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Steve Bronski born 7th February 1960, the only founding member remaining, has been putting together the new Bronski Beat for the last years, producing new versions of Bronski Standards, namely the new acoustic copy of “Smalltown Boy” and 150 bpm “hard-core” sound of “Tell me Why”.
Steve Bronski, Larry Steinbachek and Jimmy Somerville formed the popular openly gay pop band, Bronski Beat in 1983. The ‘three angry young gay men’, Steve and Jimmy both hailing from Glasgow and Larry from Southend, started the band, “for some thing to do”; not realising the impact they would make on the world would be no less than phenomenal.
Steve and Larry pulsing electronic dance music and Jimmy's incredibly strong falsetto voice stunned record buyers on both sides of the Atlantic. Bronski Beat unleashed to the world, a collection of songs on their first album, named “The Aged Of Consent”, songs celebrating gay life-style, songs that challenge sexism, homophobia and anti-gay violence, and songs that plead for an end to war and songs of men-loving-men. Their first gig at The Bell, in Londons Kings Cross, was an unimaginable success, the band having to play their set twice as the crowd wouldn’t let them leave the stage, until more encores were done.
The band were also involved with “September in the Pink”, the first ever Lesbian and Gay Arts Festival in London, showcasing the talents of the many Lesbian and Gay musicians, artistes, artistes and film makers, resident in the capital.
Steve and Larry were lovers at this time, the band an added bonus of their romance.
The Bronski's had a string of originally penned successful records notably the gay”anthem ”Smalltown Boy” and “Tell Me Why?”, then recording the disco classic “I Feel love”, with ex-Soft Cell singer Marc Almond, as a protest against the alarming, mis-informed remarks made by the singer of the original version of the song. For reasons known only to him, Jimmy decided to leave the band. He had had disagreements with the others, especially over the direction they were taking and wanted more political involvement in everything he was doing. With Jimmy, Bronski Beat played many benefit concerts for various causes and organisations. Jimmy last performed with Bronski Beat, as their main lead vocalist, at The Montreux Music Festival, Switzerland, May 1985.
In 1987, Bronski Beat and Jimmy did a re-union concert for "International AIDS Day”, supported by New Order, at the Brixton Academy, London.
Jon Foster first took his place as the lead singer of Bronski Beat shortly after Jimmy left, in 1985. Jon, a close friends of Steve and Larry, was the most natural choice for the vacant space within the band.
They went to New York to make the next record, once more with producer Mike Thorne, but as they weren’t happy with the resulting mixes, they came back to England and started the work of polishing the original demo, as it had the elements of energy that the N.Y.C. version lacked. The first single, with Jon as lead vocalist, “Hit That Perfect Beat, Boy”, was produced by Adam Williams and the band. The song soared the U.K. charts, peaking at number 3, and was in the charts longer than any of their previous hits! Jon, Steve and Larry spent the next few months writing songs, which eventually became the next Bronski Beat album, “Truth, Dare, Double Dare”. The next single was “C’Mon, C’Mon”, which also gained entry to the European charts: The album was recorded in London, and mixed in Berlin at Hansa (by the wall). The aòbum did very well, and the band was planning a world tour for the promotion,so, it was a big surprise when the record company put the pressure on Steve and Larry to drop Jon from the act. He left the band in 1987 to follow a solo career, and was soon cutting several disks in the U.S.A. with tekno dance floor outfit, Click. Jon rejoined Bronski Beat in March 1993 until May 1994, recorded ”Why???”, and the long awaited acoustic remake of “Smalltown Boy”, and a brand new version of “Beat Boy”, the third remake, in this Trilogy of older material.
Meanwhile, 1987, Steve and Larry tour as a duo and for the next year, Steve taking the lead singing role, for a change. They played dates in Europe and the U.S. but released no disks. 1988 - 1991, Bronski Beat toured extensively all over the world, and recorded with, amazingly talented vocalist Jonathan Hellyer, from the Midlands, England. Jonathan comes from a very musical family. On the Five Label Jonathan and Bronski Beat cut two records, a cover of the Tamla Motown classic, “I’m Gonna Runaway From You”, and the originally penned ballad, “One More Chance”, with producer, Mike Thorne. 1989 Miss Eartha Kitt records “Cha Cha Heels” with Bronski. The song being, originally, written for the late, great, movie star, Divine. Steve and Larry had met with him to plan the recording, but he unfortunately passed away before they had a chance to do the project. Steve and Eartha co-wrote another song for the maxi single, a song entitled “My Discarded Men”. 1991 - 1993, Steve and Larry decided to ‘do their own thing for a while’ and Jonathan goes to the USA to develop his comedy act. March 1993 whilst gigging in the U.S.A. as Bronski Inc., Steve decides it is the right time to reform the band and releases “WHY???” ‘93, on ZYX Music, Germany. 1994 Acoustic “Smalltown Boy” also released on ZYX Music. Jonathan rejoins in June.
The band go into production for the new album to be produced and recorded in Italy at the THE SAIFAM GROUP studios with MAURO FARINA and the FACTORY TEAM. Ian Donaldson, computer programmer and Teckno keyboardist, is the latest addition to the live line up, on keyboardsand sequencing. Ian is originally from Glasgow, Scotland now living in London, Ian has recorded with Steve Bronski on the Bronski Beat Live sound, and also the programming for the Jill Dreski single “Let Me Know”. Ian's debut with the band was in Vilnius, Lithuania, May 1994.
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