Street Fighting Years - History

History

Street Fighting Years was recorded during yet another period of personnel change for Simple Minds, and was notably the last of the band's albums to feature keyboard player/composer/founder member Mick MacNeil. MacNeil has subsequently mentioned that "Jim (Kerr) had already started talking about making changes" and the credits for the album suggested that Simple Minds had officially become a trio of the only three remaining founder members - Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill and Mick MacNeil. (All previous albums had credited the band as a full quintet.)

The lack of equality and unity within the band's ranks soon became evident. Drummer Mel Gaynor was sidelined during the album sessions (apparently after disagreements with Trevor Horn) and was eventually demoted to session player status, with much of the drumming in the studio being performed by Manu Katché (from Peter Gabriel's band) and Stewart Copeland (ex-Police). Bass player John Giblin - who'd joined the band in 1985 for Once Upon A Time and played on the subsequent tours and the Live in the City of Light album - left the band during or immediately after the sessions, despite having made significant contributions to the album (including writing the ballad "Let It All Come Down"). The circumstances surrounding Giblin’s departure are undisclosed (although the band's previous bass player Derek Forbes has hinted that ultimately Giblin simply "didn’t fit in" with the band). Some of the bass guitar parts on the album were played by producer Stephen Lipson.

Released in May 1989, the album became the band's fourth number one in the UK on the back of the chart-topping single "Belfast Child", which had been released three months earlier. "This Is Your Land" was chosen as the lead single for the U.S., but even with guest vocals from the band's idol Lou Reed, the single failed to make a mark on the pop charts. The album performed relatively poorly in the United States and produced no hit singles.

For the supporting tour, the band would re-hire Mel Gaynor as drummer and recruit Malcolm Foster (Pretenders) as the new bass guitarist. MacNeil remained with the band during the tour, but quit abruptly at the end of it.