Timex Social Club
Timex Social Club is an American R&B group, formed in 1982 and best known for the 1986 hit single "Rumors".
Timex Social Club | |
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Also known as |
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Origin | Berkeley, California |
Genres | R&B, new jack swing, dance, post-disco, soul |
Years active | 1985–1987, 2011–present |
Labels | Jay Records/ Danya/ Fantasy Records |
Associated acts | Club Nouveau |
Members |
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Past members |
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History
Originally known as the Timex Crew, members included Marcus Thompson (founder), Gregory "Greg B" Thomas, Michael Marshall, Craig Samuel, and Darrien Cleage. By 1986, Samuel, Cleage, and Thomas had departed, Alex Hill and Kevin Moore were added, and the name Timex Social Club was adopted. Later in 1986, Ocea Savage was added on keyboards and background vocals. They specialized in both old school hip hop and the merger of urban R&B with hip hop rhythms, which was later known as new jack swing.
In 1986, the group released the Vicious Rumors album on Danya/Fantasy Records (A&M in Canada; Mercury in Germany). Its one major hit, "Rumors", peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100; it reached #1, #13 in the UK,[1] and No. 1 on the Billboard R&B, Hot Dance Club Play, and Hot Dance/Disco-12 inch Singles-Sales charts.
The two follow-up singles, "Thinkin' About Ya" and "Mixed-Up World", reached the R&B Top 20.
Tours
The success of the single "Rumors", prompted hip hop impresario Russell Simmons to hire the group as the opening act for 38 dates on Run DMC's Raising Hell tour in 1986. Other acts on the tour were Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, and Whodini. Besides solo dates, the group also opened for New Edition, Midnight Star, the S.O.S. Band, Kool & The Gang, and Jermaine Jackson.
Split
Timex Social Club disbanded shortly after the success of "Rumors". The band's producer and sideman Jay King formed Club Nouveau, whose first single was "Jealousy", an answer song to "Rumors" that references Timex Social Club's split. Club Nouveau subsequently had a #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit in 1987 with a cover of Bill Withers' "Lean on Me".
Revival
As of 2011, the current Timex Social Club roster consisted of founding member Marcus Thompson as DJ and Samuelle Prater on vocals.
Discography
Albums
- Vicious Rumors (1986) - US R&B #29
Awards and nominations
Year | Source | Song | Result | Misc. |
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1986 | ||||
1986 | ||||
1986 | "Rumors"/Vicious Rumors | Awarded (key to city) | ||
1986 | "Rumors"/Vicious Rumors | |||
1986 | ||||
1986 | "Rumors"/Vicious Rumors | |||
1987 | "Rumors"/Vicious Rumors | |||
1987 | "Rumors"/Vicious Rumors | |||
1987 | "Rumors"/Vicious Rumors | |||
1987 | "Rumors"/Vicious Rumors |
Books
- I Heard It Through the Grapevine: Rumor in African-American Culture by Joseph Stone(1994)[3]
- Mad Season: (Changing Stations)] by Joseph Stone(2005)[4]
- Flashbacks to Happiness: Eighties Music Revisited by Randolph Michaels (2005)[5]
- How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story of Timex Social Club by Marcus A. Thompson (2011)[6]
TV and film
- 1986: Modern Girls
- 2004: The Hills (season 4), MTV
- 2017: The New Edition Story, BET
See also
- List of number-one hits (United States)
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
- List of bands from the San Francisco Bay Area
- Timex
- Social club
References
- Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 560. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- Timex Social Club- R&B chart placements @Billboard.com Retrieved 6-12-2011.
- Turner, Patricia (1994). I Heard It Through the Grapevine: Rumor in African-American Culture. US. p. 260. ISBN 978-0-520-08936-5.
- Stone, Joseph (2005). Mad Season: (Changing Stations). US. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-595-37007-8.
- Michaels, Randolph (2005). Flashbacks to Happiness: Eighties Music Revisited. US. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-595-37007-8.
- Thompson, Marcus (2011). How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story of Timex Social Club. US. p. 176. ISBN 978-1-257-28542-6.