Frankie Goes To Hollywood

’80s pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood earned a record deal with Trevor Horn’s label, ZTT Records, on the strength of an early 1983 radio session.

∙ The group’s name was inspired by a Guy Peellaert painting featuring Frank Sinatra and an imaginary newspaper headline, “Frankie Goes Hollywood.” ∙ Lead vocalist Holly Johnson had performed in the Liverpool punk band Big In Japan alongside Bill Drummond (The KLF) and Ian Broudie (Lightning Seeds).

∙ After being banned by the BBC for its sexually explicit lyrics, “Relax” topped the UK charts in 1984 and is still one of the country’s best-selling singles ever.