Dexys Midnight Runners : Geno
On January 12 1980 NME featured an article about the up and coming Birmingham band Dexys Midnight Runners. The band had just completed a tour with Two-Tone bands The Specials and Selecter and were now taking the stage dressed as New York City dock workers. Leader Kevin Rowland says a big influence on the band isn't the Ska sound of the 60's so much as the British R and B sound of the 60's, especially Geno Washington's Ram Jam Band.
"The greatest soul singer in the world," is how Rowland refers to Washington when introducing the band's song "Geno".
Rowland defends Geno's talent with as much vigour as The Osmonds defend Marie's virginity. It transpires that when only 11, not only was Geno Washington the first live act he ever saw- his older brother took him along to a gig - but when the idea of Dexys Midnight Runner was first conceived in January of 1978, Rowland turned to the recorded output of the flamboyant soulster.
"I was totally fed up with everything else at that time and so I started listening to all of Geno's old records and any other soul single I could pick up for 10p around the markets."
Released in March of 1980, "Geno" would top the UK charts for two weeks.
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