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.
