BRONSKI BEAT – THE AGE OF CONSENT LP – Nr MINT A2/B1 UK 1984 SYNTHPOP

Bronski Beat – The Age Of Consent
(Forbidden Fruit Records  1984  BITLP1)
Matrix No’s: A2/B1 – UK Pressing

Sleeve in Excellent condition
– some wear to edges & “21 Sep 97” written tiny on front
Inner Sleeve in Nr MINT condition

Vinyl in Nr MINT condition
(there are some light surface marks visible on the vinyl when held up to the light but they don’t affect the sound quality)

Bronski Beat is a British synthpop trio which achieved success in the mid-1980s, particularly with the 1984 chart hit “Smalltown Boy”, from their debut album The Age of Consent, which was their only US Billboard Hot 100 single. All members of the group were openly gay and their songs reflected this, often containing political commentary on gay-related issues. The initial line-up, which recorded the majority of the band’s hits, consisted of Jimmy Somerville (vocals), Steve Bronski (keyboards, percussion) and Larry Steinbachek (keyboards, percussion). Somerville left Bronski Beat in 1985, and went on to have success as lead singer of The Communards and as a solo artist. He was replaced by new vocalist John Foster, with whom the band continued to have hits in the UK and Europe through 1986. Foster left Bronski Beat after their second album, and the band used a series of vocalists before dissolving in 1996.

Steve Bronski, the only remaining original member, now leads a revived touring version of the band, and is recording new material for release in 2017 alongside ’90s member Ian Donaldson.

The Age of Consent is the debut album by synthpop band Bronski Beat (Steve Bronski, Larry Steinbachek and Jimmy Somerville), released on London Records on 15 October 1984. This was the only album released by the band to feature Somerville, who departed the band in 1985.

Track listing

All tracks written by Jimmy Somerville, Larry Steinbachek and Steve Bronski; except where noted.

Personnel

Bronski Beat

• Steve Bronski – keyboards, percussion
• Larry Steinbachek – keyboards, percussion
• Jimmy Somerville – vocals

Additional personnel

• Cellos – Beverly Lauridsen, Jesse Levy, Mark Shuman
• Choir – The Pink Singers
• Congas – John Folarin
• Horns – Uptown Horns (Crispin Cioe (alto sax & solo, “Love And Money”), Arno Hecht (tenor sax), Richard Coles (clarinet solo), “It Ain’t Necessarily So”), “Hollywood” Paul Litteral (trumpet) and Bob Funk (trombone))
• Tap Dance – Caroline O’Connor
• Backing vocals – Kevin Glancy
• Recording engineers: Peter Griffiths (London), Carl Beatty (NYC) & Dominick Maita (NYC)
• Mixing engineers – Harvey Goldberg and Julian Mendelsohn (“Why?”)
• Recorded at The Garden (London), Skyline (NYC) & RPM (NYC)
• Mixed at Maison Rouge, The Town House and Right Track Recording
• Mastered by Jack Skinner (Sterling Sound, NYC) & Arun Chakraverty (The Master Room, London)
• Producer – Mike Thorne