Loading... Please wait...Collecting together Simple Minds’ first five, hugely influential albums, remastered with very rare bonus material in mini vinyl sleeves, in a limited edition box “If you’ve got five decades of great music to choose from you’re not going to fucking base your whole new record on Simple Minds. But on the other hand, it probably does sound a bit like Simple Minds.” The Horrors To coincide with Simple Minds’ forthcoming, unique intimate 16-date 5 X 5 European tour, EMI will release a limited edition box set. X5 features the bands first five albums - Life In A Day, Real To Real Cacophony, Empires and Dance, Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call and New Gold Dream (81-82- 83-84), which celebrates its 30th anniversary next year – plus very rare bonus material. “Barely a week goes by when I don’t listen to one of the first 4 or 5 Simple Minds albums.” Moby “U2 had been listening to New Gold Dream as a point of reference [for Unforgettable Fire], a record they liked. The panorama of the ambiance appealed to them.” Daniel Lanois The X5 box set includes each of these albums plus additional bonus material (all remastered), including rare and previously unavailable b-sides and remixes, making this special collection great value for fans and newcomers alike. Simple Minds’ 5 X 5 landmark tour – where they’ll exclusively play five songs from each of these albums - will begin in Portugal on 14th February, with the first UK shows taking place at Birmingham Academy and in the band’s hometown of Glasgow, at Barrowland, on 24th and 25th February respectively, and the final two shows at London’s Roundhouse (3rd March) and the Manchester Ritz the following evening. The band’s hometown show and London Roundhouse both sold out in an hour! “This is the set that so many who appreciate Simple Minds have been begging us to play and finally this is that one-off chance to see it.” Jim Kerr.