The Tourists Biography & Awards

Billboard requires a JavaScript enabled browser to get the full experience

Artist Info

Formed

1978

Disbanded

1980

Members

Dave Stewart, Jim Toomey, Eddy Chin, Peet Coombes, Eddie Chinn, Annie Lennox

Biography

Although in retrospect, the Tourists are seen almost entirely as the band Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox were in before they formed Eurythmics, the Scottish group was in fact more of a showcase for singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter Peet Coombes, who had first worked with Stewart in a folk duo in the early '70s. Adding Stewart's girlfriend Lennox on vocals and occasional keyboards, the new trio dubbed themselves Catch and released one single, "Black Blood," on the Logo label in 1977. Adding bassist Eddie Chin and drummer Jim Toomey, the group re-christened themselves the Tourists and released their first album, The Tourists, in 1978. A follow-up, 1979's Reality Effect, scored a U.K. hit with a cover of Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want to Be With You." 1980's Luminous Basement didn't build on that popular success, and the album, which had a new electronic emphasis in contrast to the '60s-inspired guitar pop of the first two, sounded like the group had lost their aesthetic focus. The Tourists split later that year. In 1984, Epic released a cash-in compilation called Should Have Been Greatest Hits. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide