Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Frankie Goes to Hollywood were a terrific British dance/funk/pop/rock quintet. The band first got together in 1980 in Liverpool, England. The members were: Holly Johnson (vocals), Paul Rutherford (vocals/keyboards), Peter Gill (drums), Mark O'Toole (bass) and Brian Nash (guitar). The group initially called themselves "Hollycaust", but soon changed the name to Frankie Goes to Hollywood (this peculiar moniker was inspired by an old newspaper headline about Frankie Vaughan's acting career). The group's music was distinguished by racy lyrics, pulsating beats, slick arrangements, and homo-erotic music videos. Their immense mid 80s success in Britain was greatly aided by a series of catchy slogans and t-shirts. The band played their first public gig in the summer of 1982 at a Liverpool pub called "Pickwicks". Frankie Goes to Hollywood initially gained attention for their wild S&M-themed stage act which included a whip-brandishing dominatrix duo known as the Leatherpets. The group recorded a