Group
Television Personalities
- From
- London, United Kingdom
- Since
- 1977–present
- Rating
- ★ 5
- Releases
- 59
- post-punk
- indie pop
- neo-psychedelia
- psychedelic pop
- art punk
- lo-fi
- twee pop
About
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 (ex-Swell Maps), with Jeffrey Bloom from 1983 to 1994. Treacy, Head and Bloom formed the longest unchanged line-up.
Read more
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.
Members
-
Mark Sheppard drums (drum set)
Discography
Albums
-
…and Don’t the Kids Just Love It
-
They Could Have Been Bigger Than the Beatles Apple Music
-
Mummy Your Not Watching Me Apple Music
-
The Painted Word
-
Privilege Apple Music
-
Closer to God Apple Music
-
I Was a Mod Before You Was a Mod Apple Music
-
Don't Cry Baby... It's Only a Movie
-
My Dark Places Apple Music
-
Are We Nearly There Yet? Apple Music
-
A Memory Is Better Than Nothing Apple Music
-
Beautiful Despair Apple Music
EPs
Singles
-
People Think That We're Strange Apple Music
-
The Good Anarchist Apple Music
-
She Can Stop Traffic
-
All the Young Children on Crack
-
When I Grow Up I Want to Be...
-
Do You Think If You Were Beautiful You'd Be Happy?
-
Goodnight Mr Spaceman
-
We Will Be Your Gurus
-
I Still Believe in Magic
-
Blow / Stop and Smell the Roses
-
A Sense of Belonging
-
Biff Bang Pow!
-
I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives / Arthur the Gardener
-
Smashing Time!
-
14th Floor / Oxford St., W1
Live
Compilations
-
Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out - Radio Sessions 1980-1993
-
Some Kind of Happiness: Singles 1994–1999
-
Some Kind of Happening: Singles 1978-1989
-
Some Kind of Trip: Singles 1990–1994
-
Singles 1978-1987
-
And They All Lived Happily Ever After Apple Music
-
Fashion Conscious: The Little Teddy Years
-
The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming Apple Music
-
Part Time Punks: The Very Best of Television Personalities
-
Prime Time Televison Personalities 1981 - 1992
-
Yes Darling, but Is It Art?
Links
Listen
Official
Social
Concerts
Also known as
TV Personalities · The T.V. Personalities · The Television Personalities
Tags
- british
- diy
- rough trade
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- 62c2cd94-30a8-43ed-9d06-8f689111c69c
- ISNI
- 0000000114860034
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 13 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.