Frankie Goes To Hollywood

Profile:
English group, formed in Liverpool, UK in 1980; comprised William Holly Johnson (vocals - b.February 19, 1960), Paul Rutherford (vocals, keyboards - b.December 8, 1959), Brian Nash (guitar - b.May 20, 1963), Peter Gill (drums - b.March 8, 1964) and Mark O'Toole (bass - b.January 6, 1964).

Following an appearance on Channel 4 TV show "The Tube" performing "Relax", the group were signed up by Trevor Horn and Paul Morley's new ZTT record label. With the benefit of Horn's production skills and Morley's off-the-wall marketing ideas, "Relax" came out in October 1983 and slowly but surely took off. It was already a top ten hit when, in January 1984, BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read suddenly realised what the song was actually about, leading to a total BBC ban on the disc. From this moment on, Frankie Goes To Hollywood became not just a pop group but a phenomenon. The record went to number one in the UK, and was a smash hit across Europe and even in the USA. "Frankie Says" T-shirts (some dreamt up by Morley, but far more the creations of small-time bootleggers) became the fashion statement of the year, and anticipation was at such a fever pitch that every subsequent FGTH release that year - two singles and a double-LP - went straight in at number one in their home country, an unprecedented achievement and a triumph for ZTT.

Now established as huge stars in the UK and Europe (though like so many other "British invasion" acts they were doomed to One-hit Wonder status in the US), Frankie spent much of 1985 on tour before starting work on their second album, the Stephen Lipson-produced "Liverpool". Trailed by the popular single "Rage Hard", the album came out in October 1986 but failed to reach the sale levels of "Welcome To The Pleasuredome".

It was the beginning of the end for Frankie Goes To Hollywood - six months later, Johnson announced he was leaving the band for a solo contract with MCA. In the subsequent high-profile legal battle, ZTT lost their claim of contract-breaking against Johnson, a ruling which effectively brought the curtain down on the label's golden age. Rutherford quit too, leaving a diminished group who subsequently disbanded without releasing anything.

The original line-up reunited to play one song, "Welcome To The Pleasure Dome", during the National Lottery's Big Eurovision Welcome concert on 7th May 2023.
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Albums

ZTTIQ 12 Welcome To The Pleasuredome — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Album) ZTT ZTTIQ 12 UK 1984 Sell This Version
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6863 244 Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Extraits) — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Extraits)(LP, Promo, Smplr) ZTT, Island Records 6863 244 France 1984 Sell This Version
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Series #33 Show #4 Innerview — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Jim Ladd Host Frankie Goes To Hollywood Jim Ladd Host Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Innerview(LP, Transcription) Innerview Series #33 Show #4 US 1985 Sell This Version
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ZCIDQ 8, 8714221005561 Liverpool — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Liverpool (Album) ZTT ZCIDQ 8, 8714221005561 Spain 1986 Sell This Version
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Singles & EPs

ZTAS 1, ZTAS-1 Relax — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Relax (Single, Maxi, MiniAlbum, EP) ZTT ZTAS 1, ZTAS-1 Sweden 1983 Sell This Version
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J.B. 267 Relax / Somebody's Watching Me — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood / Rockwell Frankie Goes To Hollywood / Rockwell - Relax / Somebody's Watching Me Ricordi J.B. 267 Italy 1984 Sell This Version
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DS-018 War (Hidden) — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood War (Hidden) (Single, EP) ZTT DS-018 Philippines 1984 Sell This Version
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12ZTAS 3 Two Tribes — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Two Tribes (Single, Maxi, MiniAlbum) ZTT 12ZTAS 3 Ireland 1984 Sell This Version
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C 14152 The Power Of Love — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood The Power Of Love (Single, Maxi, EP) ZTT, ZTT C 14152 Australia 1984 Sell This Version
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J.B. 280 A Chi Lo Do Stasera / War — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Squallor / Frankie Goes To Hollywood Squallor / Frankie Goes To Hollywood - A Chi Lo Do Stasera / War(7", Jukebox) Ricordi J.B. 280 Italy 1984 Sell This Version
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J.B. 288 Bla Bla / The Power Of Love — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Gianna Nannini / Frankie Goes To Hollywood Gianna Nannini / Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Bla Bla / The Power Of Love(7", Jukebox) Ricordi J.B. 288 Italy 1984 Sell This Version
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J.B. 273 Il Treno Del Caffè / Two Tribes — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Gruppo Italiano / Frankie Goes To Hollywood Gruppo Italiano / Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Il Treno Del Caffè / Two Tribes(7", Jukebox) Ricordi J.B. 273 Italy 1984 Sell This Version
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PR 665 Untitled — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Untitled(12", Promo, Smplr) Island Records PR 665 US 1984 Sell This Version
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S-0457, JAHO-24826, none Relax / Two Tribes — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Relax / Two Tribes (Single) Island Records S-0457, JAHO-24826, none Argentina 1984 Sell This Version
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FGTH 1 Welcome To The Pleasuredome — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Welcome To The Pleasuredome (Single, EP, Maxi) ZTT FGTH 1 UK 1984 Sell This Version
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NUMBER FOUR The Smash Hits Interviews: Frankie Goes To Hollywood — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood The Smash Hits Interviews: Frankie Goes To Hollywood(Flexi, 7", S/Sided) Smash Hits! Magazine NUMBER FOUR UK 1985 Sell This Version
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108 615 Warriors (Of The Wasteland) — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Warriors (Of The Wasteland) (Single, EP, Maxi) ZTT 108 615 Portugal 1986 Sell This Version
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ZTAX 22 Rage Hard — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Rage Hard (Single, EP, Maxi) ZTT ZTAX 22 Italy 1986 Sell This Version
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J.B. 323, JB 106 Rage Hard / Bene Caro — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood / Fiorella Mannoia Frankie Goes To Hollywood / Fiorella Mannoia - Rage Hard / Bene Caro(7", Jukebox) ZTT, Ariston Music J.B. 323, JB 106 Italy 1986 Sell This Version
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SRLM 2067 Rage Hard / Bello E Impossibile — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood / Gianna Nannini Frankie Goes To Hollywood / Gianna Nannini - Rage Hard / Bello E Impossibile(12", Promo) Ricordi SRLM 2067 Italy 1986 Sell This Version
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608 823 Watching The Wildlife — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Watching The Wildlife (Single, Maxi) ZTT, ZTT 608 823 Europe 1987 Sell This Version
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PROMO 494 Bye Bye Baby / Relax — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Madonna / Frankie Goes To Hollywood Madonna / Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Bye Bye Baby / Relax(7", Single, Promo) Warner Bros. Records, WEA PROMO 494 Italy 1993 Sell This Version
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U8P-1394 Pacific 808:98 / Moments In Love / Relax / p:Machinery — Frankie Goes To Hollywood 808 State / Art Of Noise* / Frankie Goes To Hollywood / Propaganda 808 State / Art Of Noise* / Frankie Goes To Hollywood / Propaganda - Pacific 808:98 / Moments In Love / Relax / p:Machinery(12", Promo) ZTT, Universal Records U8P-1394 US 1998 Sell This Version
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none Jaguar / Welcome To The Pleasuredome / Music — Frankie Goes To Hollywood DJ Rolando / Frankie Goes To Hollywood / Madonna DJ Rolando / Frankie Goes To Hollywood / Madonna - Jaguar / Welcome To The Pleasuredome / Music(Acetate, 12") masterpiece none UK 2000 Sell This Version
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SALVOSV005, PZTAS 30 Maximum Joy — Frankie Goes To Hollywood Frankie Goes To Hollywood Maximum Joy(7", Shape, RSD, Single, Ltd, Num, Pic) Salvo, ZTT SALVOSV005, PZTAS 30 UK 2013 Sell This Version

Reviews

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sbclar

sbclar

January 11, 2023
If you are a fan of Frankie (or of any other ZTT act for that matter), you should go to the following website RIGHT NOW!: https://www.zttaat.com/. It contains an exhaustive listing of EVERYTHING ZTT, and includes Hi-Res scans of all the artwork! Frankie Say: Ooooh La La!
sbclar

sbclar

January 5, 2023
Question for the hardcore fans: On the Pleasuredome LP, the track Wish (The Lads Were Here) is listed as being 3:06. For this to be correct, the "car crash" coda would have to be appended to the end of "Wish" and removed from the beginning of "Including The Ballad Of 32". Then both tracks mirror the times on the labels. Also, as far as I can tell, the CD versions of Pleasuredome all have the shorter "Wish" and the longer "Including". The longer "Wish" and the shorter "Including" make more sense, as what seems to be going on in that coda is that the lads are coming, but get into a car accident, causing the observer to say "Well, it was the lads". Does anyone know anything about this? If I'm right, a bunch of cds are incorrect.
DonkeyBong71

DonkeyBong71

November 24, 2021
I'm really glad Mike Read never figured out what Golden Brown was actually about.
ttooyyss

ttooyyss

March 10, 2013
edited over 10 years ago
There are many FGTH compilations, remixes and re-issues. Most of them includes something exclusive to that compilation, why is it worth collecting. There are countless of never previously released materials come to the light of the day. You have to watch carefully because many of the ZTT catalog-numberings and namings are missleading. There are a few issues I don't see listened here. For example The Rare Mixes from ZTT 1997. It only includes mixes were made originally at the Sarm studios and a track: My uncle....
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Knorrietje

Knorrietje

April 20, 2006
edited over 7 years ago
It all started out with "Relax" which I first heard as a child. Bought the "Bang" album in the mid-nineties and got to know all their material more than a decade after their release. I was an instant fan and I still am today. My first group for which I felt profound admiration. Looking back, Horn's producing skills and the flair and nastiness of the group's members were a golden combination.

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