The Tourists

The Tourists

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1976
Defunct	1980
Headquarters	London , United Kingdom
Products	Rock and pop music

The Tourists were a British ensemble blending rock and pop, active between 1976 and 1980. They experienced a brief period of recognition in the late 1970s before disbanding. Among their members, vocalist Annie Lennox and guitarist Dave Stewart later achieved worldwide acclaim as the duo Eurythmics.

Early history

Before forming The Tourists, guitarists Peet Coombes and Dave Stewart played in the folk rock group Longdancer, which was signed to Elton John's Rocket Records label. After moving to London, they encountered Annie Lennox, who had left the Royal Academy of Music to focus on a career in pop.

Initially established in 1976 under the name The Catch, the trio released the single "Borderline/Black Blood" through Logo Records across several European markets but did not find commercial success.

The Tourists

In 1976, bassist Eddie Chin and drummer Jim Toomey (known as Jim "Do It" Toomey) joined the lineup, prompting the band to adopt the name The Tourists. They produced three studio albums: The Tourists (1979), Reality Effect (1979), and Luminous Basement (1980), alongside multiple singles. Their notable chart successes included a cover of Dusty Springfield’s "I Only Want to Be with You" (1979) and "So Good to Be Back Home Again" (1980), both securing spots within the UK top 10.

The track "I Only Want to Be with You" also reached the Australian top 10 and peaked at number 83 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Songwriting was predominantly handled by Peet Coombes, with later compositions contributed by Lennox and Stewart.

In 1980, The Tourists signed a deal with RCA Records UK and engaged in extensive touring, including serving as support for Roxy Music during their 1979 Manifesto Tour. The group ultimately disbanded that same year.

After the break-up

Following the split, Coombes and Chin formed a new act called Acid Drops, which failed to gain significant traction. As the principal creative force behind The Tourists, Coombes gradually withdrew from the music scene after their breakup. Lennox and Stewart ended their romantic involvement but continued their musical partnership as Eurythmics, retaining their RCA contract and collaborating with producer Conny Plank on their 1981 debut album In the Garden.

Coombes’ passing in March 1997 led Lennox and Stewart to renew both their friendship and professional collaboration after Eurythmics had ceased activity in 1990.

Drummer Jim Toomey (formerly known as "Do It") authored We Were Tourists in 2018, documenting the band’s history.

Bassist Eddie Chin died in 2023.

Members

• Peet Coombes – guitar, vocals
• David A. Stewart – guitar, backing vocals
• Annie Lennox – vocals, keyboards
• Eddie Chin – bass guitar
• Jim "Do It" Toomey – drums

Albums

Year	Title	UK	AUS	SWE	Certifications
1979	The Tourists	72	—	—
	Reality Effect	23	62	45
1980	Luminous Basement	75	—	—
1984	Should Have Been Greatest Hits	—	—	—
1997	Greatest Hits	—	—	—
"—" indicates releases that did not chart or were unavailable in that region.

Singles

Year	Title	UK	AUS	CAN	IRE	USA	Certifications	Album
1979	"Blind Among the Flowers"	52	—	—	—	—		The Tourists
	"The Loneliest Man in the World"	32	—	—	—	—
	"I Only Want to Be with You"	4	6	50	13	83	UK: Gold	Reality Effect
1980	"So Good to Be Back Home Again"	8	—	—	9	—
	"Don't Say I Told You So"	40	—	—	—	—		Luminous Basement
	"From the Middle Room"	—	—	—	—	—		Promo single
"—" indicates a track that either did not chart or was not released in the specified region.