Thompson Twins

Thompson Twins
Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway (1984)
General information
Genre (s)	New wave , pop
founding	1977
resolution	1991
Founding members
Bass , vocals	Tom Bailey
Guitar , vocals	Pete Dodd
guitar	John Roog
Drums	Jon "Pod" Podgorski
Last occupation
Bass , vocals	Tom Bailey
Percussion , vocals	Alannah Currie
former members
Drums	Chris Bell
Congas , percussion	Joe Leeway
saxophone	Jane Shorter
bass	Matthew Seligman (†)

The Thompson Twins were a British new wave band from the 1980s.

history

The band was formed in April 1977 in Sheffield , originally from the band members Tom Bailey (bass and vocals), Pete Dodd (guitar and vocals), John Roog (guitar), and Jon "Pod" Podgorski (drums). They mainly played live for two years. Then they moved to London and got in touch with the squatter scene. There you became part of a “left movement”. The name Thompson Twins was chosen after the two well-known detectives Schulze and Schultze (in English "Thomson and Thompson") from the comic series Tintin by Hergé .

The band

In 1981 the band consisted of Bailey, Dodd, Roog and the three new members Chris Bell on drums , Joe Leeway on congas and percussions and Jane Shorter on saxophone . The first Thompson Twins album, A Product of ... (Participation), was recorded in this constellation . Alannah Currie , who always had to do with the band and also performed a few small parts on the first album, was not an integral part of the band until then.

After the first album Shorter left the band, Currie became a permanent member and bassist Matthew Seligman also joined the band. Bailey took over the keyboards and became the actual singer of the band. Leeway took over the vocals on individual tracks.

Tom Bailey (1986)

The first record deal was signed with Arista Records in 1982 and a set was released on which Thomas Dolby had a few small guest appearances. Producer Steve Lillywhite (who produced U2 and XTC , among others ) was in charge of the recordings. After the single In The Name Of Love had climbed to the top of the US dance charts , the white Tom Bailey, the New Zealander Alannah Currie and the dark-skinned Joe Leeway decided to continue working as a trio . They designed a logo, changed their outfit, took choreography lessons, and developed a detailed stage show. Now in appearance reminiscent of a colorful New Wave troupe - Bailey with red hair and a fashionable ponytail , Leeway with rasta pigtails and Currie with a blonde, wild tower hairstyle that is shaved on the sides - they continued to make ethno-pop , albeit more moderately .

With a tour of England, supported by four accompanying musicians, the band made new material known, the 1983 LP Quick Step & Side Kick and the singles Lies and Love on Your Side . This was followed by a successful American tour. In 1984 their album Into the Gap was released , which was only a few days after its release at first place in the charts and soon after went platinum. Even the Singles Doctor! Doctor! and Hold Me Now did very well. The UK tour, which was starting at the same time, was already completely sold out. Also in 1984 they contributed the song If You Were Here to the teen comedy This is only allowed as an adult ( Sixteen Candles ) by John Hughes . In 1985 the Thompson Twins took part in Bob Geldof's Live Aid project . They performed there with Madonna at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia . The album Here's to Future Days and the singles Don't Mess with Doctor Dream and Lay Your Hands on Me followed in the same year .

In late 1986, Leeway left the trio. The records of the remaining duet no longer reached the British or American Top 20. In 1988, Bailey and Currie had their first child. Her last record for the time being was released in 1991 with the title Queer .

After the dissolution

In 1991 Tom and Alannah married and moved to New Zealand with their two children . There they founded the band Babble with Keith Fernley , inspired by their various stays in India , which musically can be assigned to the trance / ambient . They released the albums The Stone in 1993 and Ether in 1996, one of the songs being played in The Coneheads with Dan Aykroyd . However, since the project did not achieve any significant success, it was discontinued after a short lifespan. Tom Bailey composed the score for the coming-out drama Edge of Seventeen , which will be released in 1998 . In the 1984 film In the Name of Love can also be heard.

In 1999 Tom produced the album "Mix" for the New Zealand band Stellar , where he also played keyboard. With this project he won an award as "Producer of the year". He has also composed and arranged instrumental music for various films. Tom continues to make music under the name International Observer , which goes in the direction of dub .

Tom Bailey (2015)

After Alannah's sister died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob , she founded the organization "Mothers Against Genetic Engineering in Food and the Environment" (MAdGE) in New Zealand, in which she campaigned for unmanipulated food.

In 2003 the two Thompson Twins got divorced. Tom Bailey has lived in France since then, with his new partner and actress Lauren Drescher . Alannah Currie now lives in London with her Indie daughter.

In March 2008 the albums Quick Step and Side kick and Into the Gap were re-released as double CDs. Both albums contain everything that was recorded in the respective period, including various remixes and B-sides of the singles released. In the same year the double CD edition of Here's to Future Days followed as well as a double CD with the first two albums A Product of ... and Set , also with different bonus tracks.

In 2014, Bailey appeared on stage for the first time in 27 years with songs by the Thompson Twins. Since then he has been touring Europe and North America regularly. During the touring, however, Bailey also got the desire to compose new songs in addition to the older titles. As a result, he released Science Fiction, his first solo album ever, in July 2018 .

Discography

Albums

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)				Remarks
		DE	CH	UK	US
1982	Set T Records	-	-	UK48 (3 weeks) UK	-	First published: February 26, 1982 Producer: Steve Lillywhite
	In the Name of Love Arista	-	-	-	US148 (8 weeks) US	First release: June 1982 US debut album with eight tracks from the album Set + two tracks from the album A Product of… Producers: Steve Lillywhite, Dennis Bovell, Mike Howlett
1983	Quick Step & Side Kick Arista	-	-	UK2 platinum (56 weeks)UK	US34 (25 weeks) US	First published: February 14, 1983 Producer: Alex Sadkin
1984	Into the gap Arista	DE6 (24 weeks) DE	CH7 (13 weeks) CH	UK1 × 2 Double platinum (51 weeks)UK	US10 platinum (53 weeks)US	First published: February 13, 1984 Producer: Alex Sadkin
1985	Here's to Future Days Arista	DE42 (4 weeks) DE	CH12 (5 weeks) CH	UK5 gold (9 weeks)UK	US20th gold (35 weeks)US	First published September 16, 1985 Producers: Nile Rodgers , Tom Bailey
1987	Close to the bone Arista	-	-	UK90 (1 week) UK	US76 (14 weeks) US	First published: March 31, 1987 Producers: Rupert Hine , Tom Bailey
1989	Big Trash Warner Bros. Records	-	-	-	US143 (6 weeks) US	First published: September 26, 1989 Producers: Alannah Currie, Thompson Twins, Tom Bailey

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More albums

• 1981: A Product of ... (T Records; release: June)
• 1986: Thompson Twins Live (Arista)
• 1991: Queer (Warner Bros. Records; release: September 24th)
• 1994: The Stone (as Babble; Reprise Records ; release: March 8th)
• 1996: Ether (as Babble; Reprise Records; release: February 27th)

Promo albums

• 1983: interview
• 1985: Here's to Future Days - Radio Special
• 1986: Jim Ladd Hosts Thompson Twins (Host: Jim Ladd)
• 1987: Interview sampler

Compilations

year	Title music label	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, music label , placements, weeks, awards, notes)				Remarks
		DE	CH	UK	US
1988	The Best of Thompson Twins: Greatest Mixes Arista	-	-	-	US175 (6 weeks) US	First published: July 1988 Producers: Alex Sadkin, Tom Bailey, Shep Pettibone
1990	The Greatest Hits Stylus Music	-	-	UK23 silver (8 weeks)UK	-	First published: February 26, 1990 Producers: Alex Sadkin, Tom Bailey, Nile Rodgers, Rupert Hine, Steve Lillywhite, Shep Pettibone

More compilations

• 1989: Doctor! Doctor! / You Take Me Up (4-track mini album)
• 1993: Hold Me Now
• 1994: The Best of Thompson Twins
• 1996: Singles Collection
• 1996: Greatest Hits (Arista)
• 1999: Master Hits
• 2000: Hold Me Now
• 2003: The Greatest Hits ( BMG , UK:silver)
• 2003: Platinum & Gold Collection
• 2007: Love on Your Side (The Best of The) (2 CDs)
• 2009: Thompson Twins Box (box with 8 CDs)
• 2012: Original Album Classics (box with 5 CDs)
• 2014: Remixes & Rarities (2 CDs)

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)					Remarks
		DE	CH	UK	US	Dance
1982	In the Name of Love In the Name of Love	-	-	-	-	Dance1 (21 weeks) Dance	First published: January 1982 Author: Tom Bailey
	Read Quick Step & Side Kick	-	-	UK67 (3 weeks) UK	US30 (16 weeks) US	Dance1 (18 weeks) Dance	First published: September 1982 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
1983	Love on Your Side Quick Step & Side Kick	DE32 (14 weeks) DE	-	UK9 (13 weeks) UK	US45 (9 weeks) US	Dance6 (16 weeks) Dance	First published: January 1983 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
	We Are Detective Quick Step & Side Kick	-	-	UK7 (9 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: April 1983 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
	Watching Quick Step & Side Kick	-	-	UK33 (6 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: July 1983 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
	Hold Me Now Into the Gap	DE7 (17 weeks) DE	CH18 (4 weeks) CH	UK4th gold (15 weeks)UK	US3 (21 weeks) US	Dance1 (13 weeks) Dance	First published: November 11, 1983 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
1984	Doctor! Doctor! Into the gap	DE11 (14 weeks) DE	CH11 (10 weeks) CH	UK3 silver (12 weeks)UK	US11 (16 weeks) US	Dance18 (11 weeks) Dance	First published: January 27, 1984 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
	You Take Me Up Into the Gap	DE24 (10 weeks) DE	-	UK2 silver (11 weeks)UK	US44 (9 weeks) US	-	First published: March 1984 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
	Sister of Mercy Into the Gap	-	-	UK11 (10 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: June 1984 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
	The gap into the gap	DE62 (5 weeks) DE	-	-	US69 (6 weeks) US	-	First published: July 1984 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
	Lay Your Hands on Me Here’s to Future Days	DE39 (8 weeks) DE	-	UK13 silver (9 weeks)UK	US6 (20 weeks) US	Dance46 (2 weeks) Dance	First published: November 1984 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
1985	Don't Mess with Dr. Dream Here’s to Future Days	DE30 (10 weeks) DE	CH11 (8 weeks) CH	UK15 (6 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: August 1985 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
	King for a Day Here’s to Future Days	-	-	UK22 (6 weeks) UK	US8 (16 weeks) US	-	First published: September 1985 Authors: Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, Tom Bailey
	Revolution Here’s to Future Days	-	-	UK56 (5 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: November 1985 Authors: John Lennon , Paul McCartney Original: The Beatles , 1968
1986	Nothing in Common Nothing in Common (Soundtrack)	-	-	-	US54 (10 weeks) US	Dance38 (3 weeks) Dance	First published: July 1986 from the film of the same name. Authors: Alannah Currie, Tom Bailey
1987	Get That Love Close to the Bone	-	-	UK66 (4 weeks) UK	US31 (11 weeks) US	-	First published: March 1987 Authors: Thompson Twins
	Long goodbye close to the bone	-	-	UK89 (1 week) UK	-	-	First published: May 1987 Authors: Thompson Twins
1988	In the Name of Love '88 The Best of Thompson Twins: Greatest Mixes	-	-	UK46 (3 weeks) UK	-	Dance1 (10 weeks) Dance	First published: October 1988 Remix: Shep Pettibone , Steve Peck
1989	Sugar Daddy Big Trash	-	-	UK97 (1 week) UK	US28 (12 weeks) US	Dance2 (12 weeks) Dance	First published: October 1988 Authors: Alannah Currie, Tom Bailey
1991	Come inside queer	-	-	UK56 (4 weeks) UK	-	Dance7 (10 weeks) Dance	First published: September 1991 Authors: Alannah Currie, Tom Bailey
1992	The Saint (Feedback Max Remix) Queer	-	-	UK53 (2 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: January 13, 1992 Authors: Alannah Currie, Tom Bailey
1994	Take Me Away The Stone	-	-	-	-	Dance18 (11 weeks) Dance	First published: February 1994 as Babble Authors: Alannah Currie, Tom Bailey
1996	Love Has No Name Ether	-	-	-	-	Dance10 (12 weeks) Dance	First release: March 1996 as Babble feat. Teremoana Rapley Authors: Alannah Currie, Tom Bailey

More singles

• 1980: Squares and Triangles (release: May)
• 1980: She's in Love with Mystery (release: November)
• 1981: Perfect Game (released February 20)
• 1981: Animal Laugh (Oumma Aularesso) (released June 12)
• 1981: Make Believe (Let's Pretend) (release: August)
• 1982: Squares and Triangles ( Reissue ; Release: February)
• 1982: Runaway (Remix) (release: May)
• 1985: Roll Over (release: April)
• 1987: Bush Baby
• 1990: Who Wants to Be a Millionare? (Release: December)
• 1992: Play with Me (Jane) (released August)
• 1993: Tribe (as Babble)
• 1994: Beautiful (as Babble)

Video albums

• 1983: Side Kicks - The Movie: Live in Liverpool
• 1984: Into the Gap - Live
• 1985: Single Vision
• 1991: Thompson Twins

swell

1. ↑ theage.com.au
2. ↑ Janica Meiners: Ahead of Utah show, Thompson Twins' pop star Tom Bailey reflects on that 'little golden moment of pop music' . In: DeseretNews.com . September 17, 2018 ( deseretnews.com [accessed October 23, 2018]).
3. ↑ ^{a b c} Chart sources: DE CH UK US
4. ↑ ^{a b} The Billboard album by Joel Whitburn , 6th Edition, Record Research 2006, ISBN 0-89820-166-7 .
5. ↑ ^{a b c} gold / platinum databases: UK US
6. ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot Dance / Disco 1974-2003, ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7 .

Web links

• Thompson Twins at Allmusic (English)
• Thompson Twins at Discogs (English)