Holly Johnson Quotes

United Kingdom, Artist
February 9, 1960

William Holly Johnson, born William Johnson and known professionally as Holly Johnson, is an English artist, musician, and writer, best known as the lead vocalist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, who achieved huge commercial success in the mid-1980s. Prior to that, in the late 1970s he was a bassist for the band Big in Japan. In 1989, Johnson's debut solo album, Blast, reached number one in the UK albums chart. Two singles from the album – "Love Train" and "Americanos" – reached the top 5 of the UK Singles Chart. In the 1990s he also embarked on writing, painting, and printmaking careers.

Also known as Musician, Writer

The name Holly was given me by a girl called Yvonne Petrovitch because of the Andy Warhol connection with the transvestite Holly Woodlawn.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- Girl
- Connection
I was in Big In Japan between '77 and '78. Then I went solo, releasing a couple of singles. Then I joined the Dancing Girls who turned into the Sons Of Egypt who were then whittled down into Frankie Goes To Hollywood.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- Couple

Dad wasn’t there much cos he had three or four jobs. First he was away at sea, later on he worked as an insurance salesman in the day and on a building site in the evening.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- Dad
- Sea
- Insurance
You used to get people writing in to the Liverpool Echo saying, ‘Who is this Martian walking round town?’ I used to get battered. Going out for lunch was like running the gauntlet.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- People
- Writing
- Running
I do sometimes write songs that don’t seem right for Frankie so they get filed away. But don’t worry - anything good will be used. I’m not that gifted that I can afford to throw away any good stuff.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- Good
- Worry
I got great voice training in St. Mary’s Church, Wavertree, in Liverpool, when I was a lad. Dressing up in cassocks was all part of the fun. I used to earn sixpence a week and although I don’t go to church very much any more, 'Once In Royal David’s City' is still my favourite hymn.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- Up
- Great
- Fun
I’m very lucky. I have terrific parents, but some kids have a really rotten time growing up and we should do all that we can to make their lives happier and more secure.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- Up
- Time
- Kids
Coming back doing interviews is weird. It’s like an actor who takes a year off and just goes home, settles down, does some gardening, wakes up in the morning, worries about what to have for breakfast, then suddenly you’re plonked back in the middle of it all.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- Up
- Home
- Morning

Often the raw ideas like ‘Relax’ and ‘Rage Hard’ - are the best. ‘Rage Hard’ just happened. There was little conscious effort.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- Effort
I was a little boy with a patch over one eye, who sang and danced along the street. I had what’s called a lazy eye, so I had to wear the patch. You tend to be a prodded kind of kid when you look like that, but it makes you much stronger in the end.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- Boy
- Lazy
Showbiz is a very strange thing, I’ve got a love-hate relationship with that. In Liverpool your mates say, ‘You’re there, Holly, you’re there’ but they only see the end product, not what that entails.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- Hate
- Relationship
We are here to stir things up. Even people that hate us have to admit that we’ve already succeeded in doing that. Love Frankie or hate it - that’s what we want - a strong reaction.

Holly Johnson Frankie Goes to Hollywood
- People
- Up
- Strong