Smokie

Smokie are an English rock band formed in Bradford in the early 1970s, best known for their soft-rock and pop-rock hits that became staples of European radio throughout that decade. Fronted for most of their classic era by vocalist Chris Norman, the band built a sound centered on warm, melodic guitar lines, sing-along choruses, and Norman's distinctive raspy voice.

Their signature song, «Living Next Door to Alice», became an international hit and remains one of the most recognizable British pop-rock singles of the 1970s, later gaining a second life through a novelty cover version that added a well-known expletive-laden chorus line. Other hits from the era include «Oh Carol» and «Lay Back in the Arms of Someone», songs that showcased the band's knack for wistful, radio-friendly storytelling set against gently rocking arrangements. Much of their material was written or co-written with songwriter-producers Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, key architects of the glam and pop-rock sound of the period.

Smokie's music sits comfortably alongside other mid-1970s British soft-rock and glam-adjacent acts, distinguished by its warmth and accessibility rather than aggression. Despite lineup changes over the decades, the band's core catalog from the 1970s has endured, particularly across continental Europe, where songs like «Living Next Door to Alice» remain enduring party and radio staples.