Simple Minds - Promised You A Miracle (Virgin)

The one that might just break the Minds. It's a brassy performance with Jim Kerr in formidable form, a hip-swivelling dance beat and a jumbo helping of 'atmosphere'. (Ian Birch, Smash Hits, April 15, 1982)

Simple Minds - Speed Your Love To Me (Virgin)

You'll be relieved to know that I haven't been bribed by Virgin to review this one well but nevertheless this is a very catchy piece of material from some great friends whose taste in music is not dissimilar from our own. This verges on the modern gothic but they had better be careful because it also sounds surprisingly similar to their last single ["Waterfront"]. It will be a hit but the massive one they deserve will elude them this time. (Martyn Ware [Heaven 17], Smash Hits, January 19, 1984)

One of my favourite bands - another Simple Minds classic. (Steve Strange, Record Mirror, January 21, 1984)

Simple Minds - Waterfront (Virgin)

'Come in, come out of the rain. . .' and shelter in the company of the best record of the week. The Minds have always been masters at producing fragile yet muscular music and here the formula is repeated but with even more power. "Waterfront" is haunting, breathtaking, stunning, evocative and beautiful. And all at the same time. A glittering prize. (Paul Bursche, No 1, November 19, 1983)

Built round a shuddering backbeat shot through with guitar chords that will take your head off and overlaid with those haunting keyboard lines. "Waterfront" is remarkable even by Simple Minds' own high standards.Jim Kerr's vocal is one of rare beauty and measured passion. An iron fist in a velvet glove. Single Of The Fortnight. (Mark Steels, Smash Hits, November 10, 1983)

Simple Minds in personality crisis - Shock-horror probe! Scottish songsters suffering from acute Heavy-Metal-Syndrome! Millions mourn as Jim Kerr and his merry men try recreating the brilliant wall-of-sound of "Celebrate", but lose it somewhere in the mix. It's a definite grower though - just don't stand too close to the speaker. (Eleanor Levy, Record Mirror, November 19, 1983)

Simple Minds - Alive And Kicking (Virgin)

Being something of a Simple Minds zealot, I must confess that my initial reaction was one of intense disappointment. However, a couple of plays later I'm relieved to report a complete restoration of faith in Jim and the boys. "Alive And Kicking" is a regression from the searing, razor-edged bite of Sparkle In The Rain and a resurrection of the beeeeautiful music of New Gold Dream. A subtle melody is topped with lashings of that luscious voice. Play loud, and wallow. (Lesley O'Toole, Record Mirror, October 5, 1985)

Simple Minds' ability to transform the most tenuous phrases and simple vocal gestures into fully blown majestic big league rock is not a formula that can be dismissed out of hand. Forgive me then if I say I find the Minds sound utterly predictable. The immediate emotional effect is all here on a song which is really "Don't You Forget About Me" part two, but is nowhere near as catchy. Simple Minds' deliberate assimilation into American culture is boosted by the production of Iovine and Clearmountain, knob twiddlers to his majesty, Bruce Springsteen. (Max Bell, No 1, October 12, 1985)

Bit subtle, this one. At first Simple Minds' usual "glittering shards of sepulchral majesty" seem strangely absent, but after a few plays the little blighters sneak up on you from behind, revealing the song's true "grandeur". A "right little grower", as suave TV horticulturist Geoffrey Smith says on Gardeners' "very boring" World. (Vici MacDonald, Smash Hits, October 9, 1985)

Simple Minds - Up On The Catwalk (Virgin)

More rattling, battering drums from Simple Minds, but this time Jim Kerr's cries to the four winds lack the melody and rhythm that made "Waterfront" so persuasive. You get the feeling old Jim's not too keen to be up on the catwalk with all these wicked capitalists but lyrically the high points are a name-check for Nastassia Kinski and (yet another!) for Mr de Niro. Don't say they want to meet him too! (Paul Simper, No 1, March 17, 1984)

I had a bet with a Virgin employee that their album wouldn't come straight in at number one, and I lost. The thing I find about Simple Minds is you can almost sing any of their songs over the backing these days, the last three singles have all been in that same solid production, everything upfront, so there's no gaps. I find that a bit annoying in a way, I'm not a big fan of theirs, they're just OK to me. Jim Kerr's phrasing of lyrics, although it's very unique, is always very similar. There's no real melody, even in the music. (Roy Hay [Culture Club], Record Mirror, March 17, 1984)

Simple Minds - Glittering Prize (Virgin)

Whether this will hook the public imagination as firmly as "Promised You A Miracle" it's hard to say. This is whispier, less substantial and its most instant attraction lies in the bass line, which pulls you in just long enough for Jim Kerr's affecting vocal to make an impression. Bodes well for the album. (David Hepworth, Smash Hits, September 2, 1982)

Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me) (Virgin)

In which Jim Kerr goes all Billy Idol (brooding, dreamy, erotic) and the song goes all American. Taken from the film The Breakfast Club, it highlights the `filmic' qualities of their music. I don't know what the film's about but it sounds like it should be set in sunny LA. - you know, all blazing blue skies, long open roads eaten up by gleaming, flash, speeding cars full of people with healthy tans and meaningful glances. Then again, it just might be a cartoon. (Peter Martin, Smash Hits, April 11, 1985)

Ironic (innit)? For years Simple (Minds) have been delighting us with their beautiful (filmic) music that could have provided some wonderful soundtracks for, ooh, at least a dozen movies. The New Gold Dream (LP) and Bladerunner (film) would have been good together for instance. But now, with a genuine movie at their fingertips - the forthcoming (The) Breakfast Club - they pull out all the stops only to come up with something that sounds like Billy Idol ! It's a (nice) song - very gentle and melodic - but (the) Minds are capable of much more (than) this. What are all these brackets doing here? (Debbi Voller, No 1, April 13, 1985)

Streamlined Simple Minds sound, produced by Keith Forsey  - as featured in the new movie The Breakfast Club. Though hardly shattering, their earnest and hard-earned 'Community AOR' image - this is one of their most pleasant songs to date. Jim Kerr and his merry men were constantly accused of being a bunch of tortured artists making trite and unsophisticated pseudo-philosophical rubbish that was bludgeoned into the public with massively lengthy tours... but they have seen the light at the end of the tunnel. The feeling is UP! (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, April 13, 1985)

Oh, The Irony: I'm not sure if Peter and Debbi were at all aware that Simple Minds recorded the song only after Billy Idol turned it down, Keith Forsey being his long time producer. By far and away Simple Minds' biggest chart hit, Billy attempted somewhat belatedly to reclaim the song - adding his own recording to a Greatest Hits compilation many years later.