Racey

Formed in 1976 from the remnants of the short-lived Phoenix Press, the British pop group Racey became one of producer Mickie Most’s many domestic hits on his RAK Records imprint during the 1970s. Richard Gower (b. 1955, Hackney, London, England; vocals/keyboards), Phil Fursdon (vocals/guitar), Pete Miller (vocals/bass) and Clive Wilson (vocals/drums) made up the quartet. After extensive pub-circuit appearances, local advocate Steve Matthews introduced the band to Most in London; a demo was enough to secure an immediate contract. Their first release, the Chris Norman–Pete Spencer composition “Baby It’s You” from Smokie, fell just short of the charts. Success arrived with the follow-up, the Mike Chapman–Nicky Chinn song “Lay Your Love On Me,” which climbed to number 3 on the UK singles listing in early 1979. Another Chapman/Chinn number, “Some Girls,” improved on that position by one place the following March. Two further Top 30 entries, among them a cover of Dion’s “Runaround Sue,” preceded the end of their hit-making run. Gower spent the 1980s writing songs for RAK and revived Racey in the early 1990s; the reconstituted lineup supplied several new tracks to the 1995 collection Say Wow! Greatest & Latest. The band continues to draw audiences on the European nostalgia circuit.