Frankie Goes to Hollywood Album: “Bang!...The Greatest Hits of Frankie Goes to Hollywood”

Exactly twenty years ago, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, led by the flamboyant Holly Johnson, was the hottest band to emerge from the UK. From their hit singles to their "Frankie Say Relax" t-shirts, FGTH was as much an attitude as they were a music group. Their songs, often produced by Tervor Horn, were elaborately produced, highly conceptualized, and had all the subtlety of a hand grenade. Not everyone, it must be said, was pleased with the group. And Johnson's coming out as a gay man did nothing to appease conservatives, either. But that didn't stop the hits from coming. Their debut single, the high-NRG "Relax," was banned from the UK airwaves for its explicit lyrics, despite going Number One and sitting comfortably in the Top Ten for several weeks. That song was unseated from Number One by the band's own followup, the politically charged "Two Tribes," whose video was also frowned upon. The third single, the killer ballad "The Power of Love" also went Number One, as did FGTH's debut album "Welcome to the Pleasuredome." But the success was short lived; 1986's "Liverpool" LP was a relative flop and the band called it a day shortly thereafter. Still, "Bang! The Greatest Hits of Frankie Goes to Hollywood," is a great snapshot of FGTH's brief career as a band. In addition to the previously mentioned singles, we get the full-length 13-minute "Welcome to the Pleasuredome," which is far more preferable than the edited single version, "Rage Hard," and their campy cover of Bruce Springsteen's classic "Born to Run." As a bonus, we also get the original, 7-minute mix of "Relax" as well as a 90's update of "Two Tribes." My only complaint is that the liner notes aren't as detailed as they should be. Even so, this disc is worth picking up. If nothing else, it's a welcome trip down 1980's memory lane.

I grew up in the 80's and "Frankie Goes to Hollywood" was a big part of my life. Each album, each song matched a new phase of that ever changing teenage life. Now, every time I hear one of those songs I am transported back to a day when my hair was as important as who asked me out for Saturday night. I love this album and the compilation of the other albums; however few there are. Enjoy them and RELAX!

Frankie Goes To Hollywood was possibly the ultimate in created new wave bands. They made a huge controversial splash, charted one of the most successful singles in the history of the UK and flaunted their homosexuality so blatantly that the Village People would have been proud. "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" was one of the biggest selling double albums in Europe. "Frankie Say..." T-Shirts were everywhere. Brian DePalma directed their video. Then suddenly, it was over. Their second album, "Liverpool," sank like a rock, and the two major figures (Holly Johnson and Paul Rutherford) in the group embarked on minor solo careers. Even so, FGTH meteoric rise and just as rapid fall is marked by songs that still sound as anthemic and ridiculously over the top as they did in 1984-86. They even managed to capture a classic song, in the hedonist anthem "Relax."

That is what "Bang" captures. Thirteen songs are split nine from "Pleasuredome" and four from "Liverpool," each with Trevor Horn's kitchen sink productions and Holly Johnson's drama queen vocals. Horn, who had just started his ZTT label, had learned his lessons with Yes quite well. Both "Relax" and "Two Tribes" were huge sounding records that still have that grandiose distinctiveness of both progressive rock and Hi-NRG dance music. There was nothing else like them, and coupled with the hyper-aggressive marketing, nothing could resist their sonic onslaught.

Once you get past those two signature songs, it is amazing what Frankie had left to say. Granted, the lyrics were sometimes beyond bizarre ("here comes a supernova, what a push-over!"), but the ferocity of "Rage Hard" and the sheer sexuality of "Welcome To The Pleasuredome" do offer proof that the group did have a bit more to them than Horn and hype. The same can not necessarily be said of the band's choice of cover songs. While "Ferry Cross The Mersey" is lightweight enough that it sounds fine in the band's version (and I once read an interview where Gerry Marsden expressed his gratitude to FGTH for making it the B-Side to "Relax," making him an almost instant million in royalties), the decision to cover "Born To Run" seems more like an ego-disaster. Weird thing is FGTH still rock the crap outta the thing, even if Springsteen probably didn't lose any sleep over these guys nicking his signature song. As for Edwin Starr's "War," I always found it interesting that Springsteen covered it and released it as s single later on. Life can be funny that way.

That said, the thirteen songs here sound wonderful even now. The comic-book politics of "Two Tribes" (remember the great video of Ronald Reagan Vs Konstantin Chernenko?) and the uber-gay sexual pronouncements of "Relax" make you almost long for music that was happy to not play it safe, even if it meant your career was going to flame out.

PS. One small gripe. "Bang" has almost nothing by way of liner notes, even with the multifold graphics inlay card. it would have been nice to have a little perspective on the band from someone, maybe a member of even Trevor Horn.

couldnt find it anywhere. but ordered it, got it undamaged, and enjoying it almost daily now!

- by far superior album by Frankie. The greatest hits misses all the overlaying comments, and thus it misses the point.