“We are detective
We are select
We are detective
Come to collect” (The Thompson Twins, 1983)
The Thompson Twins were named after the bumbling detectives in the Adventures of Tintin books, which were also a TV show. The Crab with The Golden Claws was my favourite. I would run in from playing in the street to watch it. I can still hear the intro: “Hergé’s Adventures of Tintin: The Crab with The Golden Claws”. See my images of a Thompson Twin model which Jan kindly bought me and my Tintin book which I bought on eBay.
But these Thompson Twins were very different. These started as a new wave outfit, formed in a squat full on left wing anarchic values. In my mind I have them bracketed with the Raincoats and the Mekons, who were similar new wave acts of the time. They were a large band comprising seven members, fronted by Tom Bailey on vocals and synth, which he was apparently just learning to play, Alannah Currie on vocals and percussion and Joe Leeway on vocals, percussion, synths and guitars. The other members were Chris Bell (drums), Peter Dodd (guitar, synths, percussion), John Roog (guitar) and Matthew Seligman (bass). Thomas Dolby would sometimes accompany them on synth. It was this seven piece Thompson Twins that I saw at Dunelm House in early 1982.
I remember the set as being very rhythmic, verging on dance, with lots of drums and percussion, and that there was much running about the stage by everyone. This was at the time of their second album Set which featured the single “In the Name of Love”. “In the Name of Love” was a dance hit, particularly in the US, and encouraged the band to follow a dancie/pop direction. Shortly after Set the band split and was reduced to the trio of Bailey, Currie and Leeway. Big success was to follow.
In early 1983 the new slimmed down Thompson Twins released their third album Quick Step and Side Kick. The album was much more of a slick pop/dance record and reached No 2 in the UK charts. It also gave them four UK singles chart entries with “Love on Your Side” (No. 9), “We Are Detective” (No. 7; I often wonder if this was a further reference to Tintin and his sidekicks the detectives The Thompson Twins), “Watching” (No. 33) and “Hold Me Now” (No. 4).
The Thompson Twins had made the transition from a new wave act living in a squat to massive international success. Their Side Kicks tour sold out everywhere. I saw them when the tour called at Newcastle City Hall. A fun show, all the hits, and very different from the band that I had seen only one year previously.
Roll-on 40 years and the Thompson Twins are back (well one of them anyway). Lead singer and front man Tom Bailey announced his new tour thus: “Thompson Twins Tom Bailey has today announced a major headline UK tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of the iconic eighties’ album ‘Into the Gap‘. The Thompson Twins are widely regarded as one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s and provided the soundtrack to many people’s lives during that incredible era of music.
On the seven date UK tour in May 2024, Tom will perform Into the Gap the 1984 lauded number 1 album in full. The album which has sold over five million copies worldwide spawned the distinctive new wave singles ‘Hold Me Now’, ‘Doctor Doctor’, ‘You Take Me Up’, ‘Sister of Mercy’ and ‘The Gap’.”
“Along with the album Tom will also perform Thompson Twin favourites including ‘If You Were Here’, ‘Lies’, ‘Lay Your Hands on Me’, ‘In the Name of Love’ and many more. Of the new tour Tom said: “Unbelievably, it’s the 40th anniversary of ‘Into the Gap’ next year, so I’m especially looking forward to touring the UK and playing all those songs along with some other favourites. Hope to see you there!” Tom’s Into the Gap 40th anniversary tour follows major festivals appearances around the world and is his first major UK headline tour since 2018.”
And so it was that Jan, and I were in The Glasshouse to witness Tom Bailey and all-female band perform those classic hits. Support came from China Crisis who I recently saw at The Fire Station. I remember some of the better known songs such as “Black Man Ray”, “Wishful Thinking” and “King in a Catholic Style”, but to my shame have to admit that I recalled little else about this band, until the recent performance I attended. We were once again treated to a set of greatest hits including the aforementioned “King in a Catholic Style” and “Black Man Ray”.
Tom performed the concert in two sets, each one containing a group of great hits. He was visibly proud and obviously enjoying returning to the limelight. Hit after hit followed. Tom started the proceedings straight into those classic songs with “In the Name of Love”, “Lay Your Hands on Me” and some which were less familiar to me. He concluded the first set with a song which was by “One of my favourite bands”, Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” bringing back memories of seeing Talking Heads “back in the day” at Newcastle Polytechnic (with, I think, Dire Straits as support, no less) and later at Newcastle City Hall, when they became more mainstream.
The second set contained more hits: “Sister of Mercy”, “You Take Me Up”, “Doctor! Doctor!”, closing with “Hold Me Now”. Fantastic. It really took me back. The encore included the aforementioned “We Are Detective” and “Love on Your Side”. I really enjoyed it, even though the electronic 80s is not my favourite era/genre. Tom, you did credit to those old hits. Many thanks to Jan for the photos and Chris for manipulating the site as usual.
Set One: In the Name of Love; Science Fiction; Lies; Lay Your Hands on Me; Runaway; If You Were Here; Shooting Star; Psycho Killer.
Set Two: The Gap; Day After Day; Sister of Mercy; No Peace for the Wicked; You Take Me Up; Who Can Stop the Rain; Doctor! Doctor!; Hold Me Now.
Encore: We Are Detective; Storm on the Sea; Love on Your Side.
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Posted by TerriersFan on June 9, 2024 at 3:05 pm
Ahhh… The Thompson Twins. I had their ‘Best of…’ LP.
Glad that you enjoyed Tom’s performance, Peter.
Roger 🤘👍
Posted by vintagerock on June 9, 2024 at 3:22 pm
Hi Roger. Yes Tom was pretty great actually. Happy days Peter