Bronski Beat Keyboardist Dead

[nynakedtop]

For those of us into 80s pop -- and in touch with growing up in the 80s -- this song has enduring meaning.

 

News today via the BBC is that Larry Steinbachek died at the age of 56.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xuz94ZIPfJkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xuz94ZIPfJk[/

[+ nycman]

Hundreds of thousands of young 80's homos left their comfortable...or not so comfortable, childhood homes.....to his syncopated beat....including me.

 

Thank you Larry for being a part of that siren song that told me it would be tough....but that the love I needed would "never be found at home".

 

RIP Larry Steinbachek

[Bearofdistinction]

Hundreds of thousands of young 80's homos left their comfortable...or not so comfortable, childhood homes.....to his syncopated beat....including me.

 

Thank you Larry for being a part that siren song that told me it would be tough....but that the love I needed would "never be found at home".

 

RIP Larry Steinbachek

 

RIP Larry I loved Bronski Beat

 

My Favorite

 

[rvwnsd]

Sorry to hear. RIP.

[Zman]

56! Much too young.

[+ Cash4Trash]

Sad news. A decade before Bronski Beat hit it big the Tom Robinson Band was leading the charge for our rights.

[TruthBTold]

Sad news. A decade before Bronski Beat hit it big the Tom Robinson Band was leading the charge for our rights.

 

Love the line, "The buggers are legal, what more are they after now."

[Rusty Blue]

Sad news indeed! I still play their 45s all the time.

[Nvr2Thick]

I remember the coverage Bronski Beat got on MTV in the '80s. It was a pretty big deal to be an openly gay group with a gay-themed song, being covered as such by the VJs. In college so many people talked about them without having seen the video. I was living in an off-campus house with three NY state north-country jocks at the time. I can remember one of them saying, "God, what a queer video - this must be Bronski Beat," and roommates and friends laughing and mocking it. (Punchline- the video was actually Go West, "We Close Our Eyes," with sweaty Peter Cox wearing a tank top and swinging a very large adjustable wrench.) One of my more uncomfortable moments as a closeted young man in a straight world. Bronski Beat definitely did put themselves out there in the real world without the shields of androgyny and over-the-top flamboyance that were more common at that time.

[+ azdr0710]

(Punchline- the video was actually Go West, "We Close Our Eyes," with sweaty Peter Cox wearing a tank top and swinging a sledge hammer.)

 

had to go look that up.....what a catchy melody and chorus......(by the way, he's actually swinging a very large adjustable wrench! )

[Nvr2Thick]

had to go look that up.....what a catchy melody and chorus......(by the way, he's actually swinging a very large adjustable wrench! )

 

Fixed. Thanks.

 

I can remember the conversation among my roommates almost verbatim, as I stood silently and tried not to get caught looking guilty or angry.

 

"Hey Ken, check out this Bronski Beat fag video."

"No shit! Is that Bronski Beat? What a bunch of homos."

"Yeah that skinny guy really looks like he works construction."

"I bet that wrench is made of styrofoam."

"Hey! I wonder how his jeans got those rips in the knees."

"Probably from blowing the guitar player."

"God. This is the gayest thing I've ever seen on TV."

"Oh wait! Go West? This isn't even Bronski Beat."

"Man. MTV is just full of gay shit these days."

 

I'm glad I wasn't around when those guys saw "Small Town Boy." They would have torn up that frail, pale boy singing sad falsetto.