Derek Forbes (born 22 June 1956) is a Scottish bassist, vocalist, and occasional guitarist. He is mostly associated with the Scottish band

Simple Minds Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band formed in Glasgow in 1977. They have released a string of hit singles, becoming best known internationally for "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (1985), which topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United Sta ...

, having joined in time to record their early demos in 1978 and stayed with the band during their rise to mainstream success and their first six albums, until leaving shortly after their 1985 hit "

Don't You (Forget About Me) "Don't You (Forget About Me)" is a song by the Scottish rock band Simple Minds, released as a single in 1985. It was written and composed by the producer Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff, a guitarist and songwriter from the Nina Hagen band. Forse ...

" (subsequently rejoining in a reduced role from 1995 to 1998). He has also played with Big Country,

Propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded ...

Oblivion Dust Oblivion Dust is a Japanese rock band first active from 1996 to 2001; they reunited in 2007. Although they were originally largely influenced by early 1990s American grunge bands,

, Spear of Destiny (band), 10:51 and

The Alarm The Alarm are a Welsh rock band that formed in Rhyl, Wales, in 1981. Initially formed as a punk band, the Toilets, in 1977, under lead vocalist Mike Peters, the band soon embraced arena rock and included marked influences from Welsh languag ...

, as well as leading his own projects.

Career

A former member of the Scottish punk band Subs, Forbes replaced Tony Donald as bassist for

in 1978, remaining in the band for seven years and six albums before being ousted in 1985. Despite this, he remained closely associated with Simple Minds and has described them as "the band I never left." He contributed overdubs to their post-Forbes live album ''Live in the City of Light'' and, having turned down a chance to rejoin the band in 1989, subsequently rejoined for a three-year period from 1995 to 1998 (before and during the recording of '' Néapolis''). He and the band's erstwhile drummer Mel Gaynor also appeared at ''Scotland Rocks for Kosovo'' in 1999 performing

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

's "

Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...

", whilst a new version of Simple Minds also appeared on the bill (with Mark Kerr on drums and Eddie Duffy on bass). Forbes was also part of the abortive reunion of the original band in 2008. While still nominally being out of Simple Minds, he has assisted at selected rehearsals, writing and recording sessions, and played versions of the band's music with his own separate projects. After Simple Minds, Forbes went on to play in a number of other bands, including

(Germany) and

Oblivion Dust Oblivion Dust is a Japanese rock band first active from 1996 to 2001; they reunited in 2007. Although they were originally largely influenced by early 1990s American grunge bands,

(Japan), Spear of Destiny, 10:51 and the Alarm. Forbes sang with David Bowie on the Iggy Pop album ''Soldier''. He played bass on the Kirsty MacColl hit "A New England". Forbes has also performed onstage with Peter Gabriel. Forbes also played in Fourgoodmen, a Scottish supergroup, between 2005 and 2007, and formed XSM, who were originally to consist of Forbes, MacNeil, and McGee from the original Simple Minds line up. XSM recorded an album's worth of tracks, but Mick MacNeil didn't want to perform live, so Forbes and McGee took the band out, along with Owen Paul (McGee), sibling of Brian McGee. The guitar and keyboard player roles were twofold, with Steven Curley (version 1) on guitar, followed by Ant Seaman guitar (version 2) and Gary O'Hagan on keyboards (version 1) and Andy Gall keyboards (version 2). Forbes was voted 'Best Bass Player in the World' in 1982, and 'Best International Bass Player' in a music poll in Australia, the same year. Forbes was also voted 'Best Bass Player in UK'. In 2009, Forbes was voted 'Scotland's Greatest Ever Bassist' by the readers of ''Dear Scotland'', and his life and work is the subject of a biography in both print and film by writer/director Ethan Dettenmaier. Forbes had his own radio show on LA Talk Radio for two years, ''May the Forbes Be with You''. Production stopped after he joined Big Country in 2012, replacing bassist Tony Butler. Forbes left the band in 2015. Forbes was a featured extra in the film ''This Is Not a Love Song''. He also toured the East Coast of America from 2015 to 2017 with his all-American band, Derek Forbes Band. Members include John McNutt (ex-Spear of Destiny), Danny Beisell (Fosterchild and American Vinyl), Tim McKinstrey and Marc Iezzi. Forbes was awarded an Ivor Novello in 2016, for Outstanding Song Collection, for his songwriting for Simple Minds, amongst others. On 22 June 2016, Forbes released a solo album titled ''Echoes'' containing 11 songs he composed with Simple Minds in their early years, which he re-recorded as the only musician involved in the project.

ZANTi

ZANTi is Forbes's band and album project with Anni Hogan (ex-Marc & the Mambas). ZANTi have released one album, ''Broken Hearted City'', on Downwards Records with Forbes and Hogan on all writing, arranging, performing and producing duties.

References

External links

Official Derek Forbes website

Fourgoodmen Myspace

Vigier Basses

A special "Synthesize Me" interview with Derek Forbes 19/6/16
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forbes, Derek 1956 births Living people Musicians from Glasgow Scottish bass guitarists Scottish new wave musicians Simple Minds members Big Country members Dead Men Walking members