Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Frankie Goes to Hollywood were an English pop band formed in Liverpool in 1980. The original lineup featured Holly Johnson (vocals), Paul Rutherford (backing vocals), Mark O'Toole (bass), Brian Nash (guitar) and Peter Gill (drums). Johnson had previously been a member of Big in Japan and had released solo material. An early version of the group briefly included musicians such as Ambrose Reynolds before dissolving. The band's name was taken from an advertisement referencing Frank Sinatra's film debut. Read more on Last.fm

Frankie Goes to Hollywood were an English pop band formed in Liverpool in 1980. The original lineup featured Holly Johnson (vocals), Paul Rutherford (backing vocals), Mark O'Toole (bass), Brian Nash (guitar) and Peter Gill (drums). Johnson had previously been a member of Big in Japan and had released solo material. An early version of the group briefly included musicians such as Ambrose Reynolds before dissolving. The band's name was taken from an advertisement referencing Frank Sinatra's film debut. In 1982, Johnson reformed the band with Peter Gill and Mark O'Toole, later joined by Brian Nash, who replaced Jed O'Toole. Paul Rutherford joined after meeting the group during an early live performance in Liverpool. The band was influenced by contemporary Liverpool acts including Echo & the Bunnymen, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and The Teardrop Explodes, and aimed to combine elements of punk and dance music. In 1983, Frankie Goes to Hollywood appeared on the television programme The Tube wearing provocative stage outfits, which attracted industry attention. They became the first signing to ZTT Records, co-founded by producer Trevor Horn. Horn produced their debut single "Relax", which was heavily reworked using electronic instrumentation and sampling technology. Released in October 1983 with a controversial music video set in a BDSM-themed nightclub, it initially sold modestly before gaining momentum after a performance on Top of the Pops in early 1984. The BBC later banned the song from broadcast due to its sexual content, which increased publicity and helped propel it to number one on the UK Singles Chart, where it remained for five weeks. In 1984, the band achieved major commercial success. Their single "Two Tribes", released in June, featured Cold War-themed lyrics and a prominent bassline, and reached number one in the UK for nine weeks. Their earlier single "Relax" also returned to high chart positions, resulting in the band occupying the top two positions simultaneously at one point. Their debut album, "Welcome to the Pleasuredome", was released in October 1984 and had advance sales exceeding one million copies. A third single, "The Power of Love", was released later that year and also reached number one, making the band one of the few acts in UK chart history to achieve number one with their first three singles. During this period, the band also became known for a marketing campaign led by ZTT Records involving slogan-based merchandise, including widely distributed T-shirts such as "Frankie say relax". In 1985, Frankie Goes to Hollywood received the Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act. They also received an Ivor Novello Award for "Two Tribes", awarded to Johnson, Gill and O'Toole. In the United States, they were associated with the so-called Second British Invasion and received nominations at the Grammy Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. The title track "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" was released as a single and reached number two in the UK. By 1986, internal tensions had increased during work on their second album, "Liverpool". The recording process took place in multiple studios and was marked by disagreements over musical direction, with Johnson reportedly preferring a more dance-oriented sound while other members and producers leaned toward rock influences. The album was produced primarily by Stephen Lipson with Trevor Horn involved in later mixing stages. Released in October 1986, "Liverpool" reached the UK top five but received mixed critical reception and produced lower-charting singles including "Rage Hard", "Warriors of the Wasteland" and "Watching the Wildlife". In 1987, the band effectively disbanded following escalating internal conflict. A physical altercation reportedly occurred between Johnson and Mark O'Toole during a performance period, and the group played its final concert in March 1987 in Rotterdam. Shortly afterwards, Johnson announced his intention to leave and sign with another label, but ZTT Records attempted to block his departure through legal action based on contractual obligations. In 1988, the High Court ruled in Johnson's favour, releasing him from his contract and effectively ending the band's formal obligations to the label. Following the split, Johnson began a solo career and released the album "Blast" in 1989, which reached number one in the UK. Other members pursued separate careers in music and outside the industry. Paul Rutherford released solo material including "Oh World" in 1989 but did not achieve commercial success. Brian Nash later worked outside the music industry and published a memoir. Mark O'Toole and Peter Gill continued with various musical and non-musical projects. In 1998, an unauthorised group toured the United States using the name Frankie Goes to Hollywood, fronted by an American performer claiming false connections to the original band. The claims were publicly disputed by former members and producer Trevor Horn, and the project was eventually discredited. In 2003, the original members reunited for an episode of the television programme Bands Reunited but did not perform. In 2004, the band performed at a Prince's Trust charity concert at Wembley Arena without Johnson and Nash, with Ryan Molloy on vocals. This was followed by a short tour in 2005 and additional performances across Europe. The group also used the name Forbidden Hollywood during this period due to legal and internal disputes, and activity largely ended by 2007. In 2004, Johnson attempted to register the band name as a trademark for exclusive use, but the application was later rejected after opposition from other members and a ruling that the claim had been made in bad faith. In 2011, the album "Liverpool" was reissued in an expanded edition, alongside compilation releases from ZTT Records featuring the band's material. In 2017, Universal Music acquired the ZTT catalogue, including the Frankie Goes to Hollywood recordings. In 2023, the band reunited with Holly Johnson and Brian Nash joining surviving members for a single performance in Liverpool as part of celebrations connected to the Eurovision Song Contest. The group performed "Welcome to the Pleasuredome", marking their first appearance together since 1987. Later in 2023, a biographical film project titled "Relax" was announced, based on Johnson's memoir and involving Bernard Rose as director. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Goes_to_Hollywood Studio albums Welcome to the Pleasuredome (1984) Liverpool (1986) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.