Showing posts with label Thompson Twins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thompson Twins. Show all posts

Friday 28 April 2023

In the name of love - Thompson Twins

It has to be said that I already own the music on this single, as I bought the European edition in 1985. It was on red vinyl too. But it's hard to resist an original UK pressing, especially when it comes in the original picture sleeve. And so I got this single, which is a bit of a repeat of the one I've owned for almost four decades now.

At the time of the release of this single, Thompson Twins were a septet, consisting of Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, John Roog, Chris Bell, Peter Dodd and Matthew Seligman. Only the first three would go on to release the very successful album 'Into the gap' in 1984.

My collection: 7" single no. 6977
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'In the name of love' / 'In the beginning'

Saturday 13 February 2016

In the name of love '88 - Thompson Twins


In the name of love was originally a song by the Thompson Twins released in 1982. After that, the group made it big with hits such as Doctor doctor, You take me up and Hold me now. While lead singer Tom Bailey apparently suffered a nervous breakdown, they continued to release music such as the less successful 1987 album 'Close to the bone' and a couple of compilation albums in 1988.

'The best of Thompson Twins: Greatest Mixes' featured a 1988 remix by Shep Pettibone, which was also released as a single. It peaked at number 46 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 5821
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 23, 2016
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'In the name of love '88' / 'In the name of love (original)'

Listen to the song

Friday 14 November 2014

Watching - Thompson Twins

In 1983, Thompson Twins released their third album 'Quick Step and Side Kick', featuring the singles 'We are detective' and 'Watching'. The album reached number 2 in the UK albums chart and number 34 in the USA.

The latter of the two singles is featured here. It peaked at number 33 in the UK singles chart. Even in 1984, this was still a regularly rotated video on satellite TV channels like Music Box.

My collection: 7" single no. 5468
Found: unknown
Tracks: 'Watching (you watching me)' / 'Dancersaurus (Even Large Reptiles Have Emotional Problems)'

Friday 4 February 2011

Get that love - Thompson Twins

Joe Leeway left Thompson Twins in 1986, leaving Tom Bailey and Alannah Currie to carry on making music as a duo for another seven years. They released their first album as a duo in 1987, entitled 'Close to the bone'. 'Get that love' was the first single taken from that album.

It reached number 31 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart but failed to reach the charts in the UK and Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 5036
Found: Kringloop Juttersdok, Amsterdam, January 29, 2011
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'Get that love' / 'Perfect day'

Monday 10 May 2010

King for a day - Thompson Twins

Following on from their hugely successful 1984 album 'Into the gap', the Thompson Twins experienced some troubles with their follow-up, 'Here's to future days' (1985). Frontman Tom Bailey was diagnosed with nervous exhaustion just before the release of the album and holding off on its release eventually led to reconsideration of the whole project. After Bailey's recovery, they re-recorded the album with producer Nile Rodgers taking over from Alex Sadkin.

Still, the album turned out to be less successful than its predecessor. The singles, too, disappointed commercially. 'King for a day' flopped in many territories and only reached number 22 in the UK - although it still made number 8 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4846
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 8, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'King for a day' / 'Rollunder'

Sunday 3 January 2010

Runaway - Thompson Twins

The single 'Runaway' by the Thompson Twins was the second single from their second album 'Set', and the follow-up to the American hit single 'In the name of love'. At the time of release, Thompson Twins was a seven piece band, consisting of later core members Alannah Currie, Tom Baily and Joe Leeway, along with Chris Bell, Peter Dodd, John Roog and Matthew Seligman.

The single was released as a limited edition double single in the UK, featuring two live tracks on the second disc. It didn't help: the single flopped.

My collection: 7" single no. 4358
Found: Record mania, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Runaway' / 'Open your eyes' // 'Living in Europe' / 'Make believe'

Sunday 29 November 2009

Lies - Thompson Twins

'Lies' was released as the first single from the Thompson Twins' fourth album 'Quick step and side kick'. This album was the result of songwriting sessions in Egypt and the Bahamas, followed by a recording session at Compass Point Studios in Nassau with producer Alex Sadkin.

The single reached number 67 in the UK singles chart. When the single was released a year later in the USA, it reached number 30 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4307
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Lies' / 'Beach culture'

Saturday 28 November 2009

We are detective / Watching - Thompson Twins

According to the German press bio enclosed in the sleeve of this single, the Thompson Twins were having trouble deciding on a single for Germany in the summer of 1983. 'We are detective' had just been a top 10 hit in the UK, and 'Watching' was due to be released soon. According to the bio, it was the band's female member Alannah Currie who proposed to release a double A-side single in Germany, including both singles.

The sleeve also contains a postcard, written by Britta Hofmann, who requests that the song 'We are detective' be played in the programme 'Pop Nach 8'. Presumably the DJ did play this single, and then gave it up for sale some time later. The things you find in second hand singles...

My collection: 7" single no. 4306
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'We are detective' / 'Watching'

Tuesday 27 October 2009

Long goodbye - Thompson Twins

Joe Leeway left the Thompson Twins in 1986, leaving Tom Bailey and Alannah Currie to continue as a duo. They carried on making music for another seven years. Their first release as a duo was 1987's 'Close to the bone'.

'Long goodbye' was the second single to be taken from the album, but it was even less successful than the first single, 'Get that love', which reached number 66 in the UK singles chart. This single stalled at number 89. Although one more single was released ('Bush baby'), that one did not chart at all.

My collection: 7" single no. 2538
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Long goodbye' / 'Dancing in your shoes'

Tuesday 20 October 2009

Don't mess with doctor dream - Thompson Twins

While working on the follow up to 'Into the gap', Thompson Twins band member Tom Bailey suffered a nervous breakdown. Nile Rodgers was subsequently called in to help finish the album 'Here's to future days', which was released in September 1985.

The first single from the album was 'Don't mess with doctor dream', a track with a strong anti-drug message. The single reached number 15 in the UK singles chart and number 27 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 569
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't mess with doctor dream' / 'Big business'

Wednesday 14 October 2009

The gap - Thompson Twins

While in the UK the Thompson Twins released a special single version of 'Sister of Mercy', the German record company decided that the album track 'The gap' was the better single choice. It was also released in the USA, where it reached number 69.

'Sister of mercy' does appear on the B-side of this single, incidentally, but that is the album version of the track.

My collection: 7" single no. 2315
Found: Record fair, June 3, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'The gap' / 'Sister of mercy'

Saturday 3 October 2009

Sister of mercy - Thompson Twins

'Sister of mercy' was the fourth single taken from the Thompson Twins' hugely successful 1984 album 'Into the gap'. The single version was different from the album version, in that it started out as a ballad. The B-side was a megamix of wellknown Thompson Twins tracks, such as 'We are detective', 'Into the gap' and 'Hold me now'.

The single reached number 11 in the UK singles chart, but did not chart in other territories.

My collection: 7" single no. 238
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Sister of mercy' / 'Out of the gap'

Saturday 12 September 2009

Doctor doctor - Thompson Twins

'Doctor doctor' was the second single taken from Thompson Twins' hugely successful 1984 album 'Into the gap'. It reached number 3 in the UK singles chart, which was an improvement on the number 4 reached by the previous single, 'Hold me now'. In the Netherlands, 'Doctor doctor' reached a more modest number 24.

My collection: 7" single no. 3264
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 21, 2000
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Doctor doctor' / 'Nurse shark'

Friday 4 September 2009

You take me up - Thompson Twins

In 1984, the Thompson Twins scored the biggest hit of their career in the UK: 'You take me up' reached number 2 in the UK singles chart and earned the band a silver disc. The album from which the single was taken, 'Into the gap', was one of the biggest sellers of the year, topping the British album charts and selling over five million copies worldwide.

In the Netherlands, the single did not chart. I think the Dutch were right: this wasn't the best single the Thompson Twins ever released, however entertaining it was. The music video was amusing, but forgettable as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 1629
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, April 18, 1992
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'You take me up' / 'Passion planet'

Saturday 22 August 2009

Hold me now - Thompson Twins

'Hold me now' can be considered the Thompson Twins biggest hit. It reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and was a top 10 hit in Europe and America. Alannah Currie from the band later commented: 'The biggest trouble that we've had basically is that the song was a huge hit, it was really bigall over the world. Which is great, but it was just an accidental thing. It was just a song that we wrote. But after that then, we got everybody—managers, the record company—on our back to write 'Hold me now, part 2' and harrassing you to try and find a formula. But we can't really. We'll never find a formula for what we did. And that upsets some of them.'

I was quite shocked to find that I had to pay 5 guilders for this picture disc six years after its release, while the song was never a hit in the Netherlands. But oh well, it was still worth it.

My collection: 7" single no. 1105
Found: All that music, Leiden, November 11, 1989
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Hold me now' / 'Let loving start'

Monday 17 August 2009

Love on your side - Thompson Twins

Thompson Twins found themselves functioning as a trio as of 1982. The single 'In the name of love' had become a hit, and Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway wanted to pursue the single's different sound. They toyed with the idea of starting a new band on the side, which they planned to call 'The Bermuda Triangle'. John Hade, their manager, convinced them to downsize their original band, Thompson Twins.

Their first hit as a trio was 'Love on your side', a track that even quoted 'In the name of love' for a few seconds. The single reached number 9 in the UK singles chart (their first top 10 hit in the UK) and number 20 in the Dutch Top 40. This limited edition double single features the earlier single 'In the name of love' as disc 2.

My collection: 7" single no. 2314
Found: June 3, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Love on your side' / 'Love on your back' // 'In the name of love' / 'In the beginning'

Sunday 7 June 2009

In the name of love - Thompson Twins

Thompson Twins formed in 1977. The original line-up consisted of Tom Bailey, Pete Dodd, John Roog and Jon Podgorski. By 1981, Podgorski had left and three new members had joined: Chris Bell, former band roadie Joe Leeway and Jane Shorter. After their debut album, Shorter left, to be replaced by Alannah Currie. The band then signed to Arista Records and released their second album 'Set'.

From this album, the single 'In the name of love' was taken. Although the single did not chart in the UK, it was a top 40 hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 27. This edition, made in Germany, was pressed on red vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 295
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'In the name of love (edit remix)' / 'In the beginning'

Thursday 14 May 2009

Lay your hands on me (US remix) - Thompson Twins

After the release of the original version of 'Lay your hands on me', a US remix version followed pretty quickly. Remixed by one John Potoker, the track had become different, but not necessarily better or worse.

While the original version was released in a limited edition posterbag, this US remix appeared in a gatefold sleeve. I got very confused: did I have this already or not? In the end, I took the gamble. I'm glad I did, now I've got both versions.

My collection: 7" single no. 3465
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 22, 2008
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Lay your hands on me (US remix)' / 'The Lewis Carol'

Saturday 7 March 2009

Lay your hands on me - Thompson Twins

The Thompson Twins enjoyed a lot of success with their 1984 album 'Into the gap'. They had to come up with a new album soon, so the writing and recording of the next album 'Here's to future days' began in late 1984. The band recorded the single 'Lay your hands on me' with producer Alex Sadkin. The new single climbed to number 13 on the UK singles chart.

My copy of the single came in a limited edition poster bag. I might never have bought it otherwise: I thought the track was a lot weaker than previous singles. Nowadays I feel differently: it still sounds rather fresh.

My collection: 7" single no. 1905
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 2, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Lay your hands on me' / 'The Lewis Carol'
Download: here
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Advertising