Simply Red Biography

This year sees Simply Red celebrate their ‘21st’, having  introduced themselves to the world in 1985 with the hit single ‘Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)’ a Valentine Brothers cover taken from their debut album ‘Picture Book’ which also featured the US number one ‘Holding Back The Years’. Since then Simply Red have sold over 48 million albums.

The seeds of Simply Red were sown in Manchester in the early 1980’s.

Mick Hucknall formed the punkband Frantic Elevators. After they disbanded, Mick put the first Simply Red incarnation together.

‘Picture Book’ was followed by a string of critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums: ‘Men And Women’ (1987), ‘A New Flame’ (1989), ‘Stars’ (1991), ‘Life’ (1995), ‘Blue’ (1998), ‘Love And The Russian Winter’ (1999), ‘Home’ (2003), and ‘Simplified’ (2005).

Simply Red’s new album, Stay, will be released in the Spring (2007). Propelled by Mick Hucknall’s voice and passion, Simply Red are unique among their peers. The group effortlessly glide between highly original material and totally exceptional covers of other people’s songs that suddenly become their own.

“I’m very much of that British tradition that started with the Rolling Stones whereby black American traditions are filtered into something that is original in itself and not at all derivative. Having a good, strong voice helps in that process too,” says Mick Hucknall.

Simply Red have had 29 Top 40 hits in the UK. The band also had five number one albums in the UK, and nine albums in the Top 5

Mick Hucknall is a triple Brit Awards winner (1 best British Male and 2 Best Group), a two time Ivor Novello Award winner (Songwriter of the Year and Outstanding Song Collection), and received a Mobo award for Outstanding Achievement ‘Stars’ was the biggest selling UK album two years in row.

In 2001 Simply Red decided not to renew their contract with Warners, and to set up a label through which they would release their own records. simplyred.com was born in 2003 they released their first album 'Home' on the new label. ‘Home’ generated two top ten hits in the UK charts, where it achieved double platinum status.

The album sold over a million in Europe, earning the following awards: Italy - double platinum; Germany and Holland - platinum; Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and France - gold. The album spawned several number 1 singles throughout Europe

In 2004 Mick's record label, simplyred.com, was awarded the Music Week Award for UK Achievement.

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