Empires That Dance
GORDY GOUDIE
Gordy Goudie is a ‘well kent face’ in the international music scene. His talents have lead him to work with seminal bands playing bass for The Primevals from the mid 80s and in The Bluebells, another beloved Scots act. For 13 years he was brandishing his rhythm guitar skills for white hot Liverpool rockers Echo and the Bunnymen. Gordy was predominantly known as the secret member of Simple Minds. His work with the band started with Neon Lights at the turn of the century. Not only did he produce the music, he played on it and even put his vocals on it. He continued his relationship with the band the next year with a rebooted Simple Minds in Glasgow and Sicily. Gordy was one of the first visitors to Jim Kerr’s Villa Angela when it still looked like a rundown Glasgow tenement! He continued his work with Jim and Charlie, contributing to production for the Vodafone SM Live and Rare CD. More recently he's co-wrote and pre-produced tracks on the Black and White 050505 and Graffiti Soul releases, most notably Home and Rockets. Gordy worked on the Acoustic album and subsequent tout whilst finding time during recording to help us shoot our Boys From Brazil video. Gordy’s eclectic musical influences range from Bob Dylan, to Jimi Hendrix, to Bowie/Eno and onto Giorgio Moroder. His studio in Glasgow is shrine to the great and good in rock’s history and is his spiritual base and featured in our Changeling video. In 2014 as well as touring with The Bunnymen to promote their 11th album Meteriotes, Gordy supported Jack White’s Lazaretto tour in the USA playing with Kelley Stolz. On meeting Jack White, Gordy described him as one of the warmest, most giving and grounded musicians he’s had the pleasure to be around. Takes one to know one Gordy.
Gordy produced our singles: Another Room, Changeling, Boys From Brazil and StarGazing.
BRUCE FINDLAY
AKA The Guvnor! Simple Minds long serving manager from 1978 to 1990 Bruce has been a great supporter of our ETD studio project and features in our Changeling video. A range of merchandise featuring Bruce's original Zoom label logo was also used as a subtle acknowledgement to his outstanding achievements.
BRIAN MCGEE
The original Simple Minds drummer who played on the following albums: Life In A Day, Real to Real Cacophony, Empires And Dance, Sister Feelings Call and Sons And Fascination. It was whilst touring with XSM with George Porter on vocals that the seeds were sown for the ETD studio project. Brian invited Andy Inniss for supper after a gig in Cheltenham and George and Andy became instant friends who would be reunited soon after the gig as the genesis of Another Room was created. Brian's local knowledge helped with the filming of our Changeling video as we played cat and mouse with the City of Glasgow Underground Police with Brian also playing a cameo role. Later Brian stepped up to play drums in our Boys From Brazil video as there was only one man who could play those famous beats we sampled.
GORDON MACHRAY
Our ETD studio project is first and foremost a collection of individuals with various talents. The synergy of which creates everything we do. Gordon was a logistical wizard for the Changeling and Boys From Brazil videos. Gordon also runs the Simple Minds International FaceBook page and applies his skills to us and manage our ETD Facebook page. Gordon takes no nonsense and is often the man with the big questions with our interviews.
Currently Gordon is also busying himself organising White Hot Day which is a Simple Minds Fan Convention set for March 21st 2020 at Saint Luke's & The Winged Ox in Glasgow, Scotland. Produced in conjunction with Simple Minds International and Shock City it is the first Simple Minds convention in 15 years and will feature a Q&A with Bruce Findlay, performances from Derek Forbes and The Dark and Simple Minded. All of our friends will know Derek Forbes from his time with Simple Minds. Expect plenty of surprises and a charity auction. Tickets are limited to 500 and are selling like hot cakes! See the Simple Minds International FaceBook page for more details.
