Tom Bailey
SOUNDTRACK OF MY LIFE
The English singer, musician and songwriter, 61, founded the Thompson Twins in 1977, but he achieved global chart success in the ’80s when joined by Alannah Currie (above, inset) and Joe Leeway for hits like “Lies”, “Hold Me Now” and “Doctor! Doctor!” Bailey tells WHO’S Cynthia Wang no lies about his influences.
An album I consider quintessentially ’80s
Human League’s Dare, which had “Love Action” and “Don’t You Want Me”. It wasn’t being futuristic for its own weird reason. It was about making pop music again, things that made you sing along and tap your foot like the Beatles or the Rolling Stones or Elvis Presley, but done in a futuristic way. That was the beginning of the ’80s for me.
The music that lifts my spirit
My favourite music is baroque, really. I love Bach, and some of his work is so immensely joyful.
The singer that reminds me most of childhood
Joan Baez. The first record that was given to me by someone outside of my family was a compilation of social activism and protest songs from the ’60s, and I completely fell in love with that—the idea that music was more than just music, that it had some cultural work to do, which I think was an interesting idea for a teenager like me.
A song I wish I’d written
[Ry Cooder’s] “Across the Borderline”. For some reason I really love that song and it haunts me to this day, and it’s more relevant perhaps than ever.
The album that made me want to be a musician
The Magical Mystery Tour. Creating new sound using a studio as a laboratory for sonic experience, that was massively exciting for me. When synthesisers came along, it was an extension of that idea: you didn’t take just what was given to you but invented new things.