Bronski Beat hit ‘Why’ gets new remix treatment by Superchumbo and features Pet Shop Boys frontman Neil Tennant on vocals – Out now
Bronski Beat celebrates 40 years of 'The Age of Consent'
London Records has released the Superchumbo remix of the Bronski Beat hit “Why” featuring Pet Shop Boys frontman Neil Tennant. This is the third remix from the upcoming 40th-anniversary deluxe reissue of Bronski Beat’s 1984 album “The Age Of Consent”, out October 18th. It follows reworks of the classic queer anthem “Smalltown Boy” by producers Absolute and Planningtorock.
The song, originally recorded at RPM Studio in New York City and mixed at Townhouse Studios in London, features lyrics that focus centrally on anti-gay prejudice. The song was written for Martin, a friend of the Bronskis who was hounded out of the country by his boyfriend’s irate and violent parents. You could say it was a sequel to their debut single “Smalltown Boy”, continuing the tale of a young gay man suffering humiliation and animosity as he tries to live his life.
The song opens with a questioning vocal by Bronski Beat frontman Jimmy Somerville and the sound of shattering glass. It was the trio’s second Top 10 success in the UK, throughout Europe, and in Australia, and is considered a popular gay anthem today.
The drawing for the original single cover, depicting a man with his head in his hands, was created by Glasgow artist Robert McAulay, who was associated with the band at the time.
Here’s what Jimmy Sommerville says about the collaboration with Tom Stephan (aka Superchumbo) on this new mix: ”I’ve known Tom for a good few years now and when I asked him if he’d like to do a remix of ‘Why?’ he said yes straight away. The song is a part of his story. I was so moved when he shared that story with me. The lyric is our shared experience as it is for so many others…and forty years later the lyric still tells the story of LGBTQi+….the hate, the violence, the discrimination, the imprisonment and state sanctioned murder of those who dare to be their true selves and it’s happening somewhere right now as I write this.”
Speaking on the rework, Tom explains: “My goal was to create an updated mix that fits well with contemporary sounds while preserving the original intensity and energy. After I submitted the mix, Jimmy asked me if I could include a few more lyrics from the original song. I had recently watched a Pet Shop Boys documentary where Neil Tennant read some of his lyrics, which moved me to tears,” he continues. “I imagined Neil speaking these lyrics, creating a powerful contrast. I left Neil a voicemail on my way to a gig abroad and by the time I reached Heathrow I had his vocals on my phone, added them to the track on my flight, and played it that night! It is a great honour to work on this iconic song with two legends who were lifelines to me while growing up gay in a small town.”
“I was fucking whooping like a banshee round my kitchen when Tom told me Neil would like to contribute! ” adds Jimmy. “To speak the lyrics of ‘Why?’ and to hear Tom’s musical reworking of the track is fucking mind-blowing. So to hear Neil, one of our greatest pop lyricists, speaking my words… It brings it into the here and now and also retains its history with my original vocal. I genuinely felt moved.”
4CD+DVD deluxe set tracklisting
The 40th-anniversary reissue of “The Age of Consent” will be available in a variety of physical and digital formats, including a 5-disc deluxe edition (4CD+DVD): featuring 4 essays by Tom Rasmussen, Lesley Chow, Lucy Robinson, and Barney Ashton-Bullock, the original album, bonus tracks, remixes, rarities, early versions, and rare radio sessions. Its DVD comes with restored promo videos, Top of the Pops performances, and original TV adverts.
Other formats include 2CD with new reworks, 2LP (with “The Age of Consent” and its neighbouring remix album “Hundreds & Thousands”), a yellow 1LP edition (Lexer Music Exclusive), and a super deluxe edition exclusive Blu Ray edition featuring “The Age of Consent” and “Hundreds & Thousands” in Dolby Atmos & 5.1 mixes.
Disc One
The Age Of Consent – The Album Plus
- Why?
- It Ain’t Necessarily So
- Screaming
- No More War
- Love And & Money
- Smalltown Boy
- Heatwave
- Junk
- Need A Man Blues
- I Feel Love / Johnny Remember Me
- Smalltown Boy (Dj 7” Edit) – Bonus Track
- Why? (Remix) – Bonus Track
- It Ain’t Necessarily So (7” Version) – Bonus Track
- I Feel Love (7” Version) With Marc Almond – Bonus Track
- Run From Love (Radio Version) – Bonus Track
- Hard Rain (Nme 7” Version) – Bonus Track
Disc Two
Hundreds & Thousands – The Remix Plus
- Heatwave (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
- Why (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
- Run From Love (Dominic Maita Remix)
- Hard Rain (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
- Smalltown Boy (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
- Junk (Harvey Goldberg Remix)
- Love And Money (Hundreds & Thousands Remix) * – Bonus Track
- Infatuation / Memories – Bonus Track
- Close To The Edge – Bonus Track
- I Feel Love (Cake Mix) With Marc Almond – Bonus Track
- Cadillac Car (Extended) – Bonus Track
Disc Three
Consent Extended – The 12 Inches Plus
- Smalltown Boy (12” Version)
- Why? (12” Version)
- It Ain’t Necessarily So (12” Version)
- I Feel Love (12” Version) With Marc Almond
- Run From Love (Us Club Remix ‘85) *
- Smalltown Boy (Us Club Remix ‘84) *
- Red Dance
- The Potato Fields
- Puit D’amour
- Signs (And Wonders)
- I Feel Love (Fruit Mix)
Disc Four
Ignore At Your Peril – The Rarities Plus
- Smalltown Boy (Capital Radio Session, May ‘84) *
- Heatwave (Capital Radio Session, May ‘84) *
- Hard Rain (Capital Radio Session, May ‘84 )*
- Why? (Early Version, March ‘84) *
- Crazy Maraquitta (Studio Session) *
- It Ain’t Necessarily So (Early Version) *
- Upside Down (Studio Session) *
- Screaming (Early Version, March ‘84) *
- The Power Of The Gold (Studio Session) *
- Love And Money (Early Version) *
- First Church (Feel Love) (Studio Session) *
- Junk (Early Version 2) *
- Walking (Studio Session) *
- No More War (Early Version) *
- Go (You & Me) (Studio Session) *
- Close To The Edge (Early Alternate Extended Mix) *
- Heatwave (Early Version) *
- The Other Side Of The Tracks (Studio Session) *
- Smalltown Boy (Early Version, March ‘84) *
Disc Five
The First Chapter – The Videos Plus [Dvd]
- Official Music Videos
- Smalltown Boy (Restored Promo)
- Why? (Restored Promo)
- It Ain’t Necessarily So (Restored Promo)
- I Feel Love (Restored Promo) With Marc Almond
- Top Of The Pops Performances
- Smalltown Boy (Bbc ‘Top Of The Pops’, June ‘84)
- Why? (Bbc ‘Top Of The Pops’, September ‘84)
- It Ain’t Necessarily So (Bbc ‘Top Of The Pops’, December ‘84)
- I Feel Love (Bbc ‘Top Of The Pops’, April ‘85) With Marc Almond
- Original Tv Adverts
- The Age Of Consent – Tv Advert #1 (December ‘84) *
- The Age Of Consent – Tv Advert #2 (January ‘85) *
* Previously Unreleased
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