Simple Minds album Street Fighting Years maintained the band's growing sense of scale but moved away from the American soul and gospel influences of Once Upon a Time in favour of soundtrack atmospherics and a new incorporation of acoustic and folk music-related ingredients. Released in 1989, the album rose to #1 in the UK charts and received glowing praise, including a rare five-star review from Q magazine. However, it received a less positive review in Rolling Stone which criticised the band for what the reviewer considered to be political vacuity.
The band underwent further lineup changes during the recording of Street Fighting Years. Mel Gaynor and John Giblin both contributed to the recording (and, in Giblin's case, to some of the writing) but both men had left the band by the time of the album's release. Reunited with Mel Gaynor, Simple Minds hired Malcolm Foster as the new bass player and expanded the live band again by recruiting three additional touring members. Just before the end of the tour, keyboardist Michael MacNeil announced to the band that he would not be joining them as he needed a break.
Despite opting not to replace MacNeil, Simple Minds continued to record, hiring keyboard players as and where required. In 1991, Simple Minds returned with a much more radio-friendly collection of their political concerns, Real Life. The album reached #2 in the UK, where it also spawned four Top 40 singles. Mel Gaynor left the band in 1992 to pursue session work and other projects. Simple Minds returned again later in 1994. By now the band was officially a duo of Kerr and Burchill. Good News from the Next World was released in 1995 to positive reviews, but weak sales in the U.S. In the UK and Europe, however, the response was much more positive, with the album reaching #2 in the UK and producing the two Top 20 hits "She's a River" and "Hypnotised".Simple Minds Tickets are available at Sold Out Ticket Market
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