Mika shares the impact of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s ‘Relax’ with Holly Johnson: ‘It’s really gay’ (EXCLUSIVE)
"There’s a real frontman and that’s you," said Mika to Holly Johnson
By Aaron Sugg
Mika praised Frankie Goes to Hollywood frontman Holly Johnson whilst talking to him about the cultural impact of the band’s debut 1980s single ‘Relax’ in their latest Attitude cover interview.
The pop icon highlighted the trailblazing contributions Johnson made to the queer community, not only as a proud, openly gay man living freely in the 80s, but vicariously through his music.
In a sit-down conversation, the Attitude cover stars spoke candidly about the creative process behind the Brit Award-winning single. Johnson set the scene, stating: “I still feel like that 23, 24-year-old.”
“It still sounds modern, strangely” – Holly Johnson on the Frankie Goes to Hollywood single ‘Relax’
“Because of the way it was made, it still sounds modern, strangely. And I can’t take all the credit for it,” he said, going on to thank his fellow band members.
The band comprised Peter Gill, Mark O’Toole, Jed O’Toole, Paul Rutherford, Brian Nash, Ryan Molloy, and, of course, Johnson as lead vocalist.
He continued to credit: “Trevor Horn and Stephen Lipson and Andy Richards, the keyboard player, and JJ and Anne Dudley from The Art of Noise.”
“Definitive pop from the 80s, the 90s, into the 2000s” – Mika on the creatives behind Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s ‘Hurt’
Mika praised the team, adding that they had created so many iconic records: “You’re just literally going through people who wrote the library of definitive pop from the 80s, the 90s, into the 2000s.”
Their debut single was originally named ‘Relax (In Heaven Everything Is Fine)’. Johnson gave an insight into what the title meant at the time.
“It means I stole it from Eraserhead by David Lynch as the middle eight. That’s what it means… I’m absolutely serious,” he said, admitting he never got to meet the groundbreaking filmmaker.
“It’s really courageous and it’s really gay” – Mika praising Johnson for ‘Hurt’
Mika, on the other hand, said: “I got to meet him once. We had dinner in Los Angeles, and we spoke about fireman’s poles and whether or not they’re truly necessary, and chicken farming, for four hours.” Johnson quipped: “We all love a fireman’s pole.”
Remembering the first time he saw Frankie Goes to Hollywood perform their lead single, Mika recalled watching the band on Channel 4’s The Tube.
“There’s a lot of S&M going on in the kind of aesthetic language of what you’re doing,” he said. “There’s a real frontman and that’s you. And it’s really courageous and it’s really gay,” he said.
“His evolving style, his storytelling through word” – Mika praising the Frankie Goes to Hollywood frontman
Since the cover shoot with the 1980s trailblazer, Mika has shared a video praising the star on his Instagram, where he admitted Johnson “has been an enormous influence.”
Reminding followers of Johnson’s career, going from punk to alternative pop and dance music, he praised Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s debut album, Welcome to the Pleasuredome.
Making waves in the 80s, he described the tracks as “courageous,” bringing it back to the frontman: “Him as a performer, his evolving style, his storytelling through words, through melodies, through performance,” praising his bravery.
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