Into the Gap

Into the Gap is the fourth album by the British pop group Thompson Twins. It was released in February 1984 and reached no.1 on the UK Albums Chart, and no.10 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Album history

After the commercial success of Quick Step and Side Kick, the band worked once again with producer Alex Sadkin at his Compass Point studio in the Bahamas.

The first single to be released was "Hold Me Now", which reached the no. 4 position in the UK in November 1983. Four other tracks were released from the album in various countries around the world: "Doctor! Doctor!" (UK #3, US #11), "You Take Me Up" (UK #2, US #44), "Sister of Mercy" (UK #11), and "The Gap" (US #69). The first four of these singles all had music videos that were shot to promote them, and the Thompson Twins were a prominent fixture on MTV and other music video outlets of the era. "Doctor! Doctor!", "You Take Me Up" and "Sister of Mercy" were directed by Dieter 'Dee' Trattmann.

Into The Gap was the band's biggest selling album, being certified double platinum in the UK and platinum in the US.

Track listing

• All tracks by Bailey/Currie/Leeway.

1. "Doctor! Doctor!" - 4:39
2. "You Take Me Up" - 4:26
3. "Day After Day" - 3:49
4. "Sister of Mercy" - 5:09
5. "No Peace for the Wicked" - 4:09
6. "The Gap" - 4:44
7. "Hold Me Now" - 4:46
8. "Storm on the Sea" - 5:32
9. "Who Can Stop the Rain" - 5:46

Some pressings of the album (usually U.S.) have a different order and a shorter version of the final track:

1. "Doctor! Doctor!" - 4:39
2. "You Take Me Up" - 4:26
3. "Hold Me Now" - 4:46
4. "Day After Day" - 3:50
5. "No Peace for the Wicked" - 4:09
6. "The Gap" - 4:44
7. "Sister of Mercy" - 5:09
8. "Storm on the Sea" - 5:32
9. "Who Can Stop the Rain" - 5:16

The UK cassette version of Into the Gap contained an additional side of remixes and B-sides, most of which were previously unreleased:

1. "Leopard Ray" (an original instrumental composition)
2. "Doctor! Doctor!" (extended version)
3. "Panic Station" (remix of "Day After Day")
4. "Down Tools" (remix of "You Take Me Up")
5. "Hold Me Now" (extended version)
6. "Funeral Dance" (remix of "No Peace For The Wicked")
7. "Compass Points" (remix of "The Gap")
8. "Still Water" (remix of "Storm on the Sea")

2008 expanded edition

In March 2008, Into the Gap was reissued as an expanded 2-disc set by Edsel Records. It included the bonus cassette remixes that originally appeared on the original cassette version of the album in 1984 (as mentioned above), and also features a second CD which includes most major 12" versions and B-sides, some of which appear on CD for the first time.

Disc 1

1. "Doctor! Doctor!" - 4:38
2. "You Take Me Up" - 4:23
3. "Day After Day" - 3:50
4. "Sister of Mercy" - 5:04
5. "No Peace for the Wicked" - 4:04
6. "The Gap" - 4:43
7. "Hold Me Now" - 4:42
8. "Storm on the Sea" - 5:26
9. "Who Can Stop the Rain" - 5:17
10. "Leopard Ray" - 3:15
11. "Doctor! Doctor!" - 7:50
12. "Panic Station" - 4:40
13. "Down Tools" - 4:18
14. "Hold Me Now" - 9:45
15. "Funeral Dance" - 3:12

Disc 2

1. "Compass Points" - 5:00
2. "Still Water" - 3:40
3. "You Take Me Up (Machines Take Me Over)" - 7:33 (12" version of "You Take Me Up")
4. "Sister of Mercy (12” Version)" - 9:26
5. "Let Loving Start (12” Version)" - 9:09 (B-Side of "Hold Me Now" 12" single)
6. "You Take Me Up (High Plains Mixer)" - 8:30 (Originally released as a limited edition white label UK 12" single in Spring 1984)
7. "Nurse Shark" - 4:05 (B-Side of "Doctor! Doctor!" 7" and 12" singles)
8. "Passion Planet" - 3:42 (B-Side of "You Take Me Up" 7" single)
9. "You Take Me Up (Instrumental)" - 6:20 (B-Side of the "High Plains Mixer" UK 12" single of "You Take Me Up")
10. "Out of the Gap (Megamix Extended Version)" - 8:57 (B-Side of "Sister of Mercy" 12" single, incorporating "Love on Your Side", "In the Name of Love", "Tears", "Doctor! Doctor!", "We Are Detective", "Lies", "Hold Me Now", and "The Gap")

Personnel

• Tom Bailey: vocals, synthesizer, piano, contrabass, harmonica, guitars, drum programming
• Joe Leeway: Prophet synthesizer, percussion, backing vocals
• Alannah Currie: backing vocals, drums, percussion, marimba, xylophone, backing vocals

Production

• Produced by Alex Sadkin & Tom Bailey
• Engineered By Alex Sadkin
• Assistant Engineers: Chris Dickey, Frank Gibson, Steve Dewey
• Recorded & Mixed By Phil Thornalley
• Mastered By Ted Jensen

External links

• http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id246.htm

References