With the release of his first solo album in 10 years, the Go West frontman is just happy to be back performing…
By Ian Woolley
Peter-Cox Seaglass
His first album in 10 years, ‘Seaglass’ is the new album from Peter Cox, vocalist and frontman of Go West. Peter’s seventh album sees him reuniting with original Go West producer Gary Stevenson, as well as multi-instrumentalist John Mitchell, AKA Lonely Robot, who produces and performs on four tracks on the album.
The songs on ‘Seaglass’ have all been written by Peter, apart from a stunning cover of American singer-songwriter Donna Missal’s ‘Jupiter’, co-written by Missal and Indie superstar Sharon Van Etten.
As the singer, co-writer and frontman of Go West, Peter has enjoyed a career spanning four decades. The duo have been behind iconic songs such as ‘We Close Our Eyes’, ‘Don’t Look Down’, ‘Goodbye Girl’, ‘Faithful’ and the ASCAP and Brit Award-Winning ‘The King Of Wishful Thinking’ from the soundtrack to the film ‘Pretty Woman’.
Alongside Go West, Peter has maintained a solo career. His eponymous debut in 1997 featured three UK top forty hits, and alongside his self-penned material, Cox has established himself as a first-class interpreter of songs from legendary artists such as Michael McDonald, Smokey Robinson, Neil Finn, Curtis Mayfield, The Byrds, Leon Russell, Sheryl Crow, Family, Little Walter and Thin Lizzy legend, Phil Lynott. Fast forward to 2023, and ‘Seaglass’ sees Peter working once more with Chrysalis Records, the label that released the first three classic Go West Albums.
With the recent pandemic, a lot of troubled waters have flown since his last album I asked him.
“Yes during Covid that was when the album came into being really after the realisation that I shouldn’t be sitting in the garden drinking wine. I started to mess around with a cover of a Donna Missal song called “Jupiter” which is on the album. After that, I started writing on my own and very slowly one thing led to another and here we are.”
Ten years is a fair gap…
“Yes well obviously one needs to be motivated to make a new album but there is a predictable argument that one might wonder what the point of it is really. It is difficult to get artists of a certain age to get any kind of mainstream exposure but yeah, lockdown inspired me to do something than not do something. I’m pleased with the reception of all the songs so far. It’s gratifying that people are responding to different songs from the album rather than it being just one song. Like many other heritage artists, I’m very grateful to the likes of DJ Mike Read for providing a platform and exposure for us when it’s so difficult to get noticed in the mainstream.”
…and Go West are still very much ‘out there’ aren’t they?
“Yes, we’re still busy touring and looking ahead, and of course, we’ll be doing the retrospective 80s festivals through the summer. We have gigs in New Zealand and Australia and another tour in January next year which I can’t tell you about at the moment because it hasn’t been announced yet” said Peter.
Peter Cox on stage
To celebrate the release of ‘Seaglass’, Peter will be taking to the road in the UK for an 11-date tour. The shows will feature songs from throughout his entire career and selected dates are already sold out.
“A busy last few days preparing for the tour. As we all know the industry’s changed dramatically so I’m intimately aware of all the costs involved in the tour in a way that I wouldn’t have been back in the 80s”, Peter tells me.
What about his upcoming solo tour? Excited?
“Very excited although I still always get pre-show nerves on the basis that I want it to be good and I want to make it as good from my own point of view as a singer. More recently I’ve come to terms with is perhaps not every show can be better than the last. So I’m trying to look after myself so I am as fit and ready for the tour as I can be and yep looking forward to it.”
Starting in a few days’ time, some of the smaller venues have already sold out. “Yes, they have. I’ve got some fantastic, dedicated and faithful fans for which I’m very grateful.”
With some intimate venues on his tour, fans can get right up and personal with the performance.
“Yes, for better or worse for them I always say within spitting distance but I guess people that stand right at the front know what to expect. I am always anxious that the songs that I write and the recording that I make and the live shows have energy. I want it to be an energetic show. I always try to avoid too many ballads in the set even though there are people who obviously like the slow songs but I feel it’s important that there should be some energy.”
Peter Cox 2023 tour
“Hopefully, when people come to the shows that’s what they’ll see.”
The sound of ‘Seaglass’ is an unmistakable mix of Peter’s unique distinct vocals and finely tuned songwriting skills. The first two singles from the album, ‘Too Far Gone’ and ‘She Wants Magic’ have both reached No.1 on The Heritage Chart.
With the release of ‘Seaglass’ on May 12th, it’s very much in the Go West style I put to him.
“Thank you and yes I really hope so. When I was discussing the sound of the record with Gary Stevenson who mixed it and John Mitchell who by the way is also involved in producing almost half the album and doesn’t seem to be getting credit almost anywhere.”
“Yes, I wanted to touch on sounds and production techniques that people might recognise from those earlier records because I’ve got a constant and faithful fan base.”
“In the past, I’ve had one or two reactions. Either it sounds just like Go West as if that is a negative or it doesn’t sound like Go West as if that was a negative which only goes to prove you can’t please any of the people any of the time. So that was my vision of what the album should sound like.”
“So yes, I hope the people who like the sound of Go West will like the new record after all I am the featured singer so there was always going to be that connection.”
Read the full interview we had with Peter Cox in the June issue of the Beat. In it, he talks about his early days in Sheffield with Richard Drummie, the Go West success, and that ‘wrenching’ MTV video! It’s an interview you won’t want to miss. Order your copy now.
SEAGLASS by Peter Cox (Chrysalis Records) is released on May 12th. For more information, go HERE
THE PETER COX UK TOUR from May 11th until May 26th. Tickets are on sale now.