Bronski Beat Celebrates 40 Years of 'Age of Consent' With Deluxe Re-Issues
July 17, 2024 — On October 18, 2024 London Records will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Bronski Beat's groundbreaking debut album, ‘The Age of Consent,’ with deluxe reissues that promise to captivate both long-time fans and new listeners. Pre-order the 40th Anniversary re-issue of Bronski Beat’s debut album, ‘The Age of Consent’ HERE.
Speaking about the legacy of the album, Jimmy Sommerville reveals, “When there is something we do in our life that can have such an impact on other peoples’ lives, and to be told this by others, it's humbling. 'The Age of Consent’ is, and always will be, such a special part of my life.” .
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To celebrate the announcement of the reissue, London Records has also shared another remix of “Smalltown Boy” by Bolton-born, Tallinn-based singer-songwriter, composer, producer, DJ, and director Planningtorock. A self-taught, trans-non-binary, working-class musician, they've spent almost two decades queering sound and visual art, and working as a remixer for Lady Gaga, Robyn, Christine and The Queens and Romy to name but a few places them in perfect stead to handle the remix of Queer call-to-arms “Smalltown Boy”.
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Speaking on “Smalltown Boy,” Planningtorock adds: “I first saw ‘Smalltown Boy’ on telly back in 1984 when I was twelve. I remember it having a big impact on me even then. Just loved how it told the story so directly like a mini-documentary but as a music clip sharing a gay experience that was sad to watch but at the same time so empowering. Those early years as a queer trans kid were so lonely for me and Bronski Beat made me feel less alone showing me how music can help you translate a painful experience into something liberating.”
Described by Pitchfork as “a perfect song,” and an “an upbeat theme of liberation” by The Financial Times, “Smalltown Boy” has been listed among Rolling Stone’s Greatest Dance Songs, Time Out’s Best Pride Songs, and continues to reach new audiences. The track had a steady climb back to #51 in the UK singles charts (its highest chart entry since August 1984) recently, in part due to celebrities like Cyndi Lauper, Kevin Bacon and Jennifer Garner jumping on the viral TikTok trend of reliving 80s dance moves using the song. In addition to this, Jimmy’s message on social media around the track has also had amazing engagement – with over a million views across the Bronski Beat social media channels.
Released in 1984, ‘The Age of Consent’ was a pioneering voice in the fight for queer liberation and equal rights, bravely addressing the struggles and triumphs of LGBTQ+ communities at a time when such discussions were often silenced. Fast forward 40 years, and while some milestones such as equal marriage have been won, the fight for true equality throughout the LGBTQ+ community continues. Following a general election in the UK that saw the Trans community spotlighted in a vicious culture war, and essentially used as a political football, the album’s themes of liberation and defiance remain as prescient today as they were then. In the 1984 release, Bronski Beat took a skillful sideswipe at the body politic by listing the ages of consent in every country around the world on the inside jacket - the album still serves as a reminder of both progress made and battles yet to be won by an increasingly marginalized LGBTQ+ community.
To mark this momentous occasion, 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 neighboring remix album ‘Hundreds & Thousands,’ a yellow 1 LP 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.
The 40th Anniversary Editions of Bronski Beat’s ‘The Age of Consent’ are out October 18, 2024. Pre-order HERE.
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The Age of Consent 4 CD + DVD Deluxe Set Tracklisting:
DISC ONE:
01. THE AGE OF CONSENT - THE ALBUM PLUS
02. WHY?
03. IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO
04. SCREAMING
05. NO MORE WAR
06. LOVE AND & MONEY
07. SMALLTOWN BOY
08. HEATWAVE
09. JUNK
10. NEED A MAN BLUES
11. I FEEL LOVE / JOHNNY REMEMBER ME
12. SMALLTOWN BOY (DJ 7” EDIT) - Bonus track
13. WHY? (REMIX) - Bonus track
14. IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO (7” VERSION) - Bonus track
15. I FEEL LOVE (7” VERSION) WITH MARC ALMOND - Bonus track
16. RUN FROM LOVE (RADIO VERSION) - Bonus track
17. HARD RAIN (NME 7” VERSION) - Bonus track
DISC TWO:
01. HUNDREDS & THOUSANDS - THE REMIX PLUS
02. HEATWAVE (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
03. WHY (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
04. RUN FROM LOVE (DOMINIC MAITA REMIX)
05. HARD RAIN (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
06. SMALLTOWN BOY (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
07. JUNK (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
08. LOVE AND MONEY (HUNDREDS & THOUSANDS REMIX) * - Bonus track
09. INFATUATION / MEMORIES - Bonus track
10. CLOSE TO THE EDGE - Bonus track
11. I FEEL LOVE (CAKE MIX) WITH MARC ALMOND - Bonus track
12. CADILLAC CAR (EXTENDED) - Bonus track
DISC THREE:
01. CONSENT EXTENDED - THE 12 INCHES PLUS
02. SMALLTOWN BOY (12” VERSION)
03. WHY? (12” VERSION)
04. IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO (12” VERSION)
05. I FEEL LOVE (12” VERSION) WITH MARC ALMOND
06. RUN FROM LOVE (US CLUB REMIX ‘85) *
07. SMALLTOWN BOY (US CLUB REMIX ‘84) *
08. RED DANCE
09. THE POTATO FIELDS
10. PUIT D’AMOUR
11. SIGNS (AND WONDERS)
12. I FEEL LOVE (FRUIT MIX)
DISC FOUR:
01. IGNORE AT YOUR PERIL - THE RARITIES PLUS
02. SMALLTOWN BOY (CAPITAL RADIO SESSION, MAY ‘84) *
03. HEATWAVE (CAPITAL RADIO SESSION, MAY ‘84) *
04. HARD RAIN (CAPITAL RADIO SESSION, MAY ‘84 )*
05. WHY? (EARLY VERSION, MARCH ‘84) *
06. CRAZY MARAQUITTA (STUDIO SESSION) *
07. IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO (EARLY VERSION) *
08. UPSIDE DOWN (STUDIO SESSION) *
09. SCREAMING (EARLY VERSION, MARCH ‘84) *
10. THE POWER OF THE GOLD (STUDIO SESSION) *
11. LOVE AND MONEY (EARLY VERSION) *
12. FIRST CHURCH (FEEL LOVE) (STUDIO SESSION) *
13. JUNK (EARLY VERSION 2) *
14. WALKING (STUDIO SESSION) *
15. NO MORE WAR (EARLY VERSION) *
16. 1GO (YOU & ME) (STUDIO SESSION) *
17. CLOSE TO THE EDGE (EARLY ALTERNATE EXTENDED MIX) *
18. HEATWAVE (EARLY VERSION) *
19. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS (STUDIO SESSION) *
20. SMALLTOWN BOY (EARLY VERSION, MARCH ‘84) *
DISC FIVE:
01. THE FIRST CHAPTER - THE VIDEOS PLUS [DVD]
OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEOS:
01. SMALLTOWN BOY (RESTORED PROMO)
02. WHY? (RESTORED PROMO)
03. IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO (RESTORED PROMO)
04. I FEEL LOVE (RESTORED PROMO) WITH MARC ALMOND
01. On Air (feat. serpentwithfeet)
02. Dark Days (feat. Lady Blackbird)
03. Where Is Your Pride? (feat. Benjamin Zephaniah)
04. Transit (feat. Gaidaa)
05. Wild Flame (feat. Danaé Wellington)
06. Precious Mind (feat. India Carney)
07. Should Sleep (feat. J.P Bimeni)
08. Feelings Come Nndone (feat. Raquel Rodriguez)
09. Medusa (feat. Aynzli Jones)
10. We're Going Wrong (feat. Brie O'Banion)
11. Fall Back (feat. Akemi Fox)
12. Sweet Moon (feat. Choklate)
13. Ache For (feat. José James)
TOP OF THE POPS PERFORMANCES:
01. SMALLTOWN BOY (BBC ‘TOP OF THE POPS’, JUNE ‘84)
02. WHY? (BBC ‘TOP OF THE POPS’, SEPTEMBER ‘84)
03. IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO (BBC ‘TOP OF THE POPS’, DECEMBER ‘84)
04. I FEEL LOVE (BBC ‘TOP OF THE POPS’, APRIL ‘85) WITH MARC ALMOND
ORIGINAL TV ADVERTS:
01. THE AGE OF CONSENT - TV ADVERT #1 (DECEMBER ‘84) *
02. THE AGE OF CONSENT - TV ADVERT #2 (JANUARY ‘85) *
2 CD Tracklisting:
DISC ONE:
01. WHY?
02. IT AIN’T NECESSARILY SO
03. SCREAMING
04. NO MORE WAR
05. LOVE AND MONEY
06. SMALLTOWN BOY
07. HEATWAVE
08. JUNK
09. NEED A MAN BLUES
10. I FEEL LOVE / JOHNNY REMEMBER ME
11. SMALLTOWN BOY (ABSOLUTE. EXTENDED REWORK)
12. SMALLTOWN BOY (PLANNINGTOROCK’S ‘THE LOVE THAT YOU NEED’ REWORK)
13. SMALLTOWN BOY (DAVE AUDÉ VS TALL PAUL REMIX) *
14. WHY? (SUPERCHUMBO MIX FT. NEIL TENNANT) *
15. SMALLTOWN BOY (THE KNOCKS & BRONSKI BEAT FT PERFUME GENIUS) *
DISC TWO:
01. HEATWAVE (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
02. WHY (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
03. RUN FROM LOVE (DOMINIC MAITA REMIX)
04. HARD RAIN (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
05. SMALLTOWN BOY (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
06. JUNK (HARVEY GOLDBERG REMIX)
07. LOVE AND MONEY (HUNDREDS & THOUSANDS REMIX) *
08. INFATUATION / MEMORIES
09. CLOSE TO THE EDGE
10. I FEEL LOVE (CAKE MIX) WITH MARC ALMOND
11. CADILLAC CAR (EXTENDED)
* PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED