The Scottish singer/songwriter Jimmy Sommerville was one of the most important queer voices from the 1980s onwards. This diminutive London-based performer provided so much of the music we danced to in the Clubs back then, where he also frequently hung out when he wasn’t on stage.
In 1982 he co-founded the Bronski Beat, which had several hits in the British charts. Their biggest hit was “Smalltown Boy“, which reached No. 3 in the UK charts. Like so much of his music, it was based on his own life about leaving his hostile hometown for the friendlier big city like when he moved to London.
Three years later he left Bronski Beat and formed The Communards with classically trained pianist Richard Coles, who became a Church of England priest!!! They had several hits, including a cover version of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes‘ “Don’t Leave Me This Way“, which spent four weeks at No. 1 in the UK charts and became the biggest-selling single of 1986 in the UK.
It featured on their sophomore album REDS which London Records are now releasing a 35-year anniversary edition later this year. Upon its original release in 1987, it earned platinum status and sold over 300,000 copies worldwide.
It includes our favorite Communards track ever Never Can Say Goodbye……here’s the original version BE SURE TO PLAY IT REAL LOUD
The Communards and London Records release a 35 year anniversary edition of their sophomore album ‘Red’ https://www.piccadillyrecords.com/
Labels: 2022, 35th Anniversary, Bronski Beat, Jimmy Sommerville, London Records, RED, The Communards
