Then came the reissues w/ bonus tracks.....this seemed too good an offer to pass up but when you have a "want list" that resembles I 95 it's not always easy to get every cd you have your heart set on...........
When Edsel Records{the same people who reissued the Blancmange albums on cd} put out the 8 cd Thompson Twins Box I was all over that like a coat of paint!!!
Asides from now having "A Product Of" "Set" and "Here's To Future Days" in my collection I also had all my old 12'' singles too plus being "reunited" w/ some favourite album tracks I hadn't heard in eons....talk about Xmas come early when I bought it!!!
Here's a cd/album review.
A Product Of
I love the lead off track "When I See You" which has featured on "Land Of The Lost" a couple of times.....but the rest of the album leaves me cold,in fairness when I bought the box set it was my first exposure to the album so maybe after a few more plays it will grow on me...or not
Set
This is more like it! I cut my teeth w/ the Thompson Twins on "In The Name Of Love" and "Runaway" in 82 although it remains a mystery how neither were hits in the UK charts, my early clubbing days introduced me to the wonders of Tom,Alannah and Joe.
"In The Name Of Love" was a #1 in the US Dance charts.....{haven't we covered this in previous blog entries!!??} and along w/ "Runaway" both have the extended remixes on the reissue.
Interesting footnote,one Thomas Dolby features on the synth on three tracks:"The Rowe" "Runaway" and "Fool's Gold"...as if I didn't have enough reasons to be giddy about "Runaway"!!!!
Quick Step & Side Kick
The game changer for the Thompson Twins,this was the album that probably introduced a lot of people to them.
Ripe w/ hit singles "Lies'' "Love On Your Side" ''We Are Detective" and "Watching" which all show up w/ their subsequent mixes here the album also feature two of my all time favourite Thompson Twins songs "If You Were Here" and "Kamikaze","If You Were Here" shows up on the soundtrack to "16 Candles"....which I also believe has also been mentioned on this blog!
Into The Gap
Another album w/ hit singles to boot, ''Hold Me Now" ''Doctor! Doctor!" "You Take Me Up"and "Sister Of Mercy"
"The Gap" was also released as a single but somewhat surprisingly not in their native UK which didn't stop yours truly hunting it down on 12'' vinyl as it was a kick arse track and the bside "Out Of The Gap" a medley of previous singles,thankfully featured on the boxed set.
While not singles I still adore "Day After Day" ''Storm Of The Sea" and "Who Can Stop The Rain".
Here's To Future Days
The beginning of the end for the Twins,Joe Leeway left after this album and I didn't feel they were ever the same after that
I hate to admit this but I'd clean forgotten about "Lay Your Hands On Me" until the other day when I played the whole cd,such a great song,for me the last truly great Thompson Twins single
Other singles were "Don't Mess W/ Doctor Dream" "King For A Day" and the Beatles cover "Revolution"
Even though Tom and Alannah continued after Joe's departure it just wasn't happening anymore,there were a few more singles {but no real hits} and a few more albums but following "Queer" in 91 they called it day.
For me the boxed set represents their finest hour and serves as a great audio history of one of the 80's great groups,yes they had their critics but how many bands did Madonna dance on stage w/ at Live Aid at RFK Stadium in 85?
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