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Television Personalities
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The Television Personalities are an English post-punk group with a varying line up. The only constant member is singer/songwriter Dan Treacy.
Their first release (January 1978) was the single “14th Floor / Oxford Street W1”. Their second release, the EP Where’s Bill Grundy Now? features one of their best-known songs, “Part Time Punks”.
The Television Personalities’ first album And Don’t the Kids Just Love It was released in 1981. It set the template for their subsequent career: neo-psychedelia, an obsession with youth culture of the 1960s, a fey, slightly camp lyrical attitude, and the occasional classic pop song. Their second album Mummy Your Not Watching Me demonstrated increased psychedelic influences. Their third album, ironically entitled They Could Have Been Bigger Than The Beatles showed Treacy’s sense of irony: the TVPs (as they are affectionately known) were never to have any major commercial success. The first three albums featured Treacy and schoolmate Ed Ball; Ball left the band to found The Times, but rejoined in 2004.
The 1985 album The Painted Word was unexpectedly dark in content, reflecting Treacy’s despair at Thatcherite Britain and his personal circumstances.
Various line up changes prevented their next album (Privilege) from appearing until 1990. Their next album Closer to God was a combination of fey sixties style pop and darker material, similar in tone to The Painted Word.
The album Don’t Cry Baby, It’s Only a Movie was released in 1998. Since then Treacy has battled mental health problems, and his addictions to heroin, amphetamine and alcohol. He has been homeless on various occasions and was briefly arrested and imprisoned in 2003/2004.
Their first release (January 1978) was the single “14th Floor / Oxford Street W1”. Their second release, the EP Where’s Bill Grundy Now? features one of their best-known songs, “Part Time Punks”.
The Television Personalities’ first album And Don’t the Kids Just Love It was released in 1981. It set the template for their subsequent career: neo-psychedelia, an obsession with youth culture of the 1960s, a fey, slightly camp lyrical attitude, and the occasional classic pop song. Their second album Mummy Your Not Watching Me demonstrated increased psychedelic influences. Their third album, ironically entitled They Could Have Been Bigger Than The Beatles showed Treacy’s sense of irony: the TVPs (as they are affectionately known) were never to have any major commercial success. The first three albums featured Treacy and schoolmate Ed Ball; Ball left the band to found The Times, but rejoined in 2004.
The 1985 album The Painted Word was unexpectedly dark in content, reflecting Treacy’s despair at Thatcherite Britain and his personal circumstances.
Various line up changes prevented their next album (Privilege) from appearing until 1990. Their next album Closer to God was a combination of fey sixties style pop and darker material, similar in tone to The Painted Word.
The album Don’t Cry Baby, It’s Only a Movie was released in 1998. Since then Treacy has battled mental health problems, and his addictions to heroin, amphetamine and alcohol. He has been homeless on various occasions and was briefly arrested and imprisoned in 2003/2004.
Top Albums
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And Don't the Kids Just Love It
Television Personalities
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Mummy Your Not Watching Me
Television Personalities Buy- Download Album
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My Dark Places
Television PersonalitiesBuy- Download Album
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Shoutbox
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Anira_Sugar wrote:
t-t-t-t-t-t-t-t PERFECT!
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mahoneychops wrote:
yeah I saw them twice last year & it was a shambles, first time they only did a couple of old tracks, second time i just had to be in barclona when they was playing, payed on the door expecting it to be 5 quid like when I saw them in london, worked out about 25 quid, half empty venue though they did alot more of their well known stuff.. still a shambes though
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-tgt- wrote:
Dan's still the best songwriter evah tho.
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-tgt- wrote:
Lots of covers, done badly. It's like a punch in the stomach to see contemporary live clips :-(
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spacemangraig wrote:
has any one seen them lately, was wondering what kind of set they play.. mostly old or new material..?
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Vladizor wrote:
Really great band. All their 80s albums are awesome.
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inhmn wrote:
I'm always respectful for a band which knowns where Syd lives.
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Fodderstompf_ wrote:
Dan Treacy is God.
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Biff_Bang_Pow wrote:
That's cos he drinks like nobody's business. He's STILL an utter legend tho, absolutely lovely bloke.
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thatsneakyfox wrote:
I have to say, I am very grateful and happy that I finally saw them, but... Dan's a little past his prime. :\
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Biff_Bang_Pow wrote:
Fellow TVPs fans! I assume the wisest amongst you are already well aware that Dan & the gang played the pub band in online cult series Svengali, show your support by joining this here group: http://www.last.fm/group/Svengali the page includes a synopsis of the series and links to where you can watch it (The TVPs are in episode 5)
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TheMcEneaney wrote:
the refrain in "The World of Paulina Lewis" - that shit really cuts to the core.
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-tgt- wrote:
"Closer to God" possibly my fav TVPs song ever is no.146 on the charts :-\
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IanCurtis13 wrote:
I met Dan last night, he was a lovely bloke but a tad drunk.
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Freelove_ wrote:
Join my group: Post-Punk.
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surround_me wrote:
favorite
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Stjaernstoft wrote:
Where's "Salvador Dali's Garden Party" on the charts? I think a lot of people are missing out here, it doesn't get more Television Personalities than that track, EVERYBODY WAS THERE!
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killhouseinhell wrote:
i wish i knew geoffrey ingram.
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Mynoreti wrote:
here they come
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SOLOMUSIKA wrote:
I love this british band....*♫♪ ♫♪ ♥♥♥
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Jan
31
Mo'Fo'10
Mains d'Oeuvres, Saint-Ouen, Paris, France
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Recent Activity
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Lmollu tagged Television Personalities with british, 80s, indie pop and 3 other tags. yesterday evening
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Green_Hloyd, Muishka, lamurt81 and 5 other people added Television Personalities to their libraries. yesterday evening
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aifol added Television Personalities to the lineup of Mo'Fo'10 at Mains d'Oeuvres. Wednesday afternoon
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lisping, mollijo, SexPuppy and 3 other people added Television Personalities to their libraries. Wednesday afternoon
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pop_b_sessen wrote about Television Personalities in bands i have seen this year (2009). 11 days ago
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mcsleaze added Television Personalities to mcsleaze’s library. 11 days ago
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smackiethefrog wrote about Television Personalities in og. 12 days ago
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sambou93, ElectricEyes900, Amokgeist and 5 other people added Television Personalities to their libraries. 12 days ago
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br4in777 tagged Television Personalities with ‘all’. 14 days ago
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BetseyTrotwood, scaphist, CheComa and 9 other people added Television Personalities to their libraries. 14 days ago
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