The Times (band)

The Times are a British indie band, the brainchild of Ed Ball, co-founder member of the Television Personalities, Teenage Filmstars and 'O' Level.[1]

The Times
The Times, circa 1983. From L to R, John East, Simon Smith and Ed Ball. Photo by Ray Kent
Background information
OriginLondon, England
GenresPost-punk, indie, power pop
Years active1980–present
LabelsWhaam! Records
Associated actsTeenage Filmstars
'O' Level
Television Personalities
The Love Corporation
Websitewww.myspace.com/thetimeslondon
MembersEd Ball
Past membersJohn M East
Dan Treacy
Alan McGee
Ray Kent
Dick Green
Paul Damien
Paul Heeren
Simon Smith
Misty Woods

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.[2]

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.[3]

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.[4] Ball's songwriting took a more serious turn with "This Is London" (1983).[5] 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).[6] 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".[7]

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 New Order's "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

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

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

Singles
  • "Red with Purple Flashes" - 7", Whaam! (1981)
  • "Here Comes the Holidays" - 7", Artpop! (1982 - A-side credited to Joni Dee featuring The Times)
  • "I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape" - 7", Artpop! (1982)
  • "Boys Brigade" - 7", Artpop! (1984)
  • "Blue Fire" - 7", Artpop! (1984)
  • "London Boys" - 7", Unicorn (1986)
  • "Times TV" - 7", Fire Records (1986)
  • "Manchester" - 12"/CD, Creation Records (1990)
  • "The Mods Are Back!" - split 7", Caff Corporation (1990)
  • "Lundi Bleu" - 7"/12"/CD, Creation Records (1992)
  • "Finnegan's Break" - 7"/12", Creation Records (1993)
  • "Baby Girl" - 7"/CD, Creation Records (1993)

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
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See also

References
  1. "Edward Ball | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  2. "Ed Ball: Interview with the modernist musical alchemist". Creation Records. August 2005. Archived from the original on 4 November 2006. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
  3. "Pop Goes Art! - The Times | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  4. "The Times - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape". YouTube.
  5. "This Is London - The Times | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  6. "Enjoy/Up Against It - The Times | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  7. Ball, Edward (December 1989). "They Could Have Been Bigger Than Elvis A Ten Year History Of The Times, The TV Personalities, The Teenage Filmstars and O Level". Spiral Scratch No. 11. Archived from the original on 20 November 2006. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
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