacked. on the Dreamgiver site there are various interviews archived- [url="http://www.simple-minds.demon.co.uk/index2.htm"]http://www.simple-minds.demon.co.uk/index2.htm[/url] “Looking back, there was a sacking of one guy that was harsh,” Jim reflects. “Probably something stupid like he had a better-looking girlfriend than everyone else. I feel bad about that." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 ps. I posted on his band's forum [url="http://afewgoodmen.myfreeforum.org/"]http://afewgoodmen.myfreeforum.org/[/url] about "Stay visible" on Simple Minds 2005 album Black & white sounding a lot like his style- and he replied that it actually was him- an uncredited "ghost" appearance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Thanks for that. A telling quote indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted September 26, 2008 Author Share Posted September 26, 2008 (edited) It was the other weekend, and I was driving across to the Irvine Valley. As I came upon the old A77, about a mile before the Fenwick Moor road, the Minds rolled around on the auto-changer. Now, I'll say one thing about the Ford Cougar, it has one hell of a good sound system, and with the windows down, the amp cranked, Sparkle In The Rain was blasting out of the speakers. What I was reminded was that Forbes playing has so much character, energy and variety - from the straight ahead rockers like Up On The Catwalk, to the dynamic fretless of Book Of Brilliant Things, to the powerhouse slapping of Speed Your Love To Me, to the manic descending runs of White Hot Day, to the proto-punk / power-pop heritage in the chord distortions of The Kick Inside Of Men. And, as I Senna-ed the S's, I was thinking to myself, "Damn, that man can play". Of course, Sparkle In The Rain era Minds, people always name check Waterfront, and the pulse bass part. But that song wouldn't be half the song it is if you took the other parts Forbes is playing out of the mix. And if ever there was one single track that is a clear demonstration of the stadium act the Minds could have become with Forbes in the fold, well, there it is - grandeur, and not grandiose. (Or when it comes to Kerr, self-aggrandising.) Having seen the Minds lives, with Forbes on bass duties, at the Apollo Theatre and Barrowlands Ballroom, it's not that I didn't know how good the man was. But it's good to be reminded. What I was left wondering, though, was if I could think of another player who moved so effortlessly between fretted and fretless. Edited September 26, 2008 by noelk27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dub_junkie Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 noelk27,I was on the old A77 just yesterday.normally I take the M77 to Glasgow but was nice driving the old empty one. I saw the Minds twice. derek Forbes was always a player I liked. LOve Song,Themes from great Cities etc were all great but the best work he did with Simple Minds imo is on New Gold dream - an amazing album full of amazing bass lines. "Someone somewhere in summertime" and "Glittering prize" especially so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted September 26, 2008 Author Share Posted September 26, 2008 [quote name='dub_junkie' post='292382' date='Sep 26 2008, 02:50 AM']New Gold Dream - an amazing album full of amazing bass lines.[/quote] Couldn't disagree with that. New Gold Dream (81, 82, 83, 84) is among Forbes best work, when taken as a whole. In the earlier work, from Life In A Day to Sister Feelings Call there are many examples of Forbes creativity, and his passion, energy, and technique; but on NGD all of the elements come together and shimmer - or should that be glitter? Sparkle In The Rain was just the album that popped up in the auto-changer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 [quote name='noelk27' post='292373' date='Sep 26 2008, 02:19 AM']Of course, Sparkle In The Rain era Minds, people always name check Waterfront, and the pulse bass part. But that song wouldn't be has the song it is if you took the other parts Forbes is playing out of the mix.[/quote] it's worth checking out the extended mix versions of Waterfront and Up on the Catwalk as you can hear the overdubbed fretted & fretless basslines isolated- Steve Lillywhite encouraged him to overdub extra bass parts with different basses. the final instrumental Shake off the ghosts is almost entirely bass parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 [quote name='walplayer' post='292667' date='Sep 26 2008, 12:39 PM']I seem to remember he had another technique where he'd do funk style pull offs while playing with with a pick in his other fingers.[/quote] yeah, that's in "the American" and others on Sons & Fascination. Jamie Stewart of the Cult also used that eg. Ressurection Joe, Go West, God's zoo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 [quote name='SJA' post='292710' date='Sep 26 2008, 01:27 PM']Jamie Stewart of the Cult also used that eg. Ressurection Joe, Go West, God's zoo.[/quote] Another great underrated bass player - top call! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 it's of note that both Derek Forbes and Jamie Stewart (also JJ Burnel and Macca) were originally guitarists- and weren't satisfied with just plodding away in the background on bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 It's funny you say that as I have always thought of Derek Forbes and JJ to be similar in that way they created a uniquely identifiable playing style. They also had similar energy levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted September 26, 2008 Author Share Posted September 26, 2008 [quote name='SJA' post='292710' date='Sep 26 2008, 12:27 PM']yeah, that's in "the American" and others on Sons & Fascination. Jamie Stewart of the Cult also used that eg. Ressurection Joe, Go West, God's zoo.[/quote] Yes, across Sons And Fascination and Sister Feelings Call there are a significant number of styles and techniques on display from Forbes. Of course, like you, I have trouble remembering which tracks are on which, having received SFC bundled as a free EP with SAF. [quote name='SJA' post='293128' date='Sep 26 2008, 09:14 PM']it's of note that both Derek Forbes and Jamie Stewart (also JJ Burnel and Macca) were originally guitarists- and weren't satisfied with just plodding away in the background on bass.[/quote] You could also add Bruce Foxton (The Jam) to that list - although perhaps of a slightly lesser calibre. He did play an Aria Pro II SB1000 for a time - notably on The Tube and during their farewell tour - so that makes him okay in my book! Oddly, Paul Weller started his career as a bassist - which he went on to play regularly in the early days of The Style Council. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_in_ya_face Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 [quote name='nick' post='293117' date='Sep 26 2008, 08:54 PM']Another great underrated bass player - top call![/quote] Ressurection Joe is one of my fav bass lines of all time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 [quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='293200' date='Sep 27 2008, 12:15 AM']Ressurection Joe is one of my fav bass lines of all time[/quote] So many good ones on 'Dreamtime'. Got to dig it out this weekend. "Go west young man"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJA Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 (edited) Forbes also played on a couple of songs by Kirsty Maccoll just after getting booted from Simple Minds (probably via the Steve Lilywhite connection from Sparkle in the rain)- her cover of New England, [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlJ_UnMkHu4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlJ_UnMkHu4[/url] and He's on the beach, which I'd never heard before- [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7W1p8odZ_E"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7W1p8odZ_E[/url] (and it looks like him in the video posing as a reporter...) Edited October 7, 2008 by SJA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassatnight Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 [quote name='noelk27' post='291939' date='Sep 25 2008, 04:23 PM']You know, I don't think I've ever seen Derek Forbes mentioned here - or on the old versions of the site.[/quote] Derek is a really nice guy to boot. I e-mailed him a few years back regarding what equiupment he used on the Sons and Fascination album and he not only told me what he used but what his set-up was, amplification, strings - you name it! I have exchanged a few mails with him over the years and he is always friendly and honest. The official line of him leaving Minds in 1985 from the band was that he was basically being lazy not turning up to rehersals and generally enjoying the rock and roll lifestyle a bit too much. Derek has said that he was taking it a bit easier than he should but there was more to it than that. One thing is for sure Minds were poorer for him going the Once upon a time album is MOR american mid eighties rock despite having a fab replacement in John Giblin the bass is almost invisible. He now has two clips of himself on you tube playing two tracks; Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel and also I Travel - check them out... He also told me he has all the equipment from his minds days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysbass Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Having latched onto the up-front bass that made the “New Gold Dream” album, I was massively disappointed at how the bass was pushed right back in the mix on “Sparkle in the Rain”. The clangy, messy sound of that album is tiring to listen to (well, it is if you’re straining to hear articulate bass work) and was a criminal waste of such a talented player. I’ve always been a Simple Minds fan, because they still make some great music, but none of the “hired guns” that have filled the bass slot since then, no matter how talented, have ever quite re-captured the magic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 (edited) Looks like Derek Forbes & Simple Minds original drummer Brian McGee are getting together to do something similar to what Bruce & Rick have done with From The Jam: [url="http://rockartistmanagement.com/page/other_simple_minds"]Other Simple Minds[/url]. Good luck to em', will be looking forward to gigs. Edited October 14, 2009 by nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.