Recommendations of the Editorial team
For the 40th anniversary, the Simple Minds will publish an extensive new edition of “Once Upon A Time” on October 17, 2025.
The work originally published in 1985 appears as a 5-CD box, supplemented by numerous extras, including B-pages, rarities, 12 ″ mixes and the complete concert recording “Live in the City of Light”.
“Once Upon A Time” is considered a milestone in the Scottish band’s career. In the UK, the album reached the top of the charts and sold millions of times within a few weeks. It also landed in the top ten in the United States.
Songs such as “Alive and Kicking”, “Sancify YouSelf” and “All the Things She Said” were produced for hits The album by Jimmy Iovine and Bob Clearharountain, the iconic artwork comes from Anton Corbijn.
Exclusive live material
Particular attention is now on the live material it contains: The double CD “Live in the City of Light” documents the tour for the record, recorded in the Le Zénith Parisian. In 1987, these recordings gave their third number one placement in the British album charts.
In addition to the original album and the live recording, the box from Simple Minds comprises various rare pictures-including single edits, B-pages and the original and extended versions of “Don’t you (forget about me)”. The latter track was originally not part of the album, but started a mega success thanks to the “Breakfast Club” and is now being integrated for the first time on a new red vinyl edition, which also appears.
Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill tell
The box is complemented by a 36-page booklet with rare photos, a track-by-track comment and new interviews with Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill, which provide insights into the origin and after-effect of the album.