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From the eighties to the Here and Now and has-been...
If you’re one of those sad bastards who still think the music of the eighties was the best think since Mother’s Pride came sliced, then its possible you’ll enjoy this.
Ok there was plenty of fine music in the eighties, and Go West contributed their part with hits such as We Close Our Eyes, Call Me, Goodbye Girl and Don’t Look Down. But they were never prolific and their inability to come up with a quick follow up to their 1984 debut album meant their career quickly lost impetus apart from the resurgence of interest with King Of Wishful Thinking from the Pretty Woman soundtrack.
I’m not one to knock nostalgia, but some things are best left in the past unless they can stand the test of time on their own merits. And successful as Go West were for a brief period, they have hardly left a legacy that will be revisited by generations to come. Yes, they came up with a decent debut and a handful of excellent pop songs.
But that about sums it up. Hence their recent appearance on the Here and Now eighties revival tour with other faded luminaries such as Paul Young, Kim Wilde, Tony Hadley etc.
What we have here is a full-length concert recorded during their winter 2003 tour. The band play well, all the hits are there, the audience enjoy it (some have apparently come a long way to see their heroes) and it’s in no way objectionable. Its clearly been produced to a limited budget, no harm in that, but, for me, it’s a little pedestrian, lacking in pace or excitement.
Bonus features - an extensive interview with Peter Cox and Richard Drummie, a brief biog, and a preview of (their next single?) Glow - which fits neatly with their previous work but is unlikely to resurrect their career. But it’s entirely possible they’re happy enough doing what they do. You get the impression these guys just want to make and play music. So good luck to them, and judging y the audience reaction, there’s still a market for their easy listening brand of pop.
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Review by Pete Whalley
£12.99
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