Close To The Bone (Remastered 180g LP) (WHITE Vinyl)

Die Thompson Twins formierten sich im April 1977 in Sheffield, ursprünglich aus den Bandmitgliedern Tom Bailey (Bass/Gesang), Pete Dodd (Gitarre und Gesang), John Roog (Gitarre), und Jon "Pod" Podgorski (Schlagzeug). Sie bestritten zwei Jahre lang hauptsächlich Liveauftritte, dann zogen sie nach London und bekamen hier Kontakt zur Hausbesetzer-Szene. Sie wurden dort ein Teil einer „linken Bewegung“. Der Name Thompson Twins wurde nach den zwei bekannten Detektiven Schulze und Schultze (im Englischen „Thomson und Thompson“) aus der Comicserie Tim und Struppi von Hergé gewählt. Remastered and pressed on 180g WHITE vinyl.

Close To The Bone is the sixth album by the band and sees the first album recorded without Joe Leeway. The album comes packaged in a heavyweight outer sleeve and inner bag. Now stripped to a duo the album see Rupert Hine take the producers role alongside Tom Bailey. Hine had produced albums for Tina Turner, Howard Jones and Suzanne Vega and his polished approach was seen as the perfect foil for Tom Baileys writing and arrangements and Alannah Curries lyrics. The band had taken a break from 1986 following Joe Leeways departure and the album reflects the turmoil in the bands personal lives. With Tom Bailey reuniting with his parents and Alannah Curries tragic miscarriage. The albums title ‘Close To The Bone’ reflects this, as Tom Bailey said “for the first time we had real experiences that we could write about. When you tour all the time, things become circular and one-dimensional. i never realised it before, but taking time away for whatever reason is great for you songwriting”. With a little less influence on the synthesiser the sound is a little more fluid instrumentally and the stand out tracks ‘Perfect Day’, ‘Still Waters’ and ‘Follow Your Heart’ reflect with subtle change in direction. Rupert Hines polished production only enhances this.