Simple Minds - The American (live in Dortmund, 1984)

[salubrious]

Bono never had anything on this guy!!

[colinraycyrus68]

derek forbes why oh why did u leave u were bloody amazing

[FiresignSongs]

the best version i've heard of this already brilliant song

[MrPip59]

am i wrong the ultimate line up

[panamaniak]

Panama!

[summertime62]

nice to see this old vid i did see them last year live and it's especially nice to see jim on stag doing the same little things that he did thirty years ago.

to my humble opinion it's the best band that has come forward in the 80's

[raythenation]

New Orleans, thats where I belong. But the truth is, I don't feel I belong in this world (America) I don't belong anywhere except ? I'm confused.

[2010MRVDL]

Oh to have been there .

[raythenation]

This video is almost heavenly ! Actually it is

[raythenation]

South Hadley

[kidcurryful]

i agree jims best live moment forget that live aid performance with the clueless yank crowd the minds at their best.

[digitalceo95]

@kidcurryful I'm from the States and must admit that's true! When we got SM they were already dilluted for mass consumption,lol

[QuindoKarate]

@ bettsaj, totally agree,DF is absoloutely the better player,always has and always will.

To me,this is probably Jim Kerrs finest moment on tv.

Far better than the live aid performance and ah've seen them live countless times since the early eighties.

[salubrious]

When I see this particular performance I think what a born natural Jim Kerr is and how forced, yet perhaps slightly well meaning, Bono comes across as live.

[cullyvan]

with all respect to the uploader , do a search for dexbam , youtube user he just uploaded a remastered version of this very vid and it is sublime. honest.

[fery2]

@cullyvan

Thx cullivan!, I always recommend dexbam videos, actually, I am dexbam biggest fan:), I posted this a long time ago because it wasn´t available but of course dexbam takes sound quality to a new level:)

[cullyvan]

@fery2 its great isnt it. almost like being there.. 26 years ago!

[mtbiker65]

Een geweldige song, puur jeugdsentiment voor mij

[salubrious]

Absolutely blinding rendition!!

[rsp196607]

Original Simple Minds was definitely bass-driven.

I would have attended the Los Angeles show on this tour had I not gotten sick the night before. I remember the concert critic in the next day's paper raving about their performance of this song in particular, comparing it to Bowie at his live best.

[hk459]

@rsp196607 I was at that gig. Hollywood Palladium - amazing!

[JHHolliday1]

Forbes is a genious and should be recognised as probably the driving force behind The Minds!!

[olivlan]

L un des 2 morceaux live des Minds qui me file la chair de poule a chaque fois et j'ai du le voir 100 x. Le 2e c'est lors du Mandela Day 1989, lorsqu'ils rebalancent la sauce en fin d'Alive & kicking

[chasman19651888]

fuck u2

[strongbutbendy2]

The high point in pop music. I've listened to 80's pop trying to find the best stuff one could cover, and it always comes back to Simple Minds. They still sound fantastic, innovating, and kick ass.

[chasman19651888]

fab

[chamillionaire96]

Great great great great...

I can't stop watch this fantastic live version. DEREK BRILLIANT

[SimpleMikes]

Great intro, introducing a great performance.

And he didn't even have to say "Let me see your hands" :-)

[tassenook]

Agreed. SM died when Derek left

[neilg85]

Best live band ever!!! Derek Forbes what a bass player, the new guy Billy Duffy's not bad either

[DocLibertos]

The best SM line up ever. Saw them in Paris in 82/83. This was amazing, very powerful.

[chamillionaire96]

The best version of "The American" Derek spectacular....

[clockworkaccordion]

The late eighties fucked this band (and so many others)over. they shoulda stuck to being innovative instead of political. Jim was way ahead of Bono

[clockworkaccordion]

The late eighties fucked this band (and so many others)over. they shoulda stuck to being innovative instead of political.

[chamillionaire96]

INCREDIBLE

[jsara70]

The best performance of Simple Minds.Amazing.

[R0Om101]

@23Atlantean:

Uh, no I'm not blind. Mick MacNeil is the keyboard player. He's featured at the 1:12 and 2:27 mark for about 2 seconds, in the background. That's it. I mean I know Derek steals the show, but come on...

Everyone else has close-ups, etc. He doesn't.

What up wit dat???

[chamillionaire96]

INCREDIBLE

[R0Om101]

Great video...Derek is awesome.

However, I find it strange that all the members of the band are featured in this video - except Mick...I mean, come on. The video is frickin' 11 minutes long!

[23Atlantean]

Mick is on here, you must be blind

[boothfenn]

just bought dvd from play all the SM early stuff tv appearances live stuff etc...less than a tenner baragain...as regards old v new ...i read jim kerr watched u2 from the wings once(80s) and was in awe of bono and he went for pomp over substance after that bono had nowhere near jims class

[sushibuoy]

Hey! If anybody is interested Derek Is selling the Wal Bass he used here on ebay along with one other.

[olivedelberto]

I had this on VHS for years. I think it was on "The Tube." An amazing focussed performance from a band who were, for a short period around this time, the biggest band in the world (The Joshua tree put paid to that) but this performance and energy is a perfect example of a band who understood precisely how to 'work' their audience. The build from the breakdown is just wonderful. I love the way Jim Kerr turns to Mel Gaynor to bring the build into life. "take it to the roof' . Superb.

[paulmorrison]

Simple Minds in one of their highest

performance...

Derek & Mike were fantastic in their

unique sound

and this video is a demonstration that

Simple Minds until 'Sparkle in the rain'

have been a great great band!!!

[troubleontheline66]

I thought Sparkle was okay, but their preceding work was so ground-breaking and interesting. Real to Real Cacophany is my fave.

They eventually caught the U2 bug and became sterile and boring, just like U2 themselves.

[jsara70]

I never see a performance like this. More a see this video more a love this brilliant band. Simple Minds forever

[jsara70]

i never see a performance like this.fantastic gig. i never see nothing like this.brilliant.

[huddle1888drums]

Oh Derek !! Sweet sweeeet bass playing.

[freddeloppan]

Amazing energy! I saw them in Stockholm around that time but I dont remember them like this... Must be the German food! :o) Or the audience, they are really intense.

I put a fresh version from the concert in Florence on the tube, and some others... The American was one of the strongest performances. They are in great shape, see them if you have the chance! Fantastic live band.

[jsara70]

the best performance ever in the stage. simple magnific.

[liaste6]

the best band in the world!!!!

the best LIVE-BAND in the world!!!!

yeah I0I

[TerenceHill24]

The last 2 minutes are giving me the chills...

Fantastic!

[NefeliOdisseas]

That´s incredible!!!:-) Thanks!! :-))))

[stephengeoffreylynch]

Simple Minds were never the same band for me without Derek on bass. He brought a unique energy to the band. This is brilliant.

[NefeliOdisseas]

And without Charlie on the guitar and Jim on vocals!!!!!!

[meqtoub]

ex-tra-or-di-naire....

[vevero23]

J'adore !!! ils sont tous géniaux. Super video de ce concert !

[Anyone4music]

Look at the front of the stage? Where have all the big black boxes gone? Where is that barrier between the band and the audience? The speakers are behind them under the drum riser & the keyboard riser. None of that in ear stuff. The band can hear the audience and all the effects out front. They are at one wiyh the audience, there is no separating wall of boxes.

I know, I took the chance and it worked.

[chrisgiles231269]

The best SM song, brilliant version. Forbes is so good !

[Anyone4music]

Brilliant bass player. Shame about his attitude to the fairer sex.

[MikeDLA]

what do you mean by that?

[Anyone4music]

"allegedly" the cause of several female "Oh I just walked into a door" episodes.

And she was a really nice lass too. I never could understand that stuff.

[MikeDLA]

Sad if that is the case. There is no place for that BS - no matter how well you play the bass.

[hazayad]

I was there and will never forget that concert - class!

[plym1969]

Has anyone ever seen a more 'up for it' crowd' totally emersed in what a band is doing? This is exstatic music that makes you want to go "YEEESSSS!"

[haplesshacker]

Saw this very set up at The Poole Arts Centre in '84. Tour Du Monde if I remember correctly. Flipping place just rocked at this.

Seen the Minds in '84, '89 and '95. This ('84') was by far the best by a huge margin.

A band called Silent Running were supporting them. They were damn good too.

[replicas79]

i love this song.....why is there no music like this anymore....passion.....

[InSalinity]

Forbes was instrumental to the albums b4 Sparkle in the Rain. He played melodic Lead Bass (!!), & it was way up front. There was nothing else like it around & still isn't.

By Sparkle in the Rain, SM were evolving the trademark 'wall of sound', losing their bass line hallmark. Bass was pushed back & 'dumbed down'. The man capable of such great bass like in The American, would struggle with this dynamic. Perhaps a victim of change, but you can't produce the same stuff over & over again either.

[InSalinity]

Great clip - never saw this one b4. JK on verge of transforming from cool to rock dag (as seen in the era of Once Upon A Time).

[VikingInvaders]

°º¤ø„¸¨°º¤ø„¸¸„ø¤º°¨¸„ø¤º°¨

¨°º¤ø„¸ Simple Minds ¸„ø¤º°¨

¸„ø¤º°¨ ``°º¤øfrom Denmark

[faddy24]

'ferrers': - what are you gabbling on about!? I love early minds stuff. 'The American' is one of my top 10 songs from the band. I was simply stating that just because Forbes is no longer in the band then it does not make them worthless. The new bassist, a Scot, is very good & is into the early Minds material. As for Mel (Gaynor) the drummer, he's still there!! Think b4 u write!

[1927club]

Eddie Duffy in my opinion has been the best bass player post Derek Forbes, Duffy has done his best to recreate the Forbes sound but also having his own sound / style.

[ferrers88]

mate read what i said again,"very slowly" and you might get it!  :0

[faddy24]

'teamcuba':- stop living in the past. In an ideal world most Minds fans would love to have them on board but they are still a potent musical force. The new album, 'Graffiti Soul', is immense. Open your eyes, listen and ditch your prejudices.

[ferrers88]

guys got a point,theolder stuff was better with derek and mel,whatever you say ,you should open your eyes and see that not everyone likes what you like!

[teamcuba2000]

Derek and Mel made Simple Minds the great band they were...not bothered about seeing them live now without Derek though...

[lynneet]

I was there!!! Fantastic!

[ncl19941]

That's some quality bass playing too

[burn4you]

Jim and Charlie might be the face of SM, but Michael, Mel and Derek are the backbone. If you are a student of the bass guitar, you should take notice of Derek.

[ncl19941]

Yeah, too right, you cn really see how Simple Minds' music suffered without their creative influences in the '90s. And that's partly what makes Simple Minds so fantastic, the complex layers of their music, there's a lot to it. The only other artist who offers so many different sounds in harmony I reckon is Jean Michel Jarre.

[ARIESIsBetterThanLeo]

@burn4you you're so right

[indienick2]

yep I had this in betamax too ! I did see it on the telly live some all day music thing I seem to remember

boy what a live performance, top drawer dont get live music like this nowdays, happy days

[TheMode]

Happy to find this one. Now the old Betamax isn't working anymore and the image and sound of the tape faded. Reliving the moment. Thanks.

[germdisco]

magical

[centuriontaxi]

my god wat wud life be like with out these guys?

[burn4you]

less than it is.

[faddy24]

So good it makes me want to travel back in time. I travel. If only.

[GuessBehemoth]

best live simple minds video I've ever seen - thanks!

[blzbug242]

Wow, great performance, I love how Jim dances around like Ed Grimley!

Is this whole concert available somewhere?

[craigmdee]

Hi. I recently transferred from vhs to dvd - Catwalk, American, Waterfront, BOBT and Miracle - if anyone would like copy let me know.

[pdautry]

I would love to have one

[jsara70]

amazing performance of this brilliant band.long life simple minds

[MrFindus]

All Hail Derek Forbes!

[Lennymcgra]

Yeah edinburgh is going to be a great gig , i cant wait

[scoobymikie]

Edinburgh july 18th 2009,cant wait,the boys are on top the now,where fantastic in December,new album out in April.

[grass1963]

still sounds great, dublin 09????

[brianos34]

Great stuff.

I'm going to see them on Saturday at Wembley Arena. I cannot wait.

First saw the live at Mlton Keynes Bowl on 21st June 1986 and i'm as excited 22 years later as I was back then when I was 17.

Hope they perform this track.

[LadySleek83]

I saw them in Birmingham (last week) they performed the song and it was great, everyone sang along and upstaged Jim! lol

[embalm]

Best Minds song! Iconic band and very underated, especially the 77-82 stuff

[deordago]

¡¡Fantastico!!.Que videos mas buenos tienes de Simple Minds.Gracias.

[bettsaj]

Derek Forbes was in my opinion the best bass player they had.... They should never had given him the boot. They got rid of Derek and replaced him with John Giblin, who although good had the need to slap every bloody song.. AWFUL!!

[Anna8523]

Recently I've read that Derek just stopped coming to the rehearsals. I don't know if it is true or not. But the information seems to come from credible source of information about the band.

[MrDemilord]

@bettsaj he left self because of the dont you video clip

[Sig1964]

Non ricordo se proprio nel 84 o nel 85 li vidi a Milano al teatro tenda di Lampugnano (poi abbattuto). Che spettacolo, che carica, che energia! La sezione ritmica fantastica con Derek Forbes e Mel Gaynor. Grandissimi i Minds fino alla fuoriuscita di Forbes.

[superleeds73]

Brilliant,

Cant beat SM,

5/5

[saragoca70]

amazing performance.derek and jim fantastic.

[cabsandy]

Top video-but this is where they started to go downhill once Derek Forbes got the boot.Never forgave JK for that one

[VikingInvaders]

What do you mean with "got the boot" ?

Is it because he called him 'bonanza' or what do you mean?

[cabsandy]

It was well known that his face didn't fit-mainly because he was the only bluenose in a band full of Tims !

[VikingInvaders]

What is a bluenose?

[cabsandy]

Glasgow Rangers fan

[VikingInvaders]

Cheers mate

[KurtPie]

IMO and from what I've seen, Eddie Duffy has the specific task to sound and look exactly like Forbes.

[braineater4]

Does anyone have any idea what this song about? Is it anti- or pro-America? I've been a long-time Simple Minds fan and always wondered about this.

[mzzh]

i searched this on a whim and did NOT expect to find it. wow. so cool.

[candlegoat]

What a performance, fantastic!

Is this show, or any other from the "Tour du monde"-Tour available on DVD?

[KHALED987BABIA]

Great Video

[superleeds73]

Great Video,

I grew up with Simple Minds.

Fantastic

[embalm]

Simple Minds are very under rated and are iconic in their own right.. Great sound and a soundtrack to the 1980's!

[spikelive]

mel and derek rules!!

awesome!!

[R0Om101]

What a great live video - I haven't seen this one before from the Simple Minds. That bass player dude COMPLETELY steals the show! Awesome!

[embalm]

that is some tight bass playing!

[kniphofia]

Oh Derek!!

[imonlyhumantoo]

They were so great then....

[my2magoos]

I am so entranced by Derek's bass line, I barely notice the rest of the boys. Love this band! The best EVER.

[superleeds73]

brilliant

[Islander34]

They blew me away when I saw them perform The American as Perkins Palace in Pasadena, CA sometime around 1981/82. I saw them two more times in concert and they didn't play it- disappointing....

[claudiochesini]

one of the best '80ies performance live!...

[VikingInvaders]

Fabulous bass-guitar

[KurtPie]

Yeah, I totally agree with this.

I'm really curious to see (and hear) what the band will release now that the original line-up is back now!

[VikingInvaders]

Yep, that was some brilliant news I read the other day - what a coincidence :-)

[wingpang]

My all time Simple Minds live classic. Great pogo-ing intro and ending with that simple bassline - shame the live version never made it onto any album!

[SkelperCSC]

Classic stuff. Them were the days!!

Thanks for posting this.

[PatrickIngham21]

Great song from a great album

[Octopus1987]

I had this on VHS and never thought i would see it again!

Thanks so much for posting dude.

The crowd build up scene with Jim hanging of the barrier is just awesome!

[205gtist170]

Back again! were are the rest of them?