Forget the 80s compilation cds, listen to some of the albums that those bands made instead!
FGTH had phenomenal success with their Trevor Horn produced debut album, Welcome to the Pleasuredome, in 1984. The singles from that album were major hits and defined the mid 80s along with their videos, t shirt slogans and fantastic remixes. Three of the singles went to number one, making FGTH the second ever band to achieve that position with 3 singles in a row. But whereas that album was mega produced by Trevor Horn to ensure it was a pop hit, with Liverpool the band did what many a pop band did in the 80s- they decided to ‘go rock’ to prove that they were a real band and could really play.
Frankie in the process found themselves arguing over song directions, which is a shame; the 80s produced some very original and innovative bands, Frankie amongst them.
This re-release 25 years later shows a damn fine rock album that was overlooked at the time. It doesn’t have the pop hits of the former album, but it has some fantastic tracks on it nonetheless. Opener ‘Warriors of the Wasteland’ literally had me listening over and over before moving onto the next track. ‘Rage Hard’ I remember from the time- I remember not thinking it was a great track compared to their previous hits, and I think that that was their problem at the time. We expected more pop hits, not rock songs that were not as catchy.
This deluxe edition features a plethora of extras- demos, remixes, that should satisfy any Frankie fan and maybe even delight some newcomers who thought that they were just 3 hit wonders. Highlights are the cassette mixes of ‘Warriors’ and ‘Wildlife’, and a very informative booklet by curator Ian Peel.
