Where Did It All Start? - Television Personalities

Television Personalities
Daniel Treacy is a genius. This is a fact. He is responsible for some of the most sublime and beautiful music ever released. Most people in this country have never heard of him.
My elder brother went away to University back in 1980 and in doing so, left his record collection at home and therefore at my disposal. In amongst the myriad of 7" punk singles I found a record entitled 'Where's Bill Grundy Now? EP' by a band called Television Personalities. I liked the cover and the fact that the first track was called Part Time Punks. I popped it onto the ancient Grundig stereo in my brothers' room and proceeded to play it over and over and over again. This was magnificent! Lyrically both sarcastic and witty, very tuneful even though practically everything was out of tune and wonderfully inventive. This track stood head and shoulders above most of the '1,2,3,4..' stuff that was passing itself off as 'alternative' music in those days. I liked it nearly as much as my Dundee United/Hull City/Wolverhampton Wanderers three for one subbuteo team. I was 12 years old.
Fast forward to 1984, the dark Thatcher days of a bleak and depressed Britain (there was certainly very little ‘Great’ about it at that point in its’ history) and to the basement of Sydney Scarboroughs record store in Kingston-Upon-Hull. Having now progressed to having my own records, I was keen to add to my collection and was idly flicking through the ‘indie’ section seeking inspiration. The last copy of ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’ by The Jazz Butcher had been pilfered before my very eyes by some psychobilly variant (bugger off back to The Stingrays section you mutant!) and I WAS NOT HAPPY! A replacement fix was required sharpish.
I came across a stark black cover with four earnest looking men, two in shades two without, staring blankly out at me. There was no indication as to who the band where or the name of the record. I was intrigued enough to pick it up and flip the cover over to find that this was a record by Television Personalities called 'The Painted Word.' ‘I loved that ‘Bill Grundy’ EP’, I mused, ‘shall I buy it or that Diagram Brothers 12” and six cans of Stryke lager (you could tell how crap the lager was because they spelt the name like some dreadful metal band - but, at 37p a throw I was prepared to liquid headbang. I was morally bankrupt and easily corruptible as I’m sure you can tell) on the way home?.’ I purchased ‘The Painted Word.’
‘Sometimes just to see you smile would make it all worthwhile..’
These were the first words sung by Dan Treacy on the first track ‘Stop and Smell the Roses.’ We were in personal angst territory here and I loved every single minute of it. That evening was one of those balmy summers evenings that we seemed to get a lot of back in the day (you know, pre global warming and Eamonn Holmes) as we waited for the pubs to open (yes, you read it correctly! 7 O’bloody clock! How extremely draconian is that?? Thatchers’ miserable sodding Britain!!.) My friend, Mr J Watson esq and myself were sat on the window sill in my bedroom with our legs dangling out of the window, cans of Challenge bitter (34p a can!! Have some of that Mr Stryke metal band crap lager man!) clutched in our hands. ‘ I bought this record by a group called Television Personalities today’ I said, ‘put it on then Heath, we’ll have a listen’ Mr J Watson esq replied.
Approximately an hour later we were gob smacked. The Challenge had been consumed and the cigarettes smoked. That record was simply unlike anything else we had ever heard. From the minimal musical arrangements (Listen, I didn’t even know what a Velvet Undergound was in those days) to Dan’s lyrics veering from council estate misery (‘Paradise Estate’) to nuclear disarmament (‘A Sense of Belonging’) to the loss of childhood innocence (‘Bright Sunny Smiles’) to heartwrenching longing (‘Someone to Share My Life With’) to the insanity of Vietnam (‘Back to Vietnam’) this was one unforgettable journey. I never ever looked back. I was 16 years old.

Next came the wonderful ‘How I Learnt To Love The Bomb’ 12” backed with ‘Now You’re Just Being Ridiculous’ and ‘God Snaps His Fingers.’ Bizarrely, the title track was re-recorded (and got even better!) and released as a 7” with two new b sides, ‘The Grocers’ Daughter’, dedicated to that lovely Mrs Thatcher and the bouncy ‘Girl Called Charity.’ Both records and all tracks are essential. At this point, I started buying up as much of the old material as I could. The track ‘Silly Girl’ from the ‘…And Don’t The Kids Just Love It’ album being a particular favourite. I don’t think I’ve heard another record reference Cheshire’s’ finest railway settlement Crewe before. ‘..You ran away on a train to Crewe/Such a silly thing to do’ - well, you can’t exactly argue with him can you?
The Televison Personalities, as has been documented elsewhere, have been an enormous influence on the indie scene over the years. Alan McGee was inspired enough to start Creation Records after Dan formed his own Whaaam! Label. They continued to put out records on an irregular basis over the years including the quite sublime (and well produced!) ‘Privilege’ and the double album ‘Closer To God.’ Both absolutely essential.
The good news is that they are, after 11 years and countless rumours of Dan Treacys’ demise, back with a fantastic new lp ‘My Dark Places.’ Do yourself a favour and buy it, it is as wonderfully addictive (and lo-fi!) as ever!! A friend of mine once perceptively told me that 'Part Time Punks' was indie year zero, I think he was right. I am 38 years old.