Because new music from TH3 MINDS – the truly unrivalled collective of keyboardist Mick MacNeil, bass/guitarist Derek Forbes and drummer Brian McGee, which has been revived – the past, present and future heart, soul and driving force of Simple Minds – is still a long way off, new music from Mick MacNeil is appearing out of the blue. It is playfully announced as:
Coming soon. Mick’s been working on a new album, this body of work will appeal to Simple Minds fans as much of the music gives a nod to the past whilst adding a contemporary present day twist. A soundtrack to your lives is a bold claim, Mick hopes to deliver just that. Fortune Favours the Brave, a Soundtrack audition for the next new 2026 James Bond 007 movie? Anyone know Eon Productions, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, Amazon MGM? Michael MacNeil a founding member of Simple Minds ‘tick’ (Don’t You Forget About Me, Live Aid) has written and played this piece along with guitar legend Steve Hillage ‘tick’, it has been produced by renowned record and soundtrack producer Stephen Lipson ‘tick’, famed for producing the Soundtrack for 007 No time to Die, Mission Impossible movies, Batman movies and countless musicians.
Fortunes favour the brave sounds like an adaptation of Theme for great cities (1981) but quickly develops into something completely new – and yet not. What is immediately recognisable is that the keyboard maestro is naturally at the helm here. The atmosphere in the accompanying clip is enigmatic and ominous. The music is too, navigating between peace and war. So it’s a preview of an entire album and finally, finally, finally it’s happening again: one of the Big Three is releasing new music.
The reason given for releasing this album now – release “likely to be early next year” – is: “This will be a solo project from Mick. Dan’s (Derek Forbes” nickname, ed.) in the middle of setting up his home studio, once set up, T3M will resume.
Once again, a beautiful late autumn and winter is on the horizon for fans of the original Minds.
Thomas Kamphuis 