Alannah Currie

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Alannah Currie


Img_capt = Alannah Currie, Bristol, February 1984
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Alannah Currie
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1957|09|20|df=y
Died =
Origin = Auckland, New Zealand
Instrument = Xylophone
Percussion
Vocals
Genre = Rock, Dance, New Wave, Synthpop
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 1979–present
Label = Arista Records, Warner Bros. Records
Associated_acts = Thompson Twins
URL =
Notable_instruments =

Alannah Currie (born 20 September 1957, Auckland, New Zealand [ [http://www.brainyhistory.com/daysbirth/birth_september_28.html Brainyhistory.com] ] ) is a musician and artist, best known as a former member of the UK pop group, Thompson Twins.

Career

Born in New Zealand, Currie emigrated to the UK in 1977, as a rock journalist. Currie squatted in various places in South West London, ending up in Lillieshall Road, Clapham Old Town. This turned out to be a major step on the road to stardom with the Thompson Twins. In 1979, with her across-the-road neighbour, Trace Newton-Ingham (Traci Newton), she co-founded the dread-punk-improvising group, The Unfuckables. The Unfuckables performed one gig at an Anti-Psychiatry Conference in early 1980, held in the Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London. For this particular gig the group comprised of the two co-founders, plus an array of musicians from London's 'underground' music scene - Viv Albertine (The Slits), Gareth Sager (The Pop Group), Charles Bullen and Charles Hayward (This Heat), Tom Bailey (of Thompson Twins, with whom she would later marry), Jimmy Cauty (later of The KLF, and her current partner) and improviser Steve Beresford, amongst others.

Her songwriting credits include "I Want That Man", an international hit for Deborah Harry in 1989. By 1992 Currie and her husband, fellow Thompson Twins band member Tom Bailey, had tired of being expected to chase chart success with new Thompson Twins material.fact|date=September 2008 After touring India collecting inspiration and audio samples, they elected to form Babble, featuring Currie as lyricist, percussionist and visual artist, as a means of creating music without the commercial expectations that were placed on the Thompson Twins. By 1994 Babble had released their first album. Currie later returned to New Zealand working primarily as a glass artist and environmental activist. She was founder of the women's anti-GM movement MAdGE. In 2004 she designed a series of protest billboards that caused controversy in New Zealand but won several international art / science awards.

Now divorced, Currie currently lives and works in London with her daughter Indie.

References

External links

* [http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/homes/story/0,,2275842,00.html Guardian interview (April 2008)]
* [http://www.investigatemagazine.com/jan3ge.htm Investigate.com]
* [http://wm09.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jvfwxqy5ldte~T4 Songwriting credits @ Allmusic.com]