Simply Red is a British soul and pop band that has sold more than 50 million albums since the mid 1980s. Their origination dates from a 1976 Sex Pistols gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England. Manchester art student Mick Hucknall was one of the few young music fans present, along with Mark E. Smith of The Fall as well as original members of the bands Joy Division, The Smiths and Buzzcocks. The first incarnation of the band was a punk group called The Frantic Elevators, whose seven-year run produced limited releases on local labels and ended in 1984 upon critical acclaim for their final single, "Holding Back the Years".
Their style draws upon influences ranging from blue-eyed soul, New Romantic and rock to reggae and jazz. From their early days, the main driving force behind the band was singer/songwriter Mick Hucknall, who, by the time the band was disbanded in 2010, was the only original member left. At the 1992 and 1993 Brit Awards, they received the award for Best British Group.
On 3 November 2014, Simply Red unexpectedly announced that they would be reforming in Autumn 2015 for a 30th anniversary European tour, the "Big Love Tour 2015". The line-up for the reunion tour is the same as Simply Red's last formation with the exception of Roman Roth replacing Pete Lewinson as drummer.
Bono from U2 performing live on their Joshua Tree Tour in Rotterdam, Holland in July 1987
Shaun Ryder of the Happy Mondays captured in Yellow 2 Studios, Stockport in 1986
'I thought of improvisation as a large ball of string (a melody as yet unravelled)'. Cover art for Phish's 1997 album Slip Stitch and Pass
Sir Elton John is an English pianist, singer-songwriter, composer & pop icon who has sold millions of records and won countless awards.
Johnny Cash was known for his deep, calm bass-baritone voice and a trademark look, which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black"
As a self-taught composer and performer, Zappa's diverse musical influences led him to create music that was often difficult to categorize.
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960 and widely regarded as the most influential acts of the rock era.
A photographic celebration of Manchester's rock music history. Free exhibition at the University of Manchester
The Beatles were one of the most popular & influential bands of all time. Here we showcase our collection of their iconic fine art prints
A fantastic curated collection of museum quality fine art prints by leading music photographer Barry Schultz
Welcome to our Jazz & Blues Print Collection - over 50 years of iconic images of the world's greatest Jazz & Blues musicians
