Bronski Beat

London's Bronski Beat left a lasting mark through several defining elements. Viewers of the "Smalltown Boy" video, still haunting and resonant years afterward, often retain sharp memories of particular moments from its narrative. Although the single marked the band's debut release, it became their signature track, ascending to the summit of Billboard's U.S. dance chart and reaching number three on the U.K. pop listing. True to the group's approach, the song drew directly from vocalist Jimmy Somerville's life as a young gay man. At the same time it highlighted their atmospheric electronic-pop aesthetic and introduced listeners to a singular voice whose range extends from an unmistakable falsetto to an emotional spectrum encompassing raw inner conflict and pure elation.

Somerville joined fellow Glaswegian Steve Bronski on keyboards and Londoner Larry Steinbachek, also handling keyboards, to form Bronski Beat in 1983. The trio played venues across London and secured a prominent early break by opening for Tina Turner. The London label quickly signed the act, transforming the members into U.K. pop stars virtually overnight. "Smalltown Boy" provided their decisive launch. Bolstered by that single, "Why," and their interpretation of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love," The Age of Consent resonated widely. The album drew notice for its fusion of incisive songcraft with dancefloor appeal, while its inner sleeve catalogued the legal age of consent for same-sex acts across multiple European countries.

Somerville departed the group a year later, before a follow-up could be recorded, and formed the more explicitly political Communards with Richard Coles. Bronski and Steinbachek continued with vocalist John Jon, previously of Bust. This new configuration of Bronski Beat also prospered, generating club successes in Britain and beyond; the 1986 sophomore album Truthdare Doubledare reached the U.K. Top 20, and "Hit That Perfect Beat" achieved chart positions comparable to those of "Smalltown Boy." Before the year ended, John Jon exited and the band ultimately split. In the mid-'90s Steve Bronski assembled a fresh lineup that included vocalist Jonathan Hellyer and released Rainbow Nation on the German ZYX label.

Somerville found moderate success with the Communards and has released solo material intermittently since the late '80s, including the albums Read My Lips (1989), Dare to Love (1995), Manage the Damage (2000), and Home Again (2004). In 2009 he issued the acoustic covers collection Suddenly Last Summer. The following year he launched the first installment of a three-part EP trilogy, Bright Thing, which was followed by Momentum (2011) and Solent (2012). In 2014 Somerville marked the 30th anniversary of Bronski Beat's landmark single "Smalltown Boy" by issuing a newly recorded version. His sixth studio album, the vintage-disco-inspired Homage, appeared a year later. ~ Andy Kellman