|
EP Single OG 6204
01. Smalltown Boy 5:01
02. Why? 3:57
03. It Ain't Necessarily So 4:08
THE ETHEREAL and heartfelt melancholy of Bronski Beat's driving debut "Smalltown
Boy" (UK:3, US:48) perfectly epitomised not only gay teenage problems, but
became an anthem for the whole dispossessed young community. It also
introduced the highly distinctive falsetto voice of Jimmy Somerville (b.
22nd June '61, Glasgow) who'd never even sung before; together with Larry
Steinbachek (b. 6th May '60) and Steve Bronski (b. Steve Forrest, 7th Feb.
'60) on keyboards and drum machine, Somerville's vocals were a sensation.
The trio soon became a hit in London's gay clubs and were signed to London
Records; "Smalltown Boy" entered the UK charts in June '84. Three months
later came another fine original, "Why" (UK:6) ... and three months after
that the trio pulled Gershwin's "Porgy And Bess" classic "It Ain't
Necessarily So" off their debut album "Age Of Consent" for the hat trickit
hit UK:16. The album, with its USA-banned inner sleeve listing homosexual
ages of consent in different European countries, hit No.4, and the next
single, a clever medley of two Donna Summer tunes and John Leyton's haunting
"Johnny Remember Me" hit UK:3. In less than a year Bronski Beat had become
big stars, but the pressures were too much for Somerville. He left the trio
in May '85, eventually settling into the Communards, while Bronski Beat
soldiered on quite successfuly with replacement John Foster.
|
|
|
 |
Title:
Label:
Released:
Catalognr.:
|
Bronski Beat Old Gold EP-Single
Old Gold Records /Polygram Special Products Ltd.
1993
OG 6204 |
|
|
"Smalltown Boy", "Why?" by Somerville,
Steinbachek, Bronski , "It Ain't Necessarily So" by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin,, Produced by Mike Thorne |
|
Back
Home