In the early 1980s, the pop charts were dominated by musicians tarted up in Day-Glo colours, who fought it out for coverage on our TV screens and magazine pages. Dexys Midnight Runners did things differently. They were surly.

They were serious. They were ambitious, but success had to come on their terms. They were a disciplined outfit, a gang with a defined purpose: to make music so pure that it couldn't fail to elicit a deep emotional response from anyone within earshot.

And they managed it. This motley crew - in woolly hats and donkey jackets for their first coming; all dungarees and copious body hair for the second - gate-crashed the charts, scoring number-one hits around the globe. But being in Dexys wasn't all sunshine and roses.

Many members came, many members went. Some returned unexpectedly as being part of this particular gang was a way of life; it was everything. Nige Tassell, author of the Penderyn Prize-shortlisted Whatever Happened to the C86 Kids? employs his skills of detection to go off in search of the dozens of members who - for however brief a period, and to whatever level of success - have been a part of Dexys Midnight Runners.

These are the people who gave the band its sound, its soul, its substance. But whatever happened to them?

Live album celebrating the band's triumphant 2023 tour in support of The Feminine Divine, featuring songs from the album plus a selection of Dexys classics. Recorded across the course of the tour.

TRACK LISTING

Side A (Act 1: Getting Honest)
1. The One That Loves You
2. It’s Alright Kevin (Manhood 2023)
3. I’m Going To Get Free
4. Coming Home

Side B (Act 2: Attitude To Women)
1. The Feminine Divine

Side C (Act 3: The Relationship)
1. My Goddess Is
2. Goddess Rules
3. My Submission
4. Dance With Me

Side D (The Concert: Part 1)
1. Soon/Plan B
2. I’ll Show You
3. All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)

Side E (The Concert: Part 2)
1. Until I Believe In My Soul
2. Free
3. Come On Eileen

Side F (Encore)
1. Geno
2. Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Smile)
3. Tell Me When My Light Turns Green
4. Carrickfergus

THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2024 EXCLUSIVE AND WILL BE AVAILABLE INSTORE ON SATURDAY APRIL 20TH ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

IF THERE ARE ANY REMAINING COPIES THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT 8PM ON MONDAY APRIL 22ND.

It's been 11 years since the release of their last album of original music, the acclaimed One Day I'm Going to Soar, and they now return with this stunning new record. As you'd expect it's a dramatic soulful collection that swings from horn filled stomps reminiscent of early Dexy's Midnight Runners, to synth-heavy and (occasionally) doomy pop all delivered with a renewed energy and positivity.

STAFF COMMENTS

Andy says: There are some enormous pop songs on this new Dexys record, which when coupled with Kevin Rowland's deeply personal, sometimes confessional but ultimately redemptive lyrics make this one of the most arresting albums of his whole career.

TRACK LISTING

1. The One That Loves You
2. It's Alright Kevin (Manhood 2023)
3. I'm Going To Get Free
4. Coming Home
5. The Feminine Divine
6. My Goddess Is
7. Goddess Rules
8. My Submission
9. Dance With Me

To tie in with the 40th anniversary of the multi-platinum selling album, we present ‘Too-Rye-Ay, as it should have sounded’.

Kevin Rowland was never happy with the final mix of the album, despite its huge commercial success. So with Helen O’Hara, and Pete Schwier they decided to mix it again. In recent interviews Kevin has stated…

“The songs and performances are great, but I always felt the mixes could be better. It’s my most successful album, but it doesn’t sound as good as the others”

“This is the director’s cut and it’s how it should have sounded…”

The album’s cover has also been re-modelled, using the preferred image from the Come On Eileen single sleeve. 

TRACK LISTING

1LP
Side A
The Celtic Soul Brothers
Let's Make This Precious
All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Old
Side B
Plan B
I'll Show You
Liars A To E
Until I Believe In My Soul
Come On Eileen

3CD
CD1 (The 1982 Album – ‘as It Should Have Sounded’)
The Celtic Soul Brothers
Let's Make This Precious
All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Old
Plan B
I'll Show You
Liars A To E
Until I Believe In My Soul
Come On Eileen
CD2 (Bonus Tracks - B-Sides / Out-Takes)
Show Me (Single A-side – 1981)
Soon (B-side Of Show Me Single - 1981)
...And Yes We Must Remain The Wildhearted Outsiders (B-side Of Liars A To E Single - 1981)
Love Part 2 (B-side Of The Celtic Soul Brothers Single - 1982)
Let's Make This Precious (‘Original Version’ – From Too-Rye-Ay (2CD Deluxe))
Come On Eileen (Single Edit - 1982)
Dubious (B-side Of Come On Eileen Single - 1982)
T.S.O.P. (B-side Of Jackie Wilson Said.. 12” Single - 1982)
Let's Get This Straight From The Start (Non-album Single - 1982)
Reminisce (Part 1)(B-side Of The Celtic Soul Brothers 12" Single - 1983)
Let's Make This Precious (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
‘Smoke Your Own’ (AKA Liars A To E, 1981) (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
Until I Believe In My Soul (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
CD3 (Live At The Shaftesbury Theatre – October 1982)
Old
Geno
Let's Get This Straight From The Start
All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
Tell Me When My Light Turns Green
Plan B
Let's Make This Precious
I Couldn't Help If I Tried
Until I Believe In My Soul
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Respect
There, There, My Dear
Come On Eileen
Seven Days Too Long
The Celtic Soul Brothers
I'm Just Looking 

4LP Super Deluxe Edition
LP1 (The 1982 Album – ‘as It Should Have Sounded’) - Side A
The Celtic Soul Brothers
Let's Make This Precious
All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Old
LP1 (The 1982 Album – ‘as It Should Have Sounded’) - Side B
Plan B
I'll Show You
Liars A To E
Until I Believe In My Soul
Come On Eileen
LP2 (Bonus Tracks - B-Sides / Out-Takes) - Side A
Show Me (Single A-side – 1981)
Soon (B-side Of Show Me Single)
...And Yes We Must Remain The Wildhearted Outsiders (B-side Of Liars A To E Single)
Love Part 2 (B-side Of The Celtic Soul Brothers Single)
Let's Make This Precious (‘Original Version’)
Come On Eileen (Single Edit)
Dubious (B-side Of Come On Eileen Single)
T.S.O.P. (B-side Of Jackie Wilson Said.. 12” Single)
LP2 (Bonus Tracks - B-Sides / Out-Takes) - Side B
Let's Get This Straight From The Start (Single)
Reminisce (Part 1)(B-side Of The Celtic Soul Brothers 12" Single)
Let's Make This Precious (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
‘Smoke Your Own’ (AKA Liars A To E, 1981) (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
Until I Believe In My Soul (Out-Take - Previously Unreleased)
LP3 (Live At The Shaftesbury Theatre – October 1982 - Part 1) - Side A
Old
Geno
Let's Get This Straight From The Start
All In All (This One Last Wild Waltz)
Tell Me When My Light Turns Green
LP3 (Live At The Shaftesbury Theatre – October 1982 - Part 1) - Side B
Plan B
Let's Make This Precious
I Couldn't Help If I Tried
Until I Believe In My Soul
LP4 (Live At The Shaftesbury Theatre – October 1982 - Part 2) - Side A
Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)
Respect
There, There, My Dear
LP4 (Live At The Shaftesbury Theatre – October 1982 - Part 2) - Side B
Come On Eileen
Seven Days Too Long
The Celtic Soul Brothers
I'm Just Looking