A ROUGH TRADE AND UNCUT BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025
'Brilliantly entertaining' MOJO
'A rollercoaster tale' Classic Pop
'Endlessly vivid' i Paper
'A beautifully candid bromance . . . the shared vision and the strength of their bond is palpable on every page of a book that even casual fans should devour' Record Collector
'A bruised but brilliant story' God Is in the TV
'Burchill and Kerr take it in turns to tell the story of the band and the story of their friendship. The result feels very Simple Minds, full of ambition, steeliness and proper humour' Herald, Music Books of the Year 2025
The long-awaited memoir from Simple Minds' founder members and lifelong collaborators, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill
A candid, moving and kinetic story of self-realisation through the power of music, Our Secrets Are The Same is the remarkable joint memoir by Simple Minds' founder members, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill. It not only reveals the inner workings of one of the most innovative and successful British bands of the past half-century, but the deeply personal tale of an extraordinary friendship which powered teenage dreams into visionary action.
Exploring key songs, places, years and events in the Simple Minds story, and told in the distinct voices of both men, Our Secrets Are The Same explores a bond which has encompassed stratospheric highs and humbling lows, marriages and divorces, fatherhood, fickle fame, tricky inter-band dynamics, the occasional explosive bust up, and a ruthless streak to rival the Sicilian Mafia.
Their connection is grounded in shared experiences and a set of values and codes so deeply ingrained they don't need to be spoken. For Our Secrets Are The Same is not just the story of two rock stars, but of two sons, brothers, partners and parents who have never forgotten where they come from. Two men who have remained deeply bonded to their roots and each other, while fulfilling a teenage dream to form a world-class live band and take their music around the globe.
Fascinating and funny, evocative and inspiring, this unforgettable memoir captures a unique journey through life and music, and a friendship like no other.
Original members and core songwriters, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill formed Simple Minds in 1977 and went on to turn it into one of the biggest, most influential, eclectic and pioneering groups of the past half century. Simple Minds emerged from Glasgow's post-punk scene, transitioning from restless art-rockers to electro futurists and passionate pop contenders before becoming, finally, a global rock institution. Their critically acclaimed run of records between 1979 and 1985 are cited as a key influence by artists as diverse as Primal Scream, Mogwai, Manic Street Preachers, Moby, Peter Gabriel, Horrors and Chvrches. Their numerous global hits include 'Alive and Kicking', 'Promised You A Miracle', 'Waterfront', '(Don't You) Forget About Me', 'Belfast Child', 'Sanctify Yourself', 'She's a River' and 'Let There Be Love'.Simple Minds were recently the subject of critically acclaimed documentary, Everything is Possible, and continue to perform to huge crowds all over the world.
Graeme Thomson is the author of several acclaimed music books, including Under the Ivy: The Life & Music of Kate Bush; Small Hours: The Long Night of John Martyn; and Themes for Great Cities: A New History of Simple Minds. Graeme is pop columnist for the Spectator and writes on music, literature and popular culture for a number of publications, including the Guardian, Radio Times and Uncut.
