Tom Bailey
Thompson Twins
Role
Role
Tom Bailey's Keyboards and Synthesizers
"For ages we used the OBXa because I accidentally found this brilliant bass patch on it. We used it on the Sidekicks album and I kept on getting phone calls to come and play bass on other albums."
Tom Bailey refers to the OB-Xa as his workhorse synth. He first acquired it in 1981 during the Set sessions, and used it on the underground Thompson Twins hit "In The Name of Love". Eventually it became a prominent feature of their music when they were at the peak of their popularity, on albums Quick Step & Side Kick, Into The Gap and Here's To Future Days.
According to Keyboard magazine August 1984 issue, 95% of the synthesizer sounds (including bass lines) on Quick Step and Into The Gap were played on an OB-Xa. The other 5% of synths were played on a Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 (by Joe Leeway) and a Pro One (by Tom Bailey). Plus, on Here's To Future Days, basslines were done on the OB-Xa and Nile Rodgers' Casio CZ-5000.
Effects-wise, the Oberheim is connected to an AMS reverb and a Roland Dimension D.
Live, Tom's OB-Xa was played by keyboardist Carrie Both on the Into The Gap tour.
Find it on:
This article published in Electronics & Music Maker January mentions Tom Bailey using a Casio CZ-5000. According to Micke on Vintage Synth forums, Tom Bailey used Nile Rodgers' Casio CZ-5000 on the Here's To Future Days album for the basslines.
Find it on:
Tom plays a Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 in this video.
Find it on:
From 1:25-1:59, Tom is playing a Sequential Circuits Pro One. The Pro One was used for the bassline in "Doctor Doctor".
Find it on:
In this photo of Tom Bailey working at Studio Marcadet in early 1985 during the Here's To Future Days sessions, with a Yamaha DX7 in the background. Photo courtesy of Stephen Dewey.
Find it on:
"At the moment, though, we've got quite a massive library of chips for the Movement, and recently we parallel triggered an SDS7 Simmons set-up. Plus we have a Fairlight as well to do drums if we really want to."
Find it on:
This article published in Electronics & Music Maker January mentions Tom Bailey using a Casio CZ-101.
Find it on:
"I take the OBXa, Prophet 5, Roland RS09 strings and a Micro Moog on tour. All the keyboards are direct injected both on stage and in the studio."
Find it on:
"I take the OBXa, Prophet 5, Roland RS09 strings and a Micro Moog on tour. All the keyboards are direct injected both on stage and in the studio."
Find it on:
This is a community-built gear list for Tom Bailey.
- Find relevant music gear like Microphones, Guitars, Amplifiers, Effects Pedals, Pianos, Keyboards and Synthesizers, and other instruments and add it to Tom Bailey.
- The best places to look for gear usage are typically on the artist's social media, YouTube, live performance images, and interviews.
- To receive email updates when Tom Bailey is seen with new gear, follow the artist.
.webp)
