Simple Minds Announce New Studio Album; Share First Song

SIMPLE MINDS ANNOUNCE BRAND NEW STUDIO ALBUM, SACROSANCT   FIRST SINGLE, "BEGINNER BOYS," IS OUT TODAY - LISTEN SACROSANCT ARRIVES JANUARY 29, 2027 ON BMG PRE-ORDERS/PRE-SAVES AVAILABLE NOW *** APPEARING AT DARKER WAVES FESTIVAL IN CALIFORNIA ON 14 NOVEMBER JIM KERR AND CHARLIE BURCHILL'S MEMOIR, OUR SECRETS ARE THE SAME, OUT SEPTEMBER 8

Photo Credit: Brian Sweeney and Paninaro Magazine

Simple Minds are proud to announce the release of their brand-new studio album, Sacrosanct. Set to arrive January 29, 2027, via BMG, the album finds the lifelong collaborators Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill in supremely confident form on one of their most vital albums in decades; one that recaptures the magic and majesty at the very heart of Simple Minds. The band is heralding the announcement with Sacrosanct's first single, "Beginner Boys." "Beginner Boys" is inspired by Kerr watching his twin grandsons grow up and thinking about what it means to raise a good man today — “how strength, tenderness, courage, and gentleness might still belong together, even when the wider culture around them can send mixed signals. It’s less a statement than a question I hope they’ll spend their lives answering for themselves.” Featuring an outstanding, restrained vocal from Kerr, and the unmistakable shimmering guitar of Burchill, the song belies an infectious euphoria. LISTEN TO "BEGINNER BOYS" PRE-SAVE/PRE-ORDER SACROSANCT   In the four years since 2022’s top 5 UK album Direction Of The Heart, the band has been busier than ever, releasing a critically acclaimed career-spanning documentary, publishing a joint memoir (Uncut magazine and Rough Trade’s "Books of The Year"), and delivering live shows across the world that have seen them continually lauded as one of the greatest bands of their generation. Last year alone, they played in front of over 1.5m people and some of their biggest audiences since 1985, on their hugely successful Global Tour. During this remarkable period, on a high from touring, they began crafting and recording their new album.    Their North American leg in 2025 inspired Kerr and Burchill to draw on their art rock and new wave roots after witnessing fans in cities they’d never before played react ecstatically to early songs such as "Sons and Fascination." This atmosphere prevails throughout Sacrosanct, and its eight brilliantly crafted songs have both simplicity and an ethereal directness. The Magazine-inspired opening track, "Elysium" was named after the paradise of Greek myth, reserved for those who lived well or fought hard and is the natural counterpoint to the album’s "King Of The Underworld," inspired by the figure Mephistopheles and whoever, or whatever, rules over our appetites. The life-affirming "Jerusalem (State of Mind)" draws on William Blake’s dream of a Jerusalem that was less a city and more a longing for a better world. "Our Secrets Are The Same" directly explores the lifelong bond between Kerr and Burchill, a song about a remarkable friendship: two eight-year-olds who met on a Glasgow street and are still finishing each other’s sentences 50-odd years on. The most "pop" moment on the album arrives in the form of "Songs," a celebration of the power of songs to lift you on good days, and pull you out of depression on harder ones when little else can. Sacrosanct’s two closing songs, "Alive In This Moment" and "The Next Right Thing," explore nostalgia from different perspectives. The former, with a trademark, uplifting Burchillian guitar intro, is about resisting the urge to reach back and, instead, to remain present, while the latter’s elegiac beauty focuses on the passing of time and the loss of those we love.    Regarding the choice of album title, Kerr said: “We called the album Sacrosanct because after a lifetime of doing this — nearly 50 years of writing songs together — it’s stopped feeling like a career and started feeling like something closer to faith. Calling the record Sacrosanct isn’t an exaggeration. It’s just honest.”   Sacrosanct is an artistic triumph and the third album, alongside Walk Between Worlds and Direction of the Heart, in an emphatic trilogy.   "Making records and performing live is as much part of our lives now as when we started out," says Kerr. "We feel grateful to those who support new music from Simple Minds and look forward to seeing you all on our upcoming world tour." SIMPLE MINDS SACROSANCT (BMG) Release Date: january 29, 2027

TRACKLIST: Elysium King Of The Underworld Beginner Boys Jerusalem (State Of Mind) Our Secrets Are The Same Songs Alive In This Moment The Next Right Thing # # #

The metalwork on the album artwork comes from a collaboration between Simple Minds and Glasgow-born sculptor Andy Scott, who has reimagined the band's logo in steel (see photo below). Scott was awarded an OBE in this year's King's Birthday Honors for services to sculpture and fine art. A lifelong fan who first saw the band at Glasgow's Tiffany's in 1982, Scott builds his large-scale outdoor works using a distinctive welded assembly technique, composing each form from thousands of hand-cut steel sections. He is best known for The Kelpies, the pair of 30-metre horse heads at Falkirk — the largest equine sculptures in the world.

The release of Sacrosanct coincides with Simple Minds embarking on their biggest arena tour to date, beginning in early February in Australia and New Zealand before heading to Europe and the UK in April and May. Demand to see the band perform has grown exponentially over the last few years, and they are consistently recognized as one of the best live outfits of their generation. The Guardian said, “they’re back in arenas, with a retooled seven-piece line-up. Decades-old songs arrive waxed and polished, while more recent tracks have a contemporary shimmer.”   The "Simple Minds V Tour 2027" promises a panoramic live music experience, an all-encompassing celebration of music across 5 decades from a band who have not only managed to remain relevant to each new generation, but continue to shape and perform with the same energy that has defined their career. Before kicking off the 2027 V tour in Australia, the band will hold a show at City Park, Stirling, Scotland. The long-awaited memoir from Simple Minds' founding members and lifelong collaborators, Kerr and Burchill, will be published on September 8. Our Secrets Are The Same is a candid, moving, and kinetic story of self-realization through the power of music. The book is a remarkable joint memoir that reveals not only the inner workings of one of the most innovative and successful British bands of the past half-century, but also the deeply personal tale of an extraordinary friendship that turned teenage dreams into visionary action. SIMPLE MINDS - TOUR 2027 AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND* FEBRUARY 13 - RAC ARENA, PERTH, AUSTRALIA 16 - AEC ARENA, ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA 18 - ROD LAVER ARENA, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA 20 - QUDOS BANK ARENA, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 21 - ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA 25 - SPARK ARENA, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND 27 - TSB ARENA, WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND MARCH 1 - WOLFBROOK ARENA, CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND EUROPE** APRIL 5 - SUPER BOCK ARENA - PORTO, PORTUGAL 6 - SAGRES CAMPO PEQUENO - LISBON, PORTUGAL 7 - MOVISTAR ARENA - MADRID, SPAIN 9 - LDLC ARENA - LYON, FRANCE 10 - ACCOR ARENA - PARIS, FRANCE 11 - LE GALAXIE - AMNÉVILE, FRANCE 13 - ZÉNITH NANTES MÉTROPOLE - NANTES, FRANCE 14 - ARKEA ARENA - BORDEAUX, FRANCE 16 - UNIPOL FORUM - MILAN, ITALY 17 - UNIPOL ARENA - BOLOGNA, ITALY 19 - HALLENSTADION - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND 20 - OLYMPIAHALLE - MUNICH, GERMANY 21 - UBER ARENA - BERLIN, GERMANY 23 - OSLO SPEKTRUM - OSLO, NORWAY 24 - ROYAL ARENA - COPENHAGEN, DENMARK 25 - AVICII ARENA - STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN 27 - BARCLAYS ARENA - HAMBURG, GERMANY 28 - LANXESS ARENA - COLOGNE, GERMANY 30 - ZIGGO DOME - AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS UK & IRELAND* MAY 6 - O2 ARENA - LONDON, UK 7 - CO-OP LIVE ARENA - MANCHESTER, UK 8 - UTILITA ARENA - BIRMINGHAM, UK 10 - MOTORPOINT ARENA - NOTTINGHAM, UK 11 - FIRST DIRECT ARENA - LEEDS, UK  13 - UTILITA ARENA - NEWCASTLE, UK 14 - OVO HYDRO - GLASGOW, UK 17 - 3ARENA - DUBLIN, IRELAND *With very special guest Gary Numan **With very special guests Level 42   ABOUT SIMPLE MINDS: Formed in the seventies and named after a lyric from David Bowie’s seminal 1972 single The Jean Genie, Simple Minds have become one of the most successful bands ever to come out of the UK. They have sold over 60 million records worldwide, had number one singles on both sides of the Atlantic, and number one albums the world over, including five UK number one albums in the UK: Sparkle In The Rain (1984), Once Upon A Time (1985) and Street Fighting Years (1989) as well as the concert recording Live In The City Of Light (1987), and the compilation Glittering Prize 81/92. 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." 1985’s US number 1 single, "Don’t You (Forget About Me)" remains a global streaming hit and recently joined the prestigious Spotify Billions Club. They have been the recipient of the Q Awards Lifetime Achievement and received universal critical acclaim for their recent albums, with 2022’s Direction Of The Heart charting at number 4 in the UK and number 7 in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands.   The outstanding 2023 documentary-film about the band, Everything Is Possible, featured fellow musicians including Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie and Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, and writer Irvine Welsh, reflecting on Simple Minds’ enduring influence and legacy, whilst last year’s Our Secrets Are The Same, the joint memoir celebrating the lifelong friendship between singer Jim Kerr and guitarist Charlie Burchill, was featured in both Uncut magazine and Rough Trade’s "Books of The Year." Referenced by a slew of younger artists, MOJO magazine recently described the band’s energy as "undiminished" whilst other critics praised the band’s endurance and consistent creativity.   Simple Minds are: Jim Kerr (vocals), Charlie Burchill (guitars), Gordy Goudie (acoustic guitar), Ged Grimes (bass), Cherisse Osei (drums), Erik Ljunggren (keyboards) and Sarah Brown (vocals).   CONNECT WITH SIMPLE MINDS SIMPLEMINDS.COM | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

Emma Ruth Rundle pleas for the demolition of Western hegemony in new "God's Picture" single/video

Emma Ruth Rundle Releases “God’s Picture” Video/Single

New Album These Killing Times Out Sep 18 via Errant Child

North American Headlining Fall Tour + Announces UK/EU Run

New Noise Magazine Cover Story Issue 83

Photo By Mason Rose


"God's Picture" is the latest track to be taken from Emma Ruth Rundle’s These Killing Times, and described by Emma as the centerpiece and thesis statement of this record. The album will be released via her own imprint Errant Child on 18th September.

"'God’s Picture' is a meditation on the state of the world, particularly climate disaster, global conflict and class. Musically this song feels like a segue from Engine of Hell, with its gentle piano and guitar, to These Killing Times, with its more lush arrangements and message. This song is also a plea for the demolition of western hegemony. Accompanied by a music video collaboration with many friends and for which I painstakingly constructed the sets for in the winter of 2025/26, 'God’s Picture' is the thesis statement at the core of my new album These Killing Times."


Listen / Watch / Playlist “God’s Picture” | Watch Video



Creating visual adornments for These Killing Times offered Rundle a moment of relief from the heaviness of its themes. Her life-long affection for the aesthetics of Jim Henson, in particular The Storyteller, proved to be the escape hatch that opened up the visual world that would accompany the album. Both the physicality of crafting props with her hands, and the continuing spirit of collaboration with artists and close friends Mason Rose and Blake Armstrong were grounding forces, providing a sense of tangible creation in the midst of uncertain times.

Through the fantastic characters and symbolic garnishes she brought to life in the videos for “Enough” and “God’s Picture” - demons and society quasi-Elizabethan folk - she found a sense of much needed levity. As though she is willing this satirical take on an alternative-timeline-fantasyland into being, the visuals are an essential ingredient in this alchemical brew. Rundle adds “The characters in ‘God’s Picture’ provide a way both to play and lightly explore the power structures and politics and themes of this time.”


These Killing Times is electrifying, emotional and charged with anti-patriarchal feminist rage. It’s a reactive anthology, bristling, full of life and full of resistance.

Although this new album possesses a spirit of defiance, it retains the tenderness, rawness and vulnerability that saw her previous globally acclaimed full-length, Engine of Hell (2021), resonate with so many listeners.

These Killing Times returns to a full-band set up for a fuller sound, a more sonically powerful accompaniment to her now more direct vocal style. The album features drummer Jess Gowrie (Chelsea Wolfe, Mrs. Piss), long-time friend and collaborator Troy Zeigler, Patrick Shiroishi, Nick Reinhart (Tera Melos), Gina Gleason (Baroness), Marissa Nadler, Lukas Frank (Storefront Church) and Amelia Baker (Cinder Well). The instrumentation is brighter and more urgent than ever before, lending a fascinating magnetism to Emma's music which feels fresh and new.

These Killing Times asks us questions of our intentions and of the roles we play in the communities we exist within, and how we choose to counter the chokehold of capitalism. Sleepless nights, moments of horror, and times of anguish could be overlaid atop a timeline of recent socio-political events to map the creation of These Killing Times; the rising power of Christian nationalism, the grotesque circus of political discourse, and related ontological discomfort. But there is also love - as a balm and a tonic, a means of escape. A desire for companionship and connection whilst being confronted by the most violent parts of humanity remains an unresolved tension.

Written as she watched from afar the devastating effects of yet another climate disaster unfold in early 2025, Emma reflected on the roots of the systemic issues that filter directly into so many catastrophic global events, and made a conscious choice to reach towards making a hopeful record. Where outside forces tempted her to turn inwards, towards isolation and hopelessness, she instead reached outwards to create a record that acknowledges pain, but offers both community and resilience in response.

Bringing others into the fold was both a stylistic choice and one that strengthened her community-first approach to making the record. “I wanted to feel fortified by friendships and to be in community with other musicians - to make something that pushed back against the isolation,” says Emma.

These Killing Times adds to Rundle's extensive genre-defying discography which includes collaborative projects, bands, soundtracks, and solo releases. The album was recorded by Sonny Diperri (My Bloody Valentine, Trent Reznor, These New Puritans), who she has worked with on multiple releases over the last decade.

As well as her work in music, Emma is an established visual artist working across multiple disciplines. In 2025 her first book of poetry, The Bella Vista, was released via Unnamed Press.


Pre-Order / Pre-Save These Killing Times


Last month, Emma Ruth Rundle announced her THESE KILLING TIMES Fall headlining tour across North America on which she’ll perform with a full band. Cinder Well is set to support all dates. The run kicks off in November, following her solo support tour with All Them Witches in October. THESE KILLING TIMES TOUR tickets are on sale now. Today she has also confirmed a Spring 2027 tour across Europe and U.K. which includes a performance at Roadburn. See below for a full list of dates and more info.


Emma Ruth Rundle Live Dates:

Oct 10: Chattanooga, TN - The Signal ~
Oct 11: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL - Ponte Vedra Concert Hall ~
Oct 12: Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club ~
Oct 13: Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall ~
Oct 14: Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre ~
Oct 15: Norfolk, VA - The NorVa ~
Oct 16: Harrisburg, PA - XL Live ~
Oct 17: Asbury Park, NJ - The Stone Pony ~
Oct 18: Norwalk, CT - District Music Hall ~
Oct 19: Portsmouth, NH - 3S Artspace ~
Oct 20: South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground ~
Oct 21: Albany, NY - Empire Live ~
Oct 22: Buffalo, NY - Electric City ~
Oct 23: McKees Rocks, PA - Roxian Theatre ~
Oct 24: Indianapolis, IN - HI-FI Annex ~
Oct 25: Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection ~
Oct 26: Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom ~
Oct 27: Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue ~
Oct 28: Des Moines, IA - Wooly's ~
Oct 29: Bloomington, IL - The Castle Theatre ~
Oct 30: Cincinnati, OH - Bogart's ~
Nov 24: Seattle, WA - Neumos *
Nov 25: Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater *
Nov 27: San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall *
Nov 28: Los Angeles, CA - Lodge Room *
Nov 29: Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom *
Dec 01: Austin, TX - 29th Street Ballroom *
Dec 02: Dallas, TX - Puzzles *
Dec 04: Atlanta, GA - The EARL *
Dec 05: Nashville, TN - EXIT/IN *
Dec 06: Asheville, NC - Eulogy *
Dec 08: Washington, DC - Black Cat *
Dec 09: Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts *
Dec 10: Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus Bar *
Dec 12: Boston, MA - Roadrunner (Saddest Day Festival)
Dec 14: Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom & Tavern *
Dec 15: Detroit, MI - El Club *
Dec 16: Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall *
Dec 18: Omaha, NE - Reverb Lounge *
Dec 19: Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater *

~ Performing solo, supporting All Them Witches
* THESE KILLING TIMES TOUR, performing with a full band. Cinder Well to support.


Mar 22: DE, Berlin - Festsaal
Mar 23: DE, Hamburg - Bahnhof Pauli
Mar 24: DE, Leipzig UT - Connewitz
Mar 25: DE, Cologne - Gebäude 9
Mar 27: CZ, Prague - Palác Akropolis
Mar 28: AT, Wien - Arena Wien
Mar 30: DE, Munich - Backstage
Mar 31: CH, Zurich - Rote Fabrik
Apr 01: FR, Lyon - L'Epicerie Moderne
Apr 02: FR, Lille - L'aeronef
Apr 03: FR, Nantes - Ferrailleur
Apr 05: UK, Bristol - Fleece
Apr 06: UK, Manchester - Gorilla
Apr 08: UK, Glasgow - St. Luke's
Apr 09: UK, Leeds - Brudenell Social Club
Apr 10: UK, London - Islington Assembly Hall
Apr 11: UK, Brighton - Chalk
Apr 13: FR, Paris - Elysee Montmartre
Apr 14: BE, Antwerp - Trix
Apr 15: NL, Tilburg - Roadburn

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FELSMANN + TILEY share Echonomist's reinterpretation of 'God Is Lonelier', announce details of shows in London and Berlin

FELSMANN + TILEY LISTEN TO ECHONOMIST’S NEW REINTERPRETATION OF ‘GOD IS LONELIER’ HERE   ORIGINAL VERSION FEATURES ON THEIR LATEST ALBUM, PROTOMENSCH   TWO RARE LIVE DATES ANNOUNCED LONDON, PURCELL ROOM – 22 NOV BERLIN, KANTINE AM BERGHAIN – 25 NOV

[Felsmann + Tiley] German synth-duo Felsmann + Tiley (Dominik Felsmann and Patrick Tiley) have today shared the latest in a series of reinterpretations of tracks from their debut for Mute, Protomensch, and announced details of two rare live performances: at London’s Purcell Rooms on 22 November and Berlin’s Kantine an Berghain on 25 November.   Echonomist brings a new dynamism to the track, one that he explains was born from the huge distances he travelled while working on the reinterpretation. He goes on to say, "I worked on this remix while touring across the US and Mexico, with most of it coming together in a friend’s studio in LA. It feels like the soundtrack to all those long drives, flights and quiet hours between shows. Spending so much time on the road, away from home, made the whole process feel even more emotional, and I think that naturally found its way into the remix.”

Listen to Echonomist’s reinterpretation of ‘God Is Lonelier’

[Echonomist, credit Ioanna Chatziandreou @shooterio] Echonomist’s reinterpretation is the latest in a series that has so far seen Sofí Paez rework ‘Reset’, Lambert rework ‘Open Fields’, Lysten remix ‘Warum’ and Sensu take on ‘Always You’.   The remixes are all of original tracks from Felsmann + Tiley’s latest album Protomensch. The album, which was released earlier this year, was described by Flood as “An epic-scaled work of atmospherics and mounting tension that never breaks” while The Big Takeover called them “vital architects of a new electronic frontier”.   The band’s original intention, “an invitation to pause, step out of the noise, reflect... and reset” is amplifed on Sofi Paez and Lambert’s take on two of the album’s contemporary classical tracks, while the duo’s own rich history with reinterpretations - their own of M83’s ‘Solitude’ and The Irrepressibles ‘The Most Beautiful Boy’ went viral, with 200 million streams to date – means it feels right that they have invited a host of talent to remix, rework and reinterpret tracks from the album. Expect forthcoming work from Meredi, Jamie Irrepresible, Silver Panda and more over the coming months. Felsmann + Tiley Live 22 Nov – London (UK) - Purcell Rooms, Southbank Centre 25 Nov – Berlin (DE) - Kantine am Berghain Listen to Protomensch Protomensch tracklisting 1. Open Fields (ft. The Kite String Tangle) 2. Memory 3. OPIOID (ft. Pet Deaths) 4. Reset 5. Always You (ft. Woodes0 6. Seeker  7. Warnung 8. Gabriel 9. Kind 10. God Is Lonelier (ft. Lais) 11. Warum 12. Neuzeit