Dexy’s Midnight Runners star is broke

Sep 29 2008 By Anuji Varma

AN original member of Dexy’s Midnight Runners has revealed he is broke – despite the Midland group making millions in the 1980s.

Bassist Pete Williams played on one the Birmingham band’s biggest hits, Geno, as well as their smash album Searching for the Young Soul Rebels.

Yet despite the group earning a fortune from royalties over the years, the guitarist says he hardly saw any cash and is now struggling to make ends meet.

“There was a betrayal and I never made any money,” Pete said last night. “I was totally stitched up.”

Pete played with Dexy’s – fronted by Kevin Rowland – between 1978 and 1981 when the group enjoyed world-wide success.

But a bust-up over cash led to him and fellow original members Mick Talbot, Geoff Blythe and Steve Spooner leaving to form their own group The Bureau.

Frontman Rowland continued with Dexy’s and later enjoyed international success with their biggest hit single, Come On Eileen.

Yet despite missing out on a fortune dad-of-two Pete, 49 and now living in Birmingham, said he was not bitter.

“This isn’t a sob story, but three people made money out of Dexy’s when there were eight members of the band,” he said.

Success

“I suppose when I realised I wasn’t going to receive anything for the No.1 album and single I helped to create, I should have taken someone to court.

“But that process felt so alien and I just thought I couldn’t do it.

“I just decided ‘F*** it, I’m going to get success on my own’.”

Pete went on to enjoy some success with The Bureau after leaving Dexy’s – but claims they too were ‘stitched up’ and left in the lurch by management.

“It was all absolutely ruthless and a filthy business,” Pete explained.

“We were taken advantage of. I remember when we were stranded in New York and there was no money left. We were also left to pay tax on cash that had been spent by our manager.

“I’ve struggled really, really hard and still continue to financially. But Kevin has tried to make amends. That is one of the things he’s acknowledged – the fact there was a betrayal.

“But you know what? I am not bitter, as nothing good comes out of it. I can’t create in bitterness as it’s stifling. After all that has happened, I am happy.”

The Bureau are also pursuing royalties from the sales of their first self-titled album, which was a huge hit in Canada and Australia. “We have asked to see the accounts and we will take it from there.” said Pete. “We didn’t see any of the money from those album sales and so we are looking into it. I don’t know if we will ever do the same with Dexy’s.

“It would have to be a collective decision and that hasn’t been made yet.”

Pete is not the only Dexy’s members to hit hard times.

Kevin Rowland saw a string of album releases flop and spent years battling drug addictions and cash problems. The Sunday Mercury revealed how he had resorted to DJ-ing in pubs around the West Midlands.

And last year it was revealed that another former band member, Kevin Archer, had been left so broke that he was giving kids guitar lessons for a tenner.

Pete is now enjoying success with a reformed version of The Bureau and plans to release a new album, And Another Thing, as well as performing at Midland gigs. He added: “It’s brilliant working together again with the guys.

“It’s a mature album with a great sense of fun. And we are singing about experiences we have had. We’ve all remained in the music business, whether it’s been writing or doing something else.”

And Another Thing is out on October 6 and The Bureau perform at Birmingham’s Sound Bar on Wednesday.