Neon Lights (album)

Neon Lights is a covers studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released in October 2001.

Neon Lights
Studio album by Simple Minds
Released	8 October 2001
Genre	Pop rock
Length	41:35
Label	Eagle - EAGCD 194
Producer	Simple Minds, Gordy Goudie
Simple Minds chronology
Our Secrets Are the Same (1999/2004) Neon Lights (2001) The Best of Simple Minds (2001)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Q	(unfavourable)[2]
Toronto Sun	(favourable)[3]

Overview

Neon Lights is a collection of cover versions put together as a warm up for what would be the next album Cry (2002). As Jim Kerr stated at the time of the album release: «"Neon Lights is the first time Simple Minds have put together a collection of non-original material. We thought it was appropriate at a period of looking back that we go to the very foundations of Simple Minds, which of course is the music and the bands who influenced us."»[4]

Background

After the band's previous album, Our Secrets Are the Same, was leaked by a DJ in Spain, and Simple Minds were fired from EMI, they went into partial retirement. Frontman Jim Kerr moved to Italy to start a hotel. There a number of young Italian artists came to him for advice or input in recording. This finally coaxed the band out of retirement.[5]

They signed a limited contract with Eagle Records. To help the band gain momentum, it was decided that they should record an album of covers to boost awareness of Simple Minds again. Thus Neon Lights was conceived.[5]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original artist	Length
1.	"Gloria"	Van Morrison	Them	3:45
2.	"The Man Who Sold the World"	David Bowie	David Bowie	4:07
3.	"Homosapien"	Pete Shelley	Pete Shelley	4:20
4.	"Dancing Barefoot"	Patti Smith, Ivan Kral	Patti Smith Group	3:48
5.	"Neon Lights"	Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Karl Bartos	Kraftwerk	4:16
6.	"Hello, I Love You"	Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore	The Doors	3:32
7.	"Bring on the Dancing Horses"	Will Sergeant, Ian McCulloch, Les Pattinson, Pete de Freitas	Echo & the Bunnymen	5:15
8.	"The Needle and the Damage Done"	Neil Young	Neil Young	4:15
9.	"For Your Pleasure"	Bryan Ferry	Roxy Music	4:08
10.	"All Tomorrow's Parties"	Lou Reed	The Velvet Underground	3:35

US release bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original artist	Length
11.	"Being Boiled"	Philip Oakey, Martyn Ware, Ian Craig Marsh	The Human League	3:51
12.	"Love Will Tear Us Apart"	Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Bernard Sumner	Joy Division	4:48

Other releases

A promo version was also pressed which was titled Original Versions of Songs Covered on "Neon Lights", which comprised all the original versions of the songs covered, making this the only Simple Minds release to be devoid of Simple Minds music. However, Eagle Records encountered some problems with copyrights for a couple of songs, so fewer than 25 of these promos were pressed, making this extremely hard to find.[6]

Two singles were released from the album: the Dancing Barefoot EP,[7] and a number of remixes of "Homosapien".[8]

References

1. Wilson, MacKenzie. "Simple Minds: Neon Lights > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
2. Harris, John. "Neon Lights - Articles & Reviews". Q. Bauer Media Group. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
3. Stevenson, Jane. "Neon Lights - Articles & Reviews". Toronto Sun. Sun Media. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
4. "Rejuvenation 2001-2014 Five Album Vinyl Box Set (released 7/12/18) – Album 1 'Neon Lights'". Facebook. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
5. Cornwell, Simon. "Neon Lights: Information". Dream Giver Redux. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
6. Cornwell, Simon. "Neon Lights: Overseas Promotional Issues". Dream Giver Redux. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
7. Cornwell, Simon. "Dancing Barefoot EP: Information". Dream Giver Redux. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
8. Cornwell, Simon. "Homosapien: Information". Dream Giver Redux. Retrieved 22 September 2013.

External links

• Simple Minds – Neon Lights at Discogs (list of releases)