Go West
Go West in 1985, left to right: Richard Drummie (guitar) and Peter Cox (vocals)
Go West in 1985, left to right: Richard Drummie (guitar) and Peter Cox (vocals)
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres
Years active1982–present
Labels
Members
Websitegowest.org.uk

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 Brit Awards 1986, 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 last was featured in the American romantic comedy film Pretty Woman (1990).

History

In 1982, Cox and Drummie formed the band Go West, with Cox as lead vocalist 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 record 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 February 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, was innovative and unusual for its time, becoming 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 studio album was released in April 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 & 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 1985 Rocky IV film 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 studio album, Dancing on the Couch, which made the UK top 20. Although several singles were released, the album was not as commercially successful as their first, particularly in the United 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 US 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]

Go West, 2008
Richard Drummie
Peter Cox

In 1992, the duo released their third studio album Indian Summer, which included "Faithful" and revival of Bobby Caldwell's original What You Won't Do for Love. 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 backing vocalist.[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]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardsCategoryWorkResultRef.
1986 Pollstar Concert Industry Awards Next Major Arena Headliner Themselves Nominated [21]
1991 Brit Awards British Video of the Year "King of Wishful Thinking" Nominated [22]
1992 ASCAP Pop Music Awards Most Performed Songs Won [23]
1994 "Faithful" Won [24]

Members

  • Peter Cox – lead vocals, keyboards, percussion, guitars
  • Richard Drummie – electric guitars, keyboards, backing vocals, bass

Discography

Studio albums

Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
UK
[8]		 AUS
[25]		 NZ
[26]		 SWE
[27]		 US
[28]
Go West 81953960
Dancing on the Couch
  • Released: 1987
  • Label: Chrysalis
 19953149172
Indian Summer
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Chrysalis
 13———154
Futurenow —————
3D
  • Released: 2013
  • Label: Blueprint
 —————
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

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)[31]

Compilation albums

Remix albums

Title Details Peak chart positions
AUS
[25]		 NZ
[26]
Bangs & Crashes 4514
More Bangs & Crashes
  • Released: 1986
  • Label: Chrysalis
 ——
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Extended plays

  • 3D Part 1 (2010)
  • 3D Part 2 (2011)
  • 3D Part 3 (2013)

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
[8]		 AUS
[33][34]		 BEL
(FL)
[35]		 GER
[36]		 IRE
[37]		 NLD
[38]		 NZ
[26]		 SWE
[27]		 SWI
[39]		 US
[40]
"We Close Our Eyes" 1985 5 8 14 14 11 22 4 — 19 41 Go West
"Call Me" 12 12 — — 7 — 10 — — 54
"Goodbye Girl" 25 55 — — 19 — 33 — — —
"Eye to Eye" — — — — — — — — — 73
"Don't Look Down" 13 26 — — 10 — 15 — — —
"One Way Street" 1986 — — — — — — — — — — Bangs & 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 — — — — — — — — —
"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. 1 2 3 4 Larkin, Colin, 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. 1 2 3 4 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. ↑ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 20 June 1992 – 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". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  17. ↑ "80s Recovered". Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.{{cite web}}: 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. ↑ "Pollstar Awards Archive - 1985". 20 March 2017. Archived from the original on 20 March 2017.
  22. ↑ "Beautiful South win British Video presented by Phillip Schofield & Simon Le Bon | BRIT Awards 1991". Archived from the original on 21 December 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  23. ↑ Rosen, Craig (30 May 1992). "ASCAP Honors Top Pop Performers" (PDF). Billboard. p. 16.
  24. ↑ "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 21 May 1994 – via Google Books.
  25. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 126. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  26. 1 2 3 "charts.org.nz - Discography Go West". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  27. 1 2 "Discography Go West". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  28. ↑ "Go West Charts & Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 9 February 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  29. ↑ "Go West - Go West (album)". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  30. ↑ "Go West - Indian Summer". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  31. ↑ "GO WEST Live Robin 2 - 2003". Angelair.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  32. ↑ "Go West: Aces and Kings - The Best of Go West". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  33. ↑
  34. 1 2 Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 116.
  35. ↑ "Discografie Go West". ultratop.be. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  36. ↑ "Discographie Go West". offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  37. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search for Go West in "Search by Artist"". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  38. ↑ "Discografie Go West". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  39. ↑ "Discographie Go West". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  40. ↑ "Go West Charts & Awards: Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 23 January 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  41. ↑ "Go West - We Close Our Eyes". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  42. ↑ "Go West - The King of Wishful Thinking". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
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