Derek Forbes started his musical career as a lead guitarist but soon changed to bass guitarist. He is known for iconic spine-rattling bass riffs which we recognise in most Simple Minds' songs and he wrote and co-wrote many of the band's earliest classics.
Derek is also well known on the international stage as songwriter and bassist for Big Country and Propaganda and has recorded with Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd and Kirsty MacColl.
He won an Ivor Novello Award for ‘Outstanding Song Collection’ in 2016 for his song writing for Simple Minds, voted best bass player in the World 1982 and best bass player from Scotland in 2010. This is his story.