NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Frankie Goes To Hollywood

Frankie Goes to Hollywood (FGTH) was a UK dance-pop band that was extremely popular in the mid 1980s. The Liverpool group was fronted by Holly Johnson (vocals), supported by Paul Rutherford (vocals, keyboards), Peter Gill (drums, percussion), Mark O'Toole (bass guitar) and Brian Nash (guitar). This article is about the city in England. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Synthpop is a subgenre of New Wave in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. ... The New Wave was a movement in American, Australian and British popular music, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, growing out of the New York City musical scene centered around the club CBGB. The term itself is a source of much confusion. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... ZTT, Futurist slogan and sound poem ZTT is an abbreviation for Marinettis sound poem Zang tumb tumb which was to become a futurist slogan during the early 1920s. ... Image:Bij. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Paul Rutherford (born December 8, 1959 in Liverpool, England) was the backing vocalist and dancer with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH), one of the groups two openly gay singers. ... Peter Gill (born March 8, 1964, Liverpool, England), known by the nickname Pedro or Ped, was the drummer with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ... Mark OToole (born January 6, 1964 in Liverpool, England) was the bass guitarist for 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ... Brian Nash (born May 20, 1963 in Liverpool, England) was the guitarist for 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ... For other uses, see Liverpool (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... Paul Rutherford (born December 8, 1959 in Liverpool, England) was the backing vocalist and dancer with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH), one of the groups two openly gay singers. ... A backup vocalist is a vocalist that sings in harmony with the lead vocalist, with other backup vocalists, or alone but in the background of a song. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Peter Gill (born March 8, 1964, Liverpool, England), known by the nickname Pedro or Ped, was the drummer with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ... A drum kit (or drum set or trap set - the latter an old-fashioned term) is a collection of drums, cymbals and other percussion instruments arranged for convenient playing by a sole percussionist (drummer), usually for jazz, rock, or other types of contemporary music. ... Percussion instruments are played by being struck, shaken, rubbed or scraped. ... Mark OToole (born January 6, 1964 in Liverpool, England) was the bass guitarist for 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ... A sunburst-colored Fender Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass[1][2]; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ... Brian Nash (born May 20, 1963 in Liverpool, England) was the guitarist for 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ...

The group's debut single "Relax" was famously banned by the BBC while at number six in the charts, and subsequently topped the UK singles chart for five consecutive weeks, going on to enjoy prolonged chart success throughout 1984 and ultimately becoming the seventh best-selling UK single of all time (as of May 2006). Following the follow-up success of "Two Tribes" and "The Power of Love", FGTH became only the second act in the history of the UK charts to reach number one with their first three singles; the first being Gerry and the Pacemakers in 1964. Relax is the title track of the first single by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in the UK by ZTT Records in October 1983 (see 1983 in music). ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... This is a list of the number one singles on the UK Singles Chart, during the 1980s. ... Two Tribes is the title track of the second single by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, released in the UK by ZTT Records in May 1984 (see 1984 in music). ... The Power of Love is the title of the third single from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in November 1984. ... Gerry & the Pacemakers was a British rock and roll group during the 1960s, and one of the few groups to challenge the Beatles in popularity. ...

Career

Download high resolution version (701x700, 25 KB)Relax File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (701x700, 25 KB)Relax File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Formation

On the B-side to the group's first single, Johnson explained that the group's name derived from a page from the New Yorker magazine, featuring the headline "Frankie Goes to Hollywood" and a picture of Frank Sinatra. An alternate story relates that a similar article about Frankie Vaughan was the source for the group's name. And finally another story is that it was a tabloid story about the British comic Frankie Howerd going to Hollywood. Allegedly the original group named "Frankie Goes to Hollywood" dates from 1980.^[1] â€œB-Sidesâ€ redirects here. ... For other uses, see New Yorker. ... Sinatra redirects here. ... Frankie Vaughan, CBE (3 February 1928-17 May 1999) was a singer of traditional pop music in the United Kingdom, who issued more than 80 recordings in his lifetime. ...

The nucleus of the group emerged from the late 1970s Liverpool punk scene. Lead singer Holly Johnson had played bass with Big in Japan, and had also released two solo singles. Paul Rutherford — who did not join until later — had sung in The Spitfire Boys. Local musicians Peter Gill (drums), Jed O'Toole (bass) and Jed's cousin Brian Nash (guitar) initially joined Johnson, calling themselves Sons of Egypt the band secured a number of small local gigs. The group disbanded shortly after only to be partially reprised when Johnson joined Mark O'Toole (bass) and Ped to form FGTH, during a particularly fluid period of personnel changes brother Jed joined on guitar. A female vocalist, Sonya Mazunda, subsequently joined the group, and this line-up performed the first Frankie gig at the Leeds nightclub "The Warehouse", supporting "Hambi & The Dance". For other uses, see Liverpool (disambiguation). ... The punk subculture is a subculture that is based around punk rock. ... Image:Bij. ... The Spitfire Boys were the first Liverpool punk band to release a single (Mein Kampf c/w British Refugee). The Spitfire Boys were mainly notable for including in their line-up Budgie (aka Pete Clarke), who went on to drum for The Slits and later Siouxsie & the Banshees (as well... Peter Gill (born March 8, 1964, Liverpool, England), known by the nickname Pedro or Ped, was the drummer with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ... Jed OToole was one of the original members of Frankie goes to hollywood along side his brother Mark, however Jed left the band making way for his cousin, Brian Nash (Nasher). ... Twice removed redirects here. ... Mark OToole (born January 6, 1964 in Liverpool, England) was the bass guitarist for 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ...

Rutherford, who had been temporarily filling in as backing vocalist for the headlining act, apparently got so caught up in Frankie's performance that he effectively replaced Mazunda that very night. The new all-male musical line-up subsequently toured locally with a leather-clad duo known as "The Leatherpets", and managed to fund promotional videos and demos, despite being eventually turned down by both Arista Records and Phonogram. In October 1982, the group recorded a John Peel session for BBC Radio One, comprising the originals "Krisco Kisses", "Two Tribes", "Disneyland" and "The World Is My Oyster". Around this time Jed O'Toole left the group, to be replaced by the returning Nash. Arista redirects here. ... Phonogram Records was started in 1962 as a joint venture between Philips Records and Deutsche Grammophon. ... For other persons named John Peel, see John Peel (disambiguation). ... BBC Radio 1 is a British radio station, specialising in popular music aimed at a young audience (children, teenagers and young adults). ...

In February 1983, the group were invited to record a video for "Relax" by the Channel Four show The Tube at the Liverpool State Ballroom. After the broadcast, the Peel session was repeated on radio, and a new session recorded for the BBC, comprising "Welcome to the Pleasuredome", "The Only Star In Heaven" and "Relax". These performances, along with a repeat of the Tube video, apparently convinced Trevor Horn to sign the group for his new label, ZTT Records, in May 1983. This article is about the British television station. ... Screenshot of The Tubes neon sign trademark The Tube was an innovative United Kingdom pop/rock music television programme, which ran for 5 series, from 1982 until 1987. ... Welcome to the Pleasuredome is the title of the fourth single from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in 1985. ... Trevor Charles Horn, born July 15, 1949 in Durham, England, is a British pop music record producer, songwriter and musician. ... ZTT Records is a record label founded in 1983 by NME journalist Paul Morley, record producer Trevor Horn, producer/engineer Gary Langan and businesswoman Jill Sinclair. ...

"Relax"

"Relax" was released by ZTT in October 1983 and got a modicum of airplay, allowing it steady progress into the UK Top 40. Following a debut appearance on the BBC's Top Of The Pops on January 5, 1984 while at number 35, the single shot to number six in the charts — and then would come the incident which propelled both song and band into pop notoriety forever. Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, was a long-running British music chart television programme, made and broadcast by the BBC. It was originally shown each week, mostly on BBC One, from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

On January 11, 1984, BBC Radio 1 disc jockey Mike Read was playing the record on his show when he noticed the front cover design (by Yvonne Gilbert), depicting a man and woman pressed against each other, back to back, with clothed upper bodies but bared buttocks, and including a somewhat salacious quote from the song's lyrics. This prompted him to listen more intently to the words, and his reaction was such that he apparently removed the disc from the turntable live on air, branding it "disgusting". [1] is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... BBC Radio 1 (commonly referred to as just Radio 1) is a British national radio station operated by the BBC, specialising in popular music and speech and is aimed primarily at the 14-29[1] age group. ... For other meanings of DJ, see DJ (disambiguation). ... A trick photograph of Mike Read Mike Read (1 March 1951) is a British disc jockey, writer and former television presenter. ... Bottom commonly refers to the human buttocks but also has other uses. ...

Two days later — almost three months after the single's initial release, and just eight days after the group's Top Of The Pops appearance — the BBC banned the record from all its TV and radio outlets.

"Relax" immediately shot to Number One in the UK charts and stayed there for five weeks, leading to the situation where the BBC could not feature the nation's best-selling single on any of their flagship radio and TV chart shows for over a month (hence the traditional closing 'number one spot' on Top Of The Pops was filled by different, distinctly non-number-one acts for five consecutive weeks). This is a list of the number one singles on the UK Singles Chart, during the 1980s. ...

Comparisons were drawn between "Relax" and the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" in terms of media controversy. The BBC had not intended to enhance record sales by banning "Relax", and yet the record had defied these intentions emphatically, meaning that — not for the first time — the BBC and the media were faced with a fast-selling record that could beat and even be seen to exploit a widely-publicised institutional ban. Moreover, the BBC and the UK media were completely unprepared for the unprecedented "Relax" phenomenon that followed. The experience of "Relax" would ultimately prove something of a cultural watershed, causing a marked change in the BBC's policy on banning provocative records, and the popular media's approach to "controversial" records in general. Sex Pistols are an iconic and highly influential English punk rock band, formed in London in 1975. ... God Save the Queen (B-side Did You No Wrong) was the second single released by the punk rock band Sex Pistols. ... Media controversy is controversy involving forms of media, especially electronic media. ...

Read had apparently been outraged by the "overtly sexual" nature of both the record sleeve and the printed lyrics. However, the sleeve's "Relax, don't do it, when you want to suck it to it" had been a deliberately provocative misprint. The real words were, in fact, "...when you want to sock it to it...". On the other hand, the imagery of the concluding expression "Relax, don't do it, when you want to come" seemed rather more inescapable, if no less cryptic in some quarters (when Johnson was asked by pop magazine Smash Hits "'Relax, don't do it' — Don't do what?", he had replied "don't relax, of course"). Oral sex consists of all sexual activities that involve the use of the mouth, which may include use of the tongue, teeth, and throat, to stimulate genitalia. ... The cover of a May 1981 edition of Smash Hits magazine Smash Hits was a pop music based magazine, aimed at children and young teenagers, and originally published in the United Kingdom. ...

The original video depicted a gay S&M den (filmed in an unused South London theatre), and was apparently promptly banned by both the BBC and MTV, resulting in a substitute video directed by film-maker Brian De Palma to coincide with the release of his film Body Double. A slightly different version of the video appears in Body Double as a scene from a pornographic movie. For other uses, see Video (disambiguation). ... GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... Collars are a commonly used symbol of BDSM and can be ornamental or functional. ... The South London Theatre is a theatre in West Norwood in London, England. ... This article is about the original U.S. music television channel. ... Director Herbert Brenon with actress Alla Nazimova on the set of War Brides, 1916 A director is a person who directs the making of a film. ... Brian De Palma (born Brian Russell DePalma on September 11, 1940 in Newark, New Jersey) is a controversial American film director, best known for directing the Al Pacino classic Scarface, and the Academy Award-winning The Untouchables. ... Body Double is a 1984 film by Brian De Palma. ... Body Double is a 1984 film by Brian De Palma. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The provocative notes on the back of the "Relax" sleeve were attributed to music journalist and ZTT associate Paul Morley, who was also responsible for the PR campaign that followed the BBC ban, and which led to a massive demand for both the band and the banned song. Part of this promotion (although it actually came later in the year, with the release of "Two Tribes") included the iconic "Frankie Say Relax Don't Do It" T-shirts, which were credited to Morley but were in fact based on designs by Katharine Hamnett, who had produced similarly minimalistic black-on-white shirts depicting positive slogans such as "Choose Life" and "Go Go", as worn by Wham! in promoting "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go". "Frankie Say..." T-shirts would become ubiquitous in the UK during the summer of 1984. T-shirt, frankie says relax. ... T-shirt, frankie says relax. ... T-shirt similar to one by Katharine Hamnett, with FRANKIE SAY RELAX slogan. ... For other uses, see Journalist (disambiguation). ... Paul Morley Paul Morley (born 26 March 1957 in Stockport, Cheshire) is an English journalist, who wrote for the New Musical Express from 1977 to 1983, during one of its most successful and relatively notorious periods, and has since written for a wide range of publications. ... T-Shirt A T-shirt (or tee shirt) is a shirt with short or long sleeves, a round neck, put on over the head, without pockets. ... T-shirt similar to one by Katharine Hamnett, with FRANKIE SAY RELAX slogan. ... Wham! was a pop duo which was formed by George Michael and his best friend Andrew Ridgeley in the early 1980s. ... Ova pesma je najbolja!!!(This song is the best) Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go is a song by English pop duo Wham! which was released in 1984 and became their first UK number one hit. ...

Adding to the controversy surrounding "Relax", rumours began to circulate after its chart success that the single had actually been recorded by session musicians. This rumour eventually gelled into the general accusation that "Frankie cannot play", since the group were unavailable for touring duties during the whole of 1984. Some time later, producer Trevor Horn admitted that in fact he had recorded a 'demo' version of "Relax" with FGTH and The Blockheads, the renowned backing group for New Wave icon Ian Dury. He had then cut a second version with FGTH alone, but was unhappy with the result of both sessions, and had finally taken the tape away to work on. Horn allegedly spent five more weeks augmenting the track with extensive overdubs by session musicians, incorporating previously recorded bass hooks by the Blockheads' Norman Watt-Roy and a bass pulse sampled on a Fairlight CMI two years earlier at Battery Studios by session bassist Mark 'Thumbs' Cunningham. Despite apparently unilaterally spending such extensive time and money on one single, Horn would later assert that "Relax" represented a massive gamble for himself and his new record label, ZTT, and that its failure could well have bankrupted him. By the time it was completed, it had cost a reported £70,000 in studio time alone, with the video clip costing an additional £15,000. The question of studio time, costs and who should ultimately pay for them would become a key question for FGTH (and other signed ZTT groups such as Propaganda) beyond 1984. Trevor Charles Horn, born July 15, 1949 in Durham, England, is a British pop music record producer, songwriter and musician. ... The New Wave was a movement in American, Australian and British popular music, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, growing out of the New York City musical scene centered around the club CBGB. The term itself is a source of much confusion. ... Ian Dury, in a look combining Gene Vincent with a Cockney pearly king. ... The Fairlight CMI (Computer Musical Instrument) was the first digital sampling synthesizer. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Propaganda was a synthpop musical group formed in Germany in the early 1980s by Ralf DÃ¶rper (a member of the German industrial band Die Krupps), Andreas Thein and Susanne Freytag. ...

"Two Tribes"

"Relax" remained in the charts when the follow-up, "Two Tribes", was released in May 1984. The anti-conflict song was given an aggressively topical nuclear war slant. Featuring sirens, the unmistakable voice of Patrick Allen (who had voiced the British Government's actual nuclear warning ads, Protect and Survive, two years earlier) and another innovative electronic backing, it went straight into the UK charts at Number One and stayed there for nine weeks (the first single to do so since Wings' "Mull of Kintyre" during 1977–78), with total sales exceeding 1.5 million copies and becoming one of the top 30 best-selling records in the UK ever. Image File history File linksMetadata Frankie_Two_Tribes_12_inch_picture_disk. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Frankie_Two_Tribes_12_inch_picture_disk. ... Two Tribes is the title track of the second single by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, released in the UK by ZTT Records in May 1984 (see 1984 in music). ... The Titan II ICBM carried a 9 Mt W53 warhead, making it one of the most powerful nuclear weapons fielded by the United States during the Cold War. ... As Captain Collier in Night Creatures (1962), Allen doffs his hat to the late Captain Clegg John Keith Patrick Allen (March 17, 1927 - July 28, 2006) was a British actor and voice actor. ... The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... The front cover text reads: This booklet tells you how to make your home and your family as safe as possible under nuclear attack. Protect and Survive was the title of a series of booklets and a public information film series produced by the British government during the late 1970s... Wings was a rock music supergroup formed in August 1971, after the breakup of The Beatles, by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney. ... Mull of Kintyre is a popular 1977 song by former Beatle Paul McCartney and his band Wings. ...

Directed by the renowned duo of Kevin Godley and Lol Crème (half of '70s rock band 10cc), the video featured lookalikes of Cold War leaders Ronald Reagan and Konstantin Chernenko wrestling in a marquee while band members and others laid bets on the outcome. Ultimately, the audience — consisting of other world leaders — were brought into the fight, and eventually Earth was seen to explode. Kevin Godley (born Kevin Michael Godley, 7 October 1945 [1], Prestwich, near Bury, Lancashire, England) is a British musician and music video director. ... Lol CrÃ¨me (born September 19, 1947) is a British musician and music video director. ... This article is about the genre. ... 10cc was a British pop band which achieved its greatest commercial success during the 1970s. ... A look-alike is a person who bears a close physical resemblance to a celebrity, politician or royalty. ... The Cold War (1979-1985) discusses the period within the Cold War between the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 to the rise of Mikhail Gorbachev as Soviet leader in 1985. ... Reagan redirects here. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The word marquee can refer to several things: Marquee (tent), its use in British English for a large, open-sided tent installed outdoors for temporary functions. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... Gasoline explosions, simulating bomb drops at an airshow. ...

Morley launched his Hamnett-inspired T-shirt campaign in earnest with the release of "Two Tribes", augmenting "Frankie Say Relax Don't Do It" with new designs such as "Frankie Say War Hide Yourself" and "Frankie Say Arm The Unemployed" (a design that itself courted controversy, prompting Johnson to explain in a radio interview that the slogan was meant to incite the government to arm the unemployed with jobs).

"Two Tribes" was a spectacular single in its own right, but its reign at the top of the charts was made even more notable by the continuing success of its predecessor. "Relax" had made a natural decline down the charts by May 1984, but on the release of "Two Tribes" its sales began to increase again, to the extent that FGTH held the top two spots in the UK charts during July 1984, the first active group to do so since the early 1960s.

The band had suggested (on Channel 4's The Tube) that the second single might be "Slave to the Rhythm", this was eventually released by Grace Jones. The voice of Ronald Reagan on the "Two Tribes" twelve inchers was provided by Chris Barrie. The Tube may refer to: The London Underground Television generally The Tube (London Underground TV series), an ITV/Sky programme featuring the work of staff on the London Underground The Tube (TV series), a former Channel 4 (UK) music programme The Tube (TV channel), US music video channel The Port... Slave to the Rhythm is an album by Grace Jones. ... Grace Jones (born Grace Mendoza on May 19, 1948, in Spanish Town, Jamaica) is a model, singer and actress. ... Chris Barrie (born March 28, 1960) is an English actor, best known for his roles as Arnold Rimmer in the cult BBC2 comedy Red Dwarf, and as Gordon Brittas in popular BBC1 sitcom The Brittas Empire. ...

"The Power of Love"

FGTH released a third single, "The Power of Love", at the end of 1984. A surprisingly thoughtful, well-arranged ballad, it went to Number One in December and gave the band the honour of being the first act for two decades (since Gerry and the Pacemakers (also a Liverpool band) in 1963) to achieve chart-toppers with its first three releases. The video was not banned on this occasion but still caused strife for the group — it depicted a nativity scene (and on its first showing did not feature any members of the band, but they were added as picture framing), lumping it (wrongly) in the category of Christmas-only records. As a result, to this day radio stations seem to give it airplay only during the festive period. The lyrics are not directly concerned with Christmas, however. The song's release was preceded by an advertising campaign that, cheekily, declared it to be the band's third number one single, as if this was a fait accompli. The Power of Love is the title of the third single from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in November 1984. ... Gerry & the Pacemakers was a British rock and roll group during the 1960s, and one of the few groups to challenge the Beatles in popularity. ... For the Nativity of Jesus, see Nativity of Jesus. ... For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ... An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication (IMC). ... Here are some examples of French words and phrases used by English speakers. ...

The Band Aid project, for which Johnson recorded a message for the B-side, meant that FGTH managed only one week at the top this time before it was replaced by "Do They Know It's Christmas?". "The Power of Love" was taken from their debut album, Welcome to the Pleasuredome, which entered the UK chart at Number One. The album sold relatively well but was generally poorly received by critics. Along with the three ubiquitous singles and the title track, it featured a mixture of covers (including "Born to Run" from Bruce Springsteen, "San Jose", "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey") that appeared somewhat thrown-together, alongside some relatively humourless Liverpudlian asides and skits. Band Aid was a British and Irish charity supergroup, founded in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in order to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia by releasing the record Do They Know Its Christmas? for the Christmas market. ... Do They Know Its Christmas? is a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 specifically to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief. ... Welcome to the Pleasuredome was the highly successful debut album by British pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood, first released in 1984 by Island Records. ... Welcome To The Pleasuredome is the title track of the 1984 debut album by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ... Born to Run is a rock album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released in 1975 (see 1975 in music). ... Springsteen redirects here. ... Do You Know the Way to San Jose is a popular song by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. ... The film and soundtrack album of 1965 is one of the more uncommon artefacts of Merseybeat, shown very rarely on TV and never issued on video The title song is more famous nowadays and has charted twice. ...

The BBC lifted its ban on "Relax" at the end of 1984 to allow the band to perform it on the Christmas edition of Top Of The Pops (it had been, aside from Band Aid, the biggest-selling single of the year).

"Welcome to the Pleasuredome"

The album's title track, "Welcome to the Pleasuredome", was released as a fourth single in March 1985. Early promotional posters for the single cockily proclaimed it as "their fourth number one", even prior to the single's release. Embarrassingly, the single peaked at Number 2, leading to preemptive claims that the band was now on the decline. The snipers would eventually prove correct, but not for the alleged 'failure' of a Number 2 hit. The band's demise was, in the final analysis, attributable to increasing internal tensions and general disillusionment, suspected by some during 1985, but only becoming truly apparent during the group's 1986 public and much-heralded "return". The twelve inches were noted for their long Greek mythology/Samuel Taylor Coleridge spoken introduction by Geoffrey Palmer. Welcome To The Pleasuredome is the title track of the 1984 debut album by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ... The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... Samuel Taylor Coleridge (October 21, 1772 â€“ July 25, 1834) (pronounced ) was an English poet, critic, and philosopher who was, along with his friend William Wordsworth, one of the founders of the Romantic Movement in England and one of the Lake Poets. ... Geoffrey Dyson Palmer OBE (born 4 June 1927) is an English actor, noted mostly for his extensive career in British sitcoms. ...

One single new track, "Disneyland", was released on the ZTT Records "Zang Tuum Tumb Sampled" album in late 1985. ZTT Records is a record label founded in 1983 by NME journalist Paul Morley, record producer Trevor Horn, producer/engineer Gary Langan and businesswoman Jill Sinclair. ... This article is about the year. ...

Return and decline

In 1986 FGTH appeared at the Montreux Rock Festival which was broadcast on UK television. This performance saw the first airings of two future singles, namely "Rage Hard" and "Warriors of the Wasteland". Both versions were different from the versions eventually released. In August 1986, the long-awaited new Frankie Goes to Hollywood single, "Rage Hard", was released, reaching number 4 in the UK. Initially showcased promotionally with songs like "Warriors of the Wasteland", the group's sound had developed a significantly harder edge with a less flamboyant, more nitty-gritty lyrical side. Whilst the single was inevitably promoted as a flagship ZTT product, the result seemed somewhat forced and verging almost on self-parody by 1986. The corresponding album, Liverpool (originally rumoured to be titled "Liverpool ... let's make it a double"), released in October and reaching UK No. 5 was generally panned by the music press, and chart returns declined rapidly with the follow-up singles "Warriors of the Wasteland" (#19) and "Watching the Wildlife" (#28). The group meanwhile threatened to implode of its own accord, in the course of an otherwise successful tour promoting the new album. Johnson kept himself markedly separate from the rest of the band when offstage at this period, tensions becoming exacerbated during a backstage altercation between Johnson and O'Toole at Wembley Arena in January 1987, reflecting the generally collapsing relationship between lead singer and the rest of the band. FGTH would complete the tour, but Johnson ultimately left the group thereafter, citing musical estrangement. Rage Hard is the fifth single by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ... Liverpoolis Frankie Goes to Hollywoods second album, released in October of 1986(see 1986 in music). ... Rage Hard is the fifth single by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ... Liverpoolis Frankie Goes to Hollywoods second album, released in October of 1986(see 1986 in music). ... Self-parody is parody of oneself or ones own work. ... Liverpoolis Frankie Goes to Hollywoods second album, released in October of 1986(see 1986 in music). ... Wembley Arena at Night (Taken at a live WWE Show). ...

Aftermath

In the aftermath of the group split, Johnson was offered a solo recording agreement with MCA Records. However, ZTT, which maintained they had invested heavily in Liverpool (to the extent that the digital recording system used to record the album was very nearly treated as a sixth member of the band on the sleeve of the "Warriors of the Wasteland" single), had other ideas, and promptly sued Johnson in an attempt to hold him to his original contract with the label. Among other things, ZTT believed that as a departing member of FGTH, Johnson was required to release all solo material through the label until the band's original multiple-album agreement was fulfilled. The suit was bitterly fought, exposing the inner workings of the ZTT/Frankie machine to a giddy UK music press. The Music Corporation of America was a United States based corporation in the music business. ... In digital recording, the analog signal of a motion-picture/sound is converted into a stream of discrete numbers, representing the changes in air pressure (chroma and luminance values in case of video) through time; thus making an abstract template for the original sound or moving image. ... Music from the United Kingdom has achieved great international popularity since the 1960s, when a wave of British musicians helped to popularise rock and roll. ...

After two weeks, the High Court found in Johnson's favour, holding that the highly restrictive terms of the contract constituted an unreasonable restraint of trade. The result of the court case, which also effectively freed the remaining members of FGTH from their ZTT contract, became famous as an unprecedented victory for the artist over their corporate paymasters. At present, the law will not enforce certain types of contracts on the ground of illegality. ...

Later years

Johnson's solo career at MCA commenced in 1989, with a succession of high-placed singles and the number one album Blast. The remix collection Hollelujah followed, trailed by a second studio album Dreams That Money Can't Buy. However, Johnson's relations with MCA cooled with this release, and he would ultimately become a reclusive but successful painter, after announcing in 1993 that he was infected with HIV. The following year, Johnson recounted his version of Frankie's history in his autobiography A Bone In My Flute. His self-issued 1999 album Soulstream included a re-recording of "The Power of Love", which was also released as a single. In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer (solo is an Italian word literally meaning alone). ... A studio album is a collection of studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... Species Human immunodeficiency virus 1 Human immunodeficiency virus 2 Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS, a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections). ...

Paul Rutherford, the other openly gay member of the band, released the partially ABC-produced album Oh World and a handful of singles before retiring with his New Zealand partner to Waiheke Island. GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American television network. ... An image of Waiheke Island using satellite data. ...

The 'other three', as Smash Hits labelled them, continued to work together in what turned out to be a vain attempt to resurrect "Frankie" with various singers. As "Nasher", Nash released a 2002 solo album entitled Ripe. Ped worked behind the scenes and scored a top ten hit with the group "Lovestation". Mark O'Toole moved to Florida and played with Punk outfit "Trapped By Mormons" In popular music, a solo album is an album made by a current or former member of a band. ...

The band's name lived on to the extent that re-issues of "Relax" and "The Power of Love" both returned to the UK Top 10 in 1993. Remixes of "The Power of Love" (which became a dance anthem from its original ballad format) and "Two Tribes" were Top 20 hits again in 1997, while "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" also got commercially successful remix treatment, to the extent of a Top 20 placing four years earlier. ZTT continues in its endeavours to keep the FGTH back-catalogue alive into the new century, with periodic reconfigurations, remasters, and further remixes by an ever-growing pool of dance producers, in an attempt to maintain a perceived tradition that began with the multiple variations of the "Relax" 12-inch issued in 1983. ZTT has tended to date (May 2006) to keep all images of the band absent from their remix artwork, and this absence has tended on the whole to extend to the content and spirit of their reissued product. A remix is an alternative version of a song, different from the original version. ...

The group's first two singles appeared sixth and 22nd respectively in the official all-time UK best-selling singles list issued in 2002.

A band called "The New Frankie Goes to Hollywood" appeared, fronted by Davey Johnson, who claimed to be Holly Johnson's brother. The band plays a few Frankie tracks, but actually has nothing to do with FGTH. Likewise, "Davey Johnson" is no relative of Holly's. The band is also not to be confused with the FGTH conventions related to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (first released in the United Kingdom on 14 August 1975) is a comedy-horror musical film directed by Jim Sharman from a screenplay by Sharman and Richard OBrien, who also composed the songs. ...

Reunion and comeback

In 2003, the VH-1 program Bands Reunited brought Johnson, Rutherford, Gill, Nash, and Mark O'Toole together from the far corners of the world, in the hope of their agreeing to perform impromptu on the show. By all appearances, the bandmates got on well enough and enjoyed seeing each other again, but reunion performance did not eventually transpire. Both Johnson and Nash had reservations about performing at short notice in the contrived manner dictated by the TV show format. VH1 (which stands for Video Hits 1) is an American cable television channel that was created in 1985. ... Bands Reunited was a television program produced by VH1 in 2004. ...

Nevertheless, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Trevor Horn's involvement in the music industry, in 2004 a special concert took place at Wembley Arena in November, featuring three of the original FGTH line-up, Mark O'Toole, Peter (Ped) Gill and Paul Rutherford and another former member, Jed O'Toole. Original vocalist Johnson, who announced via the Internet that he would not be appearing, and guitarist Nash, who declined to appear for his own reasons, did not take part. Jed O'Toole took over guitar duties for the event, whilst an open audition was held for a new singer for the concert. Ryan Molloy was recruited as a result. Ryan Molloy is new lead volcalist for the reformed Frankie goes To Hollywood, and has toured with the group during 2004. ...

The same lineup (with Molloy and Jed O'Toole, but without Johnson or Nash) reunited for a tour in 2005 playing festivals in Europe. They headlined at Faceparty's Big Gay Out festival at Hyde Park in London. Faceparty is a community social networking website originally populated by teens through to late twenties, but is now popular with all ages, including thirties, forties, and even fifties. ... Facepartys Big Gay Out is a United Kingdom live popular music event, dance party and fun fair organized by the profile and community website Faceparty for the LGBT community, in London. ...

After some confusion with ensuing tour dates, the band posted a warning on their website that many of the tour dates listed by ticket promoters were inaccurate. The band became increasingly focused on the release of a new album during 2007. However, in early April 2007 came the news that Gill, Rutherford, J. O'Toole and Molloy had formed Forbidden Hollywood to play their new songs along side old FGTH material. This was to avoid legal issues with Holly Johnson over use of the Frankie Goes to Hollywood name.^[2]^[3] Live dates were announced, but in June 2007, these were cancelled and the band collapsed with the departure of Molloy.^[4]

Forbidden Hollywood's management stated in mid-October 2007 that the band will be continuing, with an announcement expected in the near future.

Band members

FGTH 1980's members

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Mark OToole (born January 6, 1964 in Liverpool, England) was the bass guitarist for 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ... Brian Nash (born May 20, 1963 in Liverpool, England) was the guitarist for 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ... Peter Gill (born March 8, 1964, Liverpool, England), known by the nickname Pedro or Ped, was the drummer with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ... Paul Rutherford (born December 8, 1959 in Liverpool, England) was the backing vocalist and dancer with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH), one of the groups two openly gay singers. ... In marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a market that might satisfy a want or need. ...

FGTH 2004/5 members

Ryan Molloy is new lead volcalist for the reformed Frankie goes To Hollywood, and has toured with the group during 2004. ... Paul Rutherford (born December 8, 1959 in Liverpool, England) was the backing vocalist and dancer with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH), one of the groups two openly gay singers. ... Mark OToole (born January 6, 1964 in Liverpool, England) was the bass guitarist for 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ... Jed OToole was one of the original members of Frankie goes to hollywood along side his brother Mark, however Jed left the band making way for his cousin, Brian Nash (Nasher). ... Peter Gill (born March 8, 1964, Liverpool, England), known by the nickname Pedro or Ped, was the drummer with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ...

Discography

Albums

Original material

Welcome to the Pleasuredome was the highly successful debut album by British pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood, first released in 1984 by Island Records. ... Liverpoolis Frankie Goes to Hollywoods second album, released in October of 1986(see 1986 in music). ...

Compilations

For the 1993 album, see Bang!â€¦ The Greatest Hits of Frankie Goes to Hollywood. ... For the 1985 album, see Bang! (1985 Frankie Goes to Hollywood album). ... Tracklisting CD1 Relax [Sex Mix] (16:24) Two Tribes [Hibakusha Mix] (8:37) Welcome To The Pleasuredome [Fruitness Mix] (12:14) Rage Hard [Stamped] (4:59) (Dont Lose Whats Left) Of Your Little Mind (4:15) Watching The Wildlife [Die Letzten Der Menscheit] (10:15) Warriors Of The...

DVD Compilation

Singles

Relax is the title track of the first single by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in the UK by ZTT Records in October 1983 (see 1983 in music). ... Two Tribes is the title track of the second single by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, released in the UK by ZTT Records in May 1984 (see 1984 in music). ... For the record label, see 12 Inch Records. ... The Power of Love is the title of the third single from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in November 1984. ... Welcome to the Pleasuredome is the title of the fourth single from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in 1985. ... Rage Hard is the fifth single by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ... Liverpoolis Frankie Goes to Hollywoods second album, released in October of 1986(see 1986 in music). ... Liverpoolis Frankie Goes to Hollywoods second album, released in October of 1986(see 1986 in music). ...

Alternative Remixes

To coincide with the release of Bang!… The Greatest Hits of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, the tracks "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" (1993) and "Two Tribes" (1994) were re-released in the UK as singles in remixed form. The tracks "Relax" (1994) and "The Power Of Love" (1993) were also re-released, but this time in their original form (the CD singles both featured at least one of the original 1984 12 inch remixes). For the 1985 album, see Bang! (1985 Frankie Goes to Hollywood album). ... Welcome to the Pleasuredome is the title of the fourth single from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in 1985. ... Two Tribes is the title track of the second single by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, released in the UK by ZTT Records in May 1984 (see 1984 in music). ... Relax is the title track of the first single by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in the UK by ZTT Records in October 1983 (see 1983 in music). ... The Power of Love or Power of Love has been the title for numerous popular songs: (You Got) The Power of Love by The Everly Brothers (1966) The Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood (1984) The Power of Love by Huey Lewis & the News (1985) The Power of...

To coincide with the release of Maximum Joy in 2000, new remixes of "The Power Of Love", "Two Tribes" and "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" all entered the UK charts. The Power of Love or Power of Love has been the title for numerous popular songs: (You Got) The Power of Love by The Everly Brothers (1966) The Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood (1984) The Power of Love by Huey Lewis & the News (1985) The Power of... Two Tribes is the title track of the second single by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, released in the UK by ZTT Records in May 1984 (see 1984 in music). ... Welcome to the Pleasuredome is the title of the fourth single from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in 1985. ...

Lost tracks

There are four tracks that were performed on demo tapes and on radio sessions that never made it to albums:

Computer game

In 1985, a Frankie Goes to Hollywood computer game was released, based on the music of the band. The objective of the admittedly-strange game was to explore Mundanesville and find the Pleasuredome.

Notes

External links

Ryan Molloy is new lead volcalist for the reformed Frankie goes To Hollywood, and has toured with the group during 2004. ... Jed OToole was one of the original members of Frankie goes to hollywood along side his brother Mark, however Jed left the band making way for his cousin, Brian Nash (Nasher). ... Mark OToole (born January 6, 1964 in Liverpool, England) was the bass guitarist for 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ... Paul Rutherford (born December 8, 1959 in Liverpool, England) was the backing vocalist and dancer with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH), one of the groups two openly gay singers. ... Peter Gill (born March 8, 1964, Liverpool, England), known by the nickname Pedro or Ped, was the drummer with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood (FGTH). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Brian Nash (born May 20, 1963 in Liverpool, England) was the guitarist for 1980s pop band Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ... Welcome to the Pleasuredome is the title of the fourth single from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in 1985. ... Liverpoolis Frankie Goes to Hollywoods second album, released in October of 1986(see 1986 in music). ... For the 1993 album, see Bang!â€¦ The Greatest Hits of Frankie Goes to Hollywood. ... For the 1985 album, see Bang! (1985 Frankie Goes to Hollywood album). ... Tracklisting CD1 Relax [Sex Mix] (16:24) Two Tribes [Hibakusha Mix] (8:37) Welcome To The Pleasuredome [Fruitness Mix] (12:14) Rage Hard [Stamped] (4:59) (Dont Lose Whats Left) Of Your Little Mind (4:15) Watching The Wildlife [Die Letzten Der Menscheit] (10:15) Warriors Of The... Relax is the title track of the first single by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in the UK by ZTT Records in October 1983 (see 1983 in music). ... Two Tribes is the title track of the second single by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, released in the UK by ZTT Records in May 1984 (see 1984 in music). ... The Power of Love is the title of the third single from Frankie Goes to Hollywood, released in November 1984. ... Welcome To The Pleasuredome is the title track of the 1984 debut album by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ... Rage Hard is the fifth single by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. ... Liverpoolis Frankie Goes to Hollywoods second album, released in October of 1986(see 1986 in music). ... Liverpoolis Frankie Goes to Hollywoods second album, released in October of 1986(see 1986 in music). ... Image:Bij. ... Trevor Charles Horn, born July 15, 1949 in Durham, England, is a British pop music record producer, songwriter and musician. ... ZTT Records is a record label founded in 1983 by NME journalist Paul Morley, record producer Trevor Horn, producer/engineer Gary Langan and businesswoman Jill Sinclair. ...

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