T. V. Smith
| T.V. Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Tim Smith |
| Born | 5 April 1956 |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Labels | Cooking Vinyl, Cherry Red |
| Associated acts |
The Adverts T.V. Smith's Explorers Cheap |
| Website | www.tvsmith.com |
T. V. Smith (born Tim Smith, 5 April 1956, Romford, England) is an English punk rock singer-songwriter, who was part of the band The Adverts in the late 1970s. Since then, he has played with other bands, as well as pursuing a critically acclaimed solo career.[1]
Biography
T. V. Smith and Gaye Black (aka Gaye Advert) both moved from Bideford, a small coastal town in Devon, to form punk band The Adverts in London in 1976.[2][3] They were later married.[3]
The Adverts were best known for their 1977 single "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" and a critically acclaimed debut album. Following an unsuccessful follow-up album, The Adverts split up in November 1979, and Smith formed a new band, T.V. Smith's Explorers. The Explorers released debut single "Tomahawk Cruise", a response to the installation of BGM-109 Tomahawk Cruise missiles on UK soil, followed by an album, The Last Words of the Great Explorer, which failed to achieve commercial success.
Smith then recorded as a solo artist, releasing the album Channel Five in 1983.[4]
Smith's next band was Cheap. They toured the UK and Europe from 1986 to 1991 and recorded the politically charged single "Third Term", released in 1990. Cheap also recorded a 'Peel Session' for the BBC. However, they failed to find commercial backing for their album RIP...Everything Must Go, and it was finally released in 1993, after the band had split up.[4]
Smith went solo again and continues as such today, recording and performing his own songs, often with the backing of a variety of other bands, particularly while touring abroad. This includes Germany's Die Toten Hosen, Finland's Punk Lurex OK, The United States' Midnight Creeps, and Spain's Suzy & Los Quattro.
In 2005, he joined the American punk band Amen on their UK tour. As well as supporting, he joined Amen on stage for several covers of Adverts songs, such as "One Chord Wonders", and "Gary Gilmore's Eyes". Casey Chaos, lead singer, is a lifelong fan of The Adverts, and referenced them in the song "Hello (One Chord Lovers)".
In 2006 Smith contributed vocals to the song "Ein Jahr(es geht voran)" on Fehlfarben's album 261⁄2. The same year saw his first release on Boss Tuneage records, a working relationship which has continued to the present day. In 2010 a series of re-issue CDs began with 'Sparkle In The Mud',[5] a compilation of previously unreleased material from the early-1980s period.
In 2012, Smith was the subject of a BBC4 documentary on his career as a singer-songwriter,[6] credited with renewing public interest in his work.[7]
Discography
with The Adverts
with T.V. Smith's Explorers
Albums
- The Last Words of the Great Explorer (1981), Kaleidoscope Sound/Epic
Singles
- "Tomahawk Cruise" (1980), Big Beat
- "The Servant" (1981), Kaleidoscope Sound
- "Have Fun" (1981), Kaleidoscope Sound
- "The Perfect Life" (1981), Kaleidoscope Sound
Solo
Albums
- Channel Five (1983), Expulsion
- March of the Giants (1992), Cooking Vinyl
- Immortal Rich (1995), Humbug
- Generation Y (1999), Cherry Red
- Useless - the Very Best of T.V. Smith (2001), JKP, (one new song plus re-recordings with Die Toten Hosen as backing band)
- Not A Bad Day (2003), TVS
- Misinformation Overload (2006), Boss Tuneage
- T.V. Smith & The Bored Teenagers Perform Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts Live At The 100 Club London (2007), Boss Tuneage
- In The Arms Of My Enemy (2008), Boss Tuneage
- Live at the N. V. A. Ludwigsfelde, Germany (2009), Boss Tuneage
- Sparkle In The Mud (2010, recorded 1979-1983), Boss Tuneage
- Coming In To Land (2011), Boss Tuneage
- Lucky Us (2012, recorded 1983-1986), Boss Tuneage
- Acoustic Sessions Volume 1 (2013), TVSmith
Singles
- "War Fever" (1983), Expulsion
- "Coming Round" (1985), Production House
- "We Want The Road" (1994), Humbug
- "Thin Green Line" (1996), Humbug - (with Tom Robinson)
- "The Future Used To Be Better" (2000), Teenage Rebel - (with Punk Lurex OK)
- "What If?" (2003), No Tomorrow - (with Suzy & Los Quattro)
- "Punk Aid" (2003) - (with various punk luminaries led by Captain Sensible)
- "Xmas Bloody Xmas" (2004), Damaged Goods - (with Vom Ritchie - drummer from Die Toten Hosen, and Tim Cross)
with T.V. Smith's Cheap
Albums
- Everything Must Go! (1993), Humbug
Singles
- "Third Term" (1990), Deltic
Bibliography
- T. V. Smith: Getting There – Punk Rock Tour Diaries: Volume One. Arima, Suffolk 2006, ISBN 978-1-84549-128-4.
- T. V. Smith: How to Feel Human – Punk Rock Tour Diaries: Volume Two. Arima, Suffolk 2009, ISBN 978-1-84549-360-8.
- T. V. Smith: Tales of the Emergency Sandwich – Punk Rock Tour Diaries: Volume Three. Arima, Suffolk 2012, ISBN 978-1-84549-552-7.
References
- ↑ Thompson, Dave. "Biography: TV Smith". AMG. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
- ↑ Joynson, Vernon (2001). Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk. Wolverhampton: Borderline Publications. p. 27. ISBN 1-899855-13-0.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Strong, M.C. (2003). The Great Indie Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate. p. 4. ISBN 1-84195-335-0.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0, p. 4-5
- ↑ "Sparkle In The Mud - Record Collector Magazine". Recordcollectormag.com. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ↑ "BBC Four - We Who Wait: TV Smith & the Adverts". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-06-04. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
- ↑ "Boss Tuneage Store — TV Smith - Lucky Us: Unreleased Songs And Demos Volume 2 1983-1986 CD". Bosstuneage.bigcartel.com. Retrieved 2013-09-01.
External links
Video
- PUNKCAST#176 live @ Sidewalk Cafe NYC on July 7, 2002 (RealPlayer)
- PUNKCAST#339 live w/the Midnight Creeps @ Knitting Factory NYC on October 9, 2003 (RealPlayer)
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