Go West

English pop duo Go West was formed in 1982 by Peter Cox (vocals) and Richard Drummie (guitar and backing vocals). The duo owned a portastudio and landed a publishing deal but lacked a band or recording company.

Deciding to self-record two of their own tracks – We Close Our Eyes and Call Me – the pair eventually landed a recording contract with Chrysalis Records.

We Close Our Eyes was released as their debut single in February 1985, reaching #5 on the UK Singles Chart, #5 on the US Dance Club Play chart and #41 on the Billboard Hot 100. The promotional video accompanying the song was directed by Godley & Creme from 10cc and became an early favourite on MTV.

Their eponymous debut studio album was released in April 1985, peaking at # 8 in the UK.

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 soundtrack to Rocky IV (1985).

In 1987, Go West released the 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 US, although it yielded the band’s first American top 40 hit single, Don’t Look Down – The Sequel.

Go West had a #8 hit in the US in 1990 with King of Wishful Thinking, which was used in the soundtrack to the film Pretty Woman (1990).

The duo released their third studio album – Indian Summer – in 1992, spawning the single Faithful, which reached the Top 20 in the UK, Canada and the United States. Cox and Drummie called it a day shortly thereafter.