HOLLY JOHNSON

Holly Johnson was born near Penny Lane in Wavertree, Liverpool, 9th February, 1960.

1977 Johnson made his first appearance as a member of New Wave combo Big In Japan.
He also performed with Jayne Casey as Performance Art/Music duo The Sausages From Mars.

1979 he recorded his first single Yankee Rose and then Hobo Joe for the Erics label. He formed
the original Frankie Goes To Hollywood and rehearsed with them for three months.

1982 he formed the second version of Frankie Goes To Hollywood and in 1983 they signed to
ZTT and recorded Relax produced by Trevor Horn.
Relax reached Number 1 in the UK in 1984. The next singles Two Tribes and The Power of Love
both topped the UK charts making British Pop History. While Two Tribes was a Number 1 Relax
re-entered the charts at number 2.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood release their debut album Welcome to the Pleasuredome and it sells
three million copies.

1985 Holly appeared in the Brian De Plama motion picture Body Double.

The second album, Liverpool was recorded in 1986 and Rage Hard the first single went to number
4 in the UK. But, Johnson was unhappy with the musical direction Frankie Goes To Hollywood was
taking and decided to leave the band.

Johnson's first solo album, Blast was released in 1989 and went to number 1 in the UK charts. It
also had the three hit singles (Love Train, Americanos and Atomic City).

1991 Holly leaves the record company after finding out there is no promotion budget set for his
second album. The album, Dreams That Money Can't Buy is released and in November of the same
year Johnson discovers he is HIV positive. He stops making music and begins work on his biography,
he also starts painting (which he used to do earlier) and tries to come to terms with his illness.

1992 Holly withdrew completely from the world and took focussed on his art and writing his book.
He then announces his HIV status to his family and arranges for it to be announced in The Times
Easter Edition. But, Holly is crucified by the tabloid press when they get hold of the story before it is
printed.

A Bone In My Flute, Holly's autobiography is launched in 1994.

The next few years he was exhibiting his art work and in 1998 Holly returned to performing, and in
1999 released Disco Heaven on his own Pleasuredome label and then the album Soulstream was
released in October.

As far as i know he is now painting most of the time.

Check out up to date info and also a store at: http://www.hollyjohnson.com

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