T. V. Smith
Encyclopedia
T. V. Smith is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

 singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...

, who was part of the band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...

 The Adverts
The Adverts
The Adverts were an English punk band who formed in 1976 and broke up in late 1979. They were one of the first punk bands to enjoy chart success in the UK, and their line-up included Gaye Advert, whom The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music called the "first female punk star".-Career:The band was...

 in the late 1970s. Since then, he has played with other bands, as well as pursuing solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...

 work.

Biography

He rose to prominence as the singer and songwriter of the punk band The Adverts, who are best known for their 1977 single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

 "Gary Gilmore's Eyes". When The Adverts split up in November 1979, Smith formed a new band, T.V. Smith's Explorers. They released a single called "Tomahawk Cruise" (a reference to the BGM-109 Tomahawk
BGM-109 Tomahawk
The Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile. Introduced by General Dynamics in the 1970s, it was designed as a medium- to long-range, low-altitude missile that could be launched from a surface platform. It has been improved several times and, by way of corporate divestitures...

 Cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...

s) on the independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...

, Chiswick Records
Chiswick Records
Chiswick Records was a British record company. Chiswick was the "first true 'indie' label" to be established in Britain for nearly a decade". The label has been described as "significant" in the "punk era"...

. The band recorded the album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...

 The Last Words of the Great Explorer, but it failed to achieve commercial success.

Smith then recorded as a solo artist, releasing the album Channel Five in 1983.

Smith's next band was named Cheap (T. V. Smith: Vocals, Mik Heslin: Guitar, Andy Bennie: Bass, Howard Martin Deniz: Drums). They toured from 1986 to 1991 all over Britain and included visits to Holland and France and released the politically charged single "Third Term". They also did a 'John Peel session' for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

 at the Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios is a complex of seven BBC studios on Delaware Road, Maida Vale, London.It has been used to record thousands of classical music, popular music and drama sessions for BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4 from 1946 to the present...

. However, Cheap failed to find commercial backing for their album RIP...Everything Must Go. It was finally released in 1993.

Smith again went solo and continues to perform as a solo artist today, recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...

 and performing his own song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...

s, often with the backing of a variety of other bands from around the world. This includes Germany's Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...

, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

's Punk Lurex OK, The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

' Midnight Creeps, and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

's Suzy & Los Quattro. His album Misinformation Overload was released in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, Spain and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 in 2006.

In 2005, he joined the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 punk band Amen
Amen (band)
Amen is a hardcore punk-influenced band formed in 1994.The band has an almost constantly rotating lineup, with founder Casey Chaos remaining as the only constant member throughout...

 on their UK tour. As well as supporting, he joined the band on stage for several covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...

 of songs by the Adverts, such as "One Chord Wonders", and "Gary Gilmore's Eyes". Casey Chaos
Casey Chaos
Casey Chaos is the frontman and guitarist of punk rock band Amen. After numerous line-up changes he is the only remaining founding member of the band. He is known for his energetic stage performance...

, lead singer of Amen, is a life-long fan
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...

 of The Adverts, and has even referenced them in a song title on the latest Amen album, Death Before Musick
Death Before Musick
Death Before Musick by Amen was released on EatUrMusic/Columbia/Sony on 18 May 2004. The album, like the band's previous records, belongs to the hardcore and punk genres and draws on heavy metal as influence.-Track listing:All tracks by Casey Chaos...

. The song is called "Hello (One Chord Lovers)".

In 2006 he contributed vocals to the song "Ein Jahr(es geht voran)" on the band Fehlfarben
Fehlfarben
Fehlfarben is a German post-punk band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The band name is from a German printing term referring to erroneous colors in prints: singer Peter Hein was in this line of work at Xerox while in the band...

's album 26.

Singles

  • "Tomahawk Cruise" (1980), Big Beat
  • "The Servant" (1981), Kaleidoscope Sound
  • "Have Fun" (1981), Kaleidoscope Sound
  • "The Perfect Life" (1981), Kaleidoscope Sound

Albums

  • Channel Five (1983), Expulsion
  • March of the Giants (1992), Cooking Vinyl
  • Immortal Rich (1995), Humbug
  • Generation Y (1999), Cherry Red
  • Not A Bad Day (2003)
  • Misinformation Overload (2006)
  • T.V. Smith & The Bored Teenagers Perform Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts Live At The 100 Club London 5 April 2007 (2007) - Live CD
  • In The Arms Of My Enemy (2008)
  • Live at the N. V. A. Ludwigsfelde, Germany (2009)
  • Sparkle in the Mud (2010)
  • Coming In to Land (2011), Boss Tuneage


Compilations:
  • Useless - the Very Best of T.V. Smith (2001), JKP - German-only release, recorded with Die Toten Hosen
    Die Toten Hosen
    Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...

     as backing band

Singles

  • "War Fever" (1983), Expulsion
  • "Coming Round" (1985), Production House
  • "We Want The Road" (1994)
  • "Thin Green Line" (1996), Humbug
  • "What If?" (2003) - 7" single recorded with Spain's Suzy & Los Quattro
  • Punk Aid (2003) - CD Single with various punk luminaries led by Captain Sensible
    Captain Sensible
    Captain Sensible is a singer, songwriter, guitarist who grew up in Croydon, England, and co-founded the punk rock band The Damned in 1976. After leaving the band, he reinvented himself as an alternative pop singer with a rebellious, self-conscious image...

  • Xmas Bloody Xmas (2004) - CD single with Vom Ritchie, Drummer from Die Toten Hosen / Tim Cross

External links


Interview links


Video

  • PUNKCAST#176 live @ Sidewalk Cafe NYC on July 7, 2002 (RealPlayer
    RealPlayer
    RealPlayer is a cross-platform media player by RealNetworks that plays a number of multimedia formats including MP3, MPEG-4, QuickTime, Windows Media, and multiple versions of proprietary RealAudio and RealVideo formats.-History:...

    )
  • PUNKCAST#339 live w/the Midnight Creeps @ Knitting Factory NYC on October 9, 2003 (RealPlayer
    RealPlayer
    RealPlayer is a cross-platform media player by RealNetworks that plays a number of multimedia formats including MP3, MPEG-4, QuickTime, Windows Media, and multiple versions of proprietary RealAudio and RealVideo formats.-History:...

    )
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