Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Reunion was perfect pop moment, singer says

Frankie Goes To Hollywood's first performance in 36 years was a "perfect pop moment", singer Holly Johnson has said.

The Liverpool band reunited to mark the start of the song contest in their home city on Sunday.

The group had three consecutive number ones in the 1980s, but had not performed since disbanding in 1987.

Johnson said he had "forgotten how much I really liked those people and why I liked them, and it was great".

The group were among the biggest stars of the 1980s and had huge success with the singles Relax, Two Tribes and The Power of Love, before an acrimonious split in 1987.

Their one-song return in front of the 25,000-strong crowd in Liverpool was a performance of Welcome To the Pleasuredome, a number two hit in 1985 and the titular track of their triple-platinum debut album.

Johnson told BBC Breakfast the band had put aside their differences to perform, adding: "Time changes everything."

"We were friends and then fame and the intensity of that fame changed our relationships," he said.

"We were in each other's pockets. We were together 24/7 for about five years and it takes its toll on relationships.

"And we were worked so hard. You've no idea how hard we worked."

He said touring and performing at the time was "a constant machine...and that affects you".

"We were all young and it does affect you and it's stressful and exhausting, and no-one cared," he said.

"They just wanted to sell records and make money out of you."

He said that while it had been "20 years since we'd seen each other all together in one room", performing for the Eurovision launch was "a lovely opportunity" and they knew straight away that they had made the right decision.

"As soon as we walked on to the stage, we could hear the buzz happen from the crowd," he said.

"It was amazing... and we seemed to have the same chemistry that we had back in the day.

"The dynamic was the same. The energy was the same.

"Obviously, we've all changed, but it was great."

He said the whole experience had been "a real pleasure", adding: "It couldn't have been a better outcome.

"It was a really perfect pop moment."

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