Go West are an English pop duo, formed in 1982 by lead vocalist Peter Cox (born 17 November 1955) and rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist Richard Drummie (born 20 March 1959). In 1984, demos of their tracks ‘We Close Our Eyes’ and ‘Call Me’ found them 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 number 5 on the UK Singles Chart and number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. The video for the song, directed by Godley & Creme, became an early favourite on MTV. They were voted the “Best Newcomers” at the 1986 Brit Awards. The band’s self-titled debut album was also released in 1985, featuring follow-up singles ‘Call Me’ and ‘Don’t Look Down’. The album itself was not only successful in the UK but also moderately so in the US. Bangs and Crashes, an album of remixes, B-sides and live tracks, was released in 1986.
In 1987, Go West released the proper follow-up to their debut, ‘Dancing on the Couch’, which made the UK top 20. The album featured The King Is Dead, a duet with Kate Bush, which was also released as a single in the UK. The album’s success paled in comparison to the first album, particularly in the US.
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’, another hit in the US, peaking at #14, and also a UK hit, peaking at #13. This track later received airplay recognition awards in the US in both 1992 and 1993.
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.
In recent years, Go West have been regulars on the so-called ‘nostalgia circuit’ in the UK, playing live at Eighties festivals.
