ZANG TUMMM TUMB ARTICLES “the first draft of history”

Frankies Relax

The Kids: Holly Johnson, Paul Rutherford, Nozzer, Smeggy, Scouso.

The Man: Mike Read.

The Struggle: You knew where you stood with Radio 1 in the ‘80s. No odious fat “new lads”, no muttering indie girls, no Judge Jules. Just a succession of useless old blokes with Swedish wives, helicopters and farms in Berkshire who were all into Gordon Lightfoot and Poco. Mike Read. Having once been pictured with an acoustic guitar and not having a beard was their token rocker. But when in 1984 he heard the words “suck” and “come” in new single by pervy new scouse act Frankie Goes To Hollywood he combusted with rage and ate a copy on air or something. Devastated. Frankie could only watch as their single limped to Number 1 for 12 weeks.

Result: Kids 250,000. Man 97-99 FM.