Derek Forbes is a Scottish bassist, vocalist, and sometime guitarist, best known for his work with the Scottish band Simple Minds, which he joined in 1978, and recorded on their early demos and 1979 debut album, Life in a Day until shortly after their 1985 hit, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”).

Forbes was voted ‘Best Bass Player in the World’ in 1982, and ‘Best International Bass Player’ in a music poll in Australia, the same year. Forbes was also voted ‘Best Bass Player in UK’. Forbes is highly respected by his peers and fellow musicians, including Adam Clayton, Peter Hook, Nicky Wire, Tony Butler, Pino Palladino, JJ Burnell, Bruce Foxton, John Giblin and Malcolm Foster.

In 2009, Forbes was voted ‘Scotland’s Greatest Ever Bassist’ by the readers of Dear Scotland,[1] and his life and work is the subject of a biography in both print and film by writer/director Ethan Dettenmaier.

Forbes had his own Hollywood radio show on LA Talk Radio for two years, before joining Big Country which, stopped production of his show ‘May the Forbes Be With You’.

Forbes was a featured extra in the film ‘This Is Not A Love Song’.

Forbes was the bass player with Scottish band Big Country, replacing the longstanding Tony Butler who retired from the band, but left the band in 2015.

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