Television Personalities + Cult Figures

Information

Pop Mutations presents:
Television Personalities

• Cult Figues
• Big Lanes
  Saturday 7th December
  Mono
  18+

Television Personalities -
Television Personalities were created in 1978 when singer/songwriter Dan Treacy borrowed some money from his mum – and together with best friend Ed Ball, recorded and pressed a couple of hundred copies of two singles, 14th Floor and Part Time Punks. John Peel played both extensively. The songs perfectly captured the post-punk zeitgeist and Treacy had to get many more copies pressed to keep up with demand.

Over the next few decades the line-up of the band changed many times, but they would go on to release a large catalogue of beautifully crafted songs about love, war and the human condition that would endear them to many - and influence an ever-growing number of musicians and those in the music business including Kurt Cobain, MGMT, Alan McGee and Evan Dando.

After suffering from an aneurysm in 2011, Dan Treacy was confined to a nursing home unable to perform.

In 2018, several former band members got together to perform a series of benefit gigs and now four of those former members, Dave Musker, Jeff Bloom, Mike Stone and Lee McFadden continue to perform as Television Personalities to showcase the amazing songwriting talent of Dan Treacy. Dan is still a member of the band in his absence and as such a proportion of band earnings go towards his medical care and/or a charity of the choice of his family.

Cult Figures -
Cult Figures were formed in Birmingham as a duo in 1977 by Gary Jones and Tim Wilday. Gary could sing and play guitar – and Tim became the drummer by default when Rick Buckler gave him his drumsticks backstage at a Jam gig. Tim lasted only a short while before the band realised that being given a pair of sticks doesn’t make you a drummer – and Gary carried on fronting the band with a conveyor belt of pals (including a certain Roger Taylor who later found obscurity in Duran Duran) before teaming up with Roger’s school pal, Jon Hodgson.
Gary and Jon resumed the original duo set up of Cult Figures and became friends with legendary post-punk noise merchants Swell Maps – who offered to release their first single “Zip Nolan” in 1979 and play as their backing band (although this wasn’t revealed at the time). That single is still revered by punk fans to this day and was a regular John Peel favourite.
The follow-up single in 1980 – “In Love EP” – another Swell Maps label release – unveiled a full four-piece Cult Figures – including Martin Hughes on bass and Alan “Jock” Rodger” on drums (just after a stint with Spizz Energi). Swell Maps broke up shortly after the record’s release and for a time, Cult Figures were left rudderless. A document of this time was later released as a live album – “Live At The Cedar Club 6.5.80” – a tragi-comic recording of a band playing to an audience of GBH fans that barely acknowledged them. The band inevitably split.
A full 35 years later the 4-piece reformed – recording and releasing the “War On Fun” EP – 4 songs originally played live during 1979/80. The band made their live comeback in May 2016, but by the following July Martin Hughes made way for Lee McFadden on bass. Barney Russell joined the group on guitar and Omnichord the following November, and at the beginning of 2017 Jock Rodger decided to step down to be replaced by Stuart Hilton.
This line up (including Jock on some tracks) recorded the group’s first album – “The 166 Ploughs A Lonely Furrow” – more re-recordings of songs written and played live during 79-80. Once this line was drawn the band released “Deritend” in 2021 – a whole set of new material that at least equalled – if not surpassed – the older familiar tracks – and was widely critically acclaimed – Stewart Lee named it as one of his albums of the year. Barney Russel left the band in December 2021, and tragically, founder Gary Jones succumbed to cancer in March 2022. 4 months earlier, knowing that he couldn’t continue, Gary suggested offering the singer’s role to friend and fan, Fraser Gillespie – who at this point had never played a gig in his life. Steve May became the new guitarist in January 2022.
The line up of Jon, Fraser, Lee, Steve and Stuart released the third Cult Figures album “Between Us And Heaven” and have received plaudits and BBC6Music airplay courtesy of Riley & Coe. Their releases are available on bandcamp and are ready to play anywhere near you!!!
Cult Figures. It’s A Thing.