Ray Cullen
banner
raycullen.bsky.social
Ray Cullen
@raycullen.bsky.social
Toronto via Dublin. Bohs, Blue Jays, despair. "You don't hyper decant?"
Day 30 of #simplemindstop30 and my probable favourite SM
Track - Hunter And The Hunted. Incredible cohesion of sounds with one of Jim's strongest lyrics. A beauty.
youtu.be/KNxTlG7f24o?...
Hunter And The Hunted
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 31, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Day 29 of #simplemindstop30 and an early classic Thirty Frames A Second. Had to include a live performance somewhere in the countdown

youtu.be/tbZSXSICdFE?...
Simple Minds - Thirty Frames a Second (Scottish tv 1980)
YouTube video by fery2
youtu.be
December 31, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Day 28 of #simplemindstop30 ... In the late 2000's Jim, Charlie, Mick, Derek & Brian were at a party celebrating Bruce. There was a plan to go into the studio. Amid the excitement, a demo of This Is It was played but the response was underwhelming & the reunion was scrapped

youtu.be/JB4CjvSEYe4?...
This Is It
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 30, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Day 27 of #simplemindstop30 and my favourite SM track of the 2020's that I have not already selected. First You Jump... A stunning location to shoot a video. Great guitar in the song.

youtu.be/fiycWJyviZQ?...
Simple Minds - First You Jump (Official Video)
YouTube video by Simple Minds
youtu.be
December 29, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Day 26 of #simplemindstop30 and my favourite track of the 2010's that I have not already selected - there are many choices from two strong albums in the decade but I choose Blindfolded from 2014... A belter of an opening track.

youtu.be/LdWv1ZXnP5Q?...
Simple Minds - Blindfolded (Official Video)
YouTube video by Simple Minds
youtu.be
December 28, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Day 25 of #simplemindstop30 and my favourite SM track of the 2000's decade ( that I have not selected already) Different World - it always gives a sunny vibe

youtu.be/eKxhNuNYxsk?...
Simple Minds - Different World (Taormina Me) (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Simple Minds
youtu.be
December 26, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Day 24 of #simplemindstop30 and my favourite SM track of the 1990's (that I have not already picked) Rivers Of Ice.. beautiful.

youtu.be/jqkRBnjWGPg?...
Rivers Of Ice (2002 Digital Remaster)
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 25, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Day 23 of #simplemindstop30 and my favourite SM song of the 80's ( that I have not selected already) This Earth You Walk Upon. My absolute favourite is also from this decade and will be the choice on day 30 youtu.be/pxeeASyUpXk?...
Simple Minds - This Earth That You Walk Upon - 1981
YouTube video by Discothèques Souterraines 77-86 (80s Alternative)
youtu.be
December 24, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Day 22 of #simplemindstop30 and here is my favourite SM track from the 1970's (which I have not picked already)... Changeling

youtu.be/yQYNLHbtzUg?...
Changeling (Remastered 2002)
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Day 21 of #simplemindstop30 from 2005, Dolphins. Beautiful track.

youtu.be/vJuNLgwcmaM?...
Simple Minds - Dolphins (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Simple Minds
youtu.be
December 22, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Day 20 of #simplemindstop30 and for want of a better idea here is the 20th album track on their discography.. Film Theme... Instrumentals has long been a hallmark of Simple Minds and this one has a strong atmosphere

youtu.be/AWkZEdpuujA?...
Film Theme (Remastered 2002)
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 20, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Day 19 of #simplemindstop30 from 1981's majestic Sons and Fascination the opening track In Trance as Mission... A bass line made of daggers introduces an aural cruise.

youtu.be/1f_HpwThIrs?...
Simple Minds - In Trance As Mission
YouTube video by David Rose
youtu.be
December 20, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Day 18 of #simplemindstop30 from 2014's Big Music, Spirited Away... A beautiful melancholic closing track to an excellent album.

I have now completed picking one song each day from each of their original studio albums.

Anything goes from tomorrow.

youtu.be/jZ3Azwful4M?...
Simple Minds - Spirited Away
YouTube video by Simple Minds
youtu.be
December 19, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Day 17 of #simplemindstop30 from 1984's Sparkle in the Rain, Up On The Catwalk. A great clanging initial assault gives way to a melodic dynamic. A contrast to previous efforts and one that acknowledged that they were about to break through to the next level of popularity.

youtu.be/ht-d6mgY4yw?...
Up On The Catwalk (2002 Remastered)
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 18, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Day 16 of #simplemindstop30 from their crowning glory 1982's New Gold Dream - this is the title track ( could have been any track from the album really).... Worldwide on the widest screen

youtu.be/8oeSFrLVf8g?...
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84) (Remastered 2002)
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 17, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Just seen the line up for Kneecap Bohs Jersey at Dalymount and I am genuinely stunned.... Must be 300 people lined up...top class marketing again from @bfcdublin.bsky.social
December 16, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Day 15 of #simplemindstop30 from 2018's Walk Between Worlds, the track Summer...strong bass, guitars and catchy... Jim loves to involve rain in as many lyrics as possible 😁

youtu.be/kQjIvi8iBAs?...
Simple Minds - Summer (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Simple Minds
youtu.be
December 16, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Day 14 of #simplemindstop30 from 1995's Good News from the Next World album.. it is Hypnotised.

Should be an automatic entry on any list of top 30 Simple Minds tracks. Absolutely top drawer.

youtu.be/Xrp35sYEnSA?...
Hypnotised (2002 Digital Remaster)
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 15, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Day 13 of #simplemindstop30 from the superb 1980's Empire & Dance, the powerful hypnotic "This Fear of Gods" - absolutely one of their finest moments.

youtu.be/hdFbVklPTjE?...
This Fear Of Gods (Remastered 2002)
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 14, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Day 12 of #simplemindstop30 from their debut album Life In A Day, the extraordinarily assured Pleasantly Disturbed

youtu.be/jIMpl9GEWGY?...
Pleasantly Disturbed (Remastered 2002)
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 13, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Day 11 of #simplemindstop30 from 2009's Graffiti Soul, the opening track Moscow Underground... Great, pulsating track.

youtu.be/axYVJt5TASo?...
Moscow Underground
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 12, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Day 10 of #simplemindstop30 from 1981 Sister Feeling Call - The American.
The song is indestructible. The album version is great. The extended mix is great and the link below is one of my very favorite live song performances... Credit to all involved.
youtu.be/p7CKOzrDLio?...
091-SIMPLE MINDS - The American (Live Dortmund 24-06-1984) (1981)
YouTube video by REMEMBER THE CLIPS
youtu.be
December 11, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Day 9 of #simplemindstop30 as I pledged to pick from every studio album this is from Our Secrets are the Same 1999/2004. The songs are okay in general but nothing truly stands out... however this has the best hooks...Waiting at the end of the World.
youtu.be/ji6WgKSR2Qo?...
Waiting At the End Of The World
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 10, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Day 8 of #simplemindstop30 and the difficult first album without Mick McNeil - 1991's Real Life.... Was going to go with my favourite song on the album Rivers of Ice but Banging on the Door is refusing to be ignored!
youtu.be/B-pfYV46bDw?...
Banging On The Door (2002 Digital Remaster)
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 9, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Day 7 of #simplemindstop30 the title track of 1985's Once Upon A Time. "How come, out of love is all this cruelty arising?"

youtu.be/Yuj1vq7WfdM?...
Once Upon A Time
YouTube video by Simple Minds - Topic
youtu.be
December 8, 2025 at 1:30 AM