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From: lo@harvard.ARPA (Bert S.F. Lo)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Re: Keeping the beat (Gay themes in pop music)
Message-ID: <483@harvard.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 7-Nov-85 15:44:27 EST
Article-I.D.: harvard.483
Posted: Thu Nov  7 15:44:27 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Nov-85 15:36:42 EST
References: <1270@decwrl.UUCP> <1603@bbncca.ARPA>
Organization: Harvard University
Lines: 30

> While on this theme, I'd like to know if anybody has any idea what Bronski
> Beat is doing.  I understand that they lost one (more?) members (the lead
> singer?), and I'm wondering if they're continuing to record.
> 
> Ken Rossen	...!{decvax,ihnp4,ima,linus,harvard,seismo}!bbncca!krossen
> --- or ---	krossen@bbnccp.arpa

Jimmy Somerville (the lead singer) had some sort of problem dealing with the
sudden rush of success. He took a "hiatus" from the group during which time,
Larry Steinbachek remixed "I Feel Love / Johnnie Remember Me". When that was
released, Jimmy left the band. He joined with Richard Cole to form a new
group, The Communards. They've released one song so far, "You Are My World".
It is a man to man love song, midtempo, somewhat like a campy showtune. It's
only out in the UK, available in the US only as an import. In the meantime,
Larry & Steve found themselves a new singer whose name escapes at the moment.
They are due to release a new single, "Hit That Perfect Beat". They are still
called Bronski Beat.

In October, the old lineup of Bronski Beat released "Hundreds & Thousands :
The Remix Plus" in the UK. It was recently released in the US. The 6 tracks
are "Heatwave", "Why", "Run From Love", "Hard Rain", "Smalltown Boy" and 
"Junk". The remixes of the old songs are all new (ie. not the same as the
12" remixes). "Hard Rain" is a midtempo political piece. If not for Jimmy's
voice and the lyrics, this song could easily be mistaken for a Soft Cell song.
It's unusually menacing for Bronski Beat. "Run From Love" is very much a
Bronski Beat song. It could easily have been on "The Age Of Consent". The LP
is worth it for these two tracks if you can find it at a decent price ($4
promo/used). The new remixes of the old songs are really bad though.

_____________________Bert S.F. Lo (lo@harvard.HARVARD.EDU)_____________________