Anyone else a big fan of this criminally underrated 80's phenomenon?

They're like the band that time forgot, but their singles were awesome, not to mention the merchandising, videos, production. The whole package.

Welcome to The pleasure dome is a great album that I still often listen too.

Never heard their second album, but I did have the first singe from called Rage Hard, I think that I remember really liking but I haven't heard that song in about 20 years.

loved the album back in the day. need 2 get my hands on it again.
Some excellant songs, can't remember the whole track listing though.

Yes, I am a huge FGTH fan. It's too bad their "buzz" was bigger than their longevity. I even bought Holly Johnson and Paul Rutherford's solo albums, hoping they would continue the Frankie mantras.

Over the years, ZTT keeps releasing new issues of greatest hits, remixes, club mixes, and remastered collections of the same material from FGTH's mere two releases. Obviously they, like fans, want as much as they can get from the group.

I was also bummed they didn't reunite when they tried the "Bands Reunited" thing a few years ago. Grudges are a bitch I guess...

LittleSmedley said:

Remarkable singles, and a great album, for sure, but they were only really underrated in the US. They were HUGE in the UK in 1984-85 - Two Tribes was No 1 for nine weeks, and Relax went back up the charts to No 2 (having been No 1 for a good stretch earlier in the year) at the time. And you couldn't walk anywhere without spotting at least 50 Frankie Say ... t shirts.

That said, only the two singers appeared on the first album. The rest of the band were off shagging groupies and getting pissed during the sessions. Their second album was lame.
[Edited 2/23/07 13:40pm]

purpleunderground said:

Nasty court case. Holly Johnson sued Trevor Horn/ZTT (and won). Plus he fell out with the rest of the band over musical direction (something of a joke, considering that the rest of the band never appeared on Pleasuredome) for their second album. He wanted to do the dance orientated music that had made Frankie huge. They wanted to become Whitesnake.

They were huge in Europe,they had great hits (Relax,2 tribes,Power of love..)
but the marketing was even better t-shirsts,posters,differnet 12"versions
of their hits....

Americanos was the last thing I ever heard of Holly Johnson,
not bad but NO Frankie quality!

Only know two tunes from the band "When Two Tribes Go To War" and of course "Relax".

Liked what I heard though.

Other than Relax.....are the other songs any good?

Oh yeah! "Two Tribes" all the way for me.

Remember when VH1 tried to reunite the fab 5? They did reunite, but they didn't perform since Holly wasn't up for it.

Graycap23 said:

I'd recommend Welcome To The Pleasuredome (the album) without reservation - ok, a couple: there's a fuck-awful cover of Born To Run (yes, that one) on it, but that's really the only lowpoint - the title track is killer, and The Power of Love is a wonderful ballad. Their second album, Liverpool, has its moments, but overall it's poor.