Somewhere In Summertime: Music of Simple Minds inspires coming-of-age film

A new film by Still Game director Michael Hines will use the music of Simple Minds to tell the story of a group of teenagers growing up in poll-tax era Glasgow.

Jim Kerr’s band’s hits are the inspiration for coming of age flick Somewhere In Summertime, which is due to start filming next spring.

Hines, who directed every episode of Scotland’s most successful comedy as well as three blockbuster live shows at Glasgow’s Hydro, has teamed up with Glasgow-based writing partners Chris Martin and Michael Murdoch to helm the project.

Still Game writer and star Greg Hemphill has also helped the pair hone the script on the production, which is backed by US-based entertainment company Slin Samoth.

Martin said: “The poll tax era was a time Michael and I grew up in and saw our own family and friends struggle.

“With the cost of living crisis people are once again struggling and disenfranchised, so we wanted to show that despite the struggles, there is always hope and escape in music.

“The music of Simple Minds will serve as a backdrop and  provide hope throughout an often bleak story.

“Simple Minds came from a similar background to the characters, growing up in the housing estates of Toryglen when the poll tax era hit Scotland. In 1990 they were one of the biggest bands in the world, universally global and uplifting, and still uniquely Glaswegian in the themes and hopes within their songs.”

The band’s Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill, whose biggest hits include Alive and Kicking, Waterfront and Don’t You Forget About Me, approved the use of their songs after reading the film’s script.

“When the manager came back to say the band gave us their approval we were ecstatic.” said Martin.

He added: “Michael Hines has the vision to tell a story like this full of feeling and humour, like he did with Still Game. Working with him means an awful lot to us. And to have someone of the stature of Greg Hemphill speak highly of our work and be willing to work with us is a huge honour.”

Director Hines said: “I really am thrilled and honoured to be directing a movie with such iconic music as the backdrop to it.

“The early 90s were such a difficult but vibrant time in Glasgow for many and to be able to tell a coming of age story set then is going to be a big challenge, but a lot of fun.”

Simple Minds have also been working on a new documentary about their career, which includes input from Holyrood Secondary in Glasgow, Kerr’s old school.