THOMPSON TWINS UPDATE:

















Alannah Currie & Tom Bailey in 2006
Photo courtesy Peter Finnegan

Tom Bailey from the Thompson Twins was recently in New Zealand performing some shows as International Observer, his dub outfit. You can listen to his new album "Felt' here, be sure to listen to the track "Popcorn Slavery", probably the closest things to a new Thompson Twins track we'll hear even though it is an instrumental. Listening to the whole album it reminds me of his output as "Babble".

While in New Zealand Tom was interviewed by Radio New Zealand, and you can listen to the interview here. Some interesting information culled from the interview is that A: Tom and Alannah's son Jackson Bailey who is now 21 DJ's under the moniker "Tapes" and was on this recent tour with his father. He has released music on the Jahtari label and seems to be gaining some notoriety (you can listen to his music at his MySpace page - also his Debut EP out now on Jahtari, digitial or C60 features a cover designed by James Cauty (KLF) who is Alannah's boyfriend). B: Tom has remarried to artist Lauren Drescher who is also qualified midwife. C: Tom recently performed with the project Holiwater in New Zealand.


















Jackson Bailey as "Tapes"


Alannah Currie now creates furniture as Miss Pokeno, check some of it out here.

I believe Joe Leeway is still working in California, click here to go to my "Where Are They Now" post from 2006 for more info.
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WILL THE THOMPSON TWINS TOUR AGAIN?



Some interesting news on the Thompson Twins front. There is a comment from a promoter on the Regeneration Tour voting for bands to tour next year section that he has been talking to Alannah Currie and Tom Bailey of the band recently and that Alannah might be game for a reunion tour if the money was right. He mentions that Tom Bailey may be a much 'harder sell'.



There is also an article in today's U.K. Guardian (and one in the Independent) about Alannah and her new life as a chair artist-upholsterer (she goes under the moniker Miss Pokeno - named after a small New Zealand town that was bypassed by the Auckland motorway). It is interesting to hear what she is up to and what people are paying for her work. You can see samples of her work (like the chair she's sitting in above) that sometimes include roadkill animals stuffed by a taxidermist at this website for her upcoming solo exhibit in London. Her comment about a possible Thompson Twins tour -- "I'd rather vomit on my boots." So we're getting mixed messages from Alannah if we are to believe Rick from Red Entertainment, but let's hope someone with deep pockets offers them enough money to reform and tour (ideally with Joe Leeway as well).
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