The Times (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Times


Img_capt = The Times, circa 1983. From L to R, John East, Simon Smith and Ed Ball. Photo by Ray Kent
Img_size = 170
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = West London
Instrument =
Voice_type =
Genre = Post punk, Indie
Occupation =
Years_active = 1980–present
Label = Whaam! Records
Associated_acts = Teenage Filmstars
'O' Level
Television Personalities
The Love Corporation
URL = [http://www.myspace.com/thetimeslondon www.myspace.com/thetimeslondon]
Current_members = Ed Ball
Past_members = John East
Dan Treacy
Alan McGee
Ray Kent
Dick Green
Paul Damian
Paul Heeren
Simon Smith
Misty Woods
Notable_instruments =

The Times are a British, 1980s-90s, independent band, the brainchild of Ed Ball, co-founder member of the Television Personalities, Teenage Filmstars and 'O' Level.

Whaam! Records 1981-1982

After releasing a string of 7" singles variously as O'Level ("We Love Malcolm, 1978), The Television Personalities ("Part-Time Punks, 1978), Teenage Filmstars ("There's A Cloud Over Liverpool", 1979, "I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape", 1980), that culminated with the debut Television Personalities album "And Don't The Kids Just Love It" (1980) on Rough Trade Records, Edward Ball and Daniel Treacy opted for even more artistic control by setting up their own label, WHAAM! Records. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Ed Ball: Interview with the modernist musical alchemist.
work =
publisher =Creation Records
date =August 2005
url =http://www.creation-records.com/edball.html
format =
doi =
accessdate =2007-03-29 ] .

At the same time, recorded as a proposed Teenage Filmstars' debut LP. Ball's 1980 collection of songs was completed as "Go! With The Times", from which the first Times single "Red With Purple Flashes" (1981) was released on Whaam! This was followed by "Pop Goes Art!" (1982), released in individually hand-painted sleeves that executed the band's Pop Art visions. The 1990 ARTPOP! vinyl re-issue of this album even featured individually hand-painted picture discs.

ArTpOp! Records 1982-1986

On leaving the Television Personalities, and consequently Whaam!, Ball immediately launched the ARTPOP! label with the Times' second single "I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape!" (September 1982). This was accompanied by humorous tongue in cheek video based on "The Prisoner" T.V. series that starred Patrick McGoohan. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink = The Times
coauthors =
title ="The Times - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape"
work =
publisher =
date =
url =http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzUCCl9YaBQ
format =
doi =
accessdate = ] Ball's songwriting took a more serious turn with "This Is London" (1983). Songs like "Goodbye Piccadilly", "If Only", and the title track, match the bleakness and despair of Joy Division, the cutting sarcasm of The Jam. After the experimental electronics of "Hello Europe" (1984), Ball fulfilled a long-time ambition to stage Joe Orton's screenplay for the Beatles "Up Against It" at a West London theatre with Tony Conway from Mood Six. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =Edward Ball of the mighty Times and Television Personalities answers our Questions of Doom!
work =
publisher =POPTONES INTERVIEW
date =06/10/2005
url =http://www.poptones.co.uk/index.php?/questions_of_doom/more/edward_ball_of_the_mighty_times_and_television_personalities_answers_our_qu/
format =
doi =
accessdate =2007-03-29 ] . This culminated with the Times' fifth album "Up Against It" (1985). Fancying themselves as pirate televisionaries, the Times proceeded by decimating in fiction, within the parameters of songwriting, every symbol of western civilisation with their final ARTPOP! album "Enjoy". [cite web
last =Ball
first =Edward
authorlink =
coauthors =
title =They Could Have Been Bigger Than ElvisA Ten Year History Of The Times, The TV Personalities, The Teenage Filmstars and O Level
work =
publisher =Spiral Scratch #11
date =December 1989
url =http://www.popfloor.com/tvps/press/bigelvis.html
format =
doi =
accessdate =2007-03-29 ] .

Creation Records 1988-1999

Given the opportunity by Alan McGee to continue recording his skewed visions as The Times, Edward Ball released "Beat Torture" (1988). "E For Edward" (1989) and "Et Dieu Créa La Femme" (1990), recalls his various abilities to humourise fads and trends ("Manchester", "Aurore Boreale"), register sadness and loss ("No Love On Haight Street", "All Your Life") and generally capture the enveloping drug culture that pervaded the label. "Pure" (1991), which contains a 12-minute version of "Blue Monday" in French ("Lundi Bleu"), sees Ball plunging into his own psyche to create an undisciplined record. Cited by some as the most psychedelic record of the 90s, it reveals the male aspects of group culture ("From Chelsea Green To Brighton Beach") and female distortions and rants ("Another Star In Heaven"), including a performance by Ball's Mum. "Alternative Commercial Crossover" (1993) suggests He is still susceptible to the psychedelics - his combining of James Joyce with Raggamuffin culture ("Finnegan's Break") is a hit-and-miss affair. The album's strength lies in Ball's melodic and sensitive delivery ("All I Want is You to Care", "Sorry I've Written A Melody") that signposts his destiny as a solo artist. "Sad But True" (1997) and "Pirate Playlist 66" (1999) function as secondary tiers to Edward Ball's solo output.

Discography

tudio albums

Compilations

ingles & EPs

Red With Purple Flashes

Red With Purple Flashes / Biff! Bang! Pow!

7" Whaam! (WHAAM 002) May 1981

Here Comes The Holidays

Here Comes The Holidays / Three Cheers For The Sun

7" Artpop! (POP 50) June 1982

I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape

I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape / Theme from 'Danger Man'

7" Artpop! (POP 49) September 1982

Boys Brigade

Boys Brigade / Power Is Forever

7" Artpop! (POP 46) 1984

Blue Fire

Blue Fire / Where The Blue Begins

7" Artpop! (POP 45) 1984

Boys About Town EP

David Jones (Is On His Way) / Victim 1960 / Up Against It / Song For Joe Orton

12" Artpop! (POP 43DOZ) 1985

London Boys

London Boys / (Where To Go) When The Sun Goes Down

7" Unicorn (PHZ 1) 1986

Times TV

Times TV / Trailer From "Enjoy"

7" Fire Records (BLAZE 16S) 1986

Times TV / Trailer From "Enjoy" / The Polite Force / El Aragua / Pick It Up

12" Fire Records (BLAZE 16T) 1986

Manchester

Manchester / Love And Truth

7" Creation Records (CRE071) Jan 1990

Manchester / DaDa Won't Buy Me A Bauhaus / Manchester (extended)

12" Creation Records (CRE071T) Jan 1990

Manchester / Manchester (extended) / Ulysses / Shoom!

CD Creation Records (CRESCD71) Jan 1990

The Mods Are Back!

The Times 'Extase' / Biff Bang Pow 'Sleep'

Split 7" Caff Corporation (Caff 13) 1990

Lundi Bleu

Lundi Bleu / Lundi Bleu (Instrumental)

7" Creation Records (CRE114) 1992

Lundi Bleu (Praise The Lord Mix) / Lundi Bleu (The Grid's World Communication Mix) / Lundi Bleu ('Smiling' Remix)

12" Creation Records (CRE114T) 1992

Lundi Bleu (Radio Edit (4:01) / Lundi Bleu (Praise The Lord Mix) / Remix (The Grid) / Lundi Bleu (The Grid's World Communication Mix) / Lundi Bleu ('Smiling' Remix) / Lundi Bleu (Brazilian Vocal Edit) / Lundi Bleu (Japanese Vocal Edit) / Lundi Bleu (German Vocal Edit) / Lundi Bleu (Spanish Vocal Edit)

CD Creation Records (CRESCD114) 1992

Finnegan's BreakFinnegan's Break / Heartbroken Lost In Blue

7" Creation Records (CRE158) 1993

Finnegan's Break [Edit] / Heartbroken Lost In Blue / Soul Tight / Come Alive

12" Creation Records (CRE158T) 1993

CD Creation Records (CRESCD158) 1993

Baby GirlBaby Girl / The Colour Of My Love

7" Creation Records (CRE162) 1993

Baby Girl / The Colour Of My Love / Mash It Up / Primrose 0822

CD Creation Records (CRESCD162) 1993

Re-Issues

ee also

*Ed Ball (musician)
*Creation Records
*Television Personalities
*Scenes From Oblivion (soundtrack)

External links

* [http://www.televisionpersonalities.co.uk/edball.htm For more on The Times and Edward Ball ]
* [http://www.myspace.com/thetimeslondon The Times' myspace site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/thetimesupagainstit For more about The Times' Up Against It ]
* [http://www.myspace.com/thetimeseforedward Myspace site dedicated to "E For Edward" ]

References