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Racey

{{Short description|English pop group}}

{{other uses}}

{{More citations needed|date=December 2010}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Racey

| image = Richard Gower Racey.jpg

| caption = Richard Gower, 2006

| background = group_or_band

| origin = Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England

| genre = {{hlist|Power pop|glam rock (before 1980)|new wave}}

| label = RAK Records

| associated_acts =

| years_active = 1976–1985 (original lineup)
1990–present (Racey)
1991–present (Racey featuring Richard Gower)

| past_members = Richard Gower
Phil Fursdon
Pete Miller (†2003)
Steven Lawrence
Clive Wilson
Nigel "Woody" Woods

| website = {{URL|http://racey.org}} {{URL|http://www.raceyweb.com/history.htm}}

}}

Racey are an English pop/rock group, formed in 1976 in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England, by Clive Wilson and Phil Fursdon.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/racey-mn0000379216/biography |title=Racey | Biography & History |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2015-10-16}} They achieved success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with hits such as "Lay Your Love on Me" and "Some Girls".{{Cite web|url=http://www.racey.net/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020523102247/http://racey.net/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=23 May 2002|title=Racey|website=Racey.net|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-06}} Their 1979 song "Kitty" was an international hit in 1981 for Toni Basil when she reworked it into "Mickey".

Career

The original line-up featured Richard Gower (born 1955, Hackney, London, England; vocals, keyboards, piano, guitar), Phil Fursdon (guitar, vocals), Pete Miller (bass, vocals) and Clive Wilson (drums, percussion, vocals). After early success in their local pub circuit, they came to the attention of Mickie Most. Racey's first single, "Baby It's You", was penned by Smokie members Chris Norman and Pete Spencer, and released in 1978. Their second single, "Lay Your Love on Me", was the group's first hit single, peaking at No.3 in the UK Singles Chart in late 1978 through to early 1979. Their third single, "Some Girls", was also written by Mike Chapman and reached No.2 in the UK chart. ("Some Girls" was later recorded by Barry Manilow for his 1982 Here Comes the Night album.)

The only album they made with the original line-up was their 1979 debut Smash and Grab. The band's hits were either written and/or produced by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn. The band parted company with Chinn and Chapman after the album was released and, although they continued to play and tour, they released only a few more singles, which did not match their previous successes.

The band formally split in 1985.{{Cite web|url=https://www.racey.net|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130222014044/http://www.racey.net/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=22 February 2013|title=History|website=Racey.net|access-date=27 August 2021}}

In 1990, Racey reformed after Wilson and Fursdon were approached to play at a Fourth of July party. Miller died of cancer on 6 May 2003. In 1991, Richard Gower formed his own version of the group with Gary Combes, Steven Lawrence and Simon Ryland{{Cite web |title=The Story of Racey |url=https://www.raceyweb.com/history.htm |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=Raceyweb.com}} Both groups are still active and performing. Several albums and CDs, with re-recordings of the original hits as well as new material, are available from both of the present-day versions of the group.

In August 2021, the band released "It's a Glorious Day".{{cite web|url=https://www.racey.net/its-a-glorious-day/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827112022/https://www.racey.net/its-a-glorious-day/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=27 August 2021|title=Racey's New Single – It's a Glorious Day|website=Racey.net|date=18 August 2021|access-date=27 August 2021}}

Discography

=Albums=

==Studio albums==

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;" | Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;" | Album details

! colspan="5" |Peak chart positions

scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | AUS

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | AUT
{{Cite web|title=Das österreichische Hitparaden- und Musik-Portal|url=https://austriancharts.at/search.asp?search=racey&cat=a|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Austriancharts.at}}

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | GER

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | NZ
{{Cite web|title=charts.org.nz - New Zealand charts portal|url=https://charts.nz/search.asp?search=racey&cat=a|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Charts.nz}}

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;" | SWE
{{Cite web|title=Swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal|url=https://swedishcharts.com/search.asp?search=racey&cat=a|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Swedishcharts.com}}

scope="row" |Smash and Grab

|

  • Released: September 1979
  • Label: Rak
  • Formats: LP, MC

| 5

|15

|29

|10

|32

==Compilation albums==

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! scope="col" style="width:15em;" | Title

! scope="col" style="width:15em;" | Album details

scope="row" |The Best of Racey

|

  • Released: August 1993
  • Label: EMI
  • Format: CD
scope="row" | Say Wow! (Greatest & Latest)

|

  • Released: 1996
  • Label: CMC
  • Format: CD
  • Denmark-only release
scope="row" |Lay Your Love on Me

|

  • Released: February 1996
  • Label: Disky
  • Format: CD
  • Europe-only release
scope="row" | Some Girls

|

  • Released: February 1998
  • Label: Wise Buy
  • Format: CD
  • Europe-only release
scope="row" |The Very Best Of

|

  • Released: 1998
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Go On Deluxe
  • Sweden-only release
scope="row" |Racey

|

  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Rem!nd
  • Format: CD
  • Netherlands-only release
  • Released in the UK in 2006 as The Best Of
scope="row" |Lay Your Love on Me

|

  • Released: 1999
  • Label: Digimode
  • Format: CD
  • Netherlands-only release

=Singles=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! rowspan="2" |Title

! rowspan="2" |Year

! colspan="12" |Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2" |Certification

! rowspan="2" |Album

scope="col"|UK
{{cite book|last=Roberts|first=David|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|year=2006|isbn=1-904994-10-5|edition=19th|location=London|page=447}}{{Cite web|title=RACEY {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/17273/racey/|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Officialcharts.com}}

!scope="col"|AUS
{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|publisher=Australian Chart Book|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|edition=illustrated|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|page=244|author-link=David Kent (historian)}}

!AUT
{{Cite web|title=Das österreichische Hitparaden- und Musik-Portal|url=https://austriancharts.at/search.asp?search=racey&cat=s|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Austriancharts.at}}

!BEL (FL)
{{Cite web|title=ultratop.be - Ultratop Belgian Charts|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/search.asp?cat=s&search=racey|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Ultratop.be}}

!DEN
{{Cite web|title=Danish Chart Archive - Singles 1979 - ____ (B.T./IFPI DK)|url=https://www.ukmix.org/forum/chart-discussion/chart-analysis/121831-danish-chart-archive-singles-1979-____-b-t-ifpi-dk|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Ukmix.org|language=en}}

!GER
{{Cite web|title=Suche - Offizielle Deutsche Charts|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Offiziellecharts.de}}

!IRE
{{Cite web|title=The Irish Charts - All there is to know|url=http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Irishcharts.ie}}

!NL
{{Cite web|title=Dutch Charts - dutchcharts.nl|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/search.asp?search=racey&cat=s|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Dutchcharts.nl}}

!NZ
{{Cite web|title=charts.org.nz - New Zealand charts portal|url=https://charts.nz/search.asp?search=racey&cat=s|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Charts.nz}}

!SA
{{Cite web|title=South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (R)|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(R).html|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Rock.co.za}}

!SWE
{{Cite web|title=swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal|url=https://swedishcharts.com/search.asp?search=racey&cat=s|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Swedishcharts.com}}

!SWI
{{Cite web|title=Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade - hitparade.ch|url=http://swisscharts.com/search.asp?cat=s&search=racey|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Swisscharts.com}}

scope="row" |"Baby It's You"

| rowspan="2" |1978

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

|{{N/A|Non-album single}}

scope="row" |"Lay Your Love on Me"

| align="center" |3

|1

|—

|3

|4

|14

|2

|2

|1

|—

|—

|—

|

  • DEN: Silver{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1980/CB-1980-05-17.pdf|title=International Certifiations|magazine=Cash Box|via=World Radio History|page=39|date= 17 May 1980|access-date=3 December 2021}}

| rowspan="4" |Smash and Grab

scope="row" |"Some Girls"

| rowspan="2" |1979

| align="center" |2

|1

|9

|3

|2

|2

|2

|4

|1

|1

|11

|2

|

  • DEN: Silver
scope="row" |"Boy Oh Boy"

| align="center" |22

|12

|3

|14

|1

|3

|9

|24

|12

|2

|—

|2

|

  • DEN: Silver
scope="row" |"Such a Night"

| rowspan="3" |1980

| align="center" |—

|94

|—

|—

|4

|13

|—

|31

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

scope="row" |"Rest of My Life"

| align="center" |—

|45

|—

|—

|6

|44

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

| rowspan="8" {{N/A|Non-album singles}}

scope="row" |"Runaround Sue"

| align="center" |13

|91

|—

|4

|7

|36

|9

|13

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

scope="row" |"Shame"

| rowspan="3" |1981

| align="center" |—

|—

|—

|32

|—

|59

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

scope="row" |"Little Darlin'"

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

scope="row" |"There's a Party Going On"

| align="center" |—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

scope="row" |"Not Too Young to Get Married"

|1982

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

scope="row" |"Little Girls Don't, But Big Girls Do"

| rowspan="2" |1992

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

scope="row" |"Party On!"

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

scope="row" |"Cry Cry Time"

|1996

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

|Say Wow! (Greatest & Latest)

scope="row" |"It's a Glorious Day"{{cite web|date=18 August 2021|title=Racey's New Single – It's a Glorious Day|url=https://www.racey.net/its-a-glorious-day/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827112022/https://www.racey.net/its-a-glorious-day/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=27 August 2021|access-date=27 August 2021|website=Racey.net}}

|2021

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|—

|

|{{N/A|Non-album single}}

colspan="16" style="font-size:90%" |"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Official website|http://racey.org}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:English pop music groups

Category:English glam rock groups

Category:English new wave musical groups

Category:Musicians from Weston-super-Mare

Category:Rak Records artists

Category:Musical groups established in 1976

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1985

Category:Musical groups reestablished in 1990

Category:Musical groups from Somerset