Richard and Linda Thompson

Husband and wife Richard Thompson and Linda Thompson did record from 1974 to 1982 as a duo. This period saw a great amount of critical praise for Richard's songwriting and Linda's voice, though not much popular success. Since their divorce, both have pursued solo careers.
I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight showed a clear development from Richard Thompson's first solo effort, Henry The Human Fly, with Linda's vocals adding grace, as well as the opportunity for Richard to write from a female perspective. Although Thompson's trademark gloom is already evident, the lightness and beauty of the arrangements counterbalances this to produce moments of great beauty. The use of brass, from the renowned CWS silver band in particular takes forward Thompson's continuing crusade to find a more contemporary and ordinary expression of Englishness in music, (as opposed to the forays into the Morris form of his Fairport contemporary Ashley Hutchings, solo, and with The Albion Band). The next year's release, Hokey Pokey, to some extent repeated the formula, although it wass improved in production values, and was stylistically more adventurous still.
Pour down Like Silver extended the reach of the Thompsons' music, and without the occasional weaker tracks of the preceding releases.

In 1975 they decided to leave the music business and move to a Sufi commune in East Anglia. Songwriting was by Richard throughout, lead vocals generally by Linda, and backing by a consistent core band of English folk-rock musicians. In 1978 Richard decided to take his family out of the commune and go back to their old home in Hampstead. He also decided to return to making music, partly because, as he commented at the time, he'd come to realise "that [he] wasn't really any good at anything else".

Re-uniting the core band, the resulting album, First Light, was warmly received by the critics but did not sell particularly well. Neither did its follow up, 1979's harder-edged and more cynical Sunnyvista. Chrysalis Records did not take up their option to renew the contract, and the Thompsons found themselves without a contract, but not without admirers.

About a year later Joe Boyd signed the Thompsons to his small Hannibal label and a new album was recorded. Shoot Out the Lights included new recordings of many of the songs recorded in 1980. Linda Thompson was pregnant during the sessions, and so the album's release was held back until the Thompsons could tour in support of the new album. Linda's pregnancy also meant that she did not sing on all of the songs.

On its release in 1982, Shoot out the Lights was lauded by critics and sold fairly well - especially in the USA. The Thompsons, now a couple for professional purposes only, toured the USA to support the album and then went their separate ways. Both the album and their live shows were well received by the American media, and Shoot out the Lights effectively relaunched their careers - just as their marriage was falling apart.

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