The 80s Anthem That Was Banned By The BBC For Being Too Dirty For Radio

When we think about our favorite artists now, it’s impressive just how much we know about them. Wikipedia, podcasts, music blogs, and just following them on social media provide us with an endless connection to them. But let’s go back a couple years, 23 to be exact. Can you imagine if your favorite song was playing on the radio, only to be interrupted and muted because it was "too filthy"? What if the DJ would explain this by saying he’d noticed the cover art for the album, as well as the lyrics, were obscene? It doesn’t seem possible right? Music is meant to push the envelope. Artists are expected to continue to test the limits of what is considered appropriate. Their transgressions inspire us to also keep fighting against censorship and what society’s bias and prejudice.

In 1983 a band called Frankie Goes To Hollywood from Liverpool broke into the music scene. They were unlike most acts of the time, mainly because they never attempted to hide who they were. The two front men, Paul Rutherford and Holly Johnson, never attempted to hide the fact that they were gay. In fact, it seems that their producer at the time, Trevor Horn, saw their openness, regarding their sexuality, as a way to constantly create controversy to make the band famous.









Yet, when the single “Relax” came out in the UK in the Fall of 1983, it barely made a splash. Nobody was shocked or interested. Paul Morley, the music journalist that was part of their entourage, decided that a bold cover art on their album would be the push Frankie Goes To Hollywood needed to be a hit. A risqué music video featuring BDSM references and an ad campaign that included the phrase “All boys love sea men” started helping seal the deal. It all changed in January, 1984, after the band played on the show Top of the Pops, right before the single would officially come out. The song started climbing the charts, eventually reaching the sixth position. Then a week later it all exploded.

On January 11, 1984, while “Relax” was being played on BBC’s Radio 1, the DJ in charge, Mike Read, looked at the record sleeve and began to read the lyrics. He was horrified at the graphic and sexually charged illustration on the cover art done by artist Yvonne Gilbert. When he read the lyrics, openly implying a sexual situation, and a homosexual one, Read felt he had to “protect” the public. He turned off the song and told his listeners he would never play it again because of how inappropriate he found the tune. The BBC supported the presenter and also banned it from their programming, both on the radio and television.

Yet, like most censorship situations, this had the opposite effect Read expected. The song soared to number one on just about every other private station. Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s next singles, “Two Tribes” and “The Power of Love,” also reached the top of the charts. By the end of 1984, the BBC lifted the ban on “Relax,” since it had turned into the song of the year. It was played on Christmas Day on Top of the Pops.

Since then, Frankie Goes To Hollywood has never been able to match the success they found in 1984. They’ve had lineup changes, as well as plenty of ups and downs, but during their reign over the British music scene they were able to shed light on the hypocrisy and prejudice against the LGBTQ community in their own way. By pushing the envelope on what the establishment believed was appropriate for the public, one rock band helped the world take a step forward towards equality and tolerance.













Sources:



Sound on Sound

The Logo Factory

The Guardian

Yvonne Gilbert

BBC





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