Simply Red Greatest Hits 25

Release Date: 17th Nov 2008

Simply Red's shimmering pop soul and elegantly heartworn balladry have provided a glistening, emotional soundtrack to our turbulent times. Their phenomenal career has spanned three decades; they've released 10 studio albums racking up over fifty million global sales, notched up over 30 top 40 UK singles, won countless awards including 3 Brits, 2 Ivor Novellos and a Mobo Special Achievement. They gained the rarest prize for a British artist with not just one, but TWO number one hits in the USA; the album ‘Stars' was the biggest selling album in the UK for two consecutive years and they have played over 1000 live shows to over 10 million people.

November 17th sees the ultimate album release by Simply Red; their definitive ‘Greatest Hits' on their own simplyred.com label. The release comprises 25 tracks on a double CD including a brand new single, ‘Go Now', a cover of The Moody Blues heart-rending classic, also to be released as a single on November 10th. A Limited Edition 3 disc set with a 25 track DVD will also be available.

Simply Red will preview their Greatest Hits live at a sold out London O2 Arena on December 3rd and will entertain over a million fans over the course of the forthcoming world tour. Beginning in Perth, Australia on February 5th, the tour takes in New Zealand, Chile, Brazil, Mexico and America (including a date New York's Radio City Music Hall) before arriving in Cardiff March 26th. The full UK dates are as follows:

March
26th CARDIFF, CIA
27th SHEFFIELD, Arena
28th BIRMINGHAM, NEC
30th BOURNEMOUTH, BIC763000
31st BRIGHTON, Brighton Centre

April
2nd LONDON, O2 Arena
5th MANCHESTER, MEN Arena
6th GLASGOW, SECC
7th NEWCASTLE, Metro Radio Arena
9th NOTTINGHAM, Trent FM Arena

It's been a long, strange and sometimes stormy ride for flame haired, politically outspoken, Simply Red founder, songwriter and frontman Mick Hucknall. With his Celtic rasp and easy flowing croon control that effortlessly ebbs and flows with the music, rarely has a British vocalist touched the blend of impeccable technique and emotional resonance that characterises the legendary American soul stars.

As this definitive hits collection proves, Hucknall is no slouch when it comes to songwriting. From the careworn introspection of his undisputed classic 'Holding Back The Years', the righteous strut of 'The Right Thing', the exuberant infatuation of 'A New Flame', the tender admiration of 'You've Got It', the amorous flight of 'Stars', these are songs that get under your skin and stay there.

A music fan through and through, Hucknall has also proved an excellent judge of a cover version. Simply Red announced themselves with the gritty reworking of The Valentine Brothers blue collar attack on the economic injustices of Reagonomics, ‘Money's Too Tight To Mention' and have crafted hits from songs as diverse as Harold Melvin's beautiful ballad ‘If You Don't Know Me By Now', reggae legend Gregory Isaac's lilting ‘Night Nurse', the Hollies' pop epic ‘The Air That I Breathe' and The Stylistics sweetly sentimental ‘You Make Me Feel Brand New.' Like any great singer, Hucknall always makes the song his own and his brand new version of The Moody Blues heart-rending farewell ballad 'Go Now' is no exception.

Quite simply, this is one greatest hits collection that lives up to it's name.