Simple Minds: Seen The Lights - A Visual History [DVD] [2003]

This DVD provides an interesting and - at around 4 ½ hours – thorough retrospective of Simple Minds’ career. With the addition of some well-thought out rare treasures, from an initial glance at the track listings it would appear to be a worthwhile investment for fans of the group. And indeed it is. However, (and this is quite a big “however”), the principal problem of this DVD package is not so much the quantity, or even the quality of the material, but its context.At this point is valid to make a comparison with another Eighties band with a long-term career spanning the same period: not U2, as is routinely expected, but Depeche Mode.Depeche Mode realised in the mid 80s that despite good songs, their promotional videos were consistently making them look like a “lame bunch of d***heads”. They solved this problem efficiently by getting Anton Corbijn on board and from A Question of Time onwards their visual image consistently comes across as being timelessly arty, with Never Let Me Down Again and Enjoy the Silence proving to be particularly effective.Simple Minds, on the other hand, start off very well with the Bladerunner-esque lyrics of Love Song contrasting almost violently with a promo video that shows the lads getting up to a bit of argy-bargy in one of Glasgow’s more futurist Nite spots.The Sweat in Bullet promo, although much less elaborate, is still effective, primarily because of the immense visual presence of original members Derek Forbes and Brian McGee.Promised You a Miracle through to Up On the Catwalk all survive with varying degrees of affectation and overindulgence, with honourable mention going to Bacofoil for prop supply above and beyond the call of duty in Glittering Prize.Don’t You sees Kerr’s foundation, mascara and jet black Grecian 2000 look evolve into a plain face topped off with an unkempt mop. This new eyes-like-p*ss-holes-in-the-snow look is taken to further extremes on Alive and Kicking, where inexplicably he performs a duet with B.A. Baracus of A Team fame, who for this cameo appearance agrees to appear in drag. Strange.The majority of the remaining promos from here onwards, much in keeping with Kerr’s perpetual quest for “true spirit” one presumes, are mainly re-hashed from live shows. To wit: extreme posturing, skimpy vests, mullet haircuts and waist coats worn over naked chests are much in abundance.All the Things She Said, in its sublime extravagance however provides an exception to this rule: fans of both Bo Selecta! and Simple Minds will be sticking needles into their arms to keep a straight face as Kerr, complete with peregrine falcon no less, shamelessly reveals himself to be the direct descendant of Craig David and Kez. Proper bo I tell thee!Tellingly, Cry, the last video, does not feature any of the band members at all, just a group of anonymous mime artists. To jump to any conclusion other than a very cynical one in the light of this would therefore be rather difficult. The less said the better.The other “main act” within the double package is of course the inclusion of the Verona live performance. By this point in their career the band had long since substituted spontaneous artistic creativity for flabbiness (both of body and of melody), pompousness and, worst of all, a liking for “charidee”. If something from this period of ungodly influence must be included, the Once Upon Time gig from the Ahoy Stadium in Amsterdam, (screened by The Tube at the time), would have at least provided something slightly more lucid. And at least the Book of Brilliant Things rendition from that gig was “good pomp”, (as opposed to the “trite pomp” of Verona’s East at Easter).So what actually makes this double DVD collection worthwhile? Chelsea Girl live at The Old Grey Whistle Test, that’s what. Raw, but imperial; nervous, yet powerful. This goes back to the days when “they were young, they were brave. The honest set.” The final coda when McGee and Kerr are intertwining vocal lines is worth the cover price of the DVD alone.Life in a Day, from the same viewing is also very, very good, but those in the know know that Life in a Day is Life in a Day and Chelsea Girl will always be something else.The three songs from the Hurrah club gig are good but the Premonition live version doesn’t live up to the fantasy live version that you have already seen in the back of your eye.I Travel live appears a fascinating concept, but then you realise it is from 1983 and it has been given the full Sparkle in the Rain treatment. In short, it’s not quite as bad as the resurrected version of Celebrate from the Once Upon a Time tour, but it’s getting there …So lastly, to Newcastle City Hall. The set list of these 6 songs is extremely promising and the performance is strong and reassuring, with a speeded up New Gold Dream providing a superb finale. However, coming back to Depeche Mode, the energy and ambience of Simple Minds at their very best still pales into comparison with the Mode’s Live in Hamburg concert from a similar period. (And that’s long before Gahan even started thinking about OD-ing.)In conclusion, Simple Minds’ output has always been defined by 1), the “golden period” of 81-82-83-84 (not strictly true: purists know it to be 1979-1982) and then 2), the subsequent period of pomp and associated worthwhile global causes. And this is where, bizarrely, this DVD collection succeeds as it contains promos and live excerpts a-plenty from both of the distinct periods. Thank God for the technology of DVD as the avoidance of the latter period at the preference of the former effortlessly facilitates this.

Arguably the biggest band in the world at their peak in the mid to late 1980's, Simple Minds finally release a comprehensive account of themselves in the form of the Seen The Lights double-DVD. I'm sure true fans, however, would have been even happier with a 4-disc set - And why not? It's good enough for Lord of the Rings!This is a tremendous DVD containing all of the essentials such as singles videos and live performances including fantastic rarely seen footage from the late 70's and early 80's.Unfortunately, many people's image of the band is of the 'stadium rock monster'. This DVD presents the band at all stages in their development from unknown Glasgow punk off-shoot band to stadium rockers and to what they are now, an innovative pop outfit.Presented in quite an impressive box that is supposed to resemble a book I think much more could have been made of the inlay leaflet. Personally, I would have liked more live material included but I suppose what we've got is still pretty impressive and more than anything that's ever officially been released in the past. It's also great to see the Verona video given it's long overdue DVD outing.Without question this should be an obligatory purchase for any Simple Minds fan. It's also a worthwhile investment for anyone who has an interest in the band but doesn't necessarily want to purchase the whole back catalogue on CD.

I was born in the mid eighties,so when i was older Simple Minds were past their peak. Until I bought this DVD a few months ago, i had seen next to no Simple Minds music videos and no live stuff whatsoever. I was absolutely thrilled with this DVD. It gave me everything i could have wanted to see of them.I was suprised when reading the other reviews, by the remarks of the quality of the videos. When i had my DVD, i was suprised the quality was so good considering most of it was filmed in the eighties and early nineties.I was pleased with this DVD,in respect of content and quality. I also enjoy watching the band change in each video, especially Jim Kerr and some of his crazy outfits!A brilliant DVD, and definately worth every penny.

A fab collection of their best known(not all) promos. I was more interested in the extras, some great live performances from the early 80's I had never seen before. Live in verona is also included on a seperate disc which I used to own on vhs, but it still reminds me of a tourist promo video with lots of footage of people in street side cafés, railway station shots and beautiful Italians going about their business. Was more iterested of the concert footage from 82/83 which is included as a bonus. Great packaging too, looks like, and opens like a book! Great idea.

In the Eighties, was never a Simple Minds fan, did like Promised you a Miracle, and Glittering Prize, Someone Somewhere (in Summertime).As one gets older, you do start to appreciate good music, and not that rubbish x Factorrubbish which is all around at moment. The Video shows what a excellent group they were, and still now, withexcellent present, live music, and good songs. The video is of good quality, and add bonus with there concertin Verona. Now a Simple Minds Fan.

great

Great set w I rth owning for the promo videos alone!the live B.B.C. performances are great!buy this!!

Very good dvd, not the best sound and best video intakes, but if you like Simple Minds, it is their best selection