Happy Birthday Jim Kerr
If David Bowie's rich baritone had melded with Bryan Ferry's velvety croon, the result would be virtually identical to Jim Kerr's distinct voice. However, that comparison isn't justified if only Kerr's punk beginnings in the late '70s with Johnny and the Self-Abusers were slipped under a microscope. Back then, Kerr and his raw combo were an energetic yet dull facsimile of the Damned; Kerr's angry, unpolished vocals weren't distinguishable from the raucous screams of numerous spiky-haired youths. However, when Kerr and guitarist Charlie Burchill formed Simple Minds in 1978 with Tony Donald (bass), Brian McGee (drums), and Mick McNeil (keyboards), Kerr altered his singing style, smoothing its rough edges while retaining a brooding, enigmatic quality.
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