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Bronski Beat founder Steve Bronski dies at 61

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Steve Bronski, co-founder and keyboard player in 1980s pop group Bronski Beat, has died at the age of 61.

Bronski, from Glasgow, was born Steve Forrest and formed the group in 1983 with singer Jimmy Somerville and fellow-musician Larry Steinbachek.

They enjoyed UK top 10 hits with the gay anthem Smalltown Boy, Why? and a cover of Donna Summer’s I Feel Love.

Somerville said: “Sad to hear Steve has died. He was a talented and a very melodic man.”

The singer added: “Working with him on songs and the one song that changed our lives and touched so many other lives, was a fun and exciting time.”

Their debut album Age of Consent followed in 1984. The title referred to the difference in the legal ages for gay and straight sex, and the sleeve listed the ages of consent for countries around the world.

“When you saw it written down, the discrimination was astonishing,” Somerville later said. “We printed the number of the Gay Switchboards across Britain on the record sleeve and they were swamped as a result.”

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