Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Liverpool
by Fiona Hutchings
published: 21 / 1 / 2011

Label:
Select Label
Format: N/A
intro
In our 'Re:View' column, in which our writers reflect on albums from the past, Fiona Hutchings examines Frankie Goes to Hollywood's 1986 second album, 'Liverpool', which split critics upon its release and has just been re-released in a double CD reissue
Frankie Goes To Hollywood released 'Liverpool' in 1986. It was their second album and the last to consist entirely of new material. Although greatly anticipated, it did not recapture the dizzy heights of 'Relax' 'Two Tribes' or 'Welcome to the Pleasure Dome'. Its sometimes hard and aggressive edge was undoubtedly influenced by the fact the band was already imploding under the weight of their earlier success. Vocalist Holly Johnson left the band soon after completing the requisite promotional tour. The determination and self confident awareness that marked out 1984's 'Welcome To The Pleasure Dome' was in danger of becoming an almost grotesque self parody two years later. In the light of all this it seems a slightly odd choice to re-release. Reviewers at the time were split. Some thought Frankie's belief in their own importance was inflated and ill founded. Others, notably 'Q', described it as "a brilliant noise - the most epic barrage of controlled decibels anyone's ever made." Singles 'Rage Hard', 'Warriors of the Wasteland' and 'Watching The Wildlife' made small ripples at the time. The two disc set is of the re-release is of the quality I have come to expect from ZTT. It is appealing to look at and handle and the enclosed book packs a lot of information and photos into a small space. In terms of what you actually get, well firstly there is the original 'Liverpool' album consisting of eight tracks. 'Rage Hard' owes much to both Bowie and Martin Fry of ABC and should have been a much bigger hit. It is catchy and reminiscent of 'Two Tribes'. 'Warriors' is pure Mad Max. 'Kill The Pain' mixes rolling guitar riffs with electronic noise to great effect. Also on the first disc is 'The Other Side Of Liverpool' which includes an amazing lip curled cover of Bowie's 'Suffragette City' and '(don't lose what's left) Of Your Little Mind' which were both included in later versions of the album. The six other tracks comprise three never before released tracks and a couple of remixes. The second disc is a mixed bag with more totally new to the world unreleased tracks, demos and mixes and some that were only previously released on tape or vinyl. It is split into 'The Liverpool Journey','Warriors Cassetted' and 'Wildlife Cassetted'. There is always a healthy dollop of self indulgence with any reissue. After all do we really want to hear all the demos and rarieties and remixes? Well, yes, actually we do - if we liked the original album. I think 'Liverpool' is slightly undervalued both then and now. Frankie had created such a solid brand both in look and sound with their first album that the fight both internal and external to break the expectations and confines was inevitable. The overall sound is rockier, but I don't find it hard to access. Some tracks are more polished and cohesive than others. I suspect if you were to look up 'the difficult second album' in the dictionary, this may well be what you find.
Track Listing:-
Picture Gallery:-


interviews |
Interview with Paul Rutherford (2013) |
![]() |
Paul Waller talks to Frankie Goes To Hollywood vocalist and dancer Paul Rutherford about his influential and controversial group and also his solo career |
Interview (2012) |
favourite album |
Welcome to the Pleasuredome (2010) |
![]() |
in our 'Re:View' series, in which our writers look back at albums from the past, Fiona Hutchings reflects upon Frankie Goes to Hollywood's 1984 debut album, 'Welcome to the Pleasuredome', which has just been released in a new expanded edition |
most viewed articles
current edition
John McKay - InterviewRobert Forster - Interview
Cathode Ray - Interview
Spear Of Destiny - Interview
Fiona Hutchings - Interview
When Rivers Meet - Waterfront, Norwich, 29/5/2025
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every Song
Chris Wade - Interview
Brian Wilson - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Shrag - Huw Stephens Session 08.12.10 and Marc Riley Session 21.03.12
previous editions
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EPBoomtown Rats - Ten Songs That Made Me Love....
Allan Clarke - Interview
Manic Street Preachers - (Gig of a Lifetime) Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, December 1999
Oasis - Oasis, Earl's Court, London, 1995
Barrie Barlow - Interview
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Beautiful South - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Pixies - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Sound - Interview with Bi Marshall Part 1
most viewed reviews
current edition
Peter Doolan - I Am a Tree Rooted to the Spot and a Snake Moves Around Me,in a CircleVinny Peculiar - Things Too Long Left Unsaid
Garbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Vultures - Liz Kershaw Session 16.06.88
John McKay - Sixes and #Sevens
Little Simz - Lotus
HAIM - I Quit
Morcheeba - Escape The Chaos
Eddie Chacon - Lay Low
Billy Nomates - Metalhorse
related articles |
Holly Johnson: Interview (2014 |
![]() |
Ex-Frankie Goes To Hollywood front man Holly Johnson speaks to John Clarkson about ‘Europa’, his first solo studio album in fifteen years |
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart