Go West (band)
| Go West | |
|---|---|
 Richard Drummie and Peter Cox in 1985 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Dance-pop,[1] blue-eyed soul[2] |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels |
Chrysalis EMI |
| Associated acts | Level 42 |
| Website | Go West.org |
| Members |
Peter Cox Richard Drummie |
Go West are an English pop duo, formed in 1982 by lead vocalist Peter Cox and rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist Richard Drummie. The duo enjoyed their peak of popularity between the mid 1980s and the early 1990s and are best known for the international top 10 hits "We Close Our Eyes", "Call Me", and "King of Wishful Thinking". They were named Best British Newcomer at the 1986 Brit Awards.[3]
History
Go West had a publishing deal and possessed a portastudio, but lacked a band or recording company. Cox and Drummie decided, with support from John Glover, their manager, to find a musical producer, and record just two of their songs. The tracks "We Close Our Eyes" and "Call Me" found Go West landing a recording contract with Chrysalis Records. Upon confirmation of the Chrysalis deal, they recruited British guitarist Alan Murphy, whose contributions became a key ingredient in shaping the duo's musical identity.
Go West's debut single, "We Close Our Eyes", was released in 1985 and reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 5 on the US Dance Club Play chart and No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4][5] The video for the song, directed by Godley & Creme, became an early favourite on MTV.[6] "We Close Our Eyes" would prove to be the band's highest-placed UK single, and their only appearance in the UK top ten.
The duo's eponymous debut album was released in 1985. It included "We Close Our Eyes" and "Call Me" as well as "Don't Look Down", which served as the prequel to what would be their first top 40 hit in the US. The album peaked at no. 8 in the United Kingdom and at no. 60 in the United States.
Bangs and Crashes, an album of remixes, B-sides and live tracks, was released in 1986, and included the track "One Way Street" which was part of the Rocky IV soundtrack. "Don't Be Afraid of Your Dreams" was in the film A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master during the closing credits.
Go West was voted "Best Newcomer" at the 1986 Brit Awards.[7]
In 1987, Go West released the proper follow-up to their debut, Dancing on the Couch, which made the UK top 20. Although several singles were released from the album, its success paled in comparison to the first album, particularly in the States. However, the album yielded the band's first American top 40 hit with the single "Don't Look Down – The Sequel", a continuation of the track "Don't Look Down" from the debut album. The single reached "Don't Look Down – The Sequel" was not included on UK versions of the CD, which instead included the track "Let's Build a Boat".
In 1990, Go West scored a top 10 US hit with "King of Wishful Thinking" from the film Pretty Woman. The track was written by Cox and Drummie in collaboration with Martin Page. In 1991, the song received an ASCAP award for being one of the most played songs in America the previous year.
In 1992, the duo released the Indian Summer album, which included "Faithful". Written by the band and Martin Page[8] and produced by Peter Wolf,[9] the song reached the top 20 in Canada and the United States.[10] In 1997, Cox took a break from Go West to release his self-titled debut solo album. He has gone on to release several more solo albums into the 2000s. His most recent album, Damn the Brakes, was released in 2013.
Peter Cox took part in TV talent competition Reborn in the USA in 2003 and came third. Following the show, Go West and winner Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet toured together and released the album Tony Hadley Vs Peter Cox & Go West.
Cox and Drummie appeared on Jim'll Fix It: Strikes Again in 2007, to re-create a popular 'fix-it' from 1986; in the original show, a fifteen-year-old girl had sung "We Close Our Eyes" with Go West as a backup singer.[11]
The band's most recent studio album 3D was released as a three-part series of EPs, the first of which was released on 29 March 2010, the second at the end of March 2011 and the third part on 4 March 2013.[12]
In November 2015, a compilation album called 80's Re:Covered featured two Go West covers of The Killers' "Human", including a remix,[13] while a recording of a 2003 concert recorded at the Robin 2 in Bilston was released as Live Robin 2 - 2003 CD/DVD in 2016.[14][15] The concert was previously released as the live DVD Kings Of Wishful Thinking - Live in 2004.[16]
Members
- Peter Cox – vocals
- Richard Drummie – guitars, vocals
- Touring members
- Ben Lochrie – lead guitar
- Lyndon J Connah – keyboards
- Richard Brook – drums
- Vinzenz Benjamin – bass
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK [17] |
US | ||
| Go West |
|
8 | 60 |
| Dancing on the Couch |
|
19 | 172 |
| Indian Summer |
|
13 | 154 |
| futurenow |
|
— | — |
| 3D |
|
— | — |
Live albums
- The Best of Go West: Live at the NEC (2001)
- Tony Hadley v's Peter Cox & Go West (with Tony Hadley) (2004)
- Live Robin 2 - 2003 (2016)[18]
Compilation albums
- Aces and Kings – The Best of Go West (1993)
- The Best of Go West (1998)
- The Best Of (1998)
- The Very Best of Go West (2012)
Remix albums
- Bangs & Crashes (1986)
- More Bangs and Crashes (1986)
Extended plays
Singles
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [17] |
AUS [19] |
BEL (FL) |
GER | IRE | ITA | NED | NZ | SWE | SWI | US | US Dance | |||
| "We Close Our Eyes" | 1985 | 5 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 22 | 4 | — | 19 | 41 | 5 | Go West |
| "Call Me" | 12 | 12 | — | — | 7 | — | — | 10 | — | — | 54 | 25 | ||
| "Goodbye Girl" | 25 | 55 | — | — | 19 | — | — | 33 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Eye to Eye" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 73 | 32 | ||
| "Don't Look Down" | 13 | 26 | — | — | 10 | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "One Way Street" | 1986 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Bangs and Crashes |
| "True Colours" | 48 | — | — | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Dancing on the Couch | |
| "I Want to Hear It from You" | 1987 | 43 | 80 | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Don't Look Down – The Sequel" |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 39 | — | ||
| "The King Is Dead" | 67 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "From Baltimore to Paris" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "King of Wishful Thinking" | 1990 | 18 | 6 | — | 46 | 23 | — | — | 24 | 20 | — | 8 | — | Pretty Woman soundtrack / Indian Summer |
| "Faithful" | 1992 | 13 | 42 | — | 51 | — | — | — | 17 | — | — | 14 | — | Indian Summer |
| "What You Won't Do for Love" | 15 | — | — | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 55 | — | ||
| "Still in Love" | 1993 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "The Tracks of My Tears" | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Aces and Kings – The Best of Go West | |
| "We Close Our Eyes" (remix) | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "All Day All Night" | 2001 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Live at the NEC |
| "Let Love Come" | 2008 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | futurenow |
| "Only Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Determination" | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Fly – Songs Inspired by the film Eddie the Eagle |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
References
- ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Go West – Go West". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- ↑ Molter, Dave (17 January 1994). "Go West – Aces and Kings". Observer–Reporter. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
- ↑ "1986 Brit Awards – Winners". Brit Awards. Retrieved 26 January 2014
- ↑ polyhex.com
- ↑ Billboard.com - Artist Chart History
- ↑ myvillage.com
- ↑ "Brit Awards Show History – 1986". Brit Awards. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
- ↑ "Faithful - Go West - Listen, Appearances, Song Review - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Go West - Faithful / King Of Wishful Thinking (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
- ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- ↑ Jim'll Fix it
- ↑ Gowest.org.uk
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
- ↑ Angel Air Records http://www.angelair.co.uk/?tcp_product=go-west-live-robin-2-2003
- ↑ Proper Music https://www.propermusic.com/product-details/Go-West-Live-Robin-2-2003-CD-DVD-235045
- ↑ Kings Of Wishful Thinking - LIVE (Angel Air) 2004, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Go-West-Kings-Wishful-Thinking/dp/B0001CVAWO
- 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 229. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ Angel Air Records, live CD/ DVD, Live Robin 2-2003 - http://www.angelair.co.uk/?tcp_product=go-west-live-robin-2-2003
- ↑
- For pre-1989 peaks, see: Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- For post-1989 peaks, see: "australian-charts.com – Discography Go West". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
External links
- Official Go West Website and Forum http://www.gowest.org.uk
- Official Peter Cox Website http://www.peter-cox.org
- Peter Cox interviewed by Kevin Gurney from 96.5 Bolton FM https://soundcloud.com/kevingurney/peter-cox-of-go-west
- Go West at AllMusic
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