A Very Simple Mind On Tour: An Evening with Musician Derek Forbes

Following the recent release of his autobiography A Very Simple Mind we are pleased to present The Derek Forbes On Tour event.

Derek Forbes one of the original band members is known for those iconic spine-rattling bass riffs which we recognise on many of Simple Minds classics during that golden 1978 to 1985 period playing on hits that include Waterfront, Promised You A Miracle and of course everyone’s favourite 80's song Don’t You Forget About Me!

This event will consist of:

- A Q&A session focused on his life in music with at the end the audience able to ask Derek questions too
- A live performance by Derek with his band of the songs he was involved in writing within Simple Minds
- A book signing with an opportunity for members of the audience to meet Derek

As well as having been the bassist for Simple Minds Derek is also well known on the international stage as songwriter/bassist for Big Country and Propaganda. He has recorded with Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd and Kirsty MacColl.He won anIvor Novello Award for ‘Outstanding Song Collection’ in 2016 for his song writing for Simple Minds, voted best bass player in the World 1982 and best bass player from Scotland in 2010.

In his book, Derek shares stories from the band’s travels on the road - they were friends, they laughed together, they laughed at each other, they had fights and arguments, they learned to work with luminaries of the music industry, but most of all, they had fun.

It stopped being fun for Derek in 1985, when he turned up at the Simple Minds office in Edinburgh and Bruce Findlay, the manager, told him he was sacked. In the days that followed he felt ‘a screaming silence’ and completely alone, and his mates were nowhere to be seen. No Charlie, no Jim, no Mick and no Mel. The fans still discuss and debate the reasons why he was sacked.

Derek later rejoined Simple Minds in 1995 and toured again with the band.

Derek’s book tour took him across the UK at the end of last year and he is keen to continue sharing his stories at events in 2024.

Listen to Derek discussing the tour on Retropopic Radio