Thompson Twins

Thompson Twins were a British pop group that achieved considerable popularity in the mid 1980s, scoring a string of hits in the United Kingdom, the United States and around the globe. The band was named after the two bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson in Hergé's comic strip, The Adventures of Tintin. The predominantly synthpop trio were at the forefront of the so-called Second British Invasion.&nbsp In 1977, the original Thompson Twins line-up consisted of Tom Bailey on bass and vocals, Pete Dodd on guitar and vocals, John Roog on guitar, and Jon Podgorski on drums.

By 1981, the line-up was Bailey, Dodd, Roog and three new members: Chris Bell on drums, former band roadie Joe Leeway on congas and percussion, and Jane Shorter on saxophone. This line-up recorded the first Thompson Twins album A Product of ... (Participation), documented in the film, Listen to London. Alannah Currie, who had been associated with the band for a few years, played and sang on the first album, but was not yet a full member.

After the first album, the band's line-up shifted yet again. Saxophonist Jane Shorter left, percussionist Currie was made an official member, and bassist Matthew Seligman, a former member of The Soft Boys and The Fallout Club, joined. Bailey moved to keyboards and guitar in addition to serving as lead vocalist, with Leeway handling vocals on a few tracks. This version would release the album Set which contained the single "In the Name of Love". The song became a #1 dance club hit in the US, and an album entitled In the Name of Love (consisting mainly of tracks from Set, with two others from A Product Of... (Participation)) was released in the US to capitalize on the song's popularity.

After the success of "In the Name of Love", Bailey, Currie and Leeway, wanting to pursue the single's different sound, toyed with the idea of starting a new band on the side. However, at the same time, the band's manager convinced Bailey, Leeway and Currie to downsize the Thompson Twins to a core of the three in April 1982.

The band broke into the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at the beginning of 1983 with "Lies" and "Love On Your Side", which became the band's first UK Top 10 single. They then released their third album, Quick Step and Side Kick (called simply Side Kicks in the US, which peaked at number 2 in the UK and was later certified platinum there. Further singles followed with "We Are Detective" and "Watching". During 1983, the band had the opening spot on The Police concert tour in the US.

A new single, "Hold Me Now", was released towards the end of 1983. The song was an international chart success, peaking at #4 in their native UK where it became the band's biggest seller earning a gold disc, and reached #3 in the US in the spring of 1984 becoming their biggest American hit. The band's new album, Into the Gap, was released in early 1984 and became one of the year's biggest sellers, selling five million copies worldwide. It topped the UK Albums Chart and was later certified double platinum there. Further hit singles from the album followed with "Doctor! Doctor!" and "You Take Me Up". Other singles included a new version of the album track "Sister of Mercy" and "The Gap". The band embarked on a world tour in support of the album, which had also made the US top ten.

A new single, "Lay Your Hands On Me", was released in the UK in late 1984 and reached #13 in the UK charts. However, while working on the follow-up album to Into The Gap, Bailey suffered a nervous breakdown. The band's planned next single, "Roll Over", was then cancelled at the last minute. Released in September 1985, Here's To Future Days reached the Top 5 in the UK and the Top 20 in the US. It spawned the single "King For A Day", which peaked at #22 in the UK, but reached #8 on the US chart. Other singles included a new US version of "Lay Your Hands On Me", the anti-drug song "Don't Mess With Doctor Dream" and an unsuccessful cover of The Beatles' 1968 hit "Revolution" which became the band's first single to fail to make the UK Top 40 in three years.

Prior to the album's release, the Thompson Twins made headlines when they performed on the American leg of Live Aid in July 1985 and were joined onstage by Madonna.

Leeway left the band in 1986, and the remaining duo of Bailey and Currie carried on making music for another seven years. In 1987, Close to the Bone was released along with the single "Get That Love", which climbed to #31 in the US. "In the Name of Love" was given a new lease on life in 1988, after a remix by Shep Pettibone made the Top 50 in the UK.

In 1989, the album, Big Trash, was released with the single "Sugar Daddy" which peaked at #28 in the US and would be their last brush with mainstream chart success. 1991's Queer would be the band's swansong, and was supported by various techno inspired singles. The single "Come Inside" reached #7 in the US Dance Chart and #1 in the UK Dance Chart.

Bailey and Currie also wrote material for other artists including the hit single "I Want That Man" for Debbie Harry in 1989. In 1990, Bailey and Currie contributed the song "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" to the Cole Porter tribute album "Red Hot + Blue". In 1992, the Thompson Twins contributed the song "Play With Me" to the soundtrack of the Ralph Bakshi film Cool World.

Music Videos

 * Bombers in the Sky
 * Come Inside
 * Doctor! Doctor!
 * Don't Mess With Doctor Dream
 * Get That Love
 * Hold Me Now
 * If You Were Here
 * King For a Day
 * Lay Your Hands on Me
 * Lies
 * Long Goodbye
 * Love Has No Name
 * Love on Your Side
 * Nothing in Common
 * Play With Me
 * Revolution
 * Sister of Mercy
 * Sugar Daddy
 * Take Me Away
 * The Saint
 * Watching
 * We Are Detective
 * You Take Me Up