Steve Bronski
{{Short description|Scottish singer-songwriter (1960–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Steve Bronski
| image =
| caption = Bronski (on the right) with Bronski Beat members, Larry Steinbachek (left) and Jimmy Somerville (centre) in 1985
| birth_name = Steven William Forrest
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1960|02|07|df=y}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/21709/bronski-beat/|title=Bronski Beat|date=2 June 1984|website=Official Charts}}
| birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|12|07|1960|02|07|df=y}}
| death_place = Soho, London, England
| occupation = Singer-songwriter
| instrument = Keyboards, synthesizers, programming, piano, percussion, guitar, accordion, vocals
| past_member_of = Bronski Beat
}}
Steven William Forrest (7 February 1960 – 7 December 2021) was a Scottish singer-songwriter, best known for his time as a member of synth-pop band Bronski Beat, with Jimmy Somerville and Larry Steinbachek.{{cite news |last=Snapes|first=Laura|date=9 December 2021|title=Steve Bronski: co-founder of Bronski Beat dies aged 61|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/dec/09/steve-bronski-co-founder-of-bronski-beat-has-died|work=The Guardian|access-date=10 December 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/steve-bronski-dies-cofounder-gay-034947652.html |title=Steve Bronski Dies: Cofounder Of Gay Pop Pioneers Bronski Beat Was 61|website=Yahoo! Entertainment|access-date=11 December 2021}}
Career
He was a co-founder and keyboard player of the group Bronski Beat, known for the singles "Smalltown Boy" and "Why?".{{cite news |date=9 December 2021|title=Bronski Beat founder Steve Bronski dies at 61|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59592187|work=BBC News|access-date=10 December 2021}} He was also an LGBTQ activist and was openly gay from an early age.{{cite news |date=9 December 2021|title=Bronski Beat founder Steve Bronski Dead at 61|url=https://www.advocate.com/people/2021/12/09/bronski-beat-founder-steve-bronski-dead-61|work=Advocate.com|access-date=10 December 2021}}
Bronski, whose real name was Steven Forrest, was born and raised in Castlemilk, Glasgow,{{cite news |last1=Genzlinger |first1=Neil |title=Steve Bronski, of the Pioneering Gay Band Bronski Beat, Dies at 61 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/22/arts/music/steve-bronski-dead.html |access-date=17 October 2024 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=25 December 2021 |page=B-11}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.scottish-places.info/people/famousfirst4618.html|title=Steve Bronski from The Gazetteer for Scotland|website=The Gazetteer for Scotland}} where he worked in his youth as a labourer.{{Cite web |last=Curtin |first=April |date=14 December 2021 |title=Bronski Beat co-founder's carer claims musician died in Soho flat fire |url=https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/bronski-beat-co-founder-steve-bronski-died-in-flat-fire-carer-claims-8116/ |access-date=29 September 2024 |website=Rolling Stone UK |language=en-GB}} He lived in a flat in Brixton, London, during the early formative period of Bronski Beat with his fellow musicians. Later on he squatted with partner and bandmate Larry Steinbachek in Camberwell, London.{{cite web|url=http://www.jimmysomerville.de/history/steve_beginning_en.htm |title=The beginning of Bronski Beat| website=jimmysomerville.de}} Following the break up of the band he lived in Thailand for many years, as well as Paris, before returning to the United Kingdom.{{cite news |date=5 March 2019|title=The Godfathers of Pop: Steve Bronski interview|url=https://www.classicpopmag.com/2019/03/the-godfathers-of-pop-steve-bronski-interview/|work=Classicpopmag.com|access-date=10 December 2021}}
Personal life and death
Bronski had a stroke in 2018 which limited his mobility. He died at the age of 61, from smoke inhalation in a fire at his home in Soho, London, on 7 December 2021, 5 years to the day after Steinbachek.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/dec/09/steve-bronski-co-founder-of-bronski-beat-has-died|title=Steve Bronski: co-founder of Bronski Beat dies aged 61|date=9 December 2021|website=The Guardian}}{{cite news |last1=Weaver |first1=Matthew |title=Steve Bronski carer says musician died in Soho flat fire |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/dec/13/tributes-left-for-steve-bronski-outside-his-soho-flat |access-date=13 December 2021 |work=The Guardian |date=13 December 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Bronski Beat}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bronski, Steve}}
Category:20th-century Scottish LGBTQ people
Category:20th-century Scottish male singers
Category:21st-century Scottish LGBTQ people
Category:21st-century Scottish male singers
Category:Accidental deaths in London
Category:Deaths by smoke inhalation
Category:Scottish LGBTQ singers
Category:Scottish LGBTQ songwriters
Category:Scottish male singer-songwriters
Category:Scottish gay musicians
Category:Scottish people with disabilities
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