Frankie Goes To Hollywood is an English group formed in the mid-80s by Holly Johnson, Paul Rutherford, Peter Gill, Mark O’Toole and Brian Nash.
The origins of the group go back to the late 1970s, which was then called "The Sons of Egypt".
Their first productions date from 1982 with titles like "Krisco kisses", "Two tribes", "Disneyland" and others "The world is my oyster". Esteem success.
It was in 1983 that things suddenly accelerated when they produced a video of "Relax" for the BBC and Trevor Horn noticed them on this occasion. The group signs under the label ZTT Records.
"Relax" officially came out at the end of 1983 and made an honorable journey through the charts when it first started.
But it was BBC DJ Mike Read who, in 1984 and unbeknownst to him, set off a scandal on the obscene and outrageous side of the record, thereby creating a huge buzz on the record. Buzz which will have the effect of exploding sales and making it the amazing tube that we know today.
The clip will be boycotted, both by the BBC, and by MTV.
“Two tribes”, an incredible single against the background of a howling siren and the end of the world, came out in stride and was also a huge success. There will be nine weeks left in 1st place in the UK Charts and over 1.5 million copies will be sold ! Frankie Goes to Hollywood becomes the flagship group of the moment.
Year 1984 which ends in apotheosis with the release of a third single and not least : the magnificent "The power of love". Sublime ballad to the clip once again provocative based on nativity scenes.
In 1985, it was the single "Welcome to the pleasure dome" which came out in turn, still from the same album and which enjoyed almost comparable success. But bad languages are already talking about decline…
1986 rhymes with new year, new album and new sound. First released in the middle of the year was the single "Rage hard", a single which obtained a very honorable 4th place in the charts.
Then there is the album "Liverpool" which is released at the end of the year, an album from which will also be extracted "Warriors of the wasteland" and "Watching the wildlife". But sales have nothing to do with the previous album and there is growing tension between Johnson and the rest of the band.
So much so that the group does not resist, Johson leaves the group to start a solo career and the adventure will stop for this mythical group, flamboyant and decadent, and which will have produced one of the biggest hits of the 80s, or even the last 30 years.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Relax 1983
Two tribes 1984
The power of love 1984
Born to run 1984
Welcome to the pleasuredome 1985
Rage hard 1986
Warriors of the wasteland 1986
Watching the wildlife 1987
Clips :
1983 ... for a first title, the group signed here simply one of the 10 biggest Dance hits of the decade, if not of the end of the XXth century ! A totally incredible title, with a unique rhythm and which will literally set fire to all Dancefloor on the planet. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
1984 ... another boosted track, which spins at 200 km/h. The tube machine is running at full speed now and makes this group one of the most prominent of the moment
1984 ... the WONDER ! After having signed one of the biggest Dance hits of the decade, the group signs one of the most beautiful ballads of the decade. A magnificent parable full of sweetness and tenderness that definitely makes them legendary. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
1984 ... a title which will not be released as a single but which remains undoubtedly one of the most successful revisited versions of Bruce Springsteen's title dating from 1975. Even in the covers they excel !
1985 ... each title produced by the group is an event in itself. An incredible inspiration which will have made this group one of the most innovative and outstanding groups of the end of the XXth century !
1986 ... we continuously alternate hyper-punchy track followed by a softer track. They are definitely good in all areas !
1986 ... and it started again. Consistent quality that confirms the group's top-notch talent !
1987 ... a career to say the least fleeting but surely among the most productive of the decade and this all groups combined. One can imagine what this group could still have produced if he had continued to exist 5, 10, 15 years more. But fate will have decided otherwise. Anyway, how wonderful this adventure was !
Top Bonus: 2001 ... a maxi plus and totally mind-blowing version of 'Relax'. A 16-minute remix, a near record !
Wiki :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :