On the 17th of September, the passing of Scottish drummer Kenny Hyslop was announced on social media.
Kenny Hyslop performing with Slik at the New Victoria Theatre in London, May 1976
Midge Ure (formerly of Ultravox), with whom Hyslop performed in the bands Salvation and Slik, was the first to report the sad news on his social media. The latter band topped the UK singles chart with the track “Forever and Ever” in 1976.
Then, Kenny Hyslop went on to join The Zones, the punk new-wave outfit The Skids, only to land a gig with Simple Minds. He remained the band’s live drummer for less than a year (between 1981 and 1982), took part in the tour promoting the “Sons of Fascination/Sister Feelings Call” double album (appeared in two music videos: “Love Song” and “Sweat in Bullet“), and contributed his talents to the recording of one of Simple MInds’ early classics – the track “Promised You A Miracle“.
Kenny Hyslop (center) with Simple Minds
Hyslop also worked with the following artists: Set The Tone, One O’Clock Gang, Midge Ure, Big George and the Business. In the later period of his life, he worked as a drum teacher at Carlton Studios in Glasgow. The cause of his death was prostate cancer. He was was 73 years old at the time of his death.
The day after Kenny Hyslop‘s passing, Simple Minds singer, Jim Kerr, posted a heartfelt comment on the band’s FB profile:
“The pub, as we all know, is part of the historic identity of many UK cities, among them of course is my hometown of Glasgow. And it just so happens that it was in one of those Glasgow pubs that I first saw drummer, Kenny Hyslop, perform. No longer a member of disbanded Slik who had gone all the way to the top end of the pop charts, now playing with new wave outfit The Zones – for me Kenny was by far the best thing about that band. Sensational on the night I caught them. With both innovative percussive style and sheer bombast, in terms of talent he was light years ahead of any of the other local drummers playing in the city’s bars and clubs back then. Being so, it is fair to say that at that moment in time, I could only dream of one day performing in a band with someone as good as Kenny Hyslop.
Therefore, years later with Simple Minds suddenly scrambling around, temporarily looking for ‘the right kind’ of drummer to join us for our Sons And Fascination Live dates – I felt with certainty that Hyslop’s style and technique would complement our live sound quite perfectly. Thankfully the others in Simple Minds felt the same, and that is how Kenny ‘John’ Hyslop, who recently passed away, came to spend the next six months touring with us.
Apart from singing his praises as a drummer to the high heavens. (He made our music feel great!) What else can I tell you about Kenny? Not much really. For if the three years that previous drummer, Brian Mc Gee spent within our band, now seems like a ‘piffling’ amount of time. In comparison, those six months that KH spent could easily be described as little more than a fleeting engagement. Then again life itself suddenly feels all too fleeting for those of my generation.
Despite the reality of that, without doubt Kenny Hyslop made a lasting impression on me. And not only with me and the rest of Simple Minds, but also with my friend’s son, and other kids who idolised Kenny, when much later he set himself up as a teacher in Glasgow, surely encouraging a whole new generation of Scottish kids on how to become ‘rhythm kings and queens.’ It is through those students that Kenny Hyslop’s legacy now lives on.
Our thoughts are with them and Kenny’s friends and family today.
Jim Kerr“
