Timex Social Club
Timex Social Club | |
|---|---|
| Also known as |
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| Origin | Berkeley, California, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, new jack swing |
| Years active | 1985–1987, 2011–present |
| Labels | Jay Records, Danya, Fantasy Records |
| Spinoffs | Club Nouveau |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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Timex Social Club is an American R&B group, formed in 1983 and best known for the 1986 hit single "Rumors".[1]
History
Originally known as the Timex Crew, members included Marcus Thompson (founding member), 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[1] They fused funk rap and urban R&B.
The group's major hit, "Rumors", reached number one on Billboard's Hot Black Singles, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance/Disco 12 Inch Singles Sales charts and peaked at number eight on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart and number 13 in the UK,[2][3]
Recording
Thompson, Hill and Marshall wrote the song "Rumors" in 1983. The lyrics Thompson wrote were inspired by student life at Berkeley High School.[4] In late 1985, aspiring Sacramento-area producer and promoter Jay King heard the demo and arranged for Timex Social Club to record it at Starlight studios in Richmond, CA.[5] "Rumors" was released as a seven and a twelve-inch single on King's fledgling Jay Records and distributed by Macola Records.[5]
By May of 1986, while "Rumors" was rising on the charts, the unsigned group recorded an album with Danya Records.[6][5] The album Vicious Rumors was recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, CA and distributed by Fantasy Records in the US (A&M in Canada; Mercury in Europe; CBS/Sony in Japan) and produced by Jay Logan.[4] "Rumors" was re-recorded for the album[4] and a music video was made to this new version. Two follow-up singles, "Thinkin' About Ya" and "Mixed-Up World", both reached number 15 on the Black Singles chart.[3][7] As "Rumors" became popular outside of the US in the fall of 1986, it was this re-recorded version that charted in Canada and Europe.
The album debuted on Billboard's Black Albums chart on 6 December 1986 and peaked at number 29 (on 21 March 1987), but failed to chart on the Billboard 200 albums chart.[3]
Touring
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.[8] 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.[9]
Split
Timex Social Club disbanded in 1987, shortly after the success of "Rumors".[10]
Revival
As of 2025, the Timex Social Club roster consists of founding member Marcus Thompson as DJ, Samuelle and Val Watson on vocals.
Book
In 2011, Thompson authored "How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story of Timex Social Club", his history of the group and his take on the rap music scene in the mid 1980s.
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album | US R&B [11] |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Vicious Rumors | 29 |
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 100 [7] |
US R&B [7] |
US Dance [7] |
CAN |
UK [12] | ||
| 1986 | "Rumors" | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| "Mixed Up World" | — | 15 | — | — | 81 | |
| "Thinkin' About Ya" | — | 15 | ― | — | ― | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||
Awards and nominations
| Year | Source[9] | Song | Result | Misc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | CRIA/Music Canada |
"Rumors" |
Gold single |
Certification/Label A&M
|
| 1986 | CRIA/Music Canada |
"Rumors" |
Platinum single |
Certification/Label A&M
|
| 1986 | Commendation |
"Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Awarded (key to city) | Mayor Richard L. Berkley Kansas City MO.
|
| 1986 | "Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Won |
Governor John D. Ashcroft state of MO.
| |
| 1986 | The 1986 NARM Awards |
"Rumors" |
Won |
Best Selling New Artist
|
| 1986 | Bay Area Top Star Music Awards |
"Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Won |
—
|
| 1987 | "Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Nominated |
—
| |
| 1987 | Bammies/Bay Area Music Awards |
"Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Nominated |
—
|
| 1987 | Juno Awards (CANADA) |
"Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Nominated |
—
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| 1987 | "Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Nominated |
—
|
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
References
- ^ a b Wynn, Ron. "Timex Social Club - Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 560. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ a b c Billboard magazine archives.
- ^ a b c Gross, Jonathan (February 1987). "Cold Busted: Timex Social Club Takes a Licking and Stops Ticking". Flash. Spin. Vol. 2, no. 11. Bob Guccione, Jr. p. 10. ISSN 0886-3032.
- ^ a b c Goodman, Fred (August 23, 1986). "A Hit Single on a Shoestring: Jay King Produced Timex's 'Rumors'". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 34. p. 79. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ Chin, Brian (July 12, 1986). "Rumors Surround Timex Social Club: Splinter Group—Jet Set—Forms". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 28. p. 24. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ a b c d "Timex Social Club Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ Michaels, Randolph (2005). Flashbacks to Happiness: Eighties Music Revisited. US: iUniverse. pp. 196, 198. ISBN 978-0-595-37007-8.
- ^ a b Thompson, Marcus (2011). How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story of Timex Social Club. US: Self-published. pp. 6, 173. ISBN 978-1-257-28542-6.
- ^ Wynn, Ron (2003). "Timex Social Club". In Bogdanov, Vladimir (ed.). All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul. All Media Guide. Backbeat Books. p. unk. ISBN 9781617134968.
- ^ "Timex Social Club - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ "TIMEX SOCIAL CLUB - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
Further reading
- Thompson, Marcus A. (2011). How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story of Timex Social Club. US: Self-published. ISBN 978-1329954939.
- Turner, Patricia A. (1993). I Heard It Through the Grapevine: Rumor in African-American Culture. Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press. p. 260. ISBN 978-0-520-08936-5.
- Stone, Joseph (2005). Mad Season: (Changing Stations). p. 220.
External links
- Timex Social Club at AllMusic
- Official Website
- Timex Social Club discography at Discogs
- Timex Social Club 1st Radio Interview Pt.1. Interviewed by Douglas, Natty Prep – via YouTube.com.
- Timex Social Club 1st Radio Interview Pt.2. Interviewed by Douglas, Natty Prep – via YouTube.com.