The Other Voice Of Bronski Beat: Jon Jon Foster reflects on ‘Truthdare Doubledare’ at 40

As Bronski Beat‘s often-overlooked second album “Truthdare Doubledare” receives a deluxe 40th anniversary reissue, former vocalist Jon Jon Foster looks back on friendship, fame, self-doubt, and the remarkable journey that took him from the Essex music scene to the international charts.

When people talk about Bronski Beat, the conversation almost always begins with Jimmy Somerville.

It’s understandable. Songs like “Smalltown Boy” and “Why?” helped define an era and established Bronski Beat as one of the most important voices of 1980s synth-pop and queer culture. Yet Bronski Beat’s story did not end when Somerville left in 1985.

Instead, Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek recruited a singer they had known for years: John “Jon Jon” Foster.

The result was “Hit That Perfect Beat”, one of the biggest dancefloor anthems of 1986, and the album “Truthdare Doubledare”, a record that blended Hi-NRG energy, political commentary, introspective songwriting and electronic experimentation.

Forty years later, Cherry Red Records is revisiting that chapter with an expanded anniversary edition packed with remastered audio, BBC recordings, remixes and rare material.

For Jon Jon Foster, the reissue is an opportunity to remember friendships, celebrate the legacy of Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek, and revisit a period that changed his life forever.

Speaking with Side-Line, Foster reflects on joining Bronski Beat, the making of “Truthdare Doubledare”, the challenges of following Jimmy Somerville, and the friendships that shaped one of the band’s most fascinating chapters.

Jon Jon Foster (Bronski Beat) interview

Q: When “Hit That Perfect Beat” was released at the end of 1985, it quickly became one of the biggest dancefloor anthems of 1986, reaching No. 3 in the UK charts and entering the Top 10 in several countries around the world. For many fans and journalists, the song proved that Bronski Beat could still have a strong identity and future even after Jimmy Somerville’s departure. Did you personally feel that pressure at the time – stepping into a band that already had such a strong image and legacy?

Jon Jon Foster: The pressure didn’t really come from stepping into Jimmy’s shoes. The real pressure came from London Records. After Bronski Beat’s “Hit That Perfect Beat” became such a success, they wanted us to deliver an album very quickly, and “Truthdare Doubledare” was completed within about three or four months.

Steve and Larry were already my friends long before I joined the band. I’d known Larry since around 1979 and got to know Steve shortly afterwards. We had been spending time together for years, making music, jamming and hanging out. There was already a connection between us.

Because of that, it never felt like I was entering a completely unfamiliar situation. It was more like a jigsaw puzzle finally finding its missing piece. Everything seemed to slot naturally into place.

Our manager Anthony Kawalski was also someone I had known for years, so there was already trust between us. Looking back, I remember that period as a lot of hard work, but also a tremendous amount of fun.

Q: Many contemporary reviews described “Hit That Perfect Beat” as raw, energetic Hi-NRG dance music that shifted Bronski Beat away from melancholy political tension toward something more physical and club-oriented. Looking back today, do you think the band consciously moved queer identity from protest into the dancefloor itself?

Jon Jon Foster: Looking back, most of Bronski Beat’s major hits were already very dancefloor-oriented. At the same time, there was always a political and emotional thread running through the band’s music, and you can hear that in my lyrics as well.

Songs like “C’Mon! C’Mon!” are a good example of that. It was never our intention to say, “Let’s make a dance record now.” “Hit That Perfect Beat” was certainly designed as a Hi-NRG dance track, but the rest of the album came together much more organically.

The truth is that there was no master plan. Steve, Larry and I hadn’t spent months rehearsing together or writing material before entering the studio. Everything developed very spontaneously.

If we had made an entire album in the style of “Hit That Perfect Beat”, I think it would have become rather predictable. Instead, deeper and more personal songs emerged naturally, and those songs felt right for the album.

Q: How did you originally become involved with Bronski Beat? Had you already been singing or performing in other projects before joining the band?

Jon Jon Foster: It all started through my dear friend Gill Wisson, whom I’ve known for most of my life. We both grew up in Essex and eventually moved from Basildon to Southend.

Gill had a bedsit in Southend, and upstairs lived two young men called Larry and Anthony. They used to frequent the only gay pub in town, called The Cliff.

Through Gill, I met Larry, Anthony and a whole circle of artists and musicians connected to the local art college.

Music quickly became part of our friendship. We spent countless hours playing together, experimenting and creating things. Alison Moyet was also around at that time, and whenever she sang, we would all stop what we were doing and simply listen.

One of the most important moments came during the final days of the original Bronski Beat line-up. The band had an appearance on Wogan and needed to attend a camera rehearsal. Jimmy didn’t turn up, so I stepped in and mimed “I Feel Love” alongside Marc Almond.

That moment planted a seed in our manager Anthony Kawalski’s mind.

Many people assume there was some huge audition process when Jimmy left, but I don’t think Steve and Larry would ever have chosen a complete stranger. We already knew each other well, and there was a natural chemistry between us.

I eventually recorded several songs with them, including tracks that now appear on the new anniversary edition. Once London Records were convinced, I officially joined Bronski Beat. We recorded “Hit That Perfect Beat”, the song became a hit, and everything developed from there.

Q: Had you already been involved in music before joining the band?

Jon Jon Foster: Yes, absolutely.

One of my earliest bands was called Yellow Jellies, which I formed with friends while we were still at college. We played a few gigs and had a fantastic time.

Later came another group called Bust, where I played alongside my friend David. Ironically, David would later go on to play bass with The Communards.

At the time I was heavily involved in performance art, filmmaking and street performance. I was constantly creating things with friends.

When the opportunity came to move to London and work with Steve and Larry, I knew I had to take it. It was a chance to become part of something bigger, even if it meant putting some of my own projects on hold.

Q: By the mid-1980s, Basildon had already become one of the symbolic centres of British electronic pop culture through artists like Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Alison Moyet, Erasure or Robert Marlow. Did you feel connected to that scene in any way?

Jon Jon Foster: Very much so.

Of course I knew Depeche Mode from Basildon. I knew Alison Moyet, and later I met Andy Bell as well. Robert Marlow was someone whose gigs I used to attend.

In many ways, we were all connected. I admired all of those artists and watched many of them emerge from the local scene.

I remember seeing Alison Moyet perform in Basildon long before she became famous. People absolutely loved her.

We would also go to clubs like Rocks in Rochford, where all sorts of bands were performing, from electronic acts to punk groups.

It was a very exciting time. Everyone was involved in music, fashion, art and self-expression. We were all trying to be outrageous in our own way.

Looking back, we were rivals in some respects, but there was also a lot of mutual respect and admiration. We all came from the same environment and shared the same excitement about creating something new.

Q: What do you remember most vividly about the recording sessions for Bronski Beat’s “Truthdare Doubledare”? What was the atmosphere like inside the band during that period?

Jon Jon Foster: “Truthdare Doubledare” was a wonderful album to make. We had a fantastic time recording it.

We worked in some of the best studios in London, although we also spent time in some rather ramshackle places doing additional work. Because Steve and Larry were working primarily with electronic instruments and sequencers, they didn’t always need luxurious surroundings. The music could be created almost anywhere.

Our producer, Adam Williams, did a brilliant job. We probably tested his patience on more than one occasion, but always in the best possible way.

What I remember most is the sense of adventure. Suddenly I found myself travelling to New York, staying there for months while Steve and Larry were also completing work on “Hundreds & Thousands”. We had an incredible apartment on the Upper West Side.

For someone who had recently been living on Social Security in Newcastle, it felt like entering another world.

My professional training had actually been as a chef and waiter. Then, almost overnight, I was taken from a very modest life and placed in some of the most exciting cities and studios imaginable.

The strongest memory is still the laughter. We spent so much time creating, experimenting and enjoying ourselves. We were friends making music together, and that made all the difference.

Q: Songs like “Hit That Perfect Beat”, “C’Mon! C’Mon!” and “Punishment For Love” still sound energetic and unique today. Do you have a personal favourite track from this Bronski Beat album?

Jon Jon Foster: In a way, all of them are favourites because every song is attached to a particular memory.

“Hit That Perfect Beat” will always hold a special place for me because it was the first professional song I ever recorded. It was my first proper record, and suddenly it became a hit around the world. Naturally, I’m very proud of that.

Another song I feel very strongly about is “Punishment For Love”. That track deals with loneliness, isolation and the feeling of having nowhere to belong. It reflects the experience of having love inside you but being prevented from expressing who you truly are.

“Dr. John” is also very personal. It’s almost autobiographical. When I listen to it now, I hear someone looking into a mirror and asking difficult questions about life, identity and where they are heading.

And then there is “C’Mon! C’Mon!”, which reflected the political climate of Britain during the Thatcher years. At times it felt as though the country was moving backwards rather than forwards.

Q: At the same time, Jimmy Somerville launched The Communards, which quickly became hugely successful. Did this create any sense of competition or pressure for the “new” Bronski Beat?

Jon Jon Foster: Not really.

Any pressure that existed came from the record company rather than from Jimmy or The Communards. London Records wanted results, wanted records and wanted momentum.

Personally, I never felt involved in any rivalry. My relationship was with Steve and Larry, not with the business side of things.

Jimmy was free to pursue his vision, and we were free to pursue ours. I never felt any need to compete with him. We simply got on with making our own music.

Q: Looking back today, do you feel you were ever truly accepted as the new voice of Bronski Beat?

Jon Jon Foster: That’s an interesting question.

Outwardly, I always appeared confident. I could do interviews, stand in front of cameras and perform on stage without too much difficulty.

The real struggle was internal.

I constantly dealt with feelings of insecurity and what people now call impostor syndrome.

But at the same time, I wasn’t trying to become Jimmy. I wasn’t trying to copy him or replace him. I simply tried to sing the songs as honestly as I could and contribute what I had to offer.

Looking back now, I realise that “Truthdare Doubledare” was almost an experiment for all of us.

I think we did.

Q: The 40th anniversary of Bronski Beat’s “Truthdare Doubledare” is also overshadowed by the loss of both Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek. Do you ever think about what a reunion or celebration of that era could have been like?

Jon Jon Foster: Absolutely.

I know Steve would have been delighted to see this album being rediscovered.

What many people don’t realise is that my relationship with Steve and Larry didn’t end when I left Bronski Beat. Steve and I continued performing together in America and Hawaii. We played clubs, toured with other artists and remained close friends.

I also stayed in touch with Larry for many years. Both he and Steve eventually lived in Amsterdam, and I regularly visited them there.

That’s why this anniversary is emotional for me. Of course it’s sad that neither of them is here to witness it. But at the same time, it’s wonderful to see the music being celebrated again.

And I think both Steve and Larry would be proud of that.

Q: Years later, you also recorded your own version of Yazoo’s “Only You”, one of the defining songs of the Basildon electronic scene. What drew you to that song personally?

Jon Jon Foster: When Alison Moyet used to visit Gill’s bedsit and Larry would be recording music there, we would often sit together and listen to her sing. I still have some of those old tapes.

Quite honestly, there were times when tears would come to our eyes. Alison had such a beautiful and powerful voice that it genuinely moved people.

My version of “Only You” was really a small tribute to her.

I’ve always loved that song. It has stayed with me throughout my life, and recording it felt like a way of saying thank you to someone who was not only an extraordinary artist but also a friend.

We were all connected through Essex, through music and through friendship.

I still go to see Alison perform whenever I can. It’s wonderful to watch her on stage after all these years and hear those songs again.

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Forty years after its original release, Bronski Beat’s “Truthdare Doubledare” remains one of the most underrated albums in the Bronski Beat catalogue.

Often overshadowed by both “The Age Of Consent” and the success of The Communards, it nevertheless captures a fascinating moment in the band’s evolution: a period of reinvention, experimentation and resilience.

Listening to Jon Jon Foster today, it becomes clear that the album’s story is about far more than replacing a singer. It is a story of friendship, creative chemistry and the courage to move forward when many expected the story to be over.

The 40th Anniversary Edition of “Truthdare Doubledare” is available for pre-order now and will be released on July 3, 2025.

© JJanurik