#jimmy-somerville — Public Fediverse posts

Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy (1984)

#BronskiBeat #JimmySomerville #1980s #80sMusic #SynthPop #HiNRG #Disco #Electronic #LondonRecords

Blogspot - https://genxmusiclover.blogspot.com/2026/08/bronski-beat-smalltown-boy.html

🇬🇧 Bronski Beat "Forbidden Fruit" – 2025

Remixes that reinterprets Bronski Beat's groundbreaking debut 40 years later. The album offers a fresh perspective on songs that have already become synth-pop classics...

#bronskibeat #jimmysomerville #stevebronski #larrysteinbachek #synthpop #hirg #electronicmusic #remix #80smusic #vinyl #music #vinylrecords #nowspinningonvinyl #nowspinning #nowlistening

Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story – an awesome compilation of pop and indie rock songs of the ’80s and ’90s

I haven’t received a compilation CD to review in quite a while. The digital nature of music distribution today means most of my sampling of what’s new on the music scene – including the release of reissues and anniversary issues of classic albums – is pretty much all done online. So it was nice to receive a copy of the CD compilation Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story – an engaging collection of songs that highlights the remarkable breadth of London Records during the 1980s and 1990s. Finally, a quality CD I can play in my car!

Scanning the tracklisting of this double-disc set and you might be surprised by the sheer diversity of artists who were on the London Records label. From Bananarama to Bronski Beat, All Saints to New Order, every genre of the times – from pop to early EDM – makes an appearance.

A lot of these songs I’ve heard before, of course, most of them actually, and it’s so good to hear them again, seemingly mastered so that I’m hearing subtle nuances that I didn’t pick up when they were first heard. Blancmange’s Living On The Ceiling kicks the proceedings off and the version of that song alone reveals beeps and buzzes I’d not picked up on previously. Bananarama’s Cruel Summer follows – a pop classic if ever there was one. And then everything Jimmy Somerville has touched appears to follow – LGBT-proud anthems by Bronski Beat, absolute grooves by the Communards, and even a Somerville solo single. You might suspect, actually, that Jimmy had shares in the production of this compilation, his vocals appear so regularly.

Then there are the huge hits – like Fine Young Cannibals’ She Drives Me Crazy; Armand van Helden’s You Don’t Know Me (a massive one in the clubs that one was); Shakespears Sister’s You’re History, All Saints’ Never Ever, and Sugarbabes’ Overload.

And if the songs themselves don’t seem like they’ve left a major mark on the pop and indie maps, the artists certainly do. New Order’s Regret kicks off CD two with that guitar riff, and while it wasn’t as big a hit as, say, Bizarre Love Triangle or the band’s legendary Blue Monday, it has all the hallmarks of a New Order classic and it’s a nice surprise to see on here (I had forgotten the band had links to London Records). Then there’s Happy Mondays’ rave favourite Stinkin’ Thinkin’; Echo And The Bunnymen’s dream pop gem Nothing Lasts Forever; Gay Dad’s alt-rock ode To Earth With Love; and Dannii Minogue’s classic club staple I Begin To Wonder. Even without Dead Or Alive’s You Spin Me Round Like A Record – which features on an alternative version of that latter song, it’s still a good, hooky number that sits nicely amid the broad artistry here.

That sheer diversity of London Records artists also meant artists were free to move around, test the solo life, move into other fields. It’s because of the chilled vibe of the label that lead singer of Fine Young Cannibals, Roland Gift, was able to go do runway work for big designer labels; why Siobhan Faye of Bananarama was given the chance to move on from her bubblegum blonde roots and into darker, gothic-romantic territory as half of Shakespears Sister (their name taken from a Smiths song, the apostrophe and letter ‘e’ purposely missing); why the Mike Flower Pops were allowed to absolutely crucify Oasis’ sacred Wonderwall (that’s on here, too).

The London Records Story moves confidently through synth-pop, nu-wave, indie rock, dance, electronica, ska, and other alternative sounds, demonstrating how the label consistently embraced artists who reflected bold and changing musical trends.

Familiar hits sit comfortably alongside deeper cuts, making the collection appealing to both casual listeners and longtime fans.

The sequencing keeps the energy flowing, with polished pop anthems giving way to club classics and guitar-driven tracks that capture the evolving tastes of two transformative decades. The mastering is generally strong, allowing songs from different years to coexist without sounding jarring. More importantly, the compilation illustrates how London Records balanced commercial success with artistic ambition, signing acts that often influenced the direction of popular music, not merely followed it.

As a summary of the 1980s and 1990s, however, it is best viewed through the lens of one label rather than as a complete portrait of either era. What this compilation does well is capture many defining styles and moods but inevitably omitting major movements and artists released elsewhere (not much New Romantic on here, put it that way). Even so, it succeeds as a vivid snapshot of its catalogue and an enjoyable journey through two decades of memorable music.

A great double-disc set that’s still regularly rotating on the car stereo.

Antonino Tati

‘Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story’ is available on CD and in digital format through London Records (naturally).

The label also presents a beaut podcast which you can subscribe to here.

Antonino Tati presents ‘Good Times’ | RTRFM 92.1

Dua Lipa pushes for free speech in literature, opening a library fully dedicated to stocking banned and censored books

Charli XCX set to cover a lot of ground on her new album, and with the Triple-A access she’s had to all the cool parties, we just know the cameos and references on this one are going to be masssssssive

Everything Everywhere All at Once: Why Madonna’s Fitbit stats must be off the charts, and will the oversaturation for new album ‘Confessions II’ pay off?

Curating the Ultimate Luxury Weekend Getaway in the Heart of Sydney

Still loving this track.

Hands in the air for a ‘Romy and Michele’ movie sequel is finally in production

Pre-Owned vs New Rolex: What Buyers Need to Know

THE CREAM WINTER ESSENTIALS GUIDE 2026

‘The Vinyl Factory: Reverb’ is a multi-sensory experience delving into vinyl culture across music, fashion, art and the social realms

Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story – an awesome compilation of pop and indie rock songs of the ’80s and ’90s

I haven’t received a compilation CD to review in quite a while. The digital nature of music distribution today means most of my sampling of what’s new on the music scene – including the release of reissues and anniversary issues of classic albums – is pretty much all done online. So it was nice to receive a copy of the CD compilation Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story – an engaging collection of songs that highlights the remarkable breadth of London Records during the 1980s and 1990s. Finally, a quality CD I can play in my car!

Scanning the tracklisting of this double-disc set and you might be surprised by the sheer diversity of artists who were on the London Records label. From Bananarama to Bronski Beat, All Saints to New Order, every genre of the times – from pop to early EDM – makes an appearance.

A lot of these songs I’ve heard before, of course, most of them actually, and it’s so good to hear them again, seemingly mastered so that I’m hearing subtle nuances that I didn’t pick up when they were first heard. Blancmange’s Living On The Ceiling kicks the proceedings off and the version of that song alone reveals beeps and buzzes I’d not picked up on previously. Bananarama’s Cruel Summer follows – a pop classic if ever there was one. And then everything Jimmy Somerville has touched appears to follow – LGBT-proud anthems by Bronski Beat, absolute grooves by the Communards, and even a Somerville solo single. You might suspect, actually, that Jimmy had shares in the production of this compilation, his vocals appear so regularly.

Then there are the huge hits – like Fine Young Cannibals’ She Drives Me Crazy; Armand van Helden’s You Don’t Know Me (a massive one in the clubs that one was); Shakespears Sister’s You’re History, All Saints’ Never Ever, and Sugarbabes’ Overload.

And if the songs themselves don’t seem like they’ve left a major mark on the pop and indie maps, the artists certainly do. New Order’s Regret kicks off CD two with that guitar riff, and while it wasn’t as big a hit as, say, Bizarre Love Triangle or the band’s legendary Blue Monday, it has all the hallmarks of a New Order classic and it’s a nice surprise to see on here (I had forgotten the band had links to London Records). Then there’s Happy Mondays’ rave favourite Stinkin’ Thinkin’; Echo And The Bunnymen’s dream pop gem Nothing Lasts Forever; Gay Dad’s alt-rock ode To Earth With Love; and Dannii Minogue’s classic club staple I Begin To Wonder. Even without Dead Or Alive’s You Spin Me Round Like A Record – which features on an alternative version of that latter song, it’s still a good, hooky number that sits nicely amid the broad artistry here.

That sheer diversity of London Records artists also meant artists were free to move around, test the solo life, move into other fields. It’s because of the chilled vibe of the label that lead singer of Fine Young Cannibals, Roland Gift, was able to go do runway work for big designer labels; why Siobhan Faye of Bananarama was given the chance to move on from her bubblegum blonde roots and into darker, gothic-romantic territory as half of Shakespears Sister (their name taken from a Smiths song, the apostrophe and letter ‘e’ purposely missing); why the Mike Flower Pops were allowed to absolutely crucify Oasis’ sacred Wonderwall (that’s on here, too).

The London Records Story moves confidently through synth-pop, nu-wave, indie rock, dance, electronica, ska, and other alternative sounds, demonstrating how the label consistently embraced artists who reflected bold and changing musical trends.

Familiar hits sit comfortably alongside deeper cuts, making the collection appealing to both casual listeners and longtime fans.

The sequencing keeps the energy flowing, with polished pop anthems giving way to club classics and guitar-driven tracks that capture the evolving tastes of two transformative decades. The mastering is generally strong, allowing songs from different years to coexist without sounding jarring. More importantly, the compilation illustrates how London Records balanced commercial success with artistic ambition, signing acts that often influenced the direction of popular music, not merely followed it.

As a summary of the 1980s and 1990s, however, it is best viewed through the lens of one label rather than as a complete portrait of either era. What this compilation does well is capture many defining styles and moods but inevitably omitting major movements and artists released elsewhere (not much New Romantic on here, put it that way). Even so, it succeeds as a vivid snapshot of its catalogue and an enjoyable journey through two decades of memorable music.

A great double-disc set that’s still regularly rotating on the car stereo.

Antonino Tati

‘Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story’ is available on CD and in digital format through London Records (naturally).

The label also presents a beaut podcast which you can subscribe to here.

Antonino Tati presents ‘Good Times’ | RTRFM 92.1

Dua Lipa pushes for free speech in literature, opening a library fully dedicated to stocking banned and censored books

Charli XCX set to cover a lot of ground on her new album, and with the Triple-A access she’s had to all the cool parties, we just know the cameos and references on this one are going to be masssssssive

Everything Everywhere All at Once: Why Madonna’s Fitbit stats must be off the charts, and will the oversaturation for new album ‘Confessions II’ pay off?

Curating the Ultimate Luxury Weekend Getaway in the Heart of Sydney

Still loving this track.

Hands in the air for a ‘Romy and Michele’ movie sequel is finally in production

Pre-Owned vs New Rolex: What Buyers Need to Know

THE CREAM WINTER ESSENTIALS GUIDE 2026

‘The Vinyl Factory: Reverb’ is a multi-sensory experience delving into vinyl culture across music, fashion, art and the social realms

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Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story – an awesome compilation of pop and indie rock songs of the ’80s and ’90s

I haven’t received a compilation CD to review in quite a while. The digital nature of music distribution today means most of my sampling of what’s new on the music scene – including the release of reissues and anniversary issues of classic albums – is pretty much all done online. So it was nice to receive a copy of the CD compilation Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story – an engaging collection of songs that highlights the remarkable breadth of London Records during the 1980s and 1990s. Finally, a quality CD I can play in my car!

Scanning the tracklisting of this double-disc set and you might be surprised by the sheer diversity of artists who were on the London Records label. From Bananarama to Bronski Beat, All Saints to New Order, every genre of the times – from pop to early EDM – makes an appearance.

A lot of these songs I’ve heard before, of course, most of them actually, and it’s so good to hear them again, seemingly mastered so that I’m hearing subtle nuances that I didn’t pick up when they were first heard. Blancmange’s Living On The Ceiling kicks the proceedings off and the version of that song alone reveals beeps and buzzes I’d not picked up on previously. Bananarama’s Cruel Summer follows – a pop classic if ever there was one. And then everything Jimmy Somerville has touched appears to follow – LGBT-proud anthems by Bronski Beat, absolute grooves by the Communards, and even a Somerville solo single. You might suspect, actually, that Jimmy had shares in the production of this compilation, his vocals appear so regularly.

Then there are the huge hits – like Fine Young Cannibals’ She Drives Me Crazy; Armand van Helden’s You Don’t Know Me (a massive one in the clubs that one was); Shakespears Sister’s You’re History, All Saints’ Never Ever, and Sugarbabes’ Overload.

And if the songs themselves don’t seem like they’ve left a major mark on the pop and indie maps, the artists certainly do. New Order’s Regret kicks off CD two with that guitar riff, and while it wasn’t as big a hit as, say, Bizarre Love Triangle or the band’s legendary Blue Monday, it has all the hallmarks of a New Order classic and it’s a nice surprise to see on here (I had forgotten the band had links to London Records). Then there’s Happy Mondays’ rave favourite Stinkin’ Thinkin’; Echo And The Bunnymen’s dream pop gem Nothing Lasts Forever; Gay Dad’s alt-rock ode To Earth With Love; and Dannii Minogue’s classic club staple I Begin To Wonder. Even without Dead Or Alive’s You Spin Me Round Like A Record – which features on an alternative version of that latter song, it’s still a good, hooky number that sits nicely amid the broad artistry here.

That sheer diversity of London Records artists also meant artists were free to move around, test the solo life, move into other fields. It’s because of the chilled vibe of the label that lead singer of Fine Young Cannibals, Roland Gift, was able to go do runway work for big designer labels; why Siobhan Faye of Bananarama was given the chance to move on from her bubblegum blonde roots and into darker, gothic-romantic territory as half of Shakespears Sister (their name taken from a Smiths song, the apostrophe and letter ‘e’ purposely missing); why the Mike Flower Pops were allowed to absolutely crucify Oasis’ sacred Wonderwall (that’s on here, too).

The London Records Story moves confidently through synth-pop, nu-wave, indie rock, dance, electronica, ska, and other alternative sounds, demonstrating how the label consistently embraced artists who reflected bold and changing musical trends.

Familiar hits sit comfortably alongside deeper cuts, making the collection appealing to both casual listeners and longtime fans.

The sequencing keeps the energy flowing, with polished pop anthems giving way to club classics and guitar-driven tracks that capture the evolving tastes of two transformative decades. The mastering is generally strong, allowing songs from different years to coexist without sounding jarring. More importantly, the compilation illustrates how London Records balanced commercial success with artistic ambition, signing acts that often influenced the direction of popular music, not merely followed it.

As a summary of the 1980s and 1990s, however, it is best viewed through the lens of one label rather than as a complete portrait of either era. What this compilation does well is capture many defining styles and moods but inevitably omitting major movements and artists released elsewhere (not much New Romantic on here, put it that way). Even so, it succeeds as a vivid snapshot of its catalogue and an enjoyable journey through two decades of memorable music.

A great double-disc set that’s still regularly rotating on the car stereo.

Antonino Tati

‘Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story’ is available on CD and in digital format through London Records (naturally).

The label also presents a beaut podcast which you can subscribe to here.

Antonino Tati presents ‘Good Times’ | RTRFM 92.1

Dua Lipa pushes for free speech in literature, opening a library fully dedicated to stocking banned and censored books

Charli XCX set to cover a lot of ground on her new album, and with the Triple-A access she’s had to all the cool parties, we just know the cameos and references on this one are going to be masssssssive

Everything Everywhere All at Once: Why Madonna’s Fitbit stats must be off the charts, and will the oversaturation for new album ‘Confessions II’ pay off?

Curating the Ultimate Luxury Weekend Getaway in the Heart of Sydney

Still loving this track.

Hands in the air for a ‘Romy and Michele’ movie sequel is finally in production

Pre-Owned vs New Rolex: What Buyers Need to Know

THE CREAM WINTER ESSENTIALS GUIDE 2026

‘The Vinyl Factory: Reverb’ is a multi-sensory experience delving into vinyl culture across music, fashion, art and the social realms

Jimmy Somerville - Smalltown Boy (Live in Berlin, 2019)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alIRDysk3jk

#JimmySomerville #SmalltownBoy #Music #BronskiBeat

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #BBC6Music's #6MusicsForeverDark Sally Herbert & Jimmy Somerville: 🎵 Bade #6music #SallyHerbert #JimmySomerville ▶️ Song on #Spotify:

Bade

Jimmy Somerville - Smalltown Boy Reprise 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNhLOfUPHa8

#JimmySomerville #SmalltownBoy #Music

#DonnaSummer

Ils voulaient que je corresponde à une certaine image, que je sois d’une certaine manière. Ils disaient : tu vas devenir une star. Les gens ne demandent pas vraiment qui tu es ; ils demandent l’image que l’on a construite de toi. Et c’est un peu ce qui s’est passé : peu à peu, ils ont commencé à me transformer en image.

#Disco #MarcAlmond
#JimmySomerville #socialmedia #music
#Caturday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt69cqSEqCY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEbaeLv-aOo

“ #jimmysomerville #bronskibeat #communards 'Smalltown Boy' performed at Jimmy's Blunotte Open Air live concert in B... / “Jimmy Somerville - Smalltown Boy (Blunotte Open Air Vivi Bellinzona, 26th Sept, 1996)” (1 user) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li-9d8K0rKw

“ #jimmysomerville #bronskibeat” / “Jimmy Somerville - You Are My World (Blunotte Open Air Vivi Bellinzona, 26th Sept, 1996)” (1 user) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQoIdq0dEMI

Jimmy Somerville - Smalltown Boy (Live in Berlin, 2019)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alIRDysk3jk

#JimmySomerville #SmalltownBoy #Music

"Jimmy Somerville, rebelle queer de la pop anglaise" : un documentaire à voir sur Arte

Diffusé sur Arte ce vendredi 14 novembre et disponible sur arte.tv, le documentaire d’Olivier Simonnet lève le voile sur un artiste engagé et l’une des premières popstars ouvertement gays.

“Run away, turn away, run away.” En 1984, un jeune homme de 23 ans du nom de Jimmy Somerville élève une new wave ouvertement gay au top des charts européens durant plusieurs semaines. Enregistrée avec son groupe, Bronski Beat, et portée par sa voix de contralto, la chanson “Smalltown Boy”, en partie autobiographique, raconte l’histoire d’un jeune homme gay originaire d’un village ouvrier. Souffrant de solitude et victime d’homophobie, il fuit le foyer familial pour déployer ses ailes dans une grande ville – un élan bien vite contrarié par une agression homophobe qui le renvoie chez ses parents.

https://piefed.social/c/lgbt/p/1475067/jimmy-somerville-rebelle-queer-de-la-pop-anglaise-un-documentaire-a-voir-sur-arte

Communards - Don't Leave Me This Way video
Watched this ++++ times but tonight I noticed an errant hair.
Top left.

#music #communards #jimmysomerville #trim

WORLD South Africa and HIV, Church of Norway, Wayne Brady, Manchester Pride https://www.byteseu.com/1478454/ #Azaelia Banks #bisexual #ChappellRoan #DanHowellAndPhilLester #GrahamLinehan #JimmySomerville #KeiraKnightley #LGBTQ+ #london #Manchester #Melbourne #Norway #Philippines #SaudiArabi #SouthAfrica #SouthKorea #Sydney #WayneBrady

"Don't leave me this way" - The Communards

Second week at number one, and a new studio performance, here Jimmy starts on the same stage as Richard and Sarah-Jane.

The big brass section get their moment in the spotlight, and there's a lovely lighting effect during the "aaaaaaah" - all the neon freezes on and the lights stop flashing.

#TOTP #TheCommunards #JimmySomerville #RevRichardColes #SarahJaneMorris

On my mental soundtrack for Pride Month: Jimmy Somerville's gorgeous falsetto ringing out in protest against queerphobia, set to a video that broadens the protest to call out 1980s Thatcherist economic oppression. Both of which messages, sadly, apply to current events in the US.

#BronskiBeat #JimmySomerville #synthpop #disco #1980sMusic #PrideMonth
#MentalSoundtrack #NowPlaying

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3LbzjFJdSA

“ #JimmySomerville” / “Bronski Beat and Marc Almond - I Feel Love / Johnny Remember Me (Top Of The Pops, 09.05.1985)” (1 user) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT8grvWyRIk ほぼ原曲通りのアレンジにドナ・サマーとジョルジオ・モロダーへのリスペクトを感じる。2人の歌唱もキマっている #マストドン音楽好き部 #fedibird　

Jimmy Somerville - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) (1989)

#45vinyl #jimmysomerville #mightyreal #1989 #1980s #80smusic #hinrg #synthpop #eurohouse #7inch #gxml

Wordpress - https://genxmusiclover.wordpress.com/2025/02/22/jimmy-somerville-you-make-me-feel-mighty-real/
Blogspot - https://genxmusiclover.blogspot.com/2025/02/jimmy-somerville-you-make-me-feel.html

“ #bronskibeat #TheCommunards #JimmySomerville” / “Bronski Beat - Why? (Ear Say 31.08.1984)” (1 user) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UQyRzSnZek #マストドン音楽好き部 #fedibird

Bronski Beat - It Ain't Necessarily So (Top Of The Pops, 10.01.1985) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hu4kzYModw “ #TheCommunards #bronskibeat #JimmySomerville” #YouTube

Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy (Top Of The Pops, 07.06.1984) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS-z3V6sTQQ “ #JimmySomerville #TheCommunards #bronskibeat” #マストドン音楽好き部 #YouTube #fedibird　

Bronski Beat - Why? (Top Of The Pops, 20.09.1984) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XcsnUqp190 “#JimmySomerville #TheCommunards #bronskibeat” #YouTube

The Communards, Red, 1987 on London / MCA

The Communards were a duo of Jimmy Somerville (formerly of Bronski Beat) and Richard Coles, a classically trained musician. They put out only two albums: a self-titled debut and this followup.

I’ve actually got both a Canadian pressing (white cover with red letters) and a US pressing (red cover with white letters) of this LP. I don’t normally try to collect all variants of a given record, […]

#1980s #1987 #BeverlyCoinJewel #BeverlyMA #Communards #JimmySomerville #LondonRecords #MCA #RichardColes #vinyl #vinylcollection #vinylfinds

https://wp.me/p4tTZ-6sQ

Bronski Beat hit 'Why' gets new remix treatment by Superchumbo and features Pet Shop Boys frontman Neil Tennant on vocals - Out now #BronskiBeat #JimmySomerville #NeilTennant #PetShopBoys #Superchumbo

https://www.side-line.com/bronski-beat-hit-why-gets-new-remix-treatment-by-superchumbo-and-features-pet-shop-boys-frontman-neil-tennant-on-vocals-out-now/

You might know the original song produced by Giorgio Moroder. This cover is great:
The No. 1 Song in Heaven (feat. Jimmy Somerville) #sparks #JimmySomerville #nowlistening #heaven #musix
https://youtube.com/watch?v=wjMqMln2JNk&si=ieLKg2LgE5gH0wcY

Bronski Beat celebrates 40 years of 'The Age of Consent' #BronskiBeat #JimmySomerville #SteveBronski #TheCommunards

https://www.side-line.com/bronski-beat-celebrates-40-years-of-the-age-of-consent/

Episode sixty is up now! Today's song is Smalltown Boy by Bronski Beat.

I discuss the contrast between the club banger tune and the sorrowful vocals, and the heartbreaking music video.

https://youtu.be/L8FYw_Y8L1E?si=ogeOdP88xCo2B5BZ

#podcast #dailypodcast #pigeon #pigeonsongspod #music #songs #pride #pridemonth #prideweek #smalltownboy #bronskibeat #stevebronski #jimmysomerville #larrysteinbachek #theageofconsent

Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy (Razzmatazz, 20th June 1984) - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAhJROP09HI “ #TheCommunards #bronskibeat #JimmySomerville” 中森明夫/ 東京トンガリキッズで知った曲 #youtube #マストドン音楽好き部 #fedibird　

"Smalltown Boy", Bronski Beat & Being Openly Gay in Eighties Pop | New British Canon - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FGkNchiQO0

#LGBTQ #Pride #Music #JimmySomerville

Jimmy Somerville has just gone viral on TikTok with a quarter million different clips using his song ‘Smalltown Boy’: an interview from the vault

In June 2024, forty years on from its initial release, the Bronski Beat song Smalltown Boy has gone viral. For no singular reason there is a sudden surge of videos featuring celebrities and Gen-Xer mums dancing in their kitchens to the gay club anthem, a song that once infuriated social conservatives.

@yungkimlet

she absolutely ate this up, what i wouldnt give for a time machine #fyp #dancing #80s #dancechallenge

♬ Smalltown Boy – Bronski Beat

On TikTok alone, there are at least 250,000 different clips that feature the song, garnering over two billion views. “Everything is going so crazy in the world,” said Somerville in response to the song’s sudden resurgence, “but here on TikTok, there’s all these people finding the moment to have a bit of fun … It’s made me smile and warmed my heart.” And no doubt injected some well-deserved royalties into his bank account.

The internet was hardly even a thing when the following interview took place in 1994. Jimmy would never have dreamed his song would be running so rampant online. And the only thing going viral was the strain of HIV through LGBTQIA communities.

Being his out, outspoken and often outraged self, goodness knows what Jimmy would have done with such a powerful tool as the net. In this interview, he’s frank to the point of telling me about how he used to enjoy fucking a priest in a graveyard from time to time. Imagine if TMZ and TikTok had been around then…

Antonino Tati

——–

In 1984, when a chameleon boy called George was dressing up in frocks, and a woman named Annie was donning pinstripes and singing ‘Who’s That Girl?’, something more than just gender-bending was going on. Gay sexual politics were taking to the streets in a blatantly more radical and latently more pragmatic manner than in the late ’60s. News of a big disease with a little name was still blurry, but those who recognised the presence and threat of HIV and AIDS were making their awareness heard. Amid the propaganda and the protesting stood one relatively ambiguous pop star with big ideals. His name was Jimmy Somerville and the band he marched with was Bronski Beat.

“I believe 90 per cent of the stories in the media are just crap. I mean those stories about Keanu, the poor man, give him a break. He has no problem with gays. He’s very gay-friendly, but because somebody is gay-friendly, suddenly they have to be labelled a closet. Give them some space.”

The Russian phonetics of the very name ‘Bronski’ alluded to left-wing politics, and the themes of gay rights and sexual awareness continued when Somerville and fellow band member, Richard Coles, gave the Beat a break to form The Communards who enjoyed massive success with dance floor staples Don’t Leave Me This Way and Never Can Say Goodbye. A small amount of solo success for Somerville followed thereafter, but since then he’s taken time out from his pop career to “live life to the full as a gay man in the here and now”. These days, Jimmy stands a certain distance from the soap box but recalls the heady occasions when just about anything he’d say was turned into a sexual/political sound bite.

“I was so hungry for identity and energy back then that I took on everything. As much as I think that gender-fucking and drag are great fun, being an ordinary person with a t-shirt on can be just as loud,” he says.

Especially when that t-shirt reads ‘Act Up: Silence = Death’, referring to the need for people to start talking unashamedly about the AIDS epidemic. Although a once grim topic, Somerville can now laugh as he recalls the time he unsuccessfully tried to get Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan to wear an ‘Act Up’ t-shirt.

“Of course, Little Miss Indignant started having a tantrum, but I can kind of laugh at it now.”

Somerville admits he put a lot of noses out of joint with his earlier energetic activism, and not just within the straight community…

“I think more gay men found me too radical and too noisy. It’s that whole syndrome of ‘We’d rather just keep our voices down and get on with it’. But at that time, I was realising what AIDS was and how it could affect our politics and culture; that it was going to do so much damage to the progress we’d made. So I thought it was time to get vocal, to get angry. Then AIDS affected me in a profound way: I was sharing a house with some friends and one of them was dying. For two years I watched him deteriorate. If anything, it made me realise my own mortality and understand the importance of friendships and love. That is definitely reflected in all of my songs. In the end, my songs are about love and death and life.”

Somerville’s solo work, hence, sees heavy themes balanced with light ones. Just when his lyrics seem to be plunging too far into the depths (‘He wanted a man, not psychiatry; all he got was a hospital bed and some pills’), up pops something tragically trivial (‘My nails are a mess but I couldn’t care less’). The combination of emotion and exuberance is deliberate, says Somerville, and is part of a deeper tradition in gay culture.

“Gay people take all the tragedy and all the pain and turn it into this kind of celebration. We’re a very resilient group of people, and that’s what I love. I think that’s something gays should be proud of.”

Part of that pride, he adds, is the gay community’s courage and humour in bringing together its masculine and feminine elements, specifically with drag.

“I’ve done drag many a time. It’s one of the most liberating experiences in the world. There should be drag classes in every country’s education curriculum. I think all men should go through this process of transformation from a ‘man’ to a ‘woman’, not just for fun; they have to actually try and become the character and the personality. I think if more men did this, they would actually realise who they really are.”

Now that we’re living in an era where LGBTI+ icons are just a Google-search away, and an age where, thankfully, we’re steps closer to seeing the final chapter of the AIDS epidemic, Somerville insists we shouldn’t be complacent toward certain issues.

“It’s so easy to think about safe sex when you’re not having sex, but if you’re in the throes of passion, it’s difficult to apply that disciplined approach. The idea of safe sex is still something fairly new in a sense, for some people. Sex is something that’s with you when you’re young, and if you explore it when you’re very young it’s kind of difficult to adopt a different way of thinking. I know I’ve done things and the next day thought, ‘What the fuck have I done?’. But I’m not going to sit back and torture myself, because it’s done. Otherwise I’d just become a mess.”

Somerville’s philosophical approach to living, as opposed to the evangelical zeal he’s displayed in the past, doesn’t stop here. In an interesting parallel between life and art, he discloses that he once used to see a closeted man of the cloth but that their sessions weren’t exactly for confession.

“I used to fuck with a priest. There’s this great little cemetery in North London where people cruise, and I met this guy there with a shaved head who was really hot. I had two incidents with him, and the next time I saw him was on High Street and he was a priest! I was absolutely outraged. But he seemed to be a cool guy, quite together, and I don’t think he had any guilt… Why didn’t I continue it? Well, you know, I did him twice, which is enough, really – his dick was no surprise to me after the second time.”

Somerville says the affair occurred just prior to the release of the much-publicised film Priest, and although he could obviously relate to its steamy scenes, the film’s exploration of institutional repression and hypocrisy engaged his ever-present political streak.

“I’m so outraged that the church is this little safe haven for fucked-up queers. I think it’s about time this is addressed and those hypocrites are exposed.”

Perhaps inching closer to his soap box again, Jimmy says he wasn’t the happiest about a straight actor taking a gay role in the aforementioned film, and that one aspect of the perpetuation of stereotypes in film is the casting of straight actors in gay roles.

“I didn’t go see Priscilla because I didn’t want to see a bunch of straight men pretending to be drag queens. I’d rather see a movie with real drag queens. I’ve been around too long and I’m too much of a fag to watch somebody who’s not a fag play a fag.”

But on the other hand, he doesn’t mind seeing gay actors playing straight roles, as long as they’re out and proud in real life. “I think if you’re going to be gay and out, that’s great. To the public, it’s like, ‘Here’s this gay man playing a straight role. He could very well be my brother, my boyfriend, my husband, or the man next door who I assumed would be heterosexual’. It starts to get rid of all that mysticism and all those stereotypes.”

At this juncture – with straights playing gays and gays playing straights on our movie screens – Keanu Reeves’ name drops into conversation, with Somerville admonishing the gay-whisper brigade.

“I believe 90 per cent of the stories in the media are just crap. I mean those stories about Keanu, the poor man, give him a break. He has no problem with gays. He’s very gay-friendly, but because somebody is gay-friendly, suddenly they have to be labelled a closet. Give them some space.

“In gay culture, because we don’t have too many out-and-proud famous people, as soon as there is the slightest [suggestion] that somebody famous such as Keanu could possibly be gay, people jump on it. It’s just hunger for out and visible icons.”

Checkout the Smalltown Boy video compilation here as well as celebrity dance videos from Courtney Cox, Jennifer Garner and skater Tony Hawk.

Hear Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy (The Absolute. Rework) here.

Listen to The Very Best of Jimmy Somerville Bronski Beat and the Communards on Spotify.

THE POP SHOP

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🚨MESSAGE FROM JIMMY 🚨 40 Years of 'Smalltown Boy'!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEskbJeUVcw

> 🚨MESSAGE FROM JIMMY 🚨 Today marks 40 Years (!) since 'Smalltown Boy' was released! Thanks to everyone who's shared their memories and here’s to it continui...

#JimmySomerville #bronskibeat

“#JimmySomerville” / “Jimmy Somerville - Smalltown Boy (The One Show, 10th April 2015)” (1 user) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDtZsX8As-A この曲大好き #YouTube #マストドン音楽好き部 #fedibird　

While I am #NotPrepared to #Disclose the #SequenceOfEvents #Resulting in a #Brick wearing #MyPyjamas within #ThisThread...

I can #Reveal that I once "met" #JimmySomerville at #TheBell in #KingsCross... I was "working" #BehindTheBar... | #TrueFact

He was #MostConcerned about #TheLackOfSuitableToiletPaper in #TheLadiesLavatories...

He had a #VeryValidPoint; I #TookCare of #IT...

🎵 Jimmy Somerville - Smalltown Boy (Live in Berlin, 2019)🎵 😁

#JimmySomerville

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alIRDysk3jk

@brad #JimmySomerville #ColePorter how about this one? Jimmy Somerville sings a very gay Cole Porter song: https://youtu.be/Cj3_fHqgCyw

Observing Pride Month with a few songs that have been on my personal queer soundtrack over the years. Like this one.

#MentalSoundtrack #pride #BronskiBeat #JimmySomerville #trans #QueerElder #genderqueer

https://youtu.be/H3LbzjFJdSA
#NowPlaying

Embrace the confusion. #SalvatoreGanacci #JimmySomerville https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6FyrEmq4J0

On my mental playlist for today: some pure queer campy joy :progress_pride: 💖

https://youtu.be/MJtyWksh3K0

#BronskiBeat #JimmySomerville #MarcAlmond #LGBTQ #synthpop