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At their height, the band comprised of distinctive and diminutive singer Jimmy Somerville, backed by Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbacheck, both of whom played keyboards and percussion.

Formed in 1983, their debut hit came the following year - the striking tale of a boy who was cast away by his family and neighbours for being gay. Called Smalltown Boy, it peaked at Number 3 in the UK and was accompanied by a memorable video of Somerville leaving home, forlornly eating sandwiches on a train, being attacked by a homophobic gang and being returned to his family by the police.

The song quickly established the trio as an outlet for gay issues - all three members were gay - and the follow-up single Why? pursued the same energetic and electronic formula musically, while the lyrics centred more centrally and darkly on anti-gay prejudice. Again, it made the Top 10 in the UK.

At the end of 1984, the trio released an album which was provocatively titled The Age Of Consent. The sleeve inside listed the varying ages of consent for homosexual sex in different nations around the world. At the time, the age of consent for gay men in the UK was 21.

A third single was released from it, again causing controversy. It Ain't Necessarily So, a song which questioned the authenticity of Biblical tales, reached the UK Top 20. Playing the clarinetThe clarinet (sometimes historically spelled clarionet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. A person who plays the clarinet is called a clarinettist. Professional clarinets are made from African hardwood, often grenadilla or (rarely) Honduran r solos in the song was Richard ColesRichard Coles (born June 23 1962 in Northampton, England) was the multi-instrumentalist who partnered Jimmy Somerville in the 1980s band the the Communards. Coles had previously played the clarinet on the song It Ain't Necessarily So which was a hit in 19, with whom Somerville would later team up to form the Communards.

In 19851985 is a common year starting on Tuesday. Events January events January 1 Creation of the Internet's Domain Name System. January 17 British Telecom annouces they are going to abolish the famous red telephone boxes. January 23 A debate in the House of Lor, the trio joined up with Marc AlmondMarc Almond (born July 9, 1956) is a British singer. He started his music career as a member of Soft Cell and Marc and the Mambas, but he has been a solo artist since 1984. His solo work is by turns romantic and dark, campy and seedy. It often deals with to record a version of the Donna Summer1993 collection The Donna Summer Anthology Donna Summer (born December 31, 1948) is an American pop music singer best known for a string of disco music hits in the 1970s which earned her the title "Queen of Disco". Summer was a rarity in the 1970s disco s classic I Feel Love. The full version was actually a medley, also incorporating snippets of Love To Love You baby and Johnny Remember Me. It reached Number 3 in the UK charts, equalling the feats of Smalltown Boy, and was memorably (though not insultingly) described by one critic as "the gayest record ever made".

Shortly afterwards, Somerville quit the band, stating he wanted a career which was "more political". Presumably this related to internal politics rather than the lyrical direction of the band, as his new project relied almost entirely on unpolitical songs and cover versions - and they were a huge success in doing so. He teamed up with Coles to form the Communards and in 19861986 is a common year starting on Wednesday. Events January January 1 Spain and Portugal enter the European Community January 1 Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands and is separated from the Netherlands Antilles. January 9 After losing a pa outsold all other singles in the UK with their version of Don't Leave Me his Way.

Bronski Beat recruited John FosterJohn Foster ( 1786 26 September, 1846) a British architect. John Foster was the Senior Surveyor to the corporation of Liverpool Notable Buildings The Oratory, Liverpool External Links http://www. com/johnfoster. htm Foster, John Foster, John Foster, John as Somerville's replacement, a singer of less stage presence, charisma and a deeper and more unprovocative voice. A very catchy single called Hit That Perfect Beat managed, amazingly, to equal the two previous biggest hits by making Number 3 in the UK charts, but one solitary Top 20 hit followed, plus the listless album Truthdare Doubledare, before the band's demise.

In 1995 a comeback album entitled Rainbow Nation was released. It was composed partly of re-recorded material and partly new, and failed to make an impact.