Television Personalities Biography
Britain's Television Personalities enjoyed one of the new wave era's longest, most erratic, and most far-reaching careers. Over the course of a musical evolution that led them from wide-eyed shambling pop to the outer reaches of psychedelia and back, they directly influenced virtually every major pop uprising of the period, with artists as diverse as feedback virtuosos the Jesus and Mary Chain, twee pop titans the Pastels, and lo-fi kingpins Pavement readily acknowledging the Television Personalities' inspiration.
The Television Personalities were the brainchild of singer/songwriter Dan Treacy, who grew so inspired by the nascent punk movement that he recorded a 1977 single, "14th Floor," with his friends in the group O Level. The BBC's John Peel became a vocal supporter of the group, which was soon dubbed the Television Personalities. A year later they issued the Where's Bill Grundy Now? EP, featuring their lone hit, "Part-Time Punks."
Always a loose-knit group, the first relatively stable TVP lineup consisted of Treacy, organist/vocalist Ed Ball, and guitarist Joe Foster, who recorded the band's 1980 debut, And Don't the Kids Just Love It, a step into psychedelic pop typified by songs like "I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives." Treacy and Ball soon founded their own label, Whaam! (later renamed Dreamworld after threats from George Michael's attorneys), to issue 1981's Mummy Your Not Watching Me, which made the Personalities one of the figureheads of a London psychedelia revival.
Ball exited around the time of the release of 1982's They Could Have Been Bigger Than the Beatles, a collection of re-recordings along with renditions of the Creation's "Making Time" and "Painter Man." Released in 1984, the dark and moody The Painted Word was followed the next year by the live set Chocolat-Art, by which point the TVPs were in dire straits; broke and without a label, they could do little but infrequently perform live for several years, and were forced to watch the C-86/anorak pop groundswell -- a movement they directly presaged -- from the sidelines.
Comprised of Treacy, ex-Swell Map Jowe Head, and drummer Jeffrey Bloom, the band finally won a contract with Fire Records in 1989, and resurfaced later that year with the EP Salvador Dali's Garden Party, followed in 1990 by the mod-flavored Privilege. After a handful of singles and EPs, the Television Personalities issued the 1992 double-LP Closer to God; despite critical approval, the album failed to find an audience, and Treacy reportedly fell prey to depression and drug problems. After several more years of occasional singles, they issued the harrowing I Was a Mod Before You Was a Mod, followed in 1996 by Top Gear.
By the time that Don't Cry Baby...It's Only a Movie was released in November of 1998, Treacy had gone missing. Rumors of mental illness, drug abuse, homelessness, and even death were tossed about until finally in 2004 Treacy wrote a letter to Iain Baker, an old friend and DJ at London's XFM. In it he disclosed that he was incarcerated on a prison boat in Dorset. Following his release in June of 2004, Treacy set about resurrecting the TVPs, playing some gigs and posting a hilarious web journal. Finally, in March of 2006 a new album, My Dark Places, was released on the influential Domino label. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Fito y los fitipaldis Biography: Fito Cabrales, former vocalist to Spanish rock group Los Platero y Tu, left the reasonably successful group in 1998 in search of a new sound. Cabrales formed his own group, calling it Fito &...
I killed the prom queen Biography: Vocalist Michael Crafter (also of Carpathian), guitarists Jona Weinhofen and Kevon Cameron, bassist Sean Kennedy, and drummer JJ formed the ingeniously named I Killed the Prom Queen in Adelaide,...
Windir Biography: Hailing from Norway's Sogndal region, Windir (meaning "Primal Warrior") combined the vicious fury of black metal with Scandinavia's rich folk music, history, and mythology. Masterminded in 1994 by...
Kurupt Biography: Kurupt began his winding career with Death Row Records and rose to momentary fame alongside Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, but struggled to establish himself as a successful solo artist. Born Ricardo Brown...
Jamelia Biography: Starting only at 18 years of age, pop-R&B singer Jamelia swept U.K. R&B fans off their feet, and following her second album, Thank You, she made herself a star, winning over many more fans, as well...
Audioweb Biography: Audioweb crossed the acid-fueled, psychedelic sound of Madchester house with deep dub, dancehall and reggae influences, earning a sizable following in the UK during the late '90s. Unlike many of...
Gabrielle Biography: British house/R&B vocalist Gabrielle began her career singing for free in London West End clubs whilst temping in offices during the day. Her big break came when she recorded a demo, called "Dreams,"...
Mouse on mars Biography: German post-techno duo Mouse on Mars is among a growing number of electronic music groups dabbling in complex, heavily hybridized forms that include everything from ambient, techno, and dub to rock,...