Ee RA Fess ad iekerel =e (em a apatite SOUND LIKE FRANKIE, LEOPARD-SKIN SPANDEX. TALE OF A NEW WAVE dU PA Pia eet aLone yan pointsto the lead singerand screams, "That shim! Thats him! ‘No way, Holly Jobnsor come” and six lead” her boyfriend answers. “I heard that’s his broth: [n1984, Frenke could have filed an arena. The queer postive British group arrived in America amid a barrage of hype and controversy, their disco-rock singles *Relax’ and “Two Txbes* quickly ‘vermunning radia and MTV. In concert Frankie were known for multimedia extravaganzas complete vith act films and smoke machines, bt tonight they're crammed on atiny triangular stago, deliver. ‘ng hoirmotal versions of all therhits Guitar player Will Martin, a longhalred beofcake in a mesh tank top and leapant-skin spandex. makes goofy guitargod faces as he Isunches into the pawer chords of "Warriors athe Wastelan Pu xy singer Davey Johnson, clad in a purple sequined shirt and patentleather overcoat, strugglosto hitthe high notes during the ballad “The Power of Love.” Infact, none ofthe memabors look remotely like ony ofthe Frankies [remember and Davey"s stage patter is cated ina thick, Southern sounding drawl ras tha mic and utters the six deadliest words ever spoken on a comeback tour: “Here's ‘ane of our new songs! "en's your next wedding?” a spectator heckles, By the time Frankie get to their closing number ‘25minue“Relax” that morphs into amedley of “Purple Haze" and “Enter Sandman," the crowd has thinned noticeably Ws note yn Jolly's shoes," Davey says later ofthe crowd's tepid responce. “We still have ‘some people cometo the show and look for it tobe the old's Frankie Goes to Hollywood.” And, in this case, that's going tabe next to impossible: Davey admits he never performed a single shove with the original group, though he-and Martin say they played on Frankio's 1984 debut. Welcome the Pleasuredome, There are plenty of bandson the ott clreult whose claim to authenticity isthe second ddrumnmor and the lead singer's cousin on bass, but this realy takes the proverbial cake. Who ara these guys, and how did they become the band that brought the word “cum to the masses? FRANKIE GOPSTO HOLLYWOOD WERE THE ULTIMATE FLASH IN THE PAN. FORMED IN LIVER pool in ford, who the unusual Tinoup featured Namboyantly gay frontmen Hall Johnson and Paul Ruther rece backed by three straight teanage dale hound+—bassist Mark O'Toole drummer Peter Ped” Gill and guitarist rian "Nasher” Nash, Frankie were a massive sensation, thanks oa propsganda campaign thot included grandiose proclamations comparing the band ta Picasso and Andy Warhol ‘andthe macy SRM¢hemed video forthsirdebutsingle, “Relax” (complete with a golden shower scone, ‘Released in 1983, “Relax” langilshed at the bottom ofthe radio charts until the BBC's Redio One suddenly deciced the ivics *Don'tdoit, when you wanna cum’ were obscene; the front-page contro versy propelled the song to No, LA year later, the cold-war diatribe “Twvo Tribes’ was an instant hit and soon both sangs overtook the sirwaves in 21 countries, including the US, The band’s trademark white Tshirts, emblazoned with bold biack Slogans like FaANKEE SAY AR THE LNEMPLOVED, kicked aff 2 ‘world stoat fad, with factories churning out countless bootlegs. Frankie were one of those pop Phenomenonsakin to. Nicom Mclaren-type af thing, where impacted the fashion, the music the calture—everything al atonce.’ says Village Voice columnist Michael Musto, “Then they just kind of disappeared, which is the very essence af pop success The quintet was the frst signing to ZT, the label founded by renowned producer Trevor Harn ABC, Yes), studio obsessive who brought smooth, epic feel to Welcome fo the Pleasuredome. The Frankie sound, catchy hybrid of rock, synthpop, a logical triumph, But Horn was so controlling that persistent rumorthat no Frankie, om Holly, actually performed on the record: instead a handfal of studio musicians filled in ("The band certainly payed on thelr tracks,” Hoza says, “Butnotallof the songs”) “Musically speaking, Frankie set precedents that have yet tobe surpassed” says techno pioneer Derick Mas, who stil works the band’s songsinto his D] sts. “It was heaven on vinyl” Unfortunately atthe height oftheir popularity, Frankie became embroiled in a nasty battle over the songuiting hes spl. Hora soon lost interest ia tho band, which recorded their second album, 1986's Live ‘thout him. Itwas a major disappointmer A fedaap Holly quit Franke a vearlater, and the group Jmploded. In 142, Holly was tabloid fot seagein when he announced he was HIV-positive. He's been dosged Uy death rumorsexersince Aithougla Franke feyer lasted loss than a yearin America the group remains a potent symbol ofsentually ended up in th The duo returned to the US. in 1985 a the Reagan 80s (and an oenasional punch ino). Phish named a songabor Hanne Soy ABT apis o! Friends conters on Host devotion Mobile, Alabama, area, Thy.say they continued working 25 Staats to bis Faaxiaie say ReLAKTsbii, The Bloodhound Gangsamplea huge backing up er ancl Stevie B, But to eazn enough to sup {ee Te tanton the recent loony for Boobies. And ollysonredporhiswifeand three kids, Davo had to open» pager store and ie Co Rey ee guied venionofFrankies*The Powerof Love’: shop Mati also dad taught KeRboxag arin itor often could ot thu glory of their Pleasuredomedays.*Out of all the workt i bootleg tance remix became a club sensation. Holly obviously standsto make anice chunk ofchange off cour, but hu's pover seriously considered it, “I think twasall just perfec the way twas and ended when it shoul” he says. “I ust think its so uncool when bands that were great get back together again. 1 Want tobe the person who huffs and puffs hls way through Welcome tothe Pleasuredom” But what about the version of Frankie doing just that people must be ‘moment. thon la SITTING INA BOOTHATA CHICAGO DINER 1 few hours before showtime, Davey fal fon pats his stomach while he seans the a svelte, curly- menu, When our waitre haired women ina belly-baring halter top, comes oy the table, hecan'tkeep biseves af hhermidcff. “Remember that song ‘Relax’? he esks her “That was us, And this hore isa rom Spin magazin, come to doa We're playing up the street tonight. Ho jots her name'on a nap i her on the guests. ps, sweatpants and ard to Imagine write Wanna c kin andsayshelll p With theirbaseball down-home manner. i's these two tequila swigging road rats kick ‘ngit with ebunch of Bish aesthetes even ‘yearsago. ask Daver, 36, and Martin, 9, to explain their Frankie connection. They siy that as Ameriean military brats growing up in Ipswich, England, the they sy they received a fateful eyboards and guitars, respec sid Frankie Goes ys roferring| both developed a talent formusic. One day. they all Trevor Horn wanted them to play k tively. on Pleasuredome. “None ofthe fave figures of the to Hollywood were on the album. except for Holly” Davey the old rumor. “Therefore enter the picture Will Martin and myself. The ‘music behind the musie, you know? Martin adds th paid for their efforts, they were uncredited in the liner nots Uneredited, hub? faek them who thealbum’s engineer was, 1.ago," Davey says. “This isthe the studio we were in last mont! talkingso many thf can'ttell yo done, itwasthe master urea loeal promoter just dying 29 poople in Frankie over the years, risicand kep! tn i96, Davey recruited British bass playor Steve Carmen (who quit ast IF A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS SII tte aR aL HE'D “BE FINDING OUT WHERE THEY WERE PLAYING PCT aN oR Rae oyable. says Davey, “thought in my ear of hoa ay itll ended and it was time toring it back” att was a shamo the ‘Luckily, Davey says. he got another life-changing call rom one RI to book Frankie. “RD. called Mark. he silod Holly butno one was Interested." he says. “There have been at east ‘and RD. found out we workad on the These cbs want I alling all he time, Me ea SECO AA ‘yeat)and took the bait. "Initially we wore going to dojust 12075 shows. blew out of control Davay says, Infact, Frankie play more than 200 airs: the Crazy Horse Steak House i shows a year, Including count Irvine, California: and Chicago's "international Mr. Leather Contest” Lat sbruory they even scoreda gigat LA's prostigious House of Blues, which swebvas the concert on the club’s wivwshob.com site “The most difficult thing about boing in the new Frankie, says Martin, is rocking way harder than the original band, “Once they ee the show, eve body's ike, Olhan, I savr the old bend back in the 0s, and to see you now brings back e ot of memories, hut tsounds so good, you'te so much bet ‘So what do the original Frankie think this projct? Davey clams they're