I had problems compiling the definitive list of Simple Minds sessions. Not because the historical record is lacking, but because it’s difficult to know where to draw the line.

For example, firstly I decided to list only those recordings where the band recorded live tracks in the radio station’s studio. Whilst this formed a complete list, I was worried that other unique and interesting performances would fall by the wayside e.g. the Burbank recordings.

Therefore, I split this list into two parts. The first part comprises the definitive sessions, recorded and broadcast as such; the second list being live, exclusive performances broadcast on radio shows that would otherwise fall between the gaps unless included here.

bbc radio one: kid jensen

Recorded: 2th April 1979

Broadcast: 10th April 1979

Producer and Engineer: Mike Engles

Life In A Day

Cheslea Girl

No Cure

The band’s first album was still hot on the vinyl presses, when Simple Minds were ushered into BBC Radio One to record their first session. Recorded for David "Kid" Jensen (who focussed on new and breaking acts along with John Peel), the session was a showcase for the album, with the band performing current single Life In A Day, potential new single Chelsea Girl and album stalwart No Cure.

Some mystery surrounds this session as it’s never been officially released or bootlegged. When asked about an early Simple Minds track called Hell, Mick MacNeil said it had been written specifically for these recordings. It remains to be confirmed whether Hell was actually performed and/or broadcast; or if the written record of the archive is incorrect.

piccadilly radio 261

Recorded: 7th June 1979

Producer and Engineer: Simple Minds and Stuart James

Here Comes The Fool

Chelsea Girl

Garden Of Hate

The Naked Eye

By June, the band were gearing up for their own UK tour and the release of Chelsea Girl. Given their penchant for writing new material for sessions, it's possible that either Here Comes The Fool or Naked Eye were written for this occasion.

It opened with the only known studio version of live-favourite Here Comes The Fool. The session featured a more measured performance of the track with a unique guitar introduction. Fool fell down the cracks between Life In A Day and Real To Real Cacophony and remained unreleased until rescued by a live take released on Silver Box.

bbc radio one: john peel

Recorded: 19th December 1979

Broadcast: 7th January 1980

Producer: Trevor Dan

Engineer: Nick Gomm

Changeling / Room / Premonition / Citizen (Dance Of Youth)

The band's only John Peel session showcased key songs from the newly released Real To Real Cacophony. As a surprise, they also chose to record Room, a song which had appeared in their live set a few weeks previously.

The entire session was finally released on Silver Box.

bbc radio one: kid jensen

Recorded: 11th February 1982

Broadcast: 23rd February 1982

Producer: John Owen Williams

Engineer: Mike Robinson

Promised You A Miracle / In Trance As Mission / King Is White And In The Crowd

With Promised You A Miracle starting to race up the charts, Simple Minds returned to Radio One to promote their new single, roll out a live favourite, and then exclusively unveil the brand new King Is White And In The Crowd.

The session recording of King Is White And In The Crowd was released as the B-side of Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) and for many years remained the only session officially released by the band.

The entire session was eventually released on Silver Box.

bbc radio one: kid jensen????

Recorded: 15th February 1982

Broadcast: 23rd February 1982????

Producer: John Owen Williams???

Engineer: Mike Robinson???

PYAM (4:36) / LS (5:51) / SAF (6:45) / KIWAITC (5:47)

paris, studio gabriel (davout session)

Recorded: 14th March 1982

Broadcast: -

Producer: -

Engineer: -

The American / Celebrate / Premonition / Promised You A Miracle

bbc radio one: kid jensen

Recorded: 13th August 1982

Broadcast: 26th September 1982

Producer: John Sparrow

Engineer: Mike Robinson

Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) / Glittering Prize / Hunter And The Hunted

This session was recorded as promotion for the forthcoming New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) album which was to be released a month later. After exclusively previewing two new songs from the album (with the first being labelled under its demo title of Summer Song), Simple Minds also performed their current hit Glittering Prize.

The entire session was finally released on Silver Box.

bbc radio one: kid jensen

Recorded: 11th September 1983

Broadcast: 3rd October 1983

Producer: Dale Griffin

Engineer: Mike Engels

Waterfront / The Kick Inside Of Me / New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84)

With the new single, Waterfront, about to be released, Simple Minds made a timely return to BBC Radio One to record a new session. After the single's title track, the band then tackled a brand new song, which they'd only written the day before The Kick Inside Of Me. And the session was completed with a rough-and-ready tumbling through New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84).

Jim was in the studio along with Mel and chatted to David Kid Jensen about the sessions. The interview was concluded with the first radio play of the studio version of Waterfront which had just been mixed by Steve Lillywhite. John Peel was in the other studio preparing his show but couldn't resist poking his head around the studio door and quipping that "prog rock was making a comeback." Cue groans from Jim.

The session version of New Gold Dream (81,82,83,84) was released on a hard-to-get BBC compilation album whilst The Kick Inside Of Me turned up ten years later on Silver Box.

radio clyde: billy sloan

Broadcast: 14th April 2002

Producer: Gordon Goude

Engineer: Kevin Burleigh

New Sunrise / She Moved Through The Fair / Freedom Angel

On the eve of their Cry tour, the band recorded a session for Billy Sloan. They opted for a stripped down acoustic set, unveiling a new arrangement of New Sunshine Morning (which was eventually released on the Spaceface, New Sunshine Morning and One Step Closer singles), a second recording of She Moved Through The Fair and the brand new song Freedom Angel.

A different take of New Sunrise with more instruments eventually turned up on the Live And Rare album.