Frankie Goes To Hollywood return from the pleasuredome
36 years since they last performed live as a five piece, Frankie Goes To Hollywood have reformed for an open air concert in Liverpool ahead of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest being held in that city. Holly, Paul, Mark, Brian and Peter performed their 1986 hit single “Welcome To The Pleasuredome” to the amazed crowd, the first time they had done so since their final single together, “Watching The Wildlife”, in 1987.
“Welcome To The Pleasuredome” was the title track of their debut album, which was released in late 1984. The song itself was the fourth and final track to be lifted from the album in March 1985 and followed the three previous chart toppers, “Relax”, “Two Tribes” and “The Power Of Love”. In the event, it didn’t give the group four out of four as it peaked at No.2 in the UK, being held off the top by Phil Bailey and Phil Collins’ “Easy Lover”. The song was a top 40 hit across Europe and made No.48 Stateside.
“Welcome To The Pleasuredome” returned to the UK chart in 1993 as part of the groups “Bang!…The Greatest Hits of Frankie Goes To Hollywood” launch and made No.18 and again in 2000 when it got as far as No.45 on that occasion.
In the years since the group broke up, both Paul Rutherford and Holly Johnson pursued solo projects with Rutherford releasing his debut album “Oh World” in 1989. It wasn’t until 2010 that a follow up was delivered, “The Cowboy Years”. Holly Johnson also launched his solo career in 1989 with the number one album “Blast” and two top five hits, “Love Train” and “Americanos”. He has delivered a number of singles since then with his most recent, “Ascension”, in 2016, two years after his last studio album, “Europa”.
Paul Rutherford, Mark O’Toole and Peter Gill revived Frankie Goes To Hollywood in 2004 to perform at a Prince’s Trust concert under the name of Forbidden Hollywood, but their recent regrouping does spark thoughts of more and perhaps even a return to the studio…?! Welcome to 2023 guys.
“The Essential Frankie Goes To Hollywood” was released in 2022
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