Television Personalities - Topic

Television Personalities are an English post-punk band formed in 1977 in London by front man and singer-songwriter Dan Treacy. Their varied career also encompasses neo-psychedelia and indie pop; the only constant being Treacy's songwriting, with the band being best known for their early single "Part Time Punks", a favourite of John Peel. Present and former members include Chelsea childhood friends 'Slaughter Joe' Joe Foster, one-time best friend Ed Ball and Jowe Head, with Jeffrey Bloom from 1983 to 1994. Treacy, Head and Bloom formed the longest unchanged line-up.
Though experiencing relatively minor commercial success, the TVP's have been highly regarded by critics as pioneers of early DIY music and proven to be widely influential on the C86 and twee generation, as well as Creation Records and American artists like Pavement and MGMT. In 1984, Pink Floyd's David Gilmour invited the TVP's to open for him. Kurt Cobain later invited the band to open for Nirvana in London on 5 November 1991. Treacy's unconventional but dryly witty and British pop culture-infused lyrics, have led to his reputation as a seminal and iconic figure within the independent music scene.