Do You Believe In Westworld?

Westworld were a three piece hip-hop-a-rockabilly pop band that had a moment in 1987 when they appeared in the 'unsigned' slot on Channel 4 music show The Tube with Sonic Boom Boy.

Cue lots of major label interest, a signing, nearly but not cracking the UK Top 10 with Sonic Boom Boy (#11 in February 1987).

And then, that was kind of it. A debut album and three more singles failed to make a significant impression. 

I remember buying follow up single Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo (#37 in May) but it was more the novelty of a double pack 10" vinyl single that cannily included not one but two versions of Sonic Boom Boy, a US 12" mix and, more importantly, the original demo version that got them on The Tube.

My recollection, borne out by tracking down clips on YouTube, is that the singles pretty much felt like variations on a theme, that theme being Sonic Boom Boy, with unfortunately diminishing returns. Which is a shame as I quite liked the B-sides of the Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo single, Bubble Bo Diddley and Nasty 'n' Cheap showing another side and more potential.

Of the original line up (left to right), Elizabeth Westwood continued with Westworld and I believe is still taking an iteration of the band on the heritage 80s live circuit. Bob Derwood Andrews has recently recorded with Generation X. Nick Burton surprisingly pops up frequently in my music collection through his various collaborations with Alex Paterson/The Orb, Ben Watkins/Juno Reactor and Andrew Weatherall.

Here's half a dozen Westworld tunes for your entertainment, including a blink-and-you'll-miss-them cameo from Robert '3D' Del Naja and Goldie in the last selection. 

1) Sonic Boom Boy (The Tube, Channel 4, UK)

2) Where The Action Is (The Roxy, ITV, UK)

3) Silvermac (Official Video)

4) Psychotech (unknown UK TV)

5) Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo (Get Fresh, ITV)

6) Ba-Na-Na-Bam-Boo (Official Video)