Name: Simon Hayward

Hometown: South Coast, England

Instrument: Keyboards / Programming

Favourite Simple Minds songs: Waterfront / New Gold Dream / Love Song / Theme for Great Cities / Street Fighting Years

Favourite Depeche Mode songs: In Your Room / I Feel You / It's No Good / World in My Eyes / Enjoy the Silence / In Chains

Favourite U2 songs: One Tree Hill / Where the Streets Have No Name / Mothers of the Disappeared / Discotheque / Wave of Sorrow / The Unforgettable Fire

Musical Influences: Simple Minds / Depeche Mode / John Williams / James Horner / Jerry Goldsmith / Mesh / Moby / The Doors / Rob Dougan / Little Boots / Tears For Fears / OMD

Interests: Star Wars / Classical Film Music / Football / The Mighty Boosh / League of Gentlemen

Ambtions: To go into space! (and land safely!)

Contact: groovemachine@hotmail.com

Profile:

Having been a fan for over 25 years, Simon has an unhealthy knowledge of all things Simple Minds / Depeche Mode.

As well as playing keyboards, Simon's role is to arrange the songs and produce rehearsal material for the other band members. With a vast amount of pre-production required to deliver the revered 'wall of sound', Simon has a fine attention for detail.

A successful singer / musician in his own right, Simon has written music for TV and performs original material with his band Automated Groove Machine. Recent releases include a Phunk Investigation remix of his popular track 'Flame On' released through Absolutely Records.

He has also independently recorded two albums of reworked Simple Minds tracks as is also featured on the Simple Minds tribute album, 'Swimming Towards the Sun'.