Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Paul Morley used to be one of us — a badly paid rock journalist (WHY do we do it?) until Relax sorted all that out. If his label had no other group Frankie Goes To Hollywood have seen to it that he’ll never have to lift a pen again except to sign bank credit slips. Trevor Horn’s immaculate production got through to people who wouldn’t normally buy records — not grannies and world war one heroes necessarily — schoolchildren, keep fit enthusiasts, Baptists, several Ethiopians and of course my auntie who thought it would be better than counting sheep at night.
On the other hand a lot of people were offended by the “double entendre” lyrics. The BBC in particular decided to have nothing to do with it as they believed it was in bad taste (although I must say “Ruby Don’t Take Your Love To Town” offends me more). Nothing is guaranteed to make several young men incredibly rich and famous like a veto on your first record. Whatever they record from now on someone is going to read sexual connotations into it — even if it’s a straight cover version of “If I Knew You Were Coming I’d Have Baked A Cake”.
WIN
1. Which group originally has a top ten hit with the B side of Relax’s 12" version?
2. Name the record label they currently record for? 3. How many weeks was Relax at No 1 in the Radio One chart?The winner will receive a copy of their latest video “TWO TRIBES” along with a surprise bag. The 5 runners-up will receive the 12" single of “Two Tribes”.