darkandrew Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 (edited) I remember reading an interview somewhere with Derek Forbes where he was asked what he thought of Simple Minds' Sparkle in the Rain album and his reply was something along the lines that he wished the bass was higher in the mix so it could actually be heard. Well, off the back of being impressed with Steven Wilson's new mix of Tears For Fears' Songs from the Big Chair album, I recently bought the Blu-Ray audio disc of Simple Minds' Sparkle in the Rain which also features a brand new mix by Steven Wilson and, yes, you can now actually hear Derek Forbes' bass! The drums have been lowered in the mix and the 80's reverb fog dialed back a bit, so that now you can actually hear what's going on in the mix. A great improvement and worth picking up if you are a fan of Simple Minds and Derek Forbes in particular (as I know many of us are). Edited June 1, 2016 by darkandrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2elliot Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 1St band I watched live. Birmingham NEC some time in the early eighties. They were great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkandrew Posted June 1, 2016 Author Share Posted June 1, 2016 "Big Dan" is a bit of a hero of mine, I more or less learnt how to play bass by playing along with early Simple Minds records. A great Derek Forbes track to look up is "India" from one of Billie Carrie's (Ultravox) solo albums - featuring one of Derek Forbes' best bass lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Is the Steven Wilson remix available as a standard stereo release on CD or vinyl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 It's a 5.1 mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkandrew Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1464864134' post='3063223'] It's a 5.1 mix. [/quote] It's also got a new stereo mix (and the old one if you haven't got it already) - I haven't listened to the 5.1 mix yet. Edited June 2, 2016 by darkandrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkandrew Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) [quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1464863114' post='3063206'] Is the Steven Wilson remix available as a standard stereo release on CD or vinyl? [/quote] I got it on a blu-ray disc (features new 5.1 mix, new stereo mix and original stereo mix) for about £15 but I think you also get the same mixes if you buy the deluxe CD / DVD boxset (retails around £35- £40) but I don't think it's available on it's own on CD. There's also a New Gold Dream box set and blu-ray audio disc with new 5.1 and stereo mixes by Steven Wilson due for release in July although, to be honest, there's not a lot wrong with the original mix of that album. Edited June 2, 2016 by darkandrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 [quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1464875046' post='3063388'] I got it on a blu-ray disc (features new 5.1 mix, new stereo mix and original stereo mix) for about £15 but I think you also get the same mixes if you buy the deluxe CD / DVD boxset (retails around £35- £40) but I don't think it's available on it's own on CD. There's also a New Gold Dream box set and blu-ray audio disc with new 5.1 and stereo mixes by Steven Wilson due for release in July although, to be honest, there's not a lot wrong with the original mix of that album. [/quote] Yep, I've seen the promo bumpf for the NGD box, looks good. Hopefully it'll end up on Spotify like the Sparkle box (well, 4 out of 5 discs anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Helpful info in from the SM web shop, I emailed asking what mix you get on the re-released vinyl: "the vinyl is the same as CD1 from the box set. It’s a re-master of the original album – re-mastered at Abbey Road Studios by Andrew Walters and overseen by Charlie Burchill". So no SW mix apart from Disc 5 of the multi-pack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Which album would you recommend to a Simple Minds virgin, bassline wise? Pref. where Derek is playing a Vigier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 New Gold Dream for sure. Then the 5x5 live album, pick your favourites and work through the early stuff according to preference. Sparkle In The Rain as well of course plus Once Upon A Time is about 50/50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusee pee Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 I'd agree with starting with NGD. A number of great lines which drive the songs. Colours Fly And Catherine Wheel is a good example. Then go to Sons And Fascination/Sister Feelings Call for more of the same. Sparkle In The Rain has some good lines too - eg White Hot Day - but, as has been said, the mix keeps the bass hidden. I'm not sure if Derek used Vigiers until after he left SM for the first time. He certainly used them through his Propaganda days and then on his return to SM in the late 90s. I'm lucky enough to have bought one of his Vigiers from him, the lovely blue 5 string he's playing here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk3o7G1LjqE&feature=share Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='ped' timestamp='1464943652' post='3063923'] Which album would you recommend to a Simple Minds virgin, bassline wise? Pref. where Derek is playing a Vigier. [/quote]New Gold Dream and Sparkle in the Rain would get my vote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Seems like a good time to wheel these out again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX0eJkGmYUw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZs_l9hF8IY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkandrew Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 (edited) [quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1464966000' post='3064235'] New Gold Dream and Sparkle in the Rain would get my vote. [/quote] Another vote for New Gold Dream but I'd also put in a suggestion for Sons and Fascination - it was the album before New Gold Dream and is very bass driven. The CD re-release also includes the mini album Sister Feelings Call which features "A Theme for Great Cities", in my opinion one of Simple Minds' best tracks. Edited June 3, 2016 by darkandrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1464969948' post='3064294'] Another vote for New Gold Dream but I'd also put in a suggestion for Sons and Fascination - it was the album before New Gold Dream and is very bass driven. The CD re-release also includes the mini album Sister Feelings Call which features A Theme for Great Cities, one of Simple Minds' best tracks. [/quote] +1 for all of that. Look out for the "Themes" compilations as well, they're all on Spotify for example. Vol 1 has live versions of League Of Nations and In Trance As Mission that are fantastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusee pee Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 While we're on the subject of my favourite band 👍, gotta throw in Sweat In Bullet as another wonderful bassline. Also, Hunter And The Hunted is a simple but effective line. NGD is also made special by the tremendously subtle guitar work of Charlie Burchill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkandrew Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 (edited) [quote name='ped' timestamp='1464943652' post='3063923'] Pref. where Derek is playing a Vigier. [/quote] As far as I know, he used his Fender Precision for all of his first stint (up to, and including Sparkle in the Rain) but I know he used his Vigier while touring the "Neapolis" album during his second stint with the band so may have also used it while recording that album. Edited June 3, 2016 by darkandrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1464972368' post='3064320'] As far as I know, he used his Fender Precision for all of his first stint (up to, and including Sparkle in the Rain) but I know he used his Vigier while touring the "Neapolis" album during his second stint with the band so may have also used it while recording that album. [/quote] Thanks for the info - I've got the two mentioned above so will give 'em a spin then see if I can track down his Vigier usage! I might be able to tell by listening but I'm not really a fan of live albums so a studio album is preferred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkandrew Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 [quote name='ped' timestamp='1464974297' post='3064337'] Thanks for the info - I've got the two mentioned above so will give 'em a spin then see if I can track down his Vigier usage! I might be able to tell by listening but I'm not really a fan of live albums so a studio album is preferred. [/quote] I'm not sure that they released any live stuff from the Neapolis tour but you'll probably be able to find something on YouTube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkandrew Posted July 31, 2016 Author Share Posted July 31, 2016 (edited) Just received my New Gold Dream box set. The standard album has been remastered (again) and is a little warmer than the previous (2002?) remaster, the 12" mixes are OK, the radio session tracks are pretty good and the un-edited versions of the album tracks are quite interesting (although the album edits as originally released are actually better - do you really need a 3 minute fade out on Someone Somewhere in Summertime?). I'm not sure if the HD DVD audio stereo mix has been remixed but there's no credit for it (unlike the new Sparkle mix) - it doesn't sound any better, in fact I'd say it doesn't sound as good as the CD and appears heavily compressed. I haven't listened to the surround mixes yet. One interesting point from the booklet that comes with it, Jim Kerr openly praises Derek Forbes' contribution to the album, pretty much saying that his was the single biggest contribution to the album's overall sound. Edited July 31, 2016 by darkandrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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