Graffiti Soul
Encyclopedia
Graffiti Soul is the fifteenth studio album by the Scottish
rock
group Simple Minds
, released on 25 May 2009.
An e-mail announcement by Simple Minds stated that Graffiti Soul was initially written on location in Rome, Sicily, Antwerp and Glasgow. The band then returned for the first time in almost three decades to Rockfield Studios
, near Monmouth
in Wales
, where the group originally recorded their earlier albums Real to Real Cacophony
, Empires and Dance
and New Gold Dream. The album was mixed in Los Angeles by Bob Clearmountain
.
On 31 May 2009, the album entered the UK Album chart at #10, becoming Simple Minds' first UK top ten album in 14 years, since the release of their 1995 album Good News from the Next World
.
Graffiti Soul is also available as a Vinyl LP
and a 2-CD Deluxe edition, both including a second album called Searching For The Lost Boys with cover songs of Neil Young
, Massive Attack
, Magazine
, The Stranglers
, Thin Lizzy
, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Call
and The Beach Boys
.
The video for the single 'Rockets', was made available via the bands' Official Website in early April 2009.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
group Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
, released on 25 May 2009.
An e-mail announcement by Simple Minds stated that Graffiti Soul was initially written on location in Rome, Sicily, Antwerp and Glasgow. The band then returned for the first time in almost three decades to Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.-History:...
, near Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, where the group originally recorded their earlier albums Real to Real Cacophony
Real to Real Cacophony
Real to Real Cacophony is the second studio album by Simple Minds, released in 1979. The album did not chart, nor did its only single, "Changeling".-Track listing:-Re-releases:...
, Empires and Dance
Empires and Dance
Empires and Dance is the third studio album by Simple Minds, released in 1980. It charted poorly, peaking at only #41 in the UK Albums Chart. According to the Allmusic review of the album, this is primarily because the record company Arista only released a small number of copies at a time before...
and New Gold Dream. The album was mixed in Los Angeles by Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He has worked with many prominent names in music including Bruce Springsteen , The Rolling Stones , Bryan Adams , Robbie Williams Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He...
.
On 31 May 2009, the album entered the UK Album chart at #10, becoming Simple Minds' first UK top ten album in 14 years, since the release of their 1995 album Good News from the Next World
Good News from the Next World
Good News from the Next World is Simple Minds' tenth studio album, released in 1995.The album garnered moderate commercial success. It was not badly received among critics in the United States...
.
Graffiti Soul is also available as a Vinyl LP
LP record
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
and a 2-CD Deluxe edition, both including a second album called Searching For The Lost Boys with cover songs of Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
, Magazine
Magazine (band)
Magazine are an English post-punk group active from 1977 to 1981, then reformed in 2009. Their debut single, "Shot by Both Sides", is now acknowledged as a classic and their debut album, Real Life, is still widely admired as one of the greatest albums of all time...
, The Stranglers
The Stranglers
The Stranglers are an English punk/rock music group.Scoring some 23 UK top 40 singles and 17 UK top 40 albums to date in a career spanning five decades, the Stranglers are the longest-surviving and most "continuously successful" band to have originated in the UK punk scene of the mid to late 1970s...
, Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Call
The Call (band)
The Call was an American rock band from Santa Cruz, California active from 1980 to 2000.-Biography:The Call formed in Santa Cruz in 1980 by vocalist/guitarist Michael Been, Scott Musick, and Tom Ferrier. Been and Musick were originally from Oklahoma...
and The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
.
The video for the single 'Rockets', was made available via the bands' Official Website in early April 2009.
Graffiti Soul
Bonus tracksSearching for the Lost Boys (Deluxe Edition Bonus CD)
Live performances
Many of the songs have been played live:- "Moscow Underground", "Rockets" & "Stars Will Lead the Way" during the 2009 "30 Years Live European", 2009 "Graffiti Soul", 2010 "Australian", 2010 "Festival Show", 2010 "Final Shows" tours
- "Light Travels" only one time as an encore (in RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) & another time as a soundcheck (in AnconaAnconaAncona is a city and a seaport in the Marche region, in central Italy, with a population of 101,909 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region....
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) during the 2009 "Graffiti Soul" tour - "Kiss and Fly" only one time as a soundcheck (in BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, UK) during the 2009 "Graffiti Soul" tour - "Graffiti Soul" during the 2009 "Graffiti Soul" & 2010 "Festival Show" tours
- "This Is It" during the 2009 "30 Years Live European", 2009 "Graffiti Soul", 2010 "Festival Show", 2010 "Final Shows" tours
- "Rockin' In The Free World" only one time as a spontaneous improvisation launched by Jim during the 2009 "30 Years Live European" tour & another time as a soundcheck (in BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, UK) during the 2009 "Graffiti Soul" tour - "Teardrop" only four times (as an encore) during the Lostboy! AKAJim KerrJames "Jim" Kerr is a Scottish musician and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Simple Minds who achieved five UK #1 albums and a #1 single "Ballad of the Streets EP". He released his first solo album, Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr, on the 27 May 2010.- Simple Minds :Kerr attended...
's 2010 "Electroset Radio" tour & only one time (as an encore) during the Lostboy! AKAJim KerrJames "Jim" Kerr is a Scottish musician and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Simple Minds who achieved five UK #1 albums and a #1 single "Ballad of the Streets EP". He released his first solo album, Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr, on the 27 May 2010.- Simple Minds :Kerr attended...
's 2010 "Electroset" tour - "Whiskey In The Jar" only one time (in CorkCork (city)Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) during the 2009 "30 Years Live European" tour
Personnel
- Jim KerrJim KerrJames "Jim" Kerr is a Scottish musician and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Simple Minds who achieved five UK #1 albums and a #1 single "Ballad of the Streets EP". He released his first solo album, Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr, on the 27 May 2010.- Simple Minds :Kerr attended...
- Vocals - Charlie BurchillCharlie BurchillCharles "Charlie" Burchill is a Scottish musician and composer. He was one of the founders of Scottish rock group Simple Minds. He plays guitar, keyboard, saxophone, drums and violin.-Style:...
- Guitars & Keyboards - Eddie Duffy - Bass
- Mel GaynorMel GaynorMel George Gaynor is a British musician. He is best known as the long time drummer for the rock band, Simple Minds...
- Drums
Charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... (Flanders Flanders Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp... ) |
9 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... (Wallonia) |
11 |
| Dutch Mega Album Top 100 MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... Chart |
29 |
| French SNEP Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... Album Chart |
41 |
| French Albums Chart (Download) | 17 |
| German Media Control Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... Album Chart |
14 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
50 |
| Italian Album Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
11 |
| Spanish Top 100 Albums chart | 58 |
| Swiss Albums Top 100 Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
8 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
10 |
| European Top 100 Albums European Top 100 Albums The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100... |
9 |
| World Albums Top 40 Chart | 32 |