Dexys Midnight Runners

Kevin Rowland's distinctive voice and creative drive guided Dexys Midnight Runners through multiple inventive phases across their extended existence, producing a catalog rich in soul, exuberance, and consistent flair. The group launched with a hard-edged, brass-fueled reinterpretation of soul that delivered the hit single "Geno" alongside the urgent Searching for the Young Soul Rebels, before pivoting toward a warmer palette incorporating traditional Irish instrumentation and orchestral strings. That evolution yielded the landmark Too-Rye-Ay album and the global phenomenon "Come On Eileen" in 1982. Rowland's restless curiosity prompted yet another sonic reinvention on Don't Stand Me Down in 1985, after which he dissolved the band to pursue an eccentric solo path. Dexys reemerged in the early 2000s, delivering performances charged with the same theatrical energy and panache that defined their origins. A standout from this resurgence arrived with 2016's Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul, an album that fulfills exactly what its title indicates. Despite repeated stylistic shifts and personnel turnover, the ensemble—and Rowland in particular—preserved the vitality and lyricism present from their earliest stage appearances.

Formed in 1978 by singer/guitarist/songwriter Kevin Rowland and singer/guitarist Kevin "Al" Archer (who altered his first name to prevent mix-ups), both musicians had previously belonged to the Birmingham, England, punk outfit the Killjoys. Rowland, of Irish heritage, divided his youth among London, Ireland, and Birmingham, absorbing Irish folk traditions and the Northern soul sound prevalent in the Midlands. Seeking fresh territory, Rowland and Archer assembled a complete soul ensemble and took the name from Dexedrine, the stimulant favored within Northern soul circles (even though Rowland later enforced a strict prohibition on alcohol and drugs). The roster stabilized around trombonist Big Jim Paterson, tenor saxophonist Geoff Blythe, alto saxophonist Steve "Babyface" Spooner, keyboardist Mick Talbot (who supplanted Pete Saunders, had played with the Merton Parkas, and would later join the Style Council), bassist Pete Williams, and drummer Andy "Stoker" Growcott (who replaced Bobby Junior). Deeply attentive to visual presentation, Rowland sought to echo the band's working-class origins by outfitting them as New York dockworkers, drawing the look directly from the Martin Scorsese/Robert DeNiro film Mean Streets. Early finances proved precarious given the large membership, and legend holds that Rowland arranged or at least supported shoplifting runs to cover expenses.

Dexys issued their debut single swiftly; "Dance Stance" (also known as "Burn It Down"), a protest against anti-Irish prejudice, surfaced on EMI in 1979 yet only reached the lower chart tiers. Their follow-up, "Geno," an homage to American-born soul singer Geno Washington (who built his reputation in the U.K.), ascended to the summit of the British charts in early 1980. Discontented with profit shares, the band appropriated the finished master tapes of their first album, Searching for the Young Soul Rebels, and renegotiated their contract successfully. Upon its later 1980 release, the record generated widespread excitement. Through its vibrant, melodic, horn-laden take on Memphis soul—which anticipated Paul Weller's comparable transformation of the Jam—Dexys were celebrated as British rock's return to an organic, soulful aesthetic in the post-punk/new wave period. Their third single, "There There My Dear," reached the Top Ten, yet Rowland opted to issue the ill-advised "Keep It, Pt. 2" next, which failed commercially. This proved decisive for most members, weary of Rowland's domineering leadership and constant changes. Archer departed to form the Blue Ox Babes, while the majority of the others joined the Bureau, leaving only trombonist Paterson alongside Rowland.

Rowland and Paterson rebuilt Dexys by adding guitarist/banjoist Kevin "Billy" Adams (likewise renamed), drummer Seb Shelton (ex-Secret Affair), keyboardist Mickey Billingham, alto saxophonist Brian Maurice, tenor saxophonist Paul Speare, and bassist Giorgio Kilkenny (who replaced Steve Wynne). Following the 1981 single "Plan B" (which introduced boxing boots and ponytails as the new attire), the refreshed lineup exited EMI for Mercury. Their initial Mercury release, "Show Me," became a Top 20 hit, but the next, "Liars A to E," missed, prompting Rowland to reconsider the group's direction. Reportedly inspired by a demo of Archer's folk-leaning Blue Ox Babes work, he chose to recast Dexys similarly. He angered the Babes by adopting their sonic approach and by enlisting violinist Helen O'Hara from their ranks; he further recruited Steve Brennan and Roger MacDuff on violin. The second Dexys album, Too-Rye-Ay, appeared in 1982, retaining audible soul elements now fused with a pronounced Irish folk influence to create a striking hybrid. The transformation included another wardrobe update, this time embracing a scruffy gypsy/hobo aesthetic that altered dress codes at numerous restrictive London venues. Dexys unveiled the new sound via the single "The Celtic Soulbrothers," a modest success, yet the follow-up "Come On Eileen" proved explosive, securing their second British number one. Months later, aided by the band's visually striking, MTV-friendly presence, "Come On Eileen" crossed over in America to reach number one there as well. With the folky orientation confirmed, the entire horn section (including the steadfast Paterson) exited in summer 1982, joined by keyboardist Billingham. Amid peak success, further instability arose partly from tensions with Rowland, eventually reducing the core to Rowland, guitarist Adams, and violinist O'Hara.

Rowland relocated Dexys to New York for the next album, which—delayed by his perfectionism—required a year and a half to complete. Meanwhile EMI issued the singles compilation Geno in 1983. Paterson returned once Rowland resolved to merge his soul and folk eras more fully, with session musicians handling remaining instrumentation. Upon Don't Stand Me Down's eventual 1985 release, Rowland decreed no singles be extracted, intending the work to stand as an integrated whole in the manner of 1970s LPs. Consequently sales lagged far below expectations, compounded by tepid reviews that criticized Rowland's Van Morrison-esque poetic ambitions. After several weeks, a concerned Mercury—which had invested heavily—issued "This Is What She's Like" as a single, but the harm was done. A final single, "Because of You," charted in 1986 after serving as a British television theme, yet with Don't Stand Me Down having flopped, the group disbanded. Rowland launched a solo career, returning in 1988 with The Wanderer, a subdued collection tinged with country and lounge-pop that failed commercially. A discouraged Rowland endured years of severe depression while battling bankruptcy and cocaine dependency. In 1996 he signed with Creation as a solo artist, yet characteristically his comeback proved an all-covers project; My Beauty arrived in 1999 and sold poorly, its prospects likely hampered by Rowland's new attire of dresses and suspenders.

Following years spent distancing himself from that album, Rowland revived Dexys Midnight Runners—now shortened to Dexys—in 2003. The fresh configuration began performing live and contributed two new tracks ("Manhood" and "My Life in England") to the greatest-hits collection Let's Make This Precious. Including former members Mick Talbot and Pete Williams, the group commenced serious recording in 2005, though the meticulous process only bore fruit with One Day I'm Going to Soar in 2012. During this period former member "Big" Jim Paterson rejoined, and Rowland also added vocalist Madeleine Hyland. The album received favorable critical notice and marked a triumphant return. After extensive touring in subsequent years and the exits of Talbot, Paterson, and Williams, the band next recorded Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul. Issued by Rhino in June 2016, the set presents their distinctive interpretations of classic Irish material (such as "Women of Ireland" and "Carrickfergus") alongside a broad selection of other songs (including Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now"), all filtered through the Dexys lens. The group reconvened intermittently over following years for concerts, while Rowland focused in 2020 on reissuing his misunderstood My Beauty album. Around that time Rowland and additional band members joined Tim's Twitter Listening Party, participating with Tim Burgess in listening sessions and commentary on the band's first three records. Revisiting Too-Rye-Ay, Rowland again felt frustration over the label's earlier refusal to allow his preferred mix. Fortuitously, after four decades the label proved more receptive, enabling Rowland, O'Hara, and longtime engineer Pete Schwier to revisit the master tapes and craft a mix that satisfied Rowland for the 40th anniversary. This new version appears on the 2022 box set Too-Rye-Ay As It Should Sounded, accompanied by a disc of rarities and a remixed full concert from 1982 in which the band performed energetically through material from the first two albums plus select covers.