Simple Minds and Slik drummer Kenny Hyslop dies aged 73

Simple Minds drummer Kenny Hyslop.
Simple Minds and Slik drummer Kenny Hyslop has died aged 73 (Pictures: Getty/ Kenny Hyslop)

Simple Minds drummer Kenny Hyslop has died aged 73 after ‘struggling with poor health’.

The musician, who joined the famous Scottish band for a year from 1981, had reportedly been ill for some time prior to his death.

A cause of death is yet to be confirmed.

Midge Ure, who played with Hyslop in glam rock group Slik, sent his best wishes to the musician’s family after learning about his former bandmate’s death.

‘Just about to board the British Airways flight from JFK and heard my old friend/Slik/Simple Minds drummer Kenny Hyslop has passed way,’ he posted on X.

‘He lived a lively life! Huge condolences to his friends and family. He was much loved,’ he added.

Simple Minds and Slik drummer Kenny Hyslop.
The musician began his career in the music industry in the 1970s (Picture: Facebook/ Kenny Hyslop)

Born in Helensburgh on the Firth of Clyde in 1951, Hyslop began his career as a drummer in the early 1970s, replacing Matt Carins as the drummer of Salvation in 1972.

Two years later the band was renamed Slik following a line-up change that resulted in Ure becoming lead vocalist.

Their biggest hit came with the 1975 release of Forever And Ever, which soared to number one on the UK charts.

Simple Minds.
He spent a year working with Simple Minds (Picture: Getty Images)

However, after another name change and a short-lived foray into punk, the group disbanded two years later.

Hyslop then played with new wave bands Zones and The Skids before joining Simple Minds.

During his time with that band, he worked on the song Promised You A Miracle and performed on the first leg of the Sons and Fascination Tour.

Slik's Midge Ure, Jim McGinlay, Billy McIsaac and Kenny Hyslop in 1976.
He was also part of the line up of Slik (Picture: Andre Csillag/ Rex/ Shutterstock)

However, he left in early 1982 due to artistic differences with the rest of the band and was replaced for the second leg of the tour.

He then went on to form Set the Tone and the One O’Clock Gang.

He also became an alternative DJ until leaving the UK for Canada with the blues band, Big George and the Business.

After returning to the UK, Hyslop started teaching drumming at Carlton Studios in Glasgow.

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