Tom Bailey - vocals, keyboards, guitars; Alannah Currie - vocals, keyboards, synthesizers; Joe Leeway - vocals, percussion; Boris Williams - drums; Mark Heyward-Chaplin - bass; Carlinda Clibborn - synthesizers; Roger O'Donnell - synthesizers
This extensive set from the Thompson Twins comes from the group's peak commercial year, 1984. Formed by guitarist/keyboardist Tom Bailey in the late 1970s, the Thompson Twins embodied everything that the MTV era stood for: over-the-top alternative fashion and hair, wildly dramatic performances, and a heavy reliance on programmed sounds and synthesizers.
After several personnel changes, the trio lineup of Bailey, girlfriend Alannah Currie, and singer Joe Leeway, emerged in 1984 with a series of hits that included "Hold Me Now," "Doctor, Doctor," "Sisters Of Mercy," and the infectious dance track, "Love On Your Side." For a group that relied heavily on programmed synth parts, they were remarkably spontaneous and versatile in concert. The Twins were Bailey's baby, as he did most of the lead vocals and nearly all of the writing.
Currie, who, unbeknownst to most fans was romantically involved with Bailey, contributed vocals, hit the occasional keyboard patch, and played percussion and saxophone - and she also contributed greatly to their visual aesthetic. Leeway, on the other hand, was an excellent singer and played some percussion, but his main contribution was as a backup vocalist. This show contains nearly all of the material from the first few US albums, including "Lies," "You Take Me Up," "The Gap," and "Storm On The Sea."
The group released a few more albums into the late 1980s, but none did very well. By 1986, the heavy synth-rock era spearheaded by MTV from 1982 through '84 was starting to fade. Bailey and Currie formed a whole new group called Babble, but they divorced and went bust after two albums.