Thompson Twins

**Thompson Twins** were a British new wave and later electronic music pop group originally formed in 1977. The group underwent several line-up changes over the years. Originally a four-piece, they grew at one point a seven-piece band although remain best known for the trio of Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway who had several hits from 1983 onwards both in the UK and the US. Bailey has been the only constant member and still records under his name and occasionally performs live as "Thompson Twins' Tom Bailey."

Before becoming the well-known trio, the group's early recordings gained the attention of John Peel in 1980 and they recorded a session as a six-piece for Richard Skinner in February 1981.[1] The single In The Name of Love gained some play in the Radio 1 early evening shows but failed to chart. After the release of their album *Set* in early 1982 they sized down to the well-known three-piece.

Thompson Twins were one of the groups to lead the 'second British invasion' of the USA in the 1980s and in fact gained success in the USA with In The Name of Love even before becoming obtaining any commercial success in their native Britain.

They participated in the US half of the Live Aid concert on 13 July 1985 and were joined onstage by Madonna, Nile Rodgers & Steve Stevens for a performance of The Beatles' Revolution, which they later released as a single.

## Top of the Pops

*Studio performances or full videos only.* C*hart placing in brackets*

* 10 February 1983 - Love On Your Side (27)
* 24 February 1983 - Love On Your Side (12)
* 21 April 1983 - We Are Detective (21) (video)
* 05 May 1983 - We Are Detective (7)
* 24 November 1983 - Hold Me Now (14)
* 08 December 1983 - Hold Me Now (4)
* 29 December 1983  - Love On Your Side (-)
* 02 February 1984 - Doctor Doctor (18)
* 16 February 1984 - Doctor Doctor (3) (video)
* 29 March 1984 - You Take Me Up (13)
* 19 April 1984 - You Take Me Up (2) (video)
* 05 July 1984 - Sister of Mercy (28)
* 19 July 1984 - Sister of Mercy (11) (video)
* 06 December 1984 - Lay Your Hands On Me (30) (video)
* 20 December 1984 - Lay Your Hands On Me (20)
* 25 December 1984 - Doctor Doctor (-) / You Take Me up (-)
* 10 January 1985 - Lay Your Hands On Me (13) (rpt from 20/12/84)
* 29 August 1985 - Don’t Mess With Doctor Dream (22)

## Other TV appearances

* 10 January 1983 - C4 *Whatever You Want*
* 19 February 1983 BBC2/R1 *Sight & Sound In Concert*
* 04 March 1983 - *Oxford Road Show*
* 28 March 1983 - C4 *Whatever You Didn’t Get*
* 31 March 1983 - BBC1 *The Kenny Everett Television Show* [2]
* 04 June 1983 BBC1 *Pop Quiz* - Tom Bailey only
* 25 June 1983: ITV *Data Run* [3]
* 01 July 1983 - C4 *Switch*
* 26 July 1983 - ITV/Granada *Hold Tight!*
* 11 November 1983 - BBC1 *Crackerjack*
* 30 December 1983 - BBC1 *Cheggers Plays Pop*
* 11 January 1984 - ITV *Razzamatazz* [4]
* 28 January 1984 - BBC1 *Saturday Superstore*
* 02 February 1984 - TVAM Good Morning Britain
* 03 February 1984 - C4 *The Tube*
* 06 February 1984 - BBC2 *Leo*
* 18 February 1984 C4 The Other Side Of The Tracks
* 11 April 1984 ITV *Razzamatazz*
* 20 April 1984 C4 *The Tube Easter Special* (possible rpt. of 03-02-84)
* 27 April 1984 - C4 *High Band*
* 28 July 1984 - BBC One - *1 On The Road*.[5]
* 15 November 1984 - BBC Two *Entertainment USA*
* 01 December 1984 - BBC One *The Late Late Breakfast Show*
* 18 December 1984 - BBC Two *Whistle Test*
* 22 December 1984 - *Saturday Superstore*
* 22 January 1985 - *Whistle Test* - Alannah Currie interview
* 29 March 1985 - BBC Two *ORS 95*
* 13 April 1985 - BBC One *Saturday Superstore*
* 17 August 1985 - BBC One - *The Saturday Picture Show ("pop profile")*
* 12 October 1985 - BBC One *Saturday Superstore*
* 17 October 1985 - BBC One *Cheggers Play Pop*
* 26 May 1987 - BBC One *The Montreux Rock Festival*
* 12 February 1990 BBC Two *A-Z of Belief*

**Notes**

1. ↑ Review of 1983 Pt.2
2. ↑ The group also participate in the mimed performance of Do They Know It's Christmas.
3. ↑ Final hit King For A Day used for play-out/credits background track on 24/10/85
4. ↑ performing their latest single live in the store and you can ring Alannah, Joe and Tom on ...
5. ↑ videos of three songs performed on official VEVO Channel.
6. ↑ Andy Kershaw goes to Paris to watch the Thompson Twins record their follow-up to the successful 'Into the Gap' album.
7. ↑ the Thompson Twins explain their conversion to green issues.

## Smash Hits

* 28 August 1985: feature/interview "Sexism, Racism, War and drugs..." [6] (4 colour pages)

## Scrapbook

*Record Mirror', February 1981**Smash Hits*, March 1984April 1984*No.1*, Sept. 1984
## External links

* Discogs
* Spotify