Go West (band) explained

Go West
Background:	group_or_band
Origin:	London, England
Years Active:	1982–present
Current Members:	Peter Cox Richard Drummie

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.^[1] 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.^{[2] [3]} 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.^[4]

Go West's debut single, "We Close Our Eyes", was released in February 1985 and reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart,^[4] No. 5 on the US Dance Club Play chart and No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[5] The video for the song, directed by Godley & Creme, was innovative and unusual for its time, becoming an early favourite on MTV.^[4] "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.

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. 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.^[4] Go West were voted "Best Newcomer" at the 1986 Brit Awards.^[6]

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".^[7]

In 1990, Go West had a no. 8 hit in the US with "King of Wishful Thinking" from the film Pretty Woman.^[8] Written by Cox and Drummie in collaboration with Martin Page, the song received an ASCAP award.^[9]

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^[10] and produced by Peter Wolf,^[11] the song reached the top 20 in the UK, Canada and the United States.^[12]

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.^[13]

In November 2015, a compilation album called 80's Re:Covered featured two Go West covers of the Killers' "Human", including a remix,^[14] 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.^{[15] [16]} The concert was previously released as the live DVD Kings of Wishful Thinking – Live in 2004.^[17]

Awards and nominations

Year	Awards	Category	Work	Result	Ref.
1986	Pollstar Concert Industry Awards	Next Major Arena Headliner	Themselves		^[18]
1991	Brit Awards	British Video of the Year	"King of Wishful Thinking"		^[19]
1992	ASCAP Pop Music Awards	Most Performed Song			^[20]
1993	Hit Awards (Hong Kong)	Top Duo/Group	Themselves		^[21]
1994	ASCAP Pop Music Awards	Most Performed Song	"Faithful"		^[22] 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 ^[23] AUS ^[24] ^[25] NZ ^[26] SWE ^[27] US ^[28] Go West Released: 1985 Label: Chrysalis 8 19 5 39 60 BPI: 2× Platinum^[29] Dancing on the Couch Released: 1987 Label: Chrysalis 19 95 31 49 172 Indian Summer Released: 1992 Label: Chrysalis 13 112 — — 154 BPI: Gold^[30] Futurenow Released: 2008 Label: Blueprint — — — — — 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 Aces and Kings – The Best of Go West (1993) (BPI: Gold)^[32] The Best of Go West (1998) The Best Of (1998) The Very Best of Go West (2012) Remix albums Title Details Peak chart positions AUS NZ Bangs & Crashes Released: 1986 Label: Chrysalis 45 14 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 AUS ^[33] ^[34] BEL (FL) ^[35] GER ^[36] IRE ^[37] NLD ^[38] NZ SWE SWI ^[39] US ^[40] "We Close Our Eyes" 1985 5 8 14 14 11 22 4 — 19 41 BPI: Silver^[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 BPI: Silver^[42] ARIA: Gold Pretty Woman soundtrack, Indian Summer "Faithful" 1992 13 42 — 51 — — — — — 14 Indian Summer "What You Won't Do for Love" 15 122 52 — — — — — — 55 "Still in Love" 1993 43 — — — — — — — — — "Tracks of My Tears" 16 151 — — — — — — — — 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. External links Official Go West Website and Forum Peter Cox interviewed by Kevin Gurney from 96.5 Bolton FM

Notes and References

1. Web site: History - BRITS Awards. Brits.co.uk. 23 May 2019.
2. Web site: Five of the best things to do in and around Luton and Dunstable in the next seven days. Dunstabletoday.co.uk.
3. Web site: INTERVIEW: Peter Cox - Welcome to UK Music Reviews. Ukmusicreviews.co.uk.
4. Book: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music. Colin . Larkin. Colin Larkin (writer). Virgin Books. 2003. Third. 1-85227-969-9. 218/9.
5. Web site: Go West Chart History. Billboard.com. 23 May 2019.
6. Web site: Brit Awards Show History – 1986 . 31 January 2012 . Brits.co.uk . 17 March 2014 . https://archive.today/20140317150025/http://www.brits.co.uk/history/shows/1986 . dead .
7. Web site: Go West. Billboard.com.
8. Web site: Story behind King of Wishful Thinking. 31 October 2017. News.com.au.
9. Web site: Billboard. 20 June 1992. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Google Books.
10. Web site: Faithful - Go West - Listen, Appearances, Song Review - AllMusic. AllMusic. June 12, 2014.
11. Web site: Go West - Faithful / King Of Wishful Thinking (Vinyl) at Discogs. Discogs. June 12, 2014.
12. Web site: The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993. RPM. 17 July 2013. Library and Archives Canada. 12 May 2018.
13. News: Jim can't fix my childhood dreams. Sarah. Dempster. 3 April 2007. 23 May 2019. The Guardian.
14. Web site: 80s Recovered . 27 November 2015 . usurped . https://web.archive.org/web/20151208100447/http://80srecovered.com/TheSongs.php . 8 December 2015 .
15. Web site: GO WEST Live Robin 2 - 2003. Angelair.com. 23 May 2019.
16. Web site: Go West - Live Robin 2-2003 (CD/DVD). Propermusic.com. 23 May 2019.
17. Web site: Go West - Kings Of Wishful Thinking - Live. 5 February 2004. 23 May 2019. Amazon.co.uk.
18. Web site: Pollstar Awards Archive - 1985. 20 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170320050657/http://www.pollstarpro.com/PCIA-Static/awards1985.htm. 20 March 2017.
19. Web site: Beautiful South win British Video presented by Phillip Schofield & Simon Le Bon | BRIT Awards 1991. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/GAIBKw4E8Bk . 2021-12-21 . live. 29 November 2012 . www.youtube.com.
20. ASCAP Honors Top Pop Performers . Rosen . Craig . Billboard . May 30, 1992 . 16.
21. Web site: Pop 'war' hotting up | South China Morning Post .
22. Web site: Billboard. 21 May 1994. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Google Books.
23. Book: Roberts, David. 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited. London. 1-904994-10-5. 229.
24. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 126.
25. Web site: Go West ARIA chart history complete to 2024. ARIA. Imgur.com. 20 July 2024. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
26. Web site: charts.org.nz - Discography Go West . Hung Medien . 7 May 2020.
27. Web site: Discography Go West . swedishcharts.com . 13 November 2020.
28. Web site: Go West Charts & Awards . . 13 November 2020 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110209063138/http://allmusic.com/artist/go-west-p4374/charts-awards . 9 February 2011.
29. Web site: Go West - Go West (album). bpi.co.uk. 28 July 2022.
30. Web site: Go West - Indian Summer. bpi.co.uk. 28 July 2022.
31. Web site: GO WEST Live Robin 2 - 2003. Angelair.co.uk. 23 May 2019.
32. Web site: Go West: Aces and Kings - The Best of Go West. bpi.co.uk. 28 July 2022.
33. • For pre-1989 peaks, see: Book: Kent, David. Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6.
    • For post-1989 peaks, see: Web site: australian-charts.com – Discography Go West . Hung Medien . 27 June 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140705190423/http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Go+West . 5 July 2014.
34. 116.
35. Web site: Discografie Go West . ultratop.be . 13 November 2020.
36. Web site: Discographie Go West . offiziellecharts.de . 13 November 2020.
37. Web site: The Irish Charts – Search for Go West in "Search by Artist" . irishcharts.ie . 13 November 2020.
38. Web site: Discografie Go West . dutchcharts.nl . 13 November 2020.
39. Web site: Discographie Go West . hitparade.ch . 13 November 2020.
40. Web site: Go West Charts & Awards: Billboard Singles . . 13 November 2020 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120123041609/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/go-west-p4374/charts-awards/billboard-singles . 23 January 2012.
41. Web site: Go West - We Close Our Eyes. bpi.co.uk. 28 July 2022.
42. Web site: Go West - The King of Wishful Thinking. bpi.co.uk. 28 July 2022.