Tom Bailey - lead vocals, bass, synthesizers; Alannah Currie - percussion, vocals; Joe Leeway - congas, percussion, vocals
They were neither a duo or related, but the Thompson Twins made a considerable impact on the MTV generation when they broke out of the U.K. in 1982 with a sassy blend of electronic dance music and edgy pop songs. 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.
Bailey toyed with a number of lineups, getting the group up to six members at one point. In the end, they would work as a trio consisting of Bailey, girlfriend Alannah Currie, and singer Joe Leeway.
By the time this show was recorded for the King Biscuit Flower Hour in 1984, the group had scored a number of Top 40 hits, thanks mainly to the heavy airplay they received from MTV. With songs that included "Hold Me Now," "Doctor, Doctor," "Sisters Of Mercy," and the infectious dance track, "Love On Your Side," the group was able to quickly ascend from third-on-the-bill opening act, to headliner status in less than a year.
For a group that relied heavily on programmed synth parts, they were remarkably spontaneous and versatile in concert. Tom Bailey was clearly the leader, and wrote and sang nearly all the material. Currie, who, unbeknownst to most fans was romantically involved with Bailey, contributed vocals, hit the occasional keyboard patch, played percussion and saxophone - and also contributed greatly to their visual aesthetic. Leeway, on the other hand, was a strong vocalist, but his talent was usually relegated to back-up singer.
This show was the second of three concerts recorded for the Biscuit, and includes most of the band's most memorable hits, including "Lies," "You Take Me Up," "The Gap," and "Storm On The Sea." Shortly after the success they saw in 1984 and 1985, the band's popularity waned. Bailey and Currie formed a whole new group called Babble, but they divorced and went bust after two albums.
This show is one of the few professional live recordings made of the Thompson Twins in their MTV-area heyday.