Problems with guitar playing.

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Yo! I the moment I would seem to have alot of difficultly trying to help my playing progress and I was wondering if anyone can offer some advice.
Well currently the main problem is with Bends. Now I can I bend to the correct pitch but for some reason I can elimate the sound of of the strings bumping into each other.
For instance I bend the third string (in standard tuning) at seventh fret a whole tone up (so from D to E) and I can bend it in pitch but whatever I try almost always cause the D or A strings t make some sort of sound like a thud or they might ring out.
Does anybody know how to stop this so that my bends can be smoother?
What kind of action is best? What gauge strings? ETC
Also does anybody have any tips on emulating the guitar style of Talking Heads? http://youtube.com/watch?v=v0odYPIgEKc check that out.

A couple tips - try muting the other strings, while picking, with your right hand (or the side of your pinky as it were - this is assuming you're right handed). If it's lower strings that are ringing out other than the one your playing, try this - it's "poor" technique, but reach your left thumb around the neck and mute with that. Also, practice your scales (blues scale, Segovia scale, etc.) to increase accuracy of the note you're playing. Try playing a scale from one end of the neck to the other using only one string.

As for the "Talking Heads" sound, they used Roland Jazz Chorus 120 amplifiers, so at bare minumum, get yourself a chorus pedal - although I would rec'd the real thing if you can find one. Avoid distortion for the most part, also use either one note lines, or at maximum, three note chords. Rarely were the arrangements outside of that norm - think less is more. Fender Teles, Jaguars, and Musicmasters were guitars of choice, even Strats on occasion. A big part of the Talking Heads, their writing/arranging style, was to take something that sounds simple - is simple in isolation - and put it together with something that it shouldn't be put together with, in a way that it shouldn't work. The simplicity of their sound masks a higher commitment in their music to make things that shouldn't work somehow pleasing to the ear. Trust your inner instincts....

Is it an electric or acoustic? I had that problem on my acoustic guitar when I was using DR Rare phosphor strings. Even though they were great strings, I switched to Martin Silk& Steels, which were FAR superior, and I have not had the problem of the string buzzing. I'd say look for better strings. If you're willing to put out the cash, get Elixir® strings. That might help a lot.

Yeah I'm praticising a few modes and scales along with arpegios. I already have a chorus, but I think I need an overdrive and some reverb, mostly I'm using triads to make songs but I really need something like cubase at home, because I'm often thinking of stuff like bass lines.
I was quite confused about using left thumb as I thought it's considered bad technique, but I guess I should try it more.
Thanks for the advice.

Try pulling the string towards the floor instead of up. This way you can mute the strings below it with the rest of your finger.

Overdrive would be more useful than a distortion pedal, although even at that, MOST of the Talking Heads guitar parts were clean with either a chorus or phaser ("Warning Sign"), mostly modulation effects were their thing. Delay and reverb were used sparingly. As for basslines, the simpler, more repetitive, the better - although again, Tina Weymouth had a way with coming up with the most hooky basslines ever, almost melody lines unto themselves. Once you start getting into the "Speaking In Tongues" era Heads, most of the basslines were played on a single oscilator Moog Opus, and can be emulated to great effect by any of the Moog styled softsynths out there, like Arturia's. As for the thumb, I only do it when playing electric guitar, never on classical, that way I don't let myself fully fall into the "bad habit".

If you want to experiment with effects, amps and software, I'd recommend this little piece of kit:

http://line6.com/toneport/

I've got the UX2. It comes with Ableton lite recording software (4 track but can be upgraded), and a whole bundle of effects. Both the recording software, and effects can be upgraded online. Terrific results.