Bronski Beat star Steve Bronski dies a 61
Bronski Beat star Steve Bronski dies aged 61: Singer Jimmy Somerville reveals his bandmate – who co-founded the 80s band – has passed away as he pays tribute to ‘a talented and very melodic man’
The Scottish musician, who was born Steve Forrest in Glasgow , co-founded the 80s synth pop group with Somerville and Larry Steinbachek in 1983 They would enjoy a string of top 40 hits during the early years of that decade, among them I Feel Love and iconic gay anthem Smalltown Boy Bronski, Somerville and Steinbachek were tireless campaigners on gay rights issues at a time when society was less accepting of homosexualityDebut album The Age Of Consent, released in 1984, was a direct reference to the contrasting legal ages for gay and straight sex in the United Kingdom Bronski’s death follows the passing of bandmate Steinbachek, who died of cancer in 2016, aged 56
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Bronski Beat star Steve Bronski has passed away at the age of 61, former bandmate Jimmy Somerville confirmed on Thursday.
The Scottish musician, who was born Steve Forrest in Glasgow, co-founded the 80s synth pop group with Somerville and Larry Steinbachek in 1983.
They would enjoy a string of top 40 hits during the early years of that decade, among them a cover of Donna Summer’s disco classic I Feel Love and iconic gay anthem Smalltown Boy.
Tragic: Bronski Beat star Steve Bronski has passed away at the age of 61, former bandmate Jimmy Somerville confirmed on Thursday (L-R: Larry Steinbachek, Jimmy Somerville and Steve Bronski)
Confirming Bronski’s death in an Instagram post, Somerville, 60, wrote: ‘Sad to hear Steve has died. He was a talented and a very melodic man.
‘Working with him on songs and the one song that changed our lives and touched so many other lives, was a fun and exciting time.’
Bronski’s death, the cause of which is yet to be confirmed, follows the passing of bandmate Steinbachek, who died of cancer in 2016 aged 56.
Tribute: ‘Sad to hear Steve has died. He was a talented and a very melodic man,’ Somerville wrote in an Instagram post confirming his former bandmate’s death
Old times: The Scottish musician, who was born Steve Forrest in Glasgow, co-founded the 80s synth pop group with Somerville and Larry Steinbachek in 1983
Iconic: (L-R) Jimmy Somerville Larry Steinbachek And Steve Bronski at the height of their fame in 1985
The musician raised on Glasgow council estate Castlemilk, where he worked as a building labourer before moving to London in 1983, where he eventually shared a Brixton flat with his bandmates.
He would meet Steinbachek and Somerville through their involvement in the documentary Framed Youth – Revenge of the Teenage Perverts, made specifically for an LGBTQ arts festival.
Their debut single, Smalltown Boy, quickly became one of the decade’s defining tracks, climbing to number three in the UK chart and turning the band into household names.
All change: (L-R) Larry Steinbachek, Steve Bronski and John Foster, who replaced Somerville following his departure from the band in 1985
Ahead of its time, the song’s lyrics focused on the homophobia and social alienation experienced by a young gay man who is forced to move away because of his sexuality.
The accompanying video featured lead vocalist Somerville being chased by a gang of homophobic men before being arrested and eventually disowned by his parents.
Bronski, Somerville and Steinbachek were tireless campaigners on gay rights issues at a time when society was less accepting of homosexuality and the AIDS epidemic had decimated the gay community.
Farewell: Bronski in an undated social media photo. The exact cause of his death is yet to be confirmed
Ahead of their time: Bronski, Somerville and Steinbachek were tireless campaigners on gay rights issues at a time when society was less accepting of homosexuality
Debut album The Age Of Consent, released in 1984, was a direct reference o the contrasting legal ages for gay and straight sex, while its inner-sleeve featured the various consent ages for men in countries across the world.
Discussing the band’s impact on gay rights in an interview with The Guardian, Bronski admitted it was never their intention to do anything more than make music.
He said: ‘At the time we were just three gay guys who started a band – we didn’t feel like part of any particular movement.
Opening up: Discussing the band’s impact on gay rights in an interview with The Guardian , Bronski admitted it was never their intention to do anything more than make music (pictured in an undated photo)
‘Of course, it would transpire many years later that there were more gay artists than the public were led to believe.’
Somerville eventually left Bronski Beat to form The Communards in 1985, but he would be replaced by John Foster before the band scored another top ten hit with Hit That Perfect Beat later that year.
They remained together until 1995, returning briefly in 2017 with their first album in 22 years, The Age Of Reason.
In the picture: (L-R) Bronski Beat stars John Foster, Larry Steinbachek and Steve Bronski
Bronski remained heavily involved in music following the band’s original disbandment, remixing the song Stranger to None by the band All Living Fear in 2007.
He also remixed the track Flowers in the Morning by Electrobronze in 2007, while also working with vocalist Jessica James (aka Barbara Bush).
