Simply Red are a British pop/soul band formed in 1984, who are best known for the hits "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)", "Holding Back the Years", and "Stars". The name tends to refer to Mick Hucknall, the founder and frontman, with the band line-up being somewhat fluid over the years.
The band grew out of the Manchester post-punk scene of the late 70s where Hucknall was a prominent presence with his band the Frantic Elevators. When that band folded in 1984 Hucknall teamed up with manager Elliot Rashman and assembled a group of session musicians, adopting the name Simply Red and signing to Elektra in 1985. Their first album Picture Book (1985) contained the huge hit singles "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)" and "Holding Back the Years" (an old Frantic Elevators song). In all the smooth poppy sound of Simply Red was a huge departure from the punk style of Hucknall's first band.
The ongoing album releases found the group adopting an increasingly mainstream and commercial sound. Men and Women (1987) and A New Flame (1989) were followed in 1991 by Stars, which became the best-selling album for two consecutive years in Europe. It was not until the release of "Fairground" (1995) that Simply Red achieved their first No.1 single. While not a favorite with the critics, it assured the success of parent album Life.
Simply Red's most recent album was 2007's Stay, which hit No.4 on the UK album chart.
