On tour with LOSTBOY! AKA Jim Kerr
It seemed like a good idea at the turn of the millennium. Ged Grimes — ex-Danny Wilson bassist — had settled down with the wife and kids and decided that his live gigging days were, on the whole, a thing of the past.
- By Alan Wilson, Rocktalk writer
- Published in the Courier : 27.05.10
- Published online : 27.05.10 @ 09.24pm
Forging a new career as a writer, producer and creator of soundtrack music for films and video games — a recent project was Dundee firm Denki's word game Quarrel for the Xbox 360 — he was sticking to the day job of working in the studio and being the complete family man.
Ironic, then, that the past three years have seen him playing more live gigs and touring across Europe than at any time since the heyday of the Dannys.
First with Deacon Blue and now with LOSTBOY! AKA Jim Kerr, Ged finds himself back on the road having the time of his life again, promoting Jim's first-ever solo album.
Speaking from his hotel room in Hamburg, Ged told Rocktalk, "It's just great fun — we're all just having an absolute hoot. You forget just how popular The Minds are in Europe. they're huge and it's nice to play in these sticky wee clubs.
"The dressing room last night smelt like Iggy Pop had left his dirty washing in it from the 70s, and there was no toilet for the band — we just had to use the same one as the audience.
"But it's been a brilliant reaction from the fans. The venues we're playing in are 350-capacity maximum and so they're rammed.
"It's a great way to get right back in touch with how it all started."
It all restarted for Ged when he was asked by Ricky Ross to play bass with Deacon Blue, who themselves had resurrected their career around the 20th anniversary of their classic album Raintown three years ago.
"It's funny because I'd convinced myself I wouldn't miss playing live and I would only play on rare occasions, but I've spent so much time in my studio that it's been great to get out and work with these guys, firstly Deacon Blue and now Lost Boy. I'm loving it.
"I knew Jim from back in the Dannys day. We first crossed paths when we were on Virgin at the same time as Simple Minds," he said.
"But then I was touring with Deacon Blue and we supported Simple Minds on a few shows, we hung out for a while and then I got a call recently from Jim to say he had a new project and asked me if I would be up for it. I heard the album and said yes right away.
"It's very expansive music, right back to early electronica and the album is just crammed with great pop songs, very catchy stuff and it's going down a storm. I was a huge Simple Minds fan and Lost Boy is very bass-driven — you can't approach it lightly.
"We only met as a band two-and-a-half weeks ago and had two weeks' rehearsal in Glasgow. But now you'd think we've been a band for ages. But I'm playing with such fantastic musicians, using all the experience we've all built up, it's the people who make it.
"We're already at the stage where Jim works above us, and if he wants to extend a song or cut it short, we just work around it. We've got enough built into the show and it's down to the level of musicianship and experience in the band."
Add a comment