1984 was a particularly flamboyant year for British Pop. “Relax” overcame its radio ban to spend five weeks at UK number one. George Michael alluded to his future solo aspirations with “Careless Whisper.” Pete Burns’ Dead Or Alive proved the combination of Hi NRG and Stock Aitken Waterman equalled chart-success. And Freddie Mercury dressed in drag for the “I Want to Break Free” video. But aside from the two core members of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, most of these men were living some kind of closeted existence. However, also debuting in 1984 were Bronski Beat. Fronted by Jimmy Somerville, a Scottish socialist with the voice of a disco diva packed within his buzz cut 5 foot 4 frame, they were three openly gay men writing honestly about their lives. Their melancholic debut single is a synth-pop escape, from a smalltown and its small minds, with its destination simply being somewhere better, both for themselves and LGBTQ+ Pop. This is New British Canon and This is the Story of “Smalltow