# R. I. P. Michael White: Author ... and Thompson Twin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 9, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-michael-white-author-and-thompson-twin/815763 "2018-06-09T16:06:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-michael-white-author-and-thompson-twin/815763/1 "2018-06-09T16:06:53Z")
I’m reading _Acid Dreams and Tranquil Dreams_ by Michael White, a book about major scientific feuds in history. It’s very well written; he has a knack for making characters come alive and he plays fair with both sides. I wanted to see what else he’s done, and it turns out he’s written about 20 other science books, including a biography of Isaac Asimov I never knew existed. And that he was a member of the 80s pop band, the Thompson Twins. Huh. That’s unusual. Again, I’m surprised I’ve never heard about this before. Usually when somebody who was on MTV has a second life this major it’s well known. But the Wikipedia page on the [Thompson Twins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thompson_Twins) doesn’t mention his name at all. His [personal bio page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_White_(author)) does, and he even wrote _Thompson Twin: An ’80s Memoir_. He and his girlfriend Jan - who is also not mentioned on Wiki - joined the band in 1982, right after he graduated King’s College. And then in February, he died at the young age of 58. He had an interesting career and was still busily turning out a series of novels, so he could have had many more books in him, not to mention the pain of his wife and four children. So does anyone know why he was written out of pop history? Or anything else about him? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-michael-white-author-and-thompson-twin/815763/2 "2018-06-09T16:15:23Z")
I had no idea. But the mention of Thompson Twins made, _Hold me now_, immediately pop into my head. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-michael-white-author-and-thompson-twin/815763/3 "2018-06-09T16:41:20Z")
I did not know that. **Quicksilver** I would normally scold for the ear worm, but under the circumstances I’ll allow it. I’m going to look up some of their other songs though. I’m sorry to hear he passed. He sounds an interesting fellow. Was he at King’s College in Cambridge? ETA: Never mind. I see it was London. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-michael-white-author-and-thompson-twin/815763/4 "2018-06-09T16:49:37Z")
I found this [online](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.obituaries/p3_c37c3z50) with absolutely no cite, so make of it what you will: > [@](#): > > White was hired in late-1982 as live band embellishment for a U.K. tour and was gone in a matter of months. He never recorded with the Thompson Twins. > > The beginning: > > ``` > After two post-punk albums as a six- or -seven-piece, the Twins pared down to the iconic three-piece haircut group in mid-1982 > Album #3, Quick Step And Side Kick (aka QSSK, and Side Kicks in North America) came out in early 1983 (Lies, Love On Your Side, If You Were Here, We Are Detective) > The studio band was just the iconic three-piece, but they wanted a fully functioning live band so there was no reliance on tapes (drummer, bassist, keyboardist, guitar/synth) > White and his girlfriend Jan Cozens had their own new romantic/funk-styled band (Watch With Mother, and then Colour Me Pop), and were hired on for the first QSSK UK tour > > ``` > > Here’s where the confusion lies: > > ``` > Playing on the idea of "twins," management instructed White and Cozens to style their hair and wardrobes like singer Tom Bailey and percussionist Alannah Currie, respectively. Bailey and White actually bore quite the resemblance, and per White's book, even fooled a few people ("you guys brothers? Twins, even?") out in the wild > > ``` If it’s remotely accurate, he was hired for a tour, and had a very minor role in the bands overall history. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2018, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-michael-white-author-and-thompson-twin/815763/5 "2018-06-09T17:42:49Z")
Thanks for finding that, Sunny. He sounds like one of the zillion people who have been a Beach Boy at some point. That’s not nothing : they only want first rate musicians - but it’s not much of a foundation for a whole book.