Roots of Simple Minds

The Waterboys are a rock band formed in 1983 in London by Scottish musician and songwriter Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Britain and Ireland, with Scott being the only constant member. Over a four-decade career, the band has drawn on multiple styles of music including punk rock, rock and roll, folk music, Celtic soul, noise rock, country music, rhythm & blues and chamber music.

Deacon Blue are a Scottish pop rock band formed in Glasgow in 1985, currently consisting of vocalists Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, drummer Dougie Vipond, guitarist Gregor Philp and bassist Lewis Gordon. In 2013, their estimated album sales stood at six million, and by 2020 were estimated to have risen to in excess of seven million, with twelve UK top 40 singles, along with two number one albums in both the United Kingdom and Scotland.

The Mescaleros was the British backing band for British singer, musician and songwriter Joe Strummer. Formed in 1999, they issued two albums before Strummer's death from a heart attack in 2002 aged 50, and one posthumously.

Gun are a Scottish hard rock band formed by guitarist Giuliano Gizzi. The band's music has charted across Europe. In the UK, the band has had 4 UK top-20 albums and 8 UK top-40 singles, including a cover of Cameo's "Word Up" that reached the UK top 10. Gun has toured extensively, most notably with the Rolling Stones on their Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour of 1989–1990.