Dexys Midnight Runners (currently officially Dexys, their former nickname, styled without an apostrophe) are an English pop band with soul influences, who achieved their major success in the early to mid-1980s. They are best known in the UK for their songs "Come On Eileen" and "Geno", both of which peaked at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as six other top-20 singles. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Dexys went through numerous personnel changes over the course of three albums and thirteen singles, with only singer/songwriter/co-founder Kevin Rowland remaining in the band through all of the transitions and only Rowland and "Big" Jim Paterson (trombone) appearing on all of the albums.
Searching for the Young Soul Rebels and first band split
Building on the unexpected success of "Dance Stance" (aka "Burn It Down"), Dexys' next single, "Geno" - about Geno Washington - became a British Number One in 1980. It featured the band's "Late Night Feelings" imprint on the single, which became a trademark of the band's records on EMI. Rowland wrote about Washington as he had seen one of his performances aged 11 with his brother. The success of the song prompted Washington to make a return to live performance, but it also prompted the departure of Leek, who said he didn't want to be famous. Pete Saunders returned to the band temporarily, replacing Leek, to record their debut album.  Dexys' debut LP, Searching for the Young Soul Rebels, which featured "Geno", was released in July 1980. The label of the album also included the band's "Late Night Feelings" imprint, and the album's sleeve featured a photograph of a Belfast Catholic boy carrying his belongings after moving from his home during the Troubles; the Irish-descended Rowland explained that "I wanted a picture of unrest. It could have been from anywhere but I was secretly glad that it was from Ireland." Of the album's title, Rowland said "I don't know ... I just liked the sound of it, really." Of the songs on the album, only two ("Geno" and "There, There, My Dear") were written by Rowland (lyrics) and Archer (music) together; producer Pete Wingfield hadn't liked Rowland's lyrics on their third co-composition ("Keep It") and had instead turned those lyrics into a separate song ("Love Part One"); Blythe wrote new lyrics for the version of "Keep It" on the album. The same month, Rowland imposed a press embargo on the band; instead, Dexys would take out ads in the music papers explaining the band's position on various issues. This was a response to some less than complimentary opinions from some music press writers; for example, the NME's Mark Cordery accused the band of "emotional fascism" and described their music as a perversion of soul music with "no tenderness, no sex, no wit, no laughter".  After the album, Saunders was replaced by Mick Talbot (ex-The Merton Parkas) on keyboards. "There, There, My Dear" became the band's second top-10 single. However, after a couple months of touring, Rowland insisted on writing new lyrics to Archer's music for "Keep It" for release as the band's next single, despite EMI's objections. The single, called "Keep It Part Two (Inferiority Part One)", was a failure, and five of the band members then quit, angered over continual personality problems with Rowland, as well as Rowland's policy of not speaking to the music press. Archer and Paterson both remained with Rowland at first, but then Archer also decided to leave, which reduced Dexys to just Rowland and Paterson, whom Rowland referred to as "the Celtic soul brothers" (in reference to Paterson's Scottish background and Rowland's Irish background).  Archer (and Leek) eventually formed The Blue Ox Babes, while the other departing members--Blythe, Spooner, Williams, "Stoker", and Talbot--formed The Bureau, which Wingfield continued to produce.

Q: Which single went #1?
A: "Geno" -

Q: Why did someone leave the band?
A: Leek, who said he didn't want to be famous.

Q: What was the band's debut album?
A: Searching for the Young Soul Rebels,

Q: When was it released?
A: released in July 1980.

Q: What were some of the songs on the album?
A: "Late Night Feelings"

Q: What was the sleeve cover picture?
A: sleeve featured a photograph of a Belfast Catholic boy carrying his belongings after moving from his home during the Troubles;

Q: Why did they choose that?
A: Rowland explained that "I wanted a picture of unrest.

Q: How did they get the title name?
A: Of the album's title, Rowland said "I don't know ... I just liked the sound of it, really."
Who wrote the songs?
the album, only two ("Geno" and "There, There, My Dear") were written by Rowland (lyrics
the album, only two ("Geno" and "There, There, My Dear") were written by Rowland (lyrics