Television Personalities
NEWS
Don't forget to check the Jowe Head news and Ed Ball pages for details of their latest activities!
24 December 2004
Baskerviles cover 'La Grande Illusion'
Out now on Secret Crush Records of the USA is the new mini-LP by New York's Baskervilles, organisers of the Dan Treacy benefit show in July. It's thoroughly excellent. Among 7 quality tracks is a cover of 'La Grande Illusion'. Buy one for Christmas!

Secret Crush Records website: http://www.secretcrushrecords.com
The Baskervilles website: http://www.baskervilles.net
Nick Danger and the Danger City Rebels cover TVP song
Also available now is the latest EP from Nick Danger and the Danger City Rebels, released on the Beautiful Music label from Ottawa. Four tracks of garage-surf music with a Sky Saxon soundalike on vocals - nice! An unlisted 'hidden' track on the CD is a cover of 'Diary of a Young Man'.

The Beautiful Music website: http://www.thebeautifulmusic.com
Nick Danger pages on that site: http://www.thebeautifulmusic.com/danger/home.htm
12 December 2004
Dan Treacy in 'Mojo' magazine
The January 2005 issue of 'Mojo' magazine in the UK includes an interview with Dan Treacy.

Gig in Athens cancelled
The scheduled gig at the AN club in Athens, on December 18th, has sadly been cancelled.
17 November 2004
TVP comeback gig announced
Television Personalities will make their long-awaited live comeback on Friday 10th December at London's Bush Hall. The TVP's will be headlining the evening, which will also feature Pipas, Stevie Jackson (of Belle & Sebastian) and the Bill Wells Trio. This is the first evening of a two day event organised by Chickfactor magazine. It's £10 per night or £17 for both (appearing on Saturday are Mascott, Stuart Moxham & Louis Philippe, Bridget St John, and Jens Lekman). Tickets can be purchased through this link to TicketWeb.

Chickfactor website: http://www.chickfactor.com
Bush Hall's website: http://www.bushhallmusic.co.uk
10 November 2004
New material announced
Dan Treacy has revealed that 16 tracks were completed in the October recording session. Song titles are: I Hope Your Happy Now? / No More I Hate Yous / If I Could Write Poetry / Any Love Is Good Love / Are We Nearly There Yet / My Dark Places / The Eminem Song / TV Personalities In The House! / Then The Wind Blew It All Away / Peep Show / The French House For 8pm / You Will Taste The Sky And Touch The Fucking Rainbow! / All The Midnight Cowboys / They'll Have To Catch Us First! / You Gotta Move On / Coltranes Ghost.

Two tracks from the sessions will be made available for download somewhere on the internet shortly.
Dan also reveals that he will be back in the studio soon to record a track each for forthcoming tribute albums to the June Brides and Evan Dando / the Lemonheads.


Gig in Athens
The TVPs are reportedly to play at the AN club in Athens, on December 18th.
31 October 2004
Sixtynine and the Continuous People cover rare TVP song
Italy's Sixtynine and the Continuous People have released a 7" through the Félicité label of Germany. "I Can't Hear You (Anymore)" is backed with a cover of the unreleased TVP song "Shadows That Haunt Me". The group are big fans of Television Personalities; among their number is Filippo, creator of the Strangely Beautiful website.

Félicité website: http://www.felicite.de
Band's website: http://www.popfloor.com/continuouspeople
18 October 2004
Dan Treacy back in the studio
Dan Treacy has revealed that he has a studio booked for 3 days (October 19th - 21st) to record material for a couple of singles and possibly an album to follow. Suggested song titles include 'Then The Wind Blew It All Away' and 'All the Midnight Cowboys'. Ed Ball is among the collaborators.
25 September 2004
Dan Treacy to DJ at London club night
Dan Treacy has agreed to be the celebrity DJ at the next 'How Does It Feel?', to be held on Friday 1st October at the Canterbury Arms in Brixton. The club runs from 9pm - 2am, and Dan will be DJ-ing from 10.30 to 12.00. Admission is three pounds for members, five pounds for non-members (membership is free - apply via the website).

Website: http://www.howdoesitfeel.co.uk
See photos taken on the night here.
'Part Time Punks' on UK magazine CD
The October 2004 issue of 'Mojo' magazine comes with a cover-mounted CD, entitled 'Radio Clash'. Compiled to celebrate the 25th anniversary and re-release of The Clash's 'London Calling', it includes Television Personalities' 'Part Time Punks', which of course mentions The Clash in the lyrics.
19 August 2004
Falling Uphill Previously unreleased TVP song now out!
Just released, 'Falling Uphill' is a superb compilation album from the USA. One of the many highlights on the collection is 'Virgin and a Whore', a previously unreleased TVP gem recorded live for a radio session during the band's tour of the USA in spring 1992. Also of interest to TVP followers, Jowe Head contributes the previously unreleased 'Serpentine', and his latest group Angel Racing Food feature with the wonderful 'Guinea Pig'. There's also the previously unreleased 'Whipper Snappers' from his previous group, Olive's Hairy Custard. Jowe additionally contributed the cover art. The CD also contains exclusive tracks by Barbara Manning, Sixtynine and Continuous People and the Container Drivers, plus great tracks by the likes of the Woog Riots, Katze, the Bartlebees and many more. You can buy the CD through this website here. Alternatively, visit the Windless Air Music website. An essential purchase for TVP fans!

Website: http://www.windlessairmusic.com
Armitage Shanks cover '14th Floor'
The Shanks' latest album, 'Urinal Heap' (released in June 2004), includes a punky cover of '14th Floor'. The LP (recorded, incidentally, at Toe Rag Studios) is available on CD from Damaged Goods and on vinyl from Germany's Little Teddy.

Websites: http://www.damagedgoods.co.uk & http://www.littleteddy.net
3 August 2004
New York benefit show: update
From Rob of the Baskervilles:
The Television Personalities Benefit:

Total Online Donations: $514.45
Total Earnings From The Benefit Show: $620.00
Grand Total = $1134.45 for the benefit

"I think that this is a marvellous achievement. Thank you everyone for being so generous. Dan requested that this money be used for studio time. We will send it to the studio of his choice once it is booked. This is an unprecedented show of support by the fans. You should all be very proud of what we accomplished."

Rob
http://www.baskervilles.net
10 July 2004
Direct Hits reissue
A few months back, Blaamm records reissued the Direct Hits 'Blow Up' album. Originally released in 1984 on Dan Treacy's Whaam! label, the LP includes a track on which Dan contributes piano. It's a great collection of mod pop and comes with 10 bonus tracks. For details of how to order a copy, email CJLRobbo@aol.com.
5 July 2004
Dan Treacy update
Dan has been in touch and has included a poem here. You can read Daniel's web journal at Darrell Whitbeck's TVP site.
24 June 2004
Danaid: New York benefit show
New York-based group The Baskervilles are busy organising a benefit show, with all proceeds to be used to fund new recording sessions for Dan Treacy. The event is scheduled for Friday, July 30th at Sin-e' in New York. The lineup so far consists of The Mad Scene, My Favorite, Ira Robbins (of Trouser Press, who will sing a few songs with The Baskervilles), The Baskervilles, The Insomniacs, Burnside Project, Not The TV Personalities (covers band) - with more to come... You can now make a PayPal donation to the recording fund via this site.

Website: http://www.baskervilles.net
4 June 2004
Harte Para Todos! Spanish TVP covers single released
A great-looking 7" has recently been released on the Spanish label Discos Harte! The single features four Spanish bands covering TVP songs: Thy Surfin' Eyes play 'Diary of a Young Man', Los Part-Time Pops play 'Favourite Films', TCR attempt 'I Remember Bridget Riley' and Alpino tackle 'Smashing Time'. As you can see, the sleeve is an affectionate pastiche of 'Mummy Your Not Watching Me'.

Website: http://www.discosharte.tk
Unpopular Records: Lovejoy and The Legend
There's been a healthy trickle of TVP covers being released recently, and here's details of another. Unpopular Records have issued a 7" by Lovejoy that includes a cover of 'Someone To Share My Life With' on the flip. The same label has also announced the future release of 'The Legend sings the songs of Daniel Treacy'.

Website: http://www.unpopular-records.com
17 May 2004
Dan Treacy resurfaces
The story can be read here.
13 May 2004
The Higher Elevations cover TVP
Niklas Gustafsson writes: "The April issue (#3 2004) of Swedish music magazine 'Groove' came with a free-to-subscribers-only compilation CD. The record contains 'The Engine Driver Song' covered by The Higher Elevations, which also will be included on the upcoming TVP-tribute that Canadian label The Beautiful Music are about to release."

Website: http://www.thehigherelevations.com
30 January 2004
TVPs Covered By The Tyde
LA band The Tyde have released a limited edition 7" featuring a cover of 'Look Back in Anger' b/w a rendition of the Modern Lovers' 'Roadrunner'. The single, limited to 500 copies, is out now on For Us Records, the in house label of the Rough Trade Shops. Catalogue no. FU031.

You can buy the single via this link to Rough Trade Records.
Band's website: http://www.thetyde.com

Thanks to Andy Nix for drawing my attention to this.
23 November 2003
'Closer To God' Reissued
Fire Records have recently reissued the 1992 LP 'Closer To God'. This should mean that the TVP's six studio albums covering the period 1981-92 are readily available once more.

Website: http://www.firerecords.com
13 November 2003
Jeffrey Lewis Covers 'Part-Time Punks'
Issued to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Rough Trade Records, 'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before' is a compilation album of current Rough Trade acts performing old RT numbers. Included on the album is the American 'anti-folk' artist Jeffrey Lewis tackling 'Part-Time Punks'.

Website: http://www.roughtraderecords.com
Jeffrey Lewis: http://www.thejeffreylewissite.com
25 July 2003
NoMen Cover TVPs (again)
A version of 'Mysterious Ways' is now available for download, as below.

Website: http://www.topplers.net
30 June 2003
NoMen Cover TVPs
Scottish band the NoMen have recorded a version of the TVPs 'I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives'. It is currently available for download on the MP3 section at Topplers Records website. In addition, the group have also made available for download two Jowe Head covers, 'Cake Shop Girl' and 'Mermaid', originally released on Jowe's debut solo album, 'Pincer Movement'. These can be found on the same web page.

Website: http://www.topplers.net
28 April 2003
Yes Darling, But is it Art? TVP compilation reissued
Fire Records re-released 'Yes Darling, But Is It Art?' back in February (catalogue SFIRE024CD). This album compiles the TVPs singles and b-sides from their debut until the late 80s, plus other rarities.

'And Don't the Kids Just Love It', 'Mummy Your Not Watching Me', 'They Could Have Been Bigger Than The Beatles', 'The Painted Word' and 'Privilege' have also been reissued over the last 12 months. All are available from Fire / Snapper Music.

Website links:
http://www.firerecords.com
http://www.snappermusic.com/
5 March 2003
New TVP covers album in the pipeline
The Beautiful Music label based in Ottawa, Canada, has been working on a tribute album of TVP covers for a couple of months now. The lineup is still under consideration, but should feature some familiar names. There's still time to send in your own contribution, if applicable. See their website for full details.

Website: http://www.thebeautifulmusic.com
7 September 2002
Floosh! V/A - Floosh! Little Teddy Recordings 2002
Little Teddy (BiTe035CD)
A compilation of recently released and new material from Little Teddy, this 26 track CD includes Television Personalities "Whatever Gets You Through The Night", originally released on the "Not Like Everybody Else" 7" EP (LiTe 709) and more recently on the essential "Fashion Conscious" TVP compilation (BiTe026CD).

Little Teddy website: http://www.littleteddy.net/
23 August 2002
Morrissey plays the TVPs.
Some trivia - Morrissey kicked off a short world tour on the West Coast of America this month. He customarily hand-picks a selection of tracks which are played in the 'intermission' between the support band and his own appearance. The tape for this tour includes Television Personalities "Part Time Punks".
13 April 2002
And Don't The Kids Just Love It Early TVP albums reissued
The rejuvenated Fire Records re-released debut TVP album "And Don't The Kids Just Love It" on 25th March 2002 (catalogue SFIRE002CD), marketed and distributed by Snapper Music. Fire / Snapper will be reissuing more of the Fire back catalogue during the course of the year. These are the prospective TVP release dates:
April 15th - Mummy You're Not Watching Me
May 20th - The Painted Word
June 17th - They Could Have Been Bigger Than The Beatles
October 14th - Privilege

The Fire reissues from the early 90s have been unavailable for a couple of years.
Click here for the Fire Records website.
Click here for Snapper Music's site.

Additionally, Overground Records have announced that the "I Was A Mod" album should be more readily available in the UK and US from 13th May, following a distribution deal. Although the album wasn't deleted, for the last three years it could only be obtained direct from Overground.
Their website can be found here.
26 February 2002
New Jowe Head Yahoo Group
A Yahoo group has been created for Jowe Head, much-loved TVP bassist 1984-94. Join the group to share photos and emails with other Jowe fans.
Click here for details.
4 January 2002
Fashion Conscious Television Personalities
Fashion Conscious
Little Teddy (BiTe026CD)
A very useful 22 track compilation CD that rounds up all the material that Little Teddy Recordings either released or had paid for.

Click here to view track listing.
Click here for Little Teddy's own site.
1 October 2001
Woosh! V/A - Woosh! Little Teddy Recordings 1991-2001
Little Teddy (BiTe025CD)
Celebrating a decade of Little Teddy recordings, this 25 track compilation CD includes Television Personalities "How Does It Feel To Be Loved?", originally released on the "Now That I'm A Junkie!" 7" (LiTe 741).

Click here to view a flyer and track listing.

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