Biography

Alannah Currie

by Shrijan,

Alannah Currie is a New Zealand-born singer-songwriter and musician based in London who is most known as a member of the British pop band of the '80s, the Thompson Twins

How Old is Alannah Currie? Where was she Born?

Alannah Currie was born Alana Joy Currie on September 20, 1957, in Auckland, New Zealand. As of September 2020, she is 62 years old.

She grew up in New Zealand and studied journalism, later moving to England in 1977 and settling in Lilleshall Road, Clapham Old Town, South West London.   

It was at Clapham Old Town where she met Trace Newton-Ingham with whom she would form her first band, the dread-punk-improvising group, The Unf** Kables. The short-lived act would be the impetus behind her success in later years.

Career

While performing with The Unf** Kables, Currie became acquainted with like-minded musicians of South West London's "underground" music scene. Four of these musicians: Tom Bailey, Pete Dodd, John Roog, and Jon Podgorski were part of the new wave band, Thompson Twins, and recruited Currie into the group in 1981. 

1982's Thompson Twins lineup: (Left to right) Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, and Joe Leeway SOURCE: Rolling Stone

After numerous lineup changes, the Thompson Twins became a trio consisting of Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, and Joe Leeway in 1982. The trio veered towards a more mainstream pop sound and signed major record deals with Arista Records and later, Warner Bros. Records.

As the band's lyricist, percussionist, visual stylist, and singer, Currie contributed to six albums. 

Besides that, she is also the co-founder of the techno band, Babble, with her then-husband and Thompson Twins bandmate Tom Bailey and contributed as the band's lyricist, percussionist, and visual artist.        

Activism and Philanthropy

Alannah Currie is also an outspoken environmental and social activist. She helped found MAdGE (Mothers Against Genetic Engineering in Food and the Environment) in New Zealand and since moving to England in 2004, has been protesting via her controversial art under the pseudonym Miss Pokeno.  

Mother of Two Children with Ex-Husband Tom Bailey

Alannah Currie was married for 14 years to fellow Thompson Twins bandmate Tom Bailey.

Alannah Currie and her ex-husband Tom Bailey SOURCE: Corbis

They tied the knot on October 27, 1994, and had two children together: son Jackson Bailey (born in 1987) and daughter Indie Bailey (born in 1992). They lived in Currie's home country of New Zealand when they were married and formed the techno band Babble.  

They divorced in 2005 after 14 years together after which Tom moved back to England. He has since remarried to artist Lauren Drescher and splits his time between New Zealand, France, and England. 

Currie, however, has kept her personal life under the radar and is not known publicly to be romantically involved with anyone at the moment.