RIP Steve Bronski
December 9, 2021 6:39 AM Subscribe
Co-founder and keyboard player in 1980's pop group Bronski Beat, has died at the age of 61. Their debut track Smalltown Boy reached #3 in the UK and was popular in many countries and charts.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- loup
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posted by Faintdreams at 6:57 AM on December 9, 2021
posted by Faintdreams at 6:57 AM on December 9, 2021
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posted by Halloween Jack at 7:05 AM on December 9, 2021
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:05 AM on December 9, 2021
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posted by coolxcool=rad at 7:08 AM on December 9, 2021
posted by coolxcool=rad at 7:08 AM on December 9, 2021
hate to break the flow. My main memory of Bronski Beat was a sort of duelling DJs situation. Christmastime 1984. Big party, underground situation. Lots of different tribes represented. Rockers, clubbers, punks, new wavers -- you name it. I thought I had good set worked out. Lots of big, cool party rockers. Stuff like Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Shriekback, Clash 12-inches. And I did okay but things never really went off!
Which they did for the next DJ whose stuff was fresher, groovier, more resolutely dance floor. Nowadays, I guess you'd call it HOUSE. And the climax of his set -- the track that got absolutely everybody moving was the Bronksi Beat's latest 12-inch ...
WHY?
They ruled the world that night. A couple reviews from the time:
"all rather twisted and tragic, especially when sung by those painfully keening vocals (the song is dedicated to murdered gay playwright Drew Griffiths). Like Soft Cell before them, the Bronskingtons suit this frugal format better than most, basically because they've had the guts to go the whole hog [...] what would be predictable electroboredom in more ineffectual outfits here takes on the status of obsession, building busily towards a tense and involving climax".
"flowing with unchained melodies, and dealing a deadly double blow to your heart and (shoe) souls"[...] "it sounds something akin to Sylvester meets Pigbag in a battle for dancefloor supremacy".
posted by philip-random at 8:04 AM on December 9, 2021 [13 favorites]
Which they did for the next DJ whose stuff was fresher, groovier, more resolutely dance floor. Nowadays, I guess you'd call it HOUSE. And the climax of his set -- the track that got absolutely everybody moving was the Bronksi Beat's latest 12-inch ...
WHY?
They ruled the world that night. A couple reviews from the time:
"all rather twisted and tragic, especially when sung by those painfully keening vocals (the song is dedicated to murdered gay playwright Drew Griffiths). Like Soft Cell before them, the Bronskingtons suit this frugal format better than most, basically because they've had the guts to go the whole hog [...] what would be predictable electroboredom in more ineffectual outfits here takes on the status of obsession, building busily towards a tense and involving climax".
"flowing with unchained melodies, and dealing a deadly double blow to your heart and (shoe) souls"[...] "it sounds something akin to Sylvester meets Pigbag in a battle for dancefloor supremacy".
posted by philip-random at 8:04 AM on December 9, 2021 [13 favorites]
This song helped nudge young asshole me out of my casual homophobia, and it is such a lovely little cherished bit of the 80s in my heart. Thank you Bronski Beat!
posted by Meatbomb at 8:30 AM on December 9, 2021 [11 favorites]
posted by Meatbomb at 8:30 AM on December 9, 2021 [11 favorites]
Well, shit. That's way too young!
Thanks for hitting that perfect beat, Steve, and rest in power.
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posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 8:36 AM on December 9, 2021 [2 favorites]
Thanks for hitting that perfect beat, Steve, and rest in power.
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posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 8:36 AM on December 9, 2021 [2 favorites]
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posted by pernoctalian at 8:40 AM on December 9, 2021
posted by pernoctalian at 8:40 AM on December 9, 2021
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posted by wicked_sassy at 9:41 AM on December 9, 2021
posted by wicked_sassy at 9:41 AM on December 9, 2021
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philip-random, Why? is so great-- I could never keep up but tried anyway.
Here's their fabulous cover of Heatwave for a slower slink.
posted by winesong at 10:02 AM on December 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
philip-random, Why? is so great-- I could never keep up but tried anyway.
Here's their fabulous cover of Heatwave for a slower slink.
posted by winesong at 10:02 AM on December 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by rhamphorhynchus at 10:58 AM on December 9, 2021
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 10:58 AM on December 9, 2021
I cannot overstate how important Smalltown Boy is to a lot of queer kids who grew up in the 80s
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:01 AM on December 9, 2021 [11 favorites]
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:01 AM on December 9, 2021 [11 favorites]
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posted by Joey Michaels at 11:27 AM on December 9, 2021
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:27 AM on December 9, 2021
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posted by doctor_negative at 12:14 PM on December 9, 2021
posted by doctor_negative at 12:14 PM on December 9, 2021
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c89 is a dance station I listen to when I'm in the car, and they've been playing "Smalltown Boy" a lot lately. I will stop whatever I'm doing--"You've arrived at your destination"? Too bad, I'm listening to the song!--when it comes on. Sixty-one is just way too young.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 12:34 PM on December 9, 2021 [3 favorites]
c89 is a dance station I listen to when I'm in the car, and they've been playing "Smalltown Boy" a lot lately. I will stop whatever I'm doing--"You've arrived at your destination"? Too bad, I'm listening to the song!--when it comes on. Sixty-one is just way too young.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 12:34 PM on December 9, 2021 [3 favorites]
C89 is the *best* dance station. And not just because of Save the Wave.
posted by rmd1023 at 1:37 PM on December 9, 2021
posted by rmd1023 at 1:37 PM on December 9, 2021
The Smalltown Boy 12" remains a dance classic out on the floors of NYC. A big loss </3
posted by wemayfreeze at 3:48 PM on December 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by wemayfreeze at 3:48 PM on December 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
Oh goodness. I wonder how Jimmy is doing. 61 is far too young, indeed.
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posted by hippybear at 7:21 PM on December 9, 2021
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posted by hippybear at 7:21 PM on December 9, 2021
I cannot overstate how important Smalltown Boy is to a lot of queer kids who grew up in the '80s.
Co-signed.
Also: Ever the Luddite, I was quick to sneer at music videos when MTV started to become a thing. This was one of the first ones to really reach me.
posted by virago at 8:45 PM on December 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
Co-signed.
Also: Ever the Luddite, I was quick to sneer at music videos when MTV started to become a thing. This was one of the first ones to really reach me.
posted by virago at 8:45 PM on December 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by skye.dancer at 9:02 PM on December 9, 2021
posted by skye.dancer at 9:02 PM on December 9, 2021
I mean, if we're going to talk Bronski Beat, can we at least look at the entire album, The Age Of Consent [YT link, individual song time-jump links in the description]? It not only has Why? (with a video featuring a soul directly confronting God about his injustices) as an opening track (!), but also the Bible questioning It Ain't Necessarily So (a Gershwin cover, and a video that made Jimmy sick of mincemeat pies for years afterward)), and along with Smalltown Boy has I Feel Love/Johnny Remember Me, later expanded into a single with Marc Almond. And they were in NYC dragging a Synclavier up flights of stairs with Mike Thorne to record this album. That's also when Jimmy met people that would later get him involved with ACT UP when it formed in NYC. The liner notes to the album listed the age of consent in countries around the world, but not in the US where this was removed.
One of my host brothers when I was an exchange student in Germany played me this album back in 1986 or so, and I didn't get what he was trying to tell me at the time. About himself, or about me, I've also never been sure.
posted by hippybear at 9:26 PM on December 9, 2021 [6 favorites]
One of my host brothers when I was an exchange student in Germany played me this album back in 1986 or so, and I didn't get what he was trying to tell me at the time. About himself, or about me, I've also never been sure.
posted by hippybear at 9:26 PM on December 9, 2021 [6 favorites]
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posted by threecheesetrees at 10:51 PM on December 9, 2021
posted by threecheesetrees at 10:51 PM on December 9, 2021
I mean if we're going to talk about Bronski Beat, could we at least look at the entire album The Age of Consent?
Good point, hippybear. Smalltown Boy was on a million college mixtapes, but it's way past time for me to expand my focus and actually listen to the entire album, given that I've been out of college (and out of a small town) for mumble years now.
posted by virago at 10:54 PM on December 9, 2021
Good point, hippybear. Smalltown Boy was on a million college mixtapes, but it's way past time for me to expand my focus and actually listen to the entire album, given that I've been out of college (and out of a small town) for mumble years now.
posted by virago at 10:54 PM on December 9, 2021
PS Have you ever gotten in touch with your German host brother? Your memory would be a hell of an interesting conversation prompt.
posted by virago at 10:58 PM on December 9, 2021
posted by virago at 10:58 PM on December 9, 2021
I cannot overstate how important Smalltown Boy is to a lot of queer kids who grew up in the 80s
So true. It was a fantastic, much-appreciated subcultural boost that really helped as I was starting to come out to other people.
posted by mediareport at 3:56 AM on December 10, 2021
So true. It was a fantastic, much-appreciated subcultural boost that really helped as I was starting to come out to other people.
posted by mediareport at 3:56 AM on December 10, 2021
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