If you have found this website I assume that you may already know something of Kevin Rowland and Dexys Midnight Runners but if you came here by mistake or if you have only recently converted to the new soul vision then here is a quick re-cap of the story so far....
It all began back in July 1978 when Kevin Rowland and Kevin Archer (later forced to change his name to Al after Rowland said "there's only room for one Kevin in this band") quit their second division Birmingham punk outfit, The Killjoys. While everyone else was busy starting the New Romantic movement Rowland and Archer looked to the 1960s soul icons for their inspiration and decided to form an eight piece soul band. The name came from the amphetamine of choice for the Northern Soul scene - dexedrine. Their image, fashioned by Rowland, was New York Italian docker chic ! Donkey jackets, woolly hats and polo neck jumpers. Very much like the early Robert De Niro film "Mean Streets" .
The debut single "Dance Stance" (later re-named "Burn It Down"), an attack on racism against the Irish, struggled into the UK charts at number 40. Trying to finance a band of eight was proving very difficult and it is alleged that Rowland instigated many shoplifting trips to supplement their income. The second single "Geno", a tribute to 60s soul singer Geno Washington, went to the top of the charts in 1980. Two months later the debut album "Searching For The Young Soul Rebels" was released to critical acclaim and commercial success. Although this was only after the band stole the master tapes in order to re-negotiate a better contract. In May 1980 they went on a 44 date tour - the "Straight To The Heart" tour and in August followed it up with the "Intense Emotions Tour". Another Top 10 single, "There There My Dear" followed but then the release of the blatantly uncommercial "Keep It Pt2" preceded the spilt of Dexys mark 1. Rowland complained about losing control of the band and the band complained about his excessive control !!
In 1981 only Kevin Rowland and Big Jim Paterson remained from the original line up. Most of the others went to form The Bureau or The Blue Ox Babes. Rowland recruited a new team including Seb Shelton from mod band Secret Affair on drums. After one more single for EMI, the excellent "Plan B" the band moved to Phonogram and along with that came a new image. A uniform of boxing boots, anoraks with hoods and pony tails. Two singles, "Show Me" and "Liars A To E", continued their chart success and a highly acclaimed live show "The Projected Passion Revue" culminated at the Old Vic Theatre in London.
By 1982 though, another change of line up and image had taken place. Rowland's right hand man, Big Jim Paterson, had left and the Celtic Soul Brother incarnation was launched in Newcastle at the BBC In Concert gig. (Rowland now admits that the idea for a combination of brass and strings had been influenced by a tape that Al Archer, now of The Blue Ox Babes, had lent him). "Come On Eileen" became the biggest selling UK single of 1982 and a US number one in 1983. The album "Too-Ry-Ay" and subsequent tour "The Bridge" received rave reviews.
Dexys disappeared for 18 months to work on the next album "Don't Stand Me down". When they returned they were down to a four piece and several session musicians. Another uniform came with the new album, this time a smart neat college preppie look. Many think that this is Rowland's greatest work but he insisted that there would be no singles. The album sold poorly and out of desperation the record company released "This Is What She's Like" as a single. It didn't help and the band fell apart. Although another single "Because Of You" (theme to Brush Strokes) briefly charted.
In 1988 Rowland returned as a soloist with the weak country pop album "The Wanderer". However, many agree that the production let it down and that the songs were reasonably good.
Kevin Rowland spent the following years battling against depression, bankruptcy and cocaine addiction. Although, in 1993 he joined up with Big Jim again but despite a couple of TV performances nothing was ever officially released.
In 1996, Creation Records signed Kevin Rowland and "My Beauty", an idiosyncratic covers album, was released in 1999. It received mixed reviews but sold very poorly (allegedly less that 500 copies). Perhaps because of the new image that went with it - dresses and suspenders !
2001, found Kevin doing reading recitals - from "The Look" a book about fashion and music by Paul Gorman. Kevin supplied a few pages to the book and read excerpts as well as performing a couple of songs live to backing tapes.
That just about brings us up to date. Keep an eye on my latest news page for any other updates.
As Jon Wilde said once in the Dexys fanzine "Keep On Running" ...YOU'D HAVE TO BE A HALF-WIT TO BET AGAINST A MAN OF KEV'S CALIBRE PULLING OFF A HUGE COMEBACK."
