FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD: “WELCOME TO THE PLEASUREDOME” (ZTT)
ONCE Mike “Whitehouse” Read had persuaded Radio One to ban the single “Relax” because of its sexual overtones, the whole Frankie phenomenon was an absolute guaranteed cert. They came out of Liverpool breathing fire and blatant innuendo, determined to make it with a throbbing disco sound, a cabaret overkill, an appealing Holly Johnson vocal… and any scam they could think of. The rest was taken care of by their precocious new record label, ZTT, and its self-styled svengalis Trevor Horn and Paul Morley. Their first three singles “Relax”, “Two Tribes” and “The Power Of Love” all topped the charts and their “Frankie Says” tee-shirts became a fashion anthem (not to mention a brilliant marketing tool) for the summer of ‘84. “Welcome To The Pleasuredome” was a typically extravagant, sometimes gross, always compelling double album, full of dumb slogans and great dance music.