Touch were a rock band from New York City formed in 1978. Three of the members including band leader Mark Mangold (songwriter and keyboards), Glen Kithcart (drums), and Craig Brooks (guitars) had previously all been in the band American Tears (releasing three albums on Columbia Records). In 1978 as Touch were born from the ashes of American Tears, they were joined by bassist Doug Howard.
Their single, "Don't You Know What Love Is" only reached #69 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the song was played heavily on AOR radio stations in the USA at the end of the 1970s, and reached the #1 spot on the Melody Maker chart in Great Britain.
Touch were the first band to play at the inaugural Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington racetrack in 1980. Rumour has it that a member of Touch (Doug Howard) swallowed a bee while performing onstage. A live version of "Don't You Know What Love Is" appeared on a compilation LP simply called Monsters of Rock, documenting performances at the festival.
The eponymous debut album by Touch, originally issued on Atco Records in 1980, has been noted as a touchstone for artists working in the recently developed, but retro leaning, Melodic Rock genre.
Todd Rundgren produced a 2nd unreleased LP for Touch. The recordings only recently surfaced as bonus tracks on the CD reissue of the first album, and Rundgren's production is not what it should have been. The band wanted to have the whole of the 2nd album re recorded, but with this and other things happening with the record company, there was a 'stand off' between the band and the label and the band unfortunately split.
Mark Mangold has continued to write and record with and for other artists. The song "I Found Someone", a collaboration with Michael Bolton, was recorded by Laura Branigan and ultimately became a top 10 hit for Cher.
The band Touch, of the late 1970s and early 1980s, is not to be confused with the American pro-prog band Touch, formed in 1966 (releasing the seminal album Touch in 1969).
The "COMPLETE WORKS OF TOUCH" , includes both CD's and also some other recordings created by the band which have never before been released (including an interesting version of "I Found Someone", eventually recorded by Cher). It also includes the "live" version of "Don't You Know What Love Is" performed at the Donnington Monsters of Rock Festival.
