dimecres, 4 de juliol del 2012

Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins #Whatever_happened_to...

Avui estrenem una nova sèrie d’apunts, anomenada “Que els va passar als ....?”. No per parlar de grups o cantants que han desaparegut del tot, sinó dels que han desaparegut de la meva vida. Aquells que en un moment donat, han sonat molt en la meva vida, però després els he perdut de la vista – potser encara toquen, però ja no m’arriben, o potser pels canvis en la meva vida ja no m’arriben, o potser s’han marxat a l’espai en un ovni.
En fi, als 1983-84, els Thompson Twins estaven molt presents en la meva vida, bàsicament gràcies al LP Into The Gap. Per llavors ja havien reduït el grup fins al line-up classic, de Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, i Joe Leeway. D’aquest LP, gairebé totes les cançons eren bones – en aquell moment! Després encara aguantarien a la cresta de l’ona un parell d’anys més, amb algun altre èxit, i tocant al Live Aid al 85. Al 86, Joe Leeway va deixar el grup i ja cada any es sentien menys i tenien menys èxit. I des de llavors ja no sabia res més...
Segons internet, Bailey i Currie van tenir una relació i família i es van mudar a Nova Zealanda, arribant a casar-se (91), i després divorciar-se (2003). Al 92 aquests dos van plegar el grup, i van començar un altre que es deia Babble, amb un parell de LPs durant els 90. Des de llavors Tom Bailey ha continuat treballant com productor o fent banda sonores i Alannah Currie va deixar la musica per començar una nova època d’artista de vidre.
...
A new series of posts kicks off today, entitled “Whatever happened to ...?”. Not necessarily those singers or groups who have disappeared completely off the radar, but rather those who have disappeared from MY radar. Maybe they still sing, maybe they don’t, but I’m referring to those artists who at some point in my life have meant something to me, but then either through their or my fault, I’ve lost track of them.
Back in’83/84, the Thompson Twins were a great band, for me, with the LP Into The Gap being chockablock full of instant electro-pop hits. A this point in their career they had finally settled on the reduced line-up of the band, Joe Leeway, Alannah Currie, and Tom Bailey – remember those hair cuts?! For a couple of years they kept churning out hits and even played at Live Aid, but after that they became less and less successful as the 80s went on, and finally dropped out of my life.
So here’s where internet searches kick in. Joe Leeway left the band in 86 but the other two continued  as the Thompson Twins until 92 before calling it a day, and forming another group called Babble which had a couple of (unheard of for me) albums in the 90s. In their private lives they got together too, had a baby, got married, moved to New Zealand, and eventually split up in 2003. Tom Bailey has continued working in the music business, producing and writing soundtracks (to what?), whereas Alannah left to set up a glass-art workshop.

6 comentaris:

  1. Mister Brian..... just because I am a) a born interferer b) an internet junkie c) a complete and utter know it all......
    I accepted the inferred challenge and sought out Babble's first album, downloaded it, zipped it, and put it on my web server in my bedroom for you to download and listen to..... have listened to the first couple tracks and they sound like they're meant to run into each other with no gaps but you'll get the idea..... let me know if you have any problems and/or you're not interested and I can take the file off.

    Good luck - FoX

    Click this bit here

    ResponElimina
  2. Wow! You can do this and pull pints!! My hero!

    Seriously, thanks, I've downloaded it with no problems and am currently listening to it as I type ... and I really am impressed that you actually know how to do all this. My abilities are limited to downloading, but of course I don't do it as someone told me it's like stealing the bread and butter from Bruce Springsteen's kids' mouths. But uploading and sharing are on another level. I did actually get something onto megaupload once, following careful instructions, but it was probably my incompetence that led to their downfall - sorry chaps!

    ResponElimina
    Respostes
    1. Brian.... you're welcome - as for downloading stuff..... well, let's face it, I'm not about to start selling copies of Babble's inaugural album on the Monday Market now..... I work on the principle with music, that if you like it, you should still go out and buy it, and I think that's a fair enough way of looking at things.... downloading simply lets you dip your toe in the water before you jump in headfirst.... I'll take the file down now and then nobody else manages to grab it from me.
      Happy to help out - the internet's a great place!!
      J

      Elimina
    2. Seriously, now there's no one listening and the ThoughtPolice have gone to bed, I download as if it were going out of fashion. I'm music mad. However, I completely agree with you, in theory and practise - I try and buy about as many CDs per year now, as when I didn't have the download option - especially CDs by young up and coming local groups who haven't yet got the mansion and Roller. I would have no qualms about downloading Paul McCartney, for example.
      Just today I've downloaded legally, paying more than was requested, for 2 EPs by a Mallorcan singer.
      For me the wonder of internet and downloads is just that, being able to find stuff that previously you'd never even heard of , let alone have a chance of finding it in a record shop.
      Thanks again for the Babble - it's quite good :)

      Elimina
  3. gran tema. Crec que ha aguantat força bé el pas del temps. Jo també vaig posar una canḉó d'ells i també vaig mirar a veure que s'havia fet d'ells. Una secció interessant.

    salutacions.

    ResponElimina
    Respostes
    1. Saalutacions! Han pàssat dies, pero ja saps, l'estiu .... l'idea és fer més "que els ha passat als ...?", pero no sé si tindré temps/energia!

      Elimina