LEG warmers, big hair and synthesisers are everywhere.

All over the country 80s revival events and festivals are taking over while on TV one of the biggest shows is the 80s-inspired sci-fi drama, Stranger Things.

But do not ask Go West’s Peter Cox why that is. He is still trying to work it out for himself.

Peter said: “Despite the fashion, which was not necessarily as flattering as other fashions have been, you see more and more of these 80s retrospective festivals.

“Attempts to do the same thing with the 90s decade have had less success. I don’t know why the 90s should have less appeal than the 80s.

“Maybe it’ll happen in another 10 years for 90s festivals or maybe there’s something special about the 80s. I just don’t know. All I can say is long may it continue.”

Go West rose to fame in the mid-1980s, releasing their debut single We Close Our Eyes in 1985, and enjoying their peak in 1990, when their hit record King of Wishful Thinking featured on the soundtrack of Hollywood blockbuster Pretty Woman. After three albums the pop duo took a break before reuniting in 2000.

Peter added: “I lived in California for a while and I came back and starting worked again with Richard, my songwriting partner in Go West, in 2000.

“We’ve been working steadily since so that’s an 18 year ‘revival’. I guess I just think of it now in terms of there being an audience for whom the 80s was the soundtrack of their teenage years.

“The soundtrack of your own youth will always be evocative for you. Certain music has an importance and conjures up memories. It’s very powerful.”

Life changed for Peter and Richard pretty much overnight when they released We Close Our Eyes which reached number five in the charts.

Peter said: “1985 was a blur. We went to Japan with Culture Club, The Style Council and The Associates. At that point I’d done bits and pieces live – nothing big – but for Richard the ‘Rock in Japan’ tour was his baptism of fire in front of really big audiences in another country.”

Despite having the world at his feet, Peter admitted that being in the spotlight did not really suit him

The 62-year-old added: “I wasn’t one of those personalities who felt as comfortable being in the public eye and having a lot of attention on me in the mid 80s.

“I’d been used to travelling on the bus. I didn’t have a driving licence and suddenly when I did use the bus after a few TV appearances I was getting noticed and that did make me feel a bit uncomfortable.

“There’s a part of you that’s struck by how strange it is that suddenly you’re deemed as worthy as these other people whose albums you’ve been buying just weeks before.”

These days Peter is a lot happier on stage where he lets the music do the talking and there are a lot less showbiz expectations.

Go West will be performing at Parr Hall as part of Icons of the 80s with Nik Kershaw and Cutting Crew on March 29.

It is the band’s second stint in the town since headlining Warrington Festival in 2016.

Peter said: “I know I’m very lucky to do something that I love to do. Very few people have that luxury.

“I still care very deeply about what we do. I’ve always got those butterflies before walking out on stage even now. I really want the audience to have a great time. I take pride in our catalogue and our live performances. I’m humbled by the notion that people want to see us year after year and the fact that some come from other countries to see us play in the UK.”

It may not be the most rock and roll story but Peter fell in love with singing thanks to his school choir.

He added: “Often you hear about gospel and soul artists talk about their church background. I had the southern England grammar school version of that I suppose.

“I sang at the choir in my school and my school had a connection to The Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace. I went along for an audition and got in so as a boy soprano I sang in the choir there a year before my voice broke.

“I’ve been singing since I was 11 and I’ve got a good ear for pitch although I don’t read music.

“Music has always been important to me and as soon as my teenage ear picked up on reggae and Motown I was already hooked.

“It felt like the natural next step to get into a band when I was a teenager and it developed from there.”

  • Icons of the 80s is at Parr Hall on March 29. Call pyramidparrhall.com or call 442345