Go West (band)

Go West are an English pop duo, formed in 1982 by lead vocalist Peter Cox and rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Richard Drummie. At the 1986 Brit Awards, they received the Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act.[3] The duo enjoyed 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", "Faithful", and "King of Wishful Thinking"; the latter was featured in the 1990 film Pretty Woman.

Go West
Richard Drummie and Peter Cox in 1985
Background information
OriginLondon, England
GenresDance-pop,[1] blue-eyed soul[2]
Years active1982–present
LabelsChrysalis
EMI
Associated actsLevel 42
WebsiteGo West.org
MembersPeter Cox
Richard Drummie

History

In 1982, Cox and Drummie formed the band Go West, with Cox as lead singer and Drummie on guitar and backing vocals.[4][5] 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.[6]

Go West's debut single, "We Close Our Eyes", was released in 1985 and reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart,[6] No. 5 on the US Dance Club Play chart and No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.[7] 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 Singles Chart's top ten.[8]

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.[8]

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.[6]

Go West were voted "Best Newcomer" at the 1986 Brit Awards.[9]

In 1987, Go West released the proper follow-up to their debut album, Dancing on the Couch, which made the UK top 20. Although several singles were released, the album's success paled in comparison to the first, particularly in the States. However, it yielded the band's first American top 40 hit single: "Don't Look Down – The Sequel".[10]

In 1990, Go West had a no. 8 hit in the U.S. with "King of Wishful Thinking" from the film Pretty Woman.[11] Written by Cox and Drummie in collaboration with Martin Page. the song received an ASCAP award.[12]

Richard Drummie in concert in 2008

In 1992, the duo released the Indian Summer album, which included "Faithful". Written by the band and Martin Page[13] and produced by Peter Wolf,[14] the song reached the top 20 in the UK, Canada and the United States.[15]

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.[16]

In November 2015, a compilation album called 80's Re:Covered featured two Go West covers of The Killers' "Human", including a remix,[17] 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.[18][19] The concert was previously released as the live DVD Kings Of Wishful Thinking - Live in 2004.[20]

Members

Discography

Studio albums
Title Release Peak chart positions
UK
[8]		 US
Go West 860
Dancing on the Couch
  • Released: 1987
  • Label: Chrysalis
 19172
Indian Summer
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Chrysalis
 13154
futurenow
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: Blueprint
 ——
3D
  • Released: 2013
  • Label: Blueprint
 ——

Live albums
  • The Best of Go West: Live at the NEC (2001)
  • Tony Hadley v Peter Cox & Go West (with Tony Hadley) (2004)
  • Live Robin 2 - 2003 (2016)[21]

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

Extended plays

Singles
Title Release Peak chart positions Album
UK
[8]		 AUS
[22]		 BEL
(FL)		 GER IRE ITA NED NZ
[23]		 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 — — — — — — 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
  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Go West – Go West". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  2. Molter, Dave (17 January 1994). "Go West – Aces and Kings". Observer–Reporter. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  3. "History - BRITS Awards". Brits.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  4. "Five of the best things to do in and around Luton and Dunstable in the next seven days". Dunstabletoday.co.uk.
  5. "INTERVIEW: Peter Cox - Welcome to UK Music Reviews". Ukmusicreviews.co.uk.
  6. Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 218/9. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
  7. "Go West Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  8. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 229. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  9. "Brit Awards Show History – 1986". Brits.co.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  10. "Go West". Billboard.com.
  11. "Story behind King of Wishful Thinking". News.com.au. 31 October 2017.
  12. Inc, Nielsen Business Media (20 June 1992). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. – via Google Books.
  13. "Faithful - Go West - Listen, Appearances, Song Review - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  14. "Go West - Faithful / King Of Wishful Thinking (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  15. "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  16. Dempster, Sarah (3 April 2007). "Jim can't fix my childhood dreams". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  17. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  18. "GO WEST Live Robin 2 - 2003". Angelair.com. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  19. "Go West - Live Robin 2-2003 (CD/DVD)". Propermusic.com. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  20. "Go West - Kings Of Wishful Thinking - Live". Amazon.co.uk. 5 February 2004. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  21. "GO WEST Live Robin 2 - 2003". Angelair.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  23. "charts.org.nz - Discography Go West". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
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