Simple Minds
United Kingdom, 1977–now
Glasgow band formed in 1977. They moved from post-punk influenced by Bowie, Roxy Music and krautrock on Empires and Dance to stadium rock with 'Don't You (Forget About Me)'.
MusicRoots documents 7 artists who influenced Simple Minds and 0 artists Simple Minds influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.
Who influenced Simple Minds?
- David Bowie — Jim Kerr named Bowie first among the band's origins: 'Simple Minds came out on a basis of listening to David Bowie, Roxy Music, Peter Gabriel and of course, Lou Reed.'
- Roxy Music — Roxy Music's art-rock glamour was one of Kerr's named foundations — the band later covered them on Neon Lights (2001).
- Lou Reed — 'And of course, Lou Reed' — Kerr placed the Velvet Underground frontman among the four acts Simple Minds grew from.
- Peter Gabriel — Kerr named Peter Gabriel among the art-rock voices Simple Minds formed listening to.
- Kraftwerk — Empires and Dance (1980) was built on the industrial-electronic rhythms of Kraftwerk, Neu! and Cabaret Voltaire — the krautrock turn from punk.
- Neu! — Neu!'s motorik pulse drove Empires and Dance — the krautrock spine of early Simple Minds.
- Cabaret Voltaire — Cabaret Voltaire's tape-and-electronics industrialism was part of the avant-garde palette of Empires and Dance.