DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS
DISCOGRAPHY

Dexys Midnight Runners were formed in Birmingham, England, July 1978 by ex-Killjoys members, Kevin Rowland and Al Archer, taking the name from pep pill dexedrine. With a cast of players including Pete Saunders, Pete Williams, Bobby Junior (soon replaced with Andy "Stoker" Growcott) and the brass section of Jimmy Paterson, J.B. Blyte and Steve "Babyface" Spooner, the band set out to emulate their heroes of the mid-60's soul scene. After a minor debut hit with "Dance Stance" (and the replacement of Saunders with ex-Merton Parkas / future Style Council man, Mick Talbot), a brilliant tribute to one such hero, "Geno" (Washington), saw Dexys topping the UK charts in Spring 1980. A third single, "There, There My Dear", was issued later that summer, with a debut album, "Searching for the Young Soul Rebels" following into the Top 10. Sporting an image inspired by Martin Scorcese's classic "Mean Streets" and coupling it with their idiosyncratic 80's take on classic soul, Dexys were initially the toast of the UK music press. There was dissension in the ranks, however, which cullminated in Rowland's insistance on releasing a single of "Keep It Part Two". The commercial failure of the single sent the bulk of the band away in early 1981 to form The Bureau with Rowland and Paterson the only remaining members of Dexys.

They bolstered the line-up with new recruits, Billy Adams, Mickey Billingham, Paul Speare, Brian Maurice, Seb Shelton and Steve Wynne. The resulting single "Show Me" hit the Top 20 later that summer, although a follow up "Liars A to E" failed to chart and the group retired to reconsider their approach. Augmenting the group with The Emerald Express (that is, fiddlers Helen O'Hara, Steve Brennen and Roger MacDuff) Dexys re-emerged in Spring '82 with a revamped Irish folk/soul hybrid (aledgedly inspired by songs recorded by ex-Dexys member Al Archer and his new band The Blue Ox Babes) and a suitably dishevelled gypsy/romantic vagabond image. "The Celtic Soul Brothers" introduced this new approach and although the track just missed the Top 40, a classic follow-up, "Come On Eileen" was a massive transatlantic No.1 smash. Not only were Dexys big news again in Britain, they'd cracked America and the subsequent album, "Too-Rye-Ay" (1982) was the most successful of their career. Yet again, however, the line-up splintered and the momentum faltered, the brass section of Patterson, Maurice and Speare departing in summer 1982.

It would be a further three years before the release of "Don't Stand Me Down" a considerably lower-key effort which enjoyed only a brief sojourn in the charts. A solitary hit single "Because of You" (used as a theme for TV sitcom, "Brush Strokes") followed in 1986, before Dexys were consigned to history and Rowland faded into musical folklore.

Despite his revered talent, Kevin Rowland has released few recordings during the past 15 years. A solo set, "The Wanderer" featured well written songs, but failed to become a commercial hit due most likely to its uninspired production. In 1999, Rowland finally came up with some new material for his comeback, a covers album "My Beauty" which also failed to chart.

Updates:
02-23-02 - Added Raw Deal
03-05-02 - Added Johnny Won't Get to Heaven
02-23-02 - Added Apples and Oranges
03-05-02 - Added 1991 Come On Eileen CD Single
05-28-02 - Added Searching Reissue
05-29-02 - Added Tonight Remixes
05-31-02 - Added DSMD Reissue
10-03-02 - Added some Bureau MP3s HERE
03-27-03 - Removed Bureau tracks (sorry) and added Thankfully 7 inch
08-24-06 - After more than three years without updates, I've decided to move most of the content of this site over to a Dexys blog at http://dexysmidnightrunners.blogspot.com/