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:The Times (band)

{{Short description|British band}}

{{distinguish|The Times showband}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = The Times

| image = the times.jpg

| caption = The Times circa 1983. L-R: John East, Simon Smith and Ed Ball

| origin = London, England

| genre = Post-punk, indie, power pop

| years_active = 1980–present

| label = Whaam! Records

| associated_acts = Teenage Filmstars
'O' Level
Television Personalities
The Love Corporation

| website = {{url|myspace.com/thetimeslondon}}

| current_members = Ed Ball

| past_members = John M East
Dan Treacy
Alan McGee
Ray Kent
Dick Green
Paul Damien
Paul Heeren
Simon Smith
Misty Woods

}}

The Times are a British indie band, the brainchild of Ed Ball, co-founder member of the Television Personalities, Teenage Filmstars and 'O' Level.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/edward-ball-mn0001009756/biography|title=Edward Ball | Biography & History|website=AllMusic}}

Whaam! Records 1981–1982

After releasing a string of 7-inch 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 =

| title =Ed Ball: Interview with the modernist musical alchemist.

| publisher =Creation Records

| date =August 2005

| url =http://www.creation-records.com/edball.html

| doi =

| accessdate =29 March 2007 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20061104062420/http://www.creation-records.com/edball.html |archivedate = 4 November 2006}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/pop-goes-art!-mw0000796540|title=Pop Goes Art! – The Times | Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic}}

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 =

| title =The Times – I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape

| publisher =YouTube

| date =

| url =https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzUCCl9YaBQ

| doi =

| accessdate = }} Ball's songwriting took a more serious turn with "This Is London" (1983).{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-is-london-mw0000465993|title=This Is London – The Times | Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic}} 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. This culminated with the Times' fifth album "Up Against It" (1985).{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/enjoy-up-against-it-mw0000796539|title=Enjoy/Up Against It – The Times | Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic}}

Discography

right

= Studio albums =

= Compilations =

  • Pink Ball Brown Ball Ed Ball – July 1991
  • Welcome to the Wonderful World of Ed Ball – March 1995
  • Here's to Old England! – October 2005

= Live albums =

= EPs =

  • I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape (November 1983) [Reissued 2006 with extra tracks]
  • Blue Period (March 1985)
  • Boys About Town EP – 12-inch, Artpop! (1985)
  • Times TV – 12-inch, Fire Records (1986)

= Singles =

  • "Red with Purple Flashes" – 7-inch, Whaam! (1981)
  • "Here Comes the Holidays" – 7-inch, Artpop! (1982 – A-side credited to Joni Dee featuring The Times)
  • "I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape" – 7-inch, Artpop! (1982)
  • "Boys Brigade" – 7-inch, Artpop! (1984)
  • "Blue Fire" – 7-inch, Artpop! (1984)
  • "London Boys" – 7-inch, Unicorn (1986)
  • "Times TV" – 7-inch, Fire Records (1986)
  • "Manchester" – 12-inch/CD, Creation Records (2008)
  • "The Mods Are Back!" – split 7-inch, Caff Corporation (2008)
  • "Lundi Bleu" – 7-inch/12"/CD, Creation Records (2010)
  • "Finnegan's Break" – 7-inch/12", Creation Records (2011)
  • "Baby Girl" – 7-inch/CD, Creation Records (2011)

= Compilation appearances =

  • A Splash of Colour – "I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape" (1981), WEA Records
  • The Countdown Compilation (5-4-3-2-1 Go!) – "Whatever Happened to Thames Beat" (1985), Countdown

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.televisionpersonalities.co.uk/edball.htm The Times and Edward Ball page at Television Personalities site]
  • [http://www.myspace.com/thetimeslondon The Times' Myspace]
  • [http://www.myspace.com/thetimesupagainstit Myspace page on 'Up Against It']
  • [http://www.myspace.com/thetimeseforedward Myspace page on 'E for Edward']

{{The Times (band)|The Times}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:English post-punk music groups

Category:Creation Records artists

Category:Musical groups established in 1980

Category:British indie pop groups

Category:Indie rock groups from London