Smokie
Originally formed in Yorkshire, England in 1966, Smokie hit the British pop charts several times during the late '70s with updated psychedelic pop, influenced by the band's stay on Mickie Most's Rak Records as well as the writers of most of the band's hit material, Rak's Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. Vocalist Chris Norman, bassist Terry Utley, guitarist Alan Silson, and drummer Ron Kelly had played in the Elizabethans, but formed the band Kindness in 1970. The quartet recorded many singles during the late '60s and early '70s, but failed to show any chart activity. By 1973, Kelly had left the band and was replaced by Pete Spencer. In 1975, the band, signed to Rak Records; billed as Smokey, they hit number three in the U.K. with "If You Think You Know How to Love Me." After another Top Ten hit, "Don't Play Your Rock 'n' Roll to Me," Smokey became Smokie; in 1976, the group scored with three Top 20 hits, including the number five "Living Next Door to Alice." Smokie hit number five both in 1977 ("It's Your Life") and 1978 ("Oh Carol"), but the band's chart run ended in early 1980, and following 1982's Midnight Delight, they disbanded. Both Spencer and Norman continued to work at Rak during the '80s, writing hits for several groups; they re-formed Smokie in 1986, resurfacing with the LP My Heart Is True. Two more albums, All Fired Up and Greatest Hits Live, followed, with the group remaining active throughout the '90s, issuing new material -- including 1992's Chasing Shadows and 1995's The World and Elsewhere -- as well as a number of hits collections. The group returned to the U.K. singles chart in 1995, after comedian Roy "Chubby" Brown teamed up with the band for the release of "Living Next Door to Alice (Who the F**k is Alice)." With a renewed interest in the band, Smokie continued to deliver albums over the following years -- 1996's Light a Candle, 2000's Uncovered, and 2004's On the Wire -- as well as playing to crowds throughout the U.K. and Europe. Smokie issued their 21st album, Take a Minute, in 2010. Over the next decade, they released a handful of tracks while continuing to tour Europe.
© John Bush & Al Campbell /TiVo
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Discography
222 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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The Greatest Hits of 40 Years
Pop - Released by Music Manager on 27 May 2015
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
GOLD: Smokie Greatest Hits (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition 1975-2015)
Pop - Released by Sony Music Catalog on 24 Mar 2015
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Greatest Hits Vol. 1 "White" (New Extended Version)
Rock - Released by Sony Music Catalog on 6 Jan 2017
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
The Greatest Hits Rerecorded 2022
Rock - Released by Music Manager on 30 Sep 2022
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
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The Montreux Album (New Extended Version)
Rock - Released by Sony Music Catalog on 26 Aug 2016
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Changing All The Time
Pop/Rock - Released by Ariola on 1 Jan 1975
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Collections
Pop/Rock - Released by Sony BMG Music Entertainment on 29 Sep 2008
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Hit Collection - Edition
Pop/Rock - Released by SONY BMG Catalog on 29 Sep 2008
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Midnight Café (New Extended Version)
Rock - Released by Sony Music Catalog on 26 Aug 2016
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Needles & Pin: The Best Of Smokie
Pop/Rock - Released by Legacy Recordings on 26 Mar 2009
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Who the Fuck Is Alice (Live)
Rock - Released by Music Manager on 9 Jun 1993
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
The Original Smokie Gold
Pop/Rock - Released by Arista on 28 Sep 1994
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
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The Collection & Tracklisting
Pop/Rock - Released by Ariola on 12 Oct 2007
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Bright Lights and Back Alleys (New Extended Version)
Rock - Released by Sony Music Catalog on 26 Aug 2016
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Bright Lights And Back Alleys
Pop - Released by Ariola on 1 Jan 1977
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Greatest Hits Vol. 2 "Gold" (New Extended Version)
Rock - Released by Sony Music Catalog on 6 Jan 2017
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
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The Best Of 20 Years
Pop/Rock - Released by Ariola on 25 Nov 1994
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -