Touch (band)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Touch were a rock band from New York City formed in 1978. Members included Mark Mangold (songwriter and keyboards) and Glen Kithcart (drums), both who had previously been in the band American Tears (releasing three albums on Columbia Records).

Their single, "Don't You Know What Love Is" only reached #69 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the song was played heavily on AOR radio stations in the USA at the end of the 1970s, and reached the #1 spot on the Melody Maker chart in Great Britain.

Touch were the first band to play at the inaugural Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington racetrack in 1980. Rumour has it that a member of Touch swallowed a bee while performing onstage. A live version of "Don't You Know What Love Is" appeared on a compilation LP simply called Monsters of Rock, documenting performances at the festival.

The eponymous debut album by Touch, originally issued on Atco Records in 1980, has been noted as a touchstone for artists working in the recently developed, but retro leaning, Melodic Rock genre.

Todd Rundgren produced a 2nd unreleased LP for Touch. The recordings only recently surfaced as bonus tracks on the CD reissue of the first album.

Mark Mangold has continued to write and record with and for other artists. The song "I Found Someone", a collaboration with Michael Bolton, was recorded by Laura Branigan and ultimately became a top 10 hit for Cher.

This band Touch, of the late 1970s and early 1980s, is not to be confused with the American pro-prog band Touch, formed in 1966 (releasing the seminal album Touch in 1969).