Book: Our Secrets Are The Same: Friendship & Fame at the Heart of Simple Minds by Charlie Burchill and Jim Kerr-

Jim Kerr comes across as the poet and leader of the band he is and Charlie Burchill still comes across as a mystical presence in the background that he has always seemed to be, shedding the limelight and only coming to the front of the stage when beckoned by his best mate.

This is the story of the founder/constant members of one of my favourite coming-of-age bands. Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill take turns telling us their story, a method I have seen before. However, each chapter starts with unclaimed verbosity, and I often forget whose story I was reading and have to go back and quickly re-read it each time I realise I have the wrong member in my head.

Glasgow is one of my favourite cities; undoubtedly, it has produced more of my favourite bands than any other, and I know it well. However, the 21st-century Glasgow I have grown to love is nothing like the working-class roots described within these pages. I have never heard of Toryglen, where both boys moved to and claimed the tower blocks were a luxury compared to where they had been born.

Although they admit their wealth started to roll in after New Gold Dream (81, 82, 83, 84), my favourite album, after several years of relentless work, their values remained firmly with Glasgow's traditional left-wing working class.

Loved the first third, it went a bit stadium/business in the second but it came back beautifully in the final third with a return to family, values and friendship. Their bond seems much stronger than that of brothers. It's unspoken, it's telepathic and it's unique.

Mine is a treasured signed copy picked up (full price!) from an independent bookstore.

*PS I also loved the Simple Minds documentary that preceded this book, where Jim Kerr asserted they were nothing like brothers; if they were, they would fall out with each other more! Their bond is much stronger than that. A little shocked and surprised however, to also learn that the writer who helped them with the book writes for the right-wing Spectator, albeit amongst many other publications.