The Korgis are a British pop band known mainly for their hit single "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" in 1980. The band was originally composed of singer/guitarist/keyboardist Andy Davis (born Andrew Cresswell-Davis 10 August 1949) and singer/bassist James Warren (born 25 August 1951), both former members of 1970s band Stackridge, along with violinist Stuart Gordon and keyboardist Phil Harrison.[1]
The Korgis released their first single "Young 'n' Russian" in February 1979 on the label Rialto Records, owned by their managers Nick Heath and Tim Heath. Joined briefly by drummer Bill Birks; their next single "If I Had You," was released soon after and moved up to number 13 on the UK Singles Chart,[2] featuring on Top of the Pops and prompting the release of an eponymous debut album, The Korgis, in July 1979.[1]
The follow-up singles a re-release of "Young 'n' Russian" and "I Just Can't Help It" failed to chart. However the next single, from their second album Dumb Waiters (1980) was "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" (1980),[1] a number one hit in three countries, France. Spain and Switzerland, peaking at number 5 in the UK,[2] 18 in the US and 11 in Australia. It was also a top ten in Belgium, Holland and Italy. The album reached number 40 in the UK in 1980 and was followed by the singles "If It's Alright with You Baby" and "Rovers Return".[1]
The commercial breakthrough that accompanied the release of their second album and the resulting singles was not enough to keep them together, however, and Davis departed the band prior to the recording of their third album, Sticky George, despite having a number of songwriting credits on the album. The lead single from Sticky George, "That Was My Big Mistake", was released under the name 'James Warren & the Korgis' to denote the fact that Davis and Warren had now gone their separate ways. By the end of 1980, Gordon and Harrison had also departed the band; subsequently the band was augmented by the arrival of guitarist John Baker, drummer Roy Dodds, and keyboardist Maggie Stewart. This line-up went on to promote "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" and subsequent singles on European TV and promotional appearances.
The following year the band was joined by flautist Steve Buck and was contemplating a Korgis Live show that ultimately failed to materialise; leading the band to dissolve and Warren to go solo in 1982. The single "Don't Look Back", originally a demo from the Sticky George sessions, was produced by Trevor Horn, known for his work with The Buggles, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Dollar and Yes, and issued by London Records in the summer of 1982. A follow-up single with Horn, "Endangered Species", was planned but never materialised.
Warren went on to issue a solo LP entitled Burning Questions in 1987.[1][3] Some of the singles during that era were released as "the Korgis", essentially a one-man band consisting solely of Warren, and co-produced by Andy Davis. Davis released his own solo LP, Clevedon Pier, in 1989.[4]
The band reunited in 1990 to re-record "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime". The re-formed group, consisting of Warren, Davis, and Baker, released the album This World's For Everyone in 1992,[5] having some success in Continental Europe and Japan, before breaking up again in 1993.
In 2005, Warren, Davis, and Baker reunited again for a film shoot for DVD/compilation album Kollection, and recorded the fourteen-track album Unplugged, which was released on the Angel Air record label the following year.
In 2006, the Korgis released their first single in thirteen years, "Something About the Beatles". This song acknowledges the influences of John Lennon in particular, which was very strong on "If I Had You" and "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" which capture the ethereal sounds of Lennon's early 1970s output. The band acknowledged John Lennon's influence in interviews at the time, shortly before his murder.[citation needed]
Former member Stuart Gordon died on 28 August 2014 from lung cancer, aged 63.[6]
When Stackridge took a break from touring in 2014, Warren and Davis organised a tour of the UK in 2015 under the name of the Korgis, using exactly the same five-piece line-up as Stackridge. The re-formed Stackridge usually included some Korgis songs in their live set. Stackridge retired in 2017, and a recording of the farewell concert was released as The Final Bow.
In 2017, Warren, encouraged by guitarist/arranger Al Steele, played some dates as James Warren and Friends. This included a Korgis set, and has led on to the first ever touring version of the Korgis - featuring James Warren. The first gig was at the Sunshine Festival in August 2018, and saw the return of John Baker plus Glenn Tommie from Stackridge (who also played on the original of "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime"), and Al Steele from the 1990s touring band. During 2019, the band have played in Leeds, Shoreham, Bristol, and the 100 Club in London.
During the Covid lockdown in 2020, the Korgis began recording their first new album in close to 30 years. It was entitled Kartoon World and was released in 2021. The album had a common thread and was a return to the idea of a 'concept album'. In December 2021 the band played the new album in its entirety firstly in Abbotskerswell and then at the Rondo Theatre in Bath. Since then they have performed a string of dates combining old and new material. Reception of the album was unanimously positive with some parties calling it a "career high".
In 2021, the single "Bringing Back the Spirit of Love" reached No1 in Mike Read's Heritage Chart. Subsequent singles, "Always a Sunny Day" and "Lines" have also charted.[citation needed]
In early 2022, the Korgis were asked to release an album for the Japanese market. This is called Kool Hits, Kuriosities & Kollaborations and features some unreleased songs and the single "Always a Sunny Day" co-written and performed by the Korgis & Joe Matera. It also features re-recorded versions of the classic hits, plus some alternative mixes of some tracks from 'Kartoon World'. This album was released in the UK later in the year.
In April 2023 the band launched a new show titled 'The Korgis Time Machine' which incorporated some cover songs that had been influences to the writers. This also saw a new streamlined line-up where John Baker took on the role of keyboards and backing vocal group Born to Win were replaced by Danielle Nicholls.
Other cover versions of "Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" also took the song back into the UK Singles Chart over the years, including those by The Dream Academy (1987), Yazz (1994), Baby D (1995) and Army of Lovers (1995). Tracey Ullman and Rod Stewart have also covered "If I Had You".
Stackridge were a British rock group which had their greatest success in the early 1970s.
Stackridge is the 1971 debut album by the English group Stackridge. It was one of the first releases on the MCA Records label in the U.K. It first appeared on CD in 1997, released by Demon Records in the U.K. In 2006 it was re-issued again by Angel Air.
Robyn Loau is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. From 1991 to 1994, she was lead singer of pop group Girlfriend, before leaving the group to become the face and voice of world music project Siva Pacifica. Loau launched her solo career in 1997 with the Adamski produced single "Sick with Love".
The Korgis is the debut studio album by English pop band, the Korgis. It was released in 1979 on Rialto Records in the UK, and on Warner Bros. Records in the US.
Dumb Waiters is the second studio album by English pop band the Korgis. It was released on Rialto Records in the UK in 1980.
Sticky George is the third studio album by English pop band, The Korgis. It was released on Rialto Records in the UK in 1981.
Burning Questions is the debut solo studio album by English singer and composer James Warren,. It was released on Sonet Records on 2 February 1987.
This World's For Everyone is the fourth studio album by English pop band The Korgis. It was released in The Netherlands, Spain and Japan in 1992 and in Germany in 1993.
Unplugged is a live album by English pop band, The Korgis. It was released in 2006.
Kollection is a compilation/studio album by English pop band The Korgis. It was released in 2005.
The Best of The Korgis is a compilation album of recordings by English pop band The Korgis. It was released on Rialto Records in the UK in 1983.
The Best of The Korgis is a compilation album by English pop band The Korgis. It was released by Action Replay in 1990. This is a CD re-issue of the 1983 UK album The Best of The Korgis.
Archive Series a.k.a. The Korgis Archive is a compilation album by English pop band The Korgis. It was released by Rialto Records in 1997. This is a CD re-issue of the 1983 UK album The Best of The Korgis with eight additional tracks.
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by English pop band The Korgis. It was released by Armoury Records Germany in 2001.
Klassics – The Best of The Korgis is a compilation album by English pop band The Korgis. It was released by Music Club International UK in 2001. The compilation includes the alternate versions of "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime" and "Nowhere To Run" that first appeared on Edsel Records' 1999 CD re-issues of albums Dumb Waiters and Sticky George.
Don't Look Back – The Very Best of The Korgis is a two disc compilation album by English pop band The Korgis. It was released by Sanctuary Records/Castle Communications in the UK in 2003.
"Geraldine" is a 2008 single by Scottish indie rock band Glasvegas. It was released on 23 June 2008 and reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart. It also reached number one on the Scottish Singles Chart.
"Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" is a 1980 single written by James Warren and first performed by British pop band the Korgis, with Warren as the lead singer. It has subsequently been covered by numerous other artists.
One on One is the second studio album by British pop singer Yazz. The album was released in April 1994, more than five years after her debut album, Wanted. The album contains the UK top 40 hit single "How Long", a duet with Aswad.
David Lord is an English composer and record producer, known for his work with Peter Gabriel, the Korgis and XTC.
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