Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Liverpool

THE REVIEW

I don't know if it was reasonable to expect a deadly one-two punch from a group as controversial as Frankie Goes To Hollywood, given the provocative image they very astutely portrayed and the recurring rumors that they couldn't actually play.

What is certain is that on the second attempt, the hopes of replicating the enormous success of Welcome sank with a work decidedly below expectations. Overall, we are faced with a good album, but the comparison with the excellent debut album seems too harsh.

The change of pace is clear, a sudden farewell to the extravagances and fun antics of Relaxiana in favor of a more linear sound, eight nervously rock tracks that, however, don't leave much room for imagination.

There would be no follow-up, and in 1987, a few months after the start of the tour, Holly left the group, effectively decreeing its end. It seems that the disagreements with Trevor Horn, who two years earlier preferred to record the entire debut album with elements external to the group, including some members of Yes, were by now irreconcilable, and only the choice to entrust co-production to Stephen Lipson helped spur the group to compose and play the entire album independently. Furthermore, the lack of a leading song, despite the three singles released, made the whole project less appealing.
However, it is possible that the group did not have the necessary depth to embark on a longer career and, after the first fortunate success, soon found themselves with nothing left to offer.
But let's not consider them just an episode; with Welcome to the Pleasure Dome and its appendage Liverpool, Frankie's dream went well beyond the '80s.
Bang!

MrB

Tracks

Warriors of the Wasteland
Rage Hard
Kill the Pain
Maximum Joy

Watching the Wildlife
Lunar Bay
For heaven's Sake
Is anybody out there?

Line-up

H