Go West and Nik Kershaw.
Camera IconGo West and Nik Kershaw. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Go West go 30

Tyler BrownEastern Reporter

A PERCEPTION of '80s music being cheesy is not an idea Peter Cox cares for.

"But at the same time, the music of the 80s was 30 years ago now and there's no getting away from that," the Go West lead vocalist said.

"I take a certain pride in the fact we are still making music and playing shows around the world 30 years later.

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"I don't know what else you would have to be, what else you would have to be doing, to be credible because I think a 30-year career is something to be proud of."

The British pop duo, which also includes guitarist Richard Drummie and this year celebrates 30 years since its debut single, is bringing the '80s back to Australia as part of a 10-date national tour that kicks off at the Astor Theatre on September 9.

80s Mania brings together four of the UK's best-loved music icons of the era including singer and musician Paul Young, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Nik Kershaw and rock band Cutting Crew.

Cox said it had been too long since he and Drummie had graced our shores and he was looking forward to what could be described as an '80s party.

"We would like the idea that audiences will come and have an absolute blast, hear the songs they remember, that they want to hear and with some energy," he said.

"We're bringing our own band to Australia this time " the Go West band, that is - which is a bit of a luxury because in the past, we've worked with some fantastic local players but we haven't had our own band with us.

"Also, Nik Kershaw and Go West will be on stage together, so while we will, of course, be playing the hits, we will be throwing in a few surprises.

"We're still in the planning stages of what those songs will be because our influences are very different and we need to find some common ground.

"We fully understand an audience that's nostalgic and wants to hear the artists play those songs, so we will be playing those songs but we just want to have another little something interesting, a different dimension, something unexpected, as well as the songs that everyone is coming along to hear."

"The idea of Nik and ourselves being on stage together is something that we thought would be fun to do and put a slightly different spin on a bill of 80s artists so that it's not quite as predictable as it might otherwise be."

In looking back on 30 years in the music industry, Cox said he was he was "very proud as well as happy to still be working and still doing what I love to do" and having the chance to travel the world and play to audiences.

He said being named Best British Newcomer at the 1986 Brit Awards, playing four consecutive nights at London's Apollo theatre, supporting Tina Turner on her tour of America and playing at Radio City Music Hall in New York were among his favourite memories of the 80s.

"We'd always dreamed of making a record, as modest an ambition as that may sound now," he said.

"When we were in the studio making the first Go West album, we were so excited that we finally had the opportunity to do that thing we'd always dreamed of doing and when people asked us what was next, we would say,"Well we hope we will have enough success with this album so we can make another one"

"As they say, never say ever about another record; we might record again."

THE ESSENTIALS

What: 80s Mania

Who: Go West, Nik Kershaw, Paul Young and Cutting Crew

When: September 9

Where: Astor Theatre

Tickets: www.astortheatreperth.com