Peter Cox, an English singer and songwriter and one half of the duo Go West chats with Kevin Cooper about performing backing vocals with The Boomtown Rats, their orchestral shows with the Southbank Sinfonia, the release of a deluxe edition of their debut album Go West and touring in May with Paul Young.

Peter Cox is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer of British pop duo Go West.

In 1978 Cox joined Terra Nova, a band put together by former Manfred Mann’s Earth Band members Chris Slade and Colin Pattenden. While in residency in a Sheffield night club, he began writing songs with long time collaborator, Richard Drummie.

In 1982 he and Drummie formed Go West with Cox as lead singer and Drummie on guitar and backing vocals. They initially signed a record deal with Chrysalis Records.

In 1985 they released We Close Our Eyes which reached number five in the UK singles chart. Also released that year was Call Me and Don’t Look Down. In 1986 they were named Best Newcomer at the Brit Awards.

In 1993 he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a solo career. He released his self named debut album in 1997 which was followed by Flame Still Burns in 2001, Nine Miles High the following year, Game For Fools in 2005 and Motor City Music in 2006.

Whilst pursuing his solo career, Cox continued to work with Drummie as Go West. They have released a total of five studio albums, three live albums, four compilation albums, two remix albums and three EP’s.

Whilst busy preparing for Go West’s shows with the Southbank Sinfonia, he took some time out to have a chat with Kevin Cooper and this is what he had to say.

Peter, good morning. How are you today?

Hello Kevin, I’m good thanks, how are you?

I’m fine thank you and before we go on, let me firstly thank you for taking the time to speak to me today.

Not at all mate, thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about what we are currently doing.

I have to ask, just how is life treating you at this moment in time?

Well, what can I say, like everyone I am so pleased that we are somewhat returning to some kind of normality. Don’t get me wrong, I am still being careful, but I am happy to be back at work, and I have to tell you that I am busier than I have been for quite some time.

How did you manage to remain sane during lockdown, if in fact you did manage to remain sane? (laughter).

(Laughter) you cheeky bugger. I was most definitely on the more cautious reaction to Covid but, in the end, I got my head down, and I actually started writing and recording some songs for a forthcoming solo album.

As yet, do you have a window for a release date?

I am currently aiming for autumn with the album itself, because as I see it, I am eight songs into what will be a ten-song album. Having said that, the first single from the album which is called Too Far Gone, will be released on 18^th March, which just so happens to be the day when we will be playing the Bridgewater Hall with our orchestral dates as Go West.

I’m so pleased that you have mentioned the shows that you are going to be performing with the Southbank Sinfonia. Are you looking forward to those?

(Laughter) yes, finally I am looking forward to those shows very much indeed. I had a slightly more difficult time imagining just what Go West would sound like with an orchestra when the idea was first suggested. Obviously it made sense for ABC to play with an orchestra simply because The Lexicon Of Love has an orchestra all over it. The Go West sound was, by design, quite synthesized with synths taking the part of the horns and strings, on the first Go West album. We are now some ways into the arrangements for the orchestra for these shows. Rob Pagett, the guy who is doing the arrangements for us, is doing a fantastic job, and he has particularly done some beautiful arrangements for some of our less well-known songs and some of the ballads from the album. So, yes, now that I can hear synthesized demos of what the orchestra is going to sound like, I can visualise it more easily, and I am now really looking forward to it.

Whose idea was it for you to play with the orchestra?

It has to be said that it was our manager who came up with the idea. Isn’t it always the managers idea? (ldaughter).

How are rehearsals going?

(Laughter) well you are not the first person to have asked me this, so I will try to keep this short. The reality of working with an orchestra is that they are very expensive, and it very soon becomes a very expensive endeavour (laughter). You are talking about thirty additional players on top of your own electric band. So, whilst we are hearing our arrangements in a synthesized form so that we can be involved, make comments, together with the odd change here and there should we feel it necessary, we will have at least some control over what the orchestra will be playing on the day. I won’t hear the orchestra playing these parts until the day before the very first show.

That is the only rehearsal that we will get. Having said all of that, I have a feeling that it is going to be good (laughter). I don’t want to offend any classically trained players, because I can’t even imagine how they do what they do, but they don’t tend to interact like a drummer, a bass player and a guitarist would interact in an electric format. These kinds of players will turn up on the day; they have music in front of them, they play the music and, as you say, if all goes smoothly, it will sound fantastic.

You will be performing in The Symphony Hall in Birmingham, and I have to say that the acoustics in there lend themselves to this kind of performance.

Well, all of the venues on this tour have been chosen because, as you say, the venue itself needs to have been constructed with orchestral performances in mind so yes, I have played at The Symphony a number of times, but never with an orchestra though. So, I am really looking forward to hearing it doing what it is designed to do. We have always had such great support in Birmingham, and it is always a venue that I always look forward to performing in.

(Laughter) how does it feel playing catch-up with your old sparring partner Mr (Tony) Hadley who has done this sort of thing on many occasions now?

Yes, you are quite right, Tony has done this sort of thing many times before, but I don’t know really if Tony’s music is necessarily better suited, but as you say, he has beaten us to the punch, but we are certainly catching up with him now (laughter). Thank you for bringing that up and you and I were getting along so well (laughter).

One of the shows is at The Palladium in London and I have to ask, when you think about all of the artists, stars and legends who have trodden the boards there before you, does it make you nervous at all?

I am definitely tuned in to the prestige of the venue, but having said that I always have pre-gig nerves, and I try to channel those nerves into something positive. Having said that, my anxiety is only ever about me wanting to do my part as well as I can and wanting the show to be as good as it can be. So, I hope that nerves lead to a positive result in the end. So, I will be as nervous before the show at The Palladium as I am before any other gig (laughter).

Are there any songs that you really wanted to perform that haven’t quite worked out with the orchestra?

Actually, our process has been slightly different to that. From the outset we have tried to envisage which songs would work, and, touch wood, we haven’t had a disaster. We haven’t had a song that has gone wrong. Having said that, they are not all completed as yet. We did that edit if you like, of our back catalogue, before we started the process of orchestrating the songs. Clearly, there were some songs which quite obviously needed to be included, but once we had dealt with those five or six songs, then there was scope for us to be a bit more imaginative and there are definitely songs in our catalogue which, on the one hand may be less familiar to the audience, but which lend themselves much better to an orchestra setting, and we are hoping that everyone will enjoy it.

I see that you have, once again, got Cutting Crew on board as special guests. They always put on a good show.

Yes, they have got some great tunes, and I have to come clean and say that they have beaten us once again, in the process of making orchestral albums. So, they already have their arrangements in hand. They will be opening with a set of thirty-five minutes or so, and I really can’t wait to get back out on the road with those guys.

On the subject of guys who you enjoy being out on the road with, in May I see that you are helping a youngster launch his career (laughter).

(Hysterical laughter) that’s nicely put (laughter). Yes, we are doing a double headline tour with our old mate, Paul Young in the second half of May up and down the country. It will be the first tour that we have undertaken with back-to-back dates for a very long time. Its years since we have toured in this way, so I am looking forward to that. At this moment in time, we are not really sure what form that show is going to take quite yet, but I am sure that we will get into the planning stage once we have done these orchestral shows.

The question that everyone wants an answer to is will we be seeing all of you on stage together at some point of the show?

I’m honestly not quite sure yet. We haven’t spoken to Paul about these arrangements as yet, but I am sure that we will get into that during the rehearsals leading up to the tour. All that I can say at this moment in time is watch this space (laughter).

If you can’t find Paul for rehearsals, he will no doubt be away cooking somewhere.

Yes, that’s a good call; he could even be off somewhere playing with Los Pacaminos (laughter). There is always a danger with Paul that he will be out and about.

How much fun is it when you go out on the road with Paul?

Paul and I have very similar musical influences, and I have to admit that Paul is quite the musicologist (laughter). He has always got something interesting to turn you onto musically, and yes, he is great fun to be around. He is a very nice man.

In May you will be releasing a deluxe edition of your debut album Go West as a box set including four CD’s together with a DVD. Are you happy with it?

Yes, we are, and yes, I am very pleased with it. In my opinion, I would have to say that it really is a great looking box set. It is packed with loads of demos, previously unreleased mixes of various songs which the fans might know. It is also full of artwork and pictures that have never been seen before. It also includes a film of our very first live performances, from when we were on the road over in Japan with Culture Club, The Style Council and The Associates. There is also a film in the box set of our Yokohama baseball stadium concert, when Typhoon Number 9 came in so fans will have the dubious pleasure of seeing me singing while I am absolutely soaked with rain (laughter). It really is a nice-looking package; Richard (Drummie) and I are really pleased with it. I really do hope that people will enjoy it.

You say that you are pleased with the final product. Were you and Richard involved with choosing the content?

Oh yes, absolutely. You’re kidding me aren’t you (laughter). Richard and I have always been, from a managerial point of view, very difficult to deal with because we try to be involved in every aspect of whatever we do; from the song writing to the artwork to the way that things look, so on and so on. So, yes, Richard and I have been thoroughly and deeply involved in the process of putting it all together, so much so to the frustration of people who might have liked it to have been completed much more quickly (laughter). That has always been our agenda, to make something that we can be proud of and that we hope that the fans will enjoy.

I have to be honest with you and tell you that I have played the Go West album earlier today and, in my opinion, I feel that it sounds as fresh today as it did on its original release back in 1985. Would you agree with that?

Thank you very much for saying that. I have got to give some credit to Gary Stevenson for the sound of the record. We obviously brought the songs to the table, but I think that the whole being greater than some of the parts, or whatever that expression is, is largely due to Gary and his fixation with Trevor Horn, and that very high-tech production, reverbs, echoes and all that stuff that made the Go West album sound the way that it does. So, yes, Richard and I brought the songs to the table, but it was Gary and his keyboard player Dave who together dialled in all of those keyboard sounds. We were there, we were involved in those parts, but it really was the famous five, we four and the engineer who engineered that first album.

You and Richard have been together for forty years now.

That’s right, man and boy. It really has been a very long association (laughter).

It’s actually longer than most marriages (laughter).

Yes, it is but without any of the good bits (laughter).

Have you enjoyed the ride so far?

Yes, I have, absolutely. Obviously, there is a certain amount of ebb and flow as there is with anything else. If you have told me back in 1985 that I would still be making a fool of myself in front of audiences here in 2022 I would have said that I thought that was unlikely but, here we are and I feel very lucky and very grateful to the faithful, which is what we call our Go West faithful fans who have kept us working and have enabled us to do what we do. We couldn’t do it without them, and Richard and I feel very fortunate.

Have there been any major disagreements along the way?

Yes, far too many to mention (laughter).

You mentioned that you are currently working on a solo album; are there any thoughts on a new Go West studio album?

If Richard were to be sitting in on this conversation, he would be saying that we are always working on the next Go West album (laughter). Obviously, one reason for me to be working on a solo album was that we were all isolated during lockdown, and I have got my little rig here where I have been writing and creating demos of the songs that are going to make up my solo album, so I haven’t been in touch with Richard that much. In all truth, I have only seen him when we have played a few shows recently. So, all that I can say to you is that there are no immediate plans for anything Go West wise.

We have spoken about this previously; and I have to tell you that I am still playing to death your 2006 solo album Motor City Music. I personally think that it is a great piece of work.

That’s very kind of you, and to be honest I really don’t know what to say. Let me say that I really do appreciate the support. That album really was a labour of love; Motown was the soundtrack to my teenage years, and whilst I may have thought ‘do I really want to attempt a Marvin Gaye song or a Stevie Wonder song’ these are the icons, my idols, my favourite singers. I have to say that it was fun to do, and whilst working within certain restrictions, I was very pleased with the result.

Do you have a favourite Go West song to perform?

To be totally honest with you, I always like to perform the songs that the fans know because again, when you are writing the songs you never imagine that one day in the future, we will play this song and when we get to the chorus, the audience will take over and sing that song for us. So, for example, The King Of Wishful Thinking is generally that song. It is most probably the best known song in our show, and we always invite the crowd to sing along with us, which from my point of view, if they are singing and I’m smiling then life is pretty good really (laughter).

I was recently watching an old concert of The Boomtown Rats and I have to ask; did I see a young Peter Cox backstage performing backing vocals?

(Laughter) yes, you did. Just how the hell did you spot me on that (laughter). That’s me and Colin Campsie from The Quick. Colin had been called up for that gig and he called me and said “do you fancy having a go at this” and at that time we were closer friends than we are now, it’s sad to say. I don’t see that much of Colin these days but yes, he called me and asked me if I fancied giving it a go. To be honest with you, Colin was pretty wired in those days, by which I mean cocky, confident and a ‘we can do anything’ kind of guy. I have never been wired in quite that sort of way, but I rode on the back of Colin’s confidence that we could do that, and I have to say that it was a fun day. It really was an interesting experience. I haven’t had many occasions to be hired, if you like, as a sideman, as a hired hand, so yes; it was something to be in Bob Geldof’s company, to do that gig.

Finally, I have to ask the question, are you currently on the hunt for some new white shirts for the tour?

(Hysterical laughter) there it is, the white shirt syndrome. How I have been trapped into the cycle of ironing, I have absolutely no idea (laughter). I have a pretty good supply of white shirt’s thank you, so hopefully no one will be disappointed by the wardrobe choices.

On that note Peter, let me once again thank you for taking the time to speak to me today, it’s been delightful as usual.

Thanks Kevin, you take it easy, and I hope to see you in Birmingham. Bye for now and once again, thank you for your support.

Katrina (from The Waves), Chesney Hawkes, Carol Decker, Paul Young, Go West, Bonnie Tyler, ABC and Tony Hadley performing Stepback! 80’s Concert at The Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Saturday 27th October 2018.

Review by Kevin Cooper

If you were dressed in an iridescent coloured tutu or wearing a shaggy long haired wig last night, then you were most certainly off to the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham to take a trip down memory lane and belt out the words to some of the best songs to come out of the 80’s.

With eight artists taking to the stage there was something for everyone. When compare Roberto from Heart FM came onto the stage to announce that first up would be Katrina (from The Waves), the crowd gave her a hearty welcome. With time for just two songs she opened with Love Shine A Light which showcased her powerful voice and with Walking On Sunshine she had warmed the crowd up nicely.

Up next was Chesney Hawkes who doesn’t seem to have aged a day with his beaming smile and cheeky banter who sang I’m A Man Not A Boy and the unforgettable The One And Only which was not strictly an 80’s song having been released in 1991, but cannot be left off any Chesney Hawkes set list. Leaving the stage to the wonderful Carol Decker who treated the crowd to Heart And Soul and had them waving their arms in the air to the delightful China In Your Hands, she showed that her voice is still as good now as it was when this power ballad was launched into the charts in 1987.

Time has been less kind to Paul Young who’s voice appears not to have stood the test of time, but he was still good fun as Tear Your Playhouse Down saw him running across the stage and Wherever I Lay My Hat took this crowd straight back in time. Finishing his short set with Come Back And Stay, Young showed that he can still entertain as he left the crowd wanting more.

Go West are always a must have group on any 80’s line up and last night they did not disappoint. With his belting voice Peter Cox entertained with the likes of Call Me, We Close Our Eyes and had everyone singing along to King Of Wishful Thinking. Finishing the first half was Bonnie Tyler who could be forgiven for shouting her way through her three song set which included the lovely Total Eclipse Of The Heart and the forceful Holding Out For A Hero.

With a short interval which saw the crowd dancing along to other 80’s records, it was clear that they had been transported back to their disco days. And when the wonderful saxophone start to When Smokey Sings was heard there was no doubting that ABC had taken to the stage. With Martin Fry sounding just as good as when they released their debut album Lexicon Of Love in 1982, he took the whole evening up a notch.

With the likes of All Of My Heart, Tears Are Not Enough, 2016’s Viva Love and set finisher The Look Of Love (Part 1) ABC could have stayed on the stage all night but they had to pass it over to former Spandau Ballet front man, Tony Hadley.

Whilst getting the stage ready, more 80’s music was played as the Arena was transformed in to one huge party. Songs such as Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now and The Proclaimers’ I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) defied anyone not to dance and sing along to the words but order was restored when Hadley began his set with Take Back Everything and went on to deliver a polished performance that he is known for. Songs such as To Cut A Long Story Short, Instinction and Through The Barricades showcased his wonderful voice but for must do songs, True and Gold, the audience gave Hadley a run for his money in the singing stakes.

Later this year on the same stage will be Stepback! 90’s and on last night’s showing the artists will have big boots to fill. It was a fun filled evening of singing and dancing that had everybody wanting more; proving that like red wine some songs will always improve with age.

Cutting Crew, Nik Kershaw and Go West performing their Icon Of The 80s Tour at The Royal Concert Hall Nottingham on Saturday 24th February 2018.

Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

With millions of album sales between them, Cutting Crew, Nik Kershaw and Go West joined forces to bring an incredible 80s concert experience to the Royal Concert Hall last night.

With a format that allowed Nik Kershaw and Go West to share the stage, it was Cutting Crew who started the evening off with their own short set.

With songs from their 1986 album, Broadcast, they treated their fans to Any Colour, One For The Mockingbird and I’ve Been In Love Before, and when lead singer Nick Van Eede joked about being icons in their 80’s, the crowd went wild.

They finished their short set with a delightful cover of REM’s The One I Love, and their massive 1986 hit, (I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight that had the crowd on their feet singing every word.

Up next were Nik Kershaw and Go West for their double header. Starting with a delightful version of U2’s Beautiful Day, and with the sound at times being questionable, Go West left the stage to Kershaw who delighted with a couple of his own hits Wide Boy and Dancing Girls that got the crowd to their feet.

Next up was Go West and with Peter Cox’s powerhouse vocals, their anthems Faithful and Don’t Look Down increased the energy in the room and with Kershaw back for his own penned hit for Chesney Hawkes, The One And Only, everyone went into the interval singing.

For the second half Kershaw and Go West kicked off with a beautiful Everybody Wants To Rule The World, and turned things up a notch with Don Quixote, We Close Our Eyes, Call Me and I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me. King Of Wishful Thinking had everyone on their feet as this nostalgic 80s trip had to come to a reluctant end.

Flashback To The 80’s at Clumber Park featuring Doctor & The Medics, Katrina, Midge Ure, Go West, Jimmy Somerville, ABC, Kim Wilde and Billy Ocean on Saturday 16^th August 2014

[See image gallery at www.ukmusicreviews.co.uk]

Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

Tonight over 8000 party goers made their way to Clumber Park for a trip down memory lane to watch eight artists perform at Flashback To The 80’s. This second night saw many iridescently clad ‘boppers’ armed with cases of beer under their arms, cheer with delight as the proceedings were opened by Doctor & The Medics, and a rousing You Spin Me Right Round (the bands new single), which set the bar for the rest of the evening.

With the Doctor once again acting as MC for the entire proceedings, the excellent music was interjected with humour and really good fun. He really is an amusing chap and splendidly filled the gaps between artists with jokes and the requisite festival information. He also made any diva proud with his costume changes, although his Union Jack coat was a firm crowd favourite.

Next up was Katrina (of Katrina & The Waves) who was making her first appearance at Clumber Park. Enthusing about the really lovely setting she questioned why she had not been asked before. Her set was vibrant; opening with Rock ‘n’ Roll Girl, she followed up with a lively version of Ike and Tina Turner’s River Deep, Mountain High. But it was the tried and tested numbers that got the loudest cheer as she didn’t disappoint us with Love Shine A Light and Walking On Sunshine.

Midge Ure followed, showing that you do not need a huge set and production to show your talent and quality. And he has an abundance of both. Opening with Loves Great Adventure, followed by Fade To Grey and If I Was, it was Vienna that had the whole crowd singing along, arms aloft and forgiving him for his voice not being as it was back in the day. But he was sheer class as he closed his set with Dancing With Tears In My Eyes.

With an unexpected appearance from the Jive Bunny, the fun continued with the stalwarts of the music festival scene; Go West. Peter Cox’s voice is still great even if he did have to strain on a couple of the higher notes. Theirs is definitely a set that gets your feet tapping as the old favourites, Don’t Look Down, Call Me and We Close Our Eyes were belted out. Sex On Fire was brilliant if a little out of place since it was not a song from the 80’s but it seems to have rapidly become a signature song for this duo. Whilst the voice may not be as it was, for this crowd, they could do no wrong as they finished with The King Of Wishful Thinking.

Next up was Jimmy Somerville. Now sporting a beard, time really does seem to have stood still for him. He still has that cheeky smile and wiggle of the hips. His falsetto singing voice didn’t falter once as he delivered his disco anthems, opening with You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real). Immediately this crowd had abandoned their fold up seats, discarded opened cans of drink, to just have a really good dance. Whilst never missing a beat, Never Can Say Goodbye and To Love Somebody quickly followed. Finishing his set with Don’t Leave Me This Way, he reinforced his accolade as being the best at getting people up and on their feet dancing. For me, whenever I see this little bundle of sheer talent, I am always left wondering why he never headlines these type of Festivals. The crowd should always be left wanting more and Jimmy Somerville has perfected that better than any other.

The proceedings were then given some class with the dapper looking Martin Fry. There is no doubt that his voice has lost none of its edge as his old classics Poison Arrow and The Look Of Love were delivered pitch perfect. On stage with his very talented backing band was a gold plated Lambretta, which he explained belonged to one of his band members. That scooter was as classy as his act as he perfectly delivered All Of My Heart and the mass sing-along; When Smokey Sings. If I am honest, Jimmy Somerville had brought the crowd to fever pitch, and it has to be said that Martin Fry brought it down a little, but with his brass section and his slickness, this British new wave band does still have it all.

Whilst a hard act to follow, Kim Wilde did a great job. Also a Clumber Park newbie, she showed this crowd that she deserved to be there. Poised halfway between sparkly housewife and a more down to earth celebrity, tonight she was miles away from her stop start career as a manufactured starlet. Opening with Kids In America it was clear that she was here to entertain. She delivered a fantastic cover of Alice Cooper’s Poison and her version of Erasure’s A Little Respect wasn’t half bad, but with over 12 studio albums to her name, finishing with You Came brought her set to a great close.

With the rain and the unfriendly wind, the headline tonight was saved for Billy Ocean. He kept us all waiting for a while, but neither the rain nor the wind dampened this crowd’s enthusiasm for an old time favourite of the 80’s. Resplendent in a red suit he took to the stage to deliver Love Really Hurts Without You, When The Going Gets Tough, and Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car. For the final showdown, Red Light Spells Danger and Caribbean Queen were amongst the numbers which had this crowd shouting for more.

Tonight I saw a monkey, a Viking warrior and so many Madonna look a like’s, it was impossible to keep count. Despite the weather, everyone was determined to have a good time. That of course would not have been possible if it were not for the steely efforts of the stewards who looked after this revelling crowd admirably. I witnessed Police Officers (real ones) dancing to the music and mixing with the crowd; being as patient as they could possibly be. A whole load of people put in the work to make this event such a success, including the Forestry Commission who supplied such a beautiful setting, and Andy at andy@steamingkettlepr, who worked tirelessly to ensure that we all knew that this was going to be a night of fun. He did not disappoint.

In truth, my only criticism of the night was that the sound at the back was really not that good. Perhaps the organisers could look into this in readiness for next year’s event. But a great night was had by all nevertheless. But what this Festival does bring together, is people who have all joined to revel in the greatness that is 80’s music. I’m booking my ticket for next year already!

To read what Clive, the Doctor had to say to Kevin Cooper when he caught up with him, go to https://www.ukmusicreviews.co.uk/interviews/interview-clive-jackson-doctor-the-medics/