Frankie Goes to the British Music Experience for summer 2021

A new exhibition featuring Liverpool’s legendary Frankie Goes to Hollywood has finally opened at the British Music Experience.

The show, Frankie Say 1984! – the World is My Oyster, focuses on the key year of 1984 when the band dominated the music scene with a trio of massive number one hits - the controversial Relax, Two Tribes and the exquisite The Power of Love – which together spent a total of 15 weeks at the top of the UK charts

And it also sets the songs in the context of the politics of the time.

The temporary exhibition, which was initially due to open in January before the second national pandemic lockdown was announced, features Frankie Goes To Hollywood stage outfits, instruments, memorabilia and a retro collection of the famous “Frankie Says” merchandise.

It also brings the story forward to now with Frankie 2020.

Kevin McManus, Head of UNESCO City of Music for Liverpool said: “I’m delighted to hear the British Music Experience is celebrating one of Liverpool's most successful groups ever.

“When you look at our illustrious music heritage it takes something to stand out but from their very early days Frankie Goes To Hollywood always did.

“For a year or so they were the biggest band on the planet, cementing Liverpool's place as the music capital of the world.

“It’s only fitting that this unique exhibition is taking place in Liverpool, the only city that could have given birth to such a brilliant, maverick band delivering works of pure pop genius. I think the exhibition will remind the world of just how significant FGTH were.”

Frankie Goes to Hollywood's 1984 debut album contained all three number one hits

Top: Frankie Goes to Hollywood during filming for the Two Tribes video. Photo by A J Barrett

Promoter Harvey Goldsmith, chairman of the BME Trustees, added: “The British Music Experience is thrilled to host an exhibition so important to Liverpool and a close look at the year 1984.

“We’re excited to try to decipher that magic something Frankie Goes To Hollywood brought to the world at just the right moment in time.

“It was an amazing year, when cultural norms were being pushed and challenged, Relax and then the wildly successful Frankie Says T-Shirt campaign was ground-breaking, followed by Two Tribes and The Power of Love. Frankie Goes To Hollywood pulled off a level of success not seen since the 1960s.”

Frankie Goes to Hollywood was formed in Liverpool in the late 1970s, and featured frontman Holly Johnson, fellow vocalist Paul Rutherford, Brian 'Nasher' Nash on guitar, bass player Mark O'Toole and Peter Gill on drums.

The band's success with its first three singles going to number one equalled that of fellow Liverpudlians Gerry and the Pacemakers 20 years before, and Frankie's 1984 debut album Welcome to the Pleasuredome also reached number one, with more than a million pre-sales.

Frankie Say 1984! – the World is My Oyster runs to January 9 2022. More information and tickets from the website HERE