By appealing to fans of '80s dance-pop as well as post-punk and new wave, the Thompson Twins were one of the more popular synth pop groups of the early MTV era, scoring a handful of hits in the early to mid-'80s. Neither a duo nor related, but rather named after characters in the Tintin cartoon, the band enjoyed international success with songs like ‘Hold Me Now,’ ‘Lay Your Hands on Me’ and ‘King for a Day’ - all US Top Ten hits. 

In their original incarnation, which featured Bailey (vocals, keyboards), guitarist Pete Dodd, guitarist John Roog, and drummer Chris Bell, Thompson Twins released a handful of independent singles and became fixtures on the burgeoning New Romantic scene in London. In 1981 they released their debut album, ‘A Product Of...’. Not long after its arrival, Bailey added his girlfriend Alannah Currie (percussion, saxophone, vocals), Joe Leeway (percussion, vocal), and former Soft Boys bassist Matthew Seligman to the group. Thompson Twins recorded one album in this seven-piece incarnation, 1982's ‘Set’, which was issued in America as ‘In the Name of Love’. Following its release, the group was trimmed to a trio - Bailey, Currie, and Leeway. They released ‘Quick Step & Side Kick’ in 1983, and the album became a major hit in the UK, climbing all the way to number two, as the singles ‘Love on Your Side’ and ‘We Are Detective’ reached the Top Ten. In America, the record was released under the truncated title ‘Side Kicks’ and earned a cult following.

The Thompson Twins had their American commercial breakthrough in 1984 with ‘Into the Gap.’ Single ‘Hold Me Now’ peaked at number three in the US. 

Leeway left the group in 1986, and the Thompson Twins remained a duo, releasing ‘Close to the Bone’ the following year, which charted in a handful of countries including Canada and Norway. In 1988 they released the remix album ‘The Best of Thompson Twins: Greatest Mixes’. ‘Big Trash’, the band's 1989 album, produced the minor UK hit ‘Sugar Daddy.’ They released their final LP, the club-inspired ‘Queer’, in 1991. The single ‘Come Inside’ hit the Top Ten of the UK dance chart and topped the dance chart in the UK.