X-Book

Our Secrets Are The Same

Click Buy to Log in and see personalised pricing.

Send as a gift Get in the xigxag app
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

A ROUGH TRADE AND UNCUT BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025

'Brilliantly entertaining' MOJO

'A rollercoaster tale' Classic Pop

'Endlessly vivid' i Paper

'A beautifully candid bromance . . . the shared vision and the strength of their bond is palpable on every page of a book that even casual fans should devour' Record Collector

'A bruised but brilliant story' God Is in the TV

'Burchill and Kerr take it in turns to tell the story of the band and the story of their friendship. The result feels very Simple Minds, full of ambition, steeliness and proper humour' Herald, Music Books of the Year 2025

The long-awaited memoir from Simple Minds' founder members and lifelong collaborators, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill

A candid, moving and kinetic story of self-realisation through the power of music, Our Secrets Are The Same is the remarkable joint memoir by Simple Minds' founder members, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill. It not only reveals the inner workings of one of the most innovative and successful British bands of the past half-century, but the deeply personal tale of an extraordinary friendship which powered teenage dreams into visionary action.

Exploring key songs, places, years and events in the Simple Minds story, and told in the distinct voices of both men, Our Secrets Are The Same explores a bond which has encompassed stratospheric highs and humbling lows, marriages and divorces, fatherhood, fickle fame, tricky inter-band dynamics, the occasional explosive bust up, and a ruthless streak to rival the Sicilian Mafia.

Their connection is grounded in shared experiences and a set of values and codes so deeply ingrained they don't need to be spoken. For Our Secrets Are The Same is not just the story of two rock stars, but of two sons, brothers, partners and parents who have never forgotten where they come from. Two men who have remained deeply bonded to their roots and each other, while fulfilling a teenage dream to form a world-class live band and take their music around the globe.

Fascinating and funny, evocative and inspiring, this unforgettable memoir captures a unique journey through life and music, and a friendship like no other.

Critics Review

Brilliantly entertaining
MOJO
A rollercoaster tale
Classic Pop
Endlessly vivid
i Paper
A beautifully candid bromance . . . the shared vision and the strength of their bond is palpable on every page of a book that even casual fans should devour
Record Collector
A bruised but brilliant story
God Is in the TV
Full of ambition, steeliness and proper humour
Herald Scotland
Author Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill & Graeme Thomson
Narrator Derek Riddell, Norman Bowman
Duration 11 hours and 25 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781405562690
Format Audiobook
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Genre Popular music
Availability AU, GB, IE

About xigxag

xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK’s only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.

There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at £8.99. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from £3.99. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.

Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.

Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.