Bronski Beat is an English trio that scored big hits in the early 1980s. Bronski Beat reached number 4 in the Top 50 in the summer of 1984 and stayed in the charts for 13 weeks. A year later, frontman Jimmy Somerville left the band to form The Communards. The Communards also scored a number 1 hit with 'Don't Leave Me This Way'.
Scottish Steve Bronski gave his band its name in 1983: Bronski Beat. His real name is Steve Forrest. (The name Bronski comes from a character in the book The Tin Drum by Günther Grass.) Together with Larry Steinbachek and Jimmy Somerville, he founded Bronski Beat and a year later released Age Of Consent.
Homosexuality
The title refers to the age at which homosexuality was allowed in certain countries. Jimmy Somerville did not hide his homosexuality. This is clear in 'Smalltown Boy' (and visible in the accompanying video). 'Smalltown Boy' reached number one in both the Netherlands and England in the summer of 1984.
Departure
The next two singles, 'Why' and 'It Ain't Necessarily So', were also hits. Marc Almond can be heard in 1985 on a medley of 'I Feel Love' and 'Johnny Remember'. After this single, Jimmy Somerville left and formed The Communards.
Death
In 2016, Larry Steinbachek (06-05-1960) died after a short battle with cancer. Steve Bronski (07-02-1960) suffered a stroke in 2018 which limited his mobility. Bronski passed away on 07-12-2021.
Top 2000
In the 23rd edition of the Top 2000, Bronski Beat has one entry. At position 649 (up 86 places) is the song Smalltown Boy.
Sunday Morning Classic
On 17 September 2023, Bronski Beat was our Sunday Morning Classic on stage with their debut album "The Age Of Consent".
The 80s have always appealed to me in terms of pop music, especially the typical characteristic 'electronic' sound from that time still holds up today. As a lover of synthesizer music, the 80s is a good musical decade for me.
The tone was set by the album title, which drew attention to the fact that the age of consent for homosexual acts in Great Britain in 1983 was 21, a full five years higher than in most European countries. "The Age Of Consent" expressed the passions that this intolerance in the gay community caused: fear, insecurity, resentment and above all anger.
Jimmy Somerville can belt out a voice that goes right through you, the despair just drips off it. For me, the tracks 'It Ain't Necessarily So', 'Screaming' and 'Love and Money' really appeal to me. “Smalltown Boy” remains a perfect song. It is agile and crushing, lonely and relieved, weak yet determined. In just a few lines, Somerville sketches the fate of the young, strange boy in a suburb, beaten up by bullies but refusing to cry in their presence.
The very danceable track 'I Feel Love / Johnny Remember Me' closes the B side of the LP, but the CD contains two 12'' mixes which, in my opinion, seem somewhat superfluous.
"The Age Of Consent" is Jimmy’s only album as singer of Bronski Beat. “It was not my intention to become a 'pop star'. I wanted to be a troublemaker.”
It is a true 80s album with a message and certainly belongs in every music library!
Source: NPO and various sites Photo: public domain
