Timex Social Club

Timex Social Club
Timex Social Club
Also known as	TSC; The Social Club; The Timex Crew;
Origin	Berkeley, California
Genres	R&B, new jack swing, dance, post-disco, soul
Years active	1982–1987
Labels	Jay Records/Danya/Fantasy Records
Past members	Marcus Thompson; Gregory "Greg B" Thomas; Michael Marshall; Ocea Savage; Craig Samuel; Darrien Cleage; Alex Hill; Kevin Moore;

Timex Social Club was an American contemporary R&B group, formed in 1982 and best known for the 1986 hit single "Rumors".

History

Originally known as the Timex Crew, members included Marcus Thompson (founder), Gregory "Greg B" Thomas, Michael Marshall, Craig Samuel, and Darrien Cleage. By 1986, Samuel, Cleage, and Thomas had departed, Alex Hill and Kevin Moore were added, and the name Timex Social Club was adopted. Oceasavage.com was also added in 1986 on keyboards and background vocals. They specialized in both old school hip hop and the merger of urban R&B with hip hop rhythms, which were later known as new jack swing.

In 1986, the group released the Vicious Rumors album on Danya/Fantasy Records (A&M in Canada; Mercury in Germany). Its one major hit, "Rumors", peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100; it reached #1, #13 in the UK,^[1] and #1 on US Billboard R&B, Hot Black Singles-Sales, Hot Black Singles-Airplay, US Hot Dance Club Play, and Hot Dance/Disco-12 inch Singles-Sales charts.

The two follow-up singles, "Thinkin' About Ya" and "Mixed-Up World", reached the R&B Top 20.

Tour

The success of the single "Rumors", prompted hip hop impresario Russell Simmons to hire the group as the opening act for 38 dates on Run DMC's Raising Hell tour in 1986. Other acts on the tour were Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, and Whodini. Besides solo dates, the group also opened for New Edition, Midnight Star, the S.O.S. Band, Kool & The Gang, and Jermaine Jackson.

Split

Timex Social Club disbanded shortly after the success of "Rumors". The band's producer and sideman Jay King formed Club Nouveau, whose first single was "Jealousy", an answer song to "Rumors" that references Timex Social Club's split. Club Nouveau subsequently had a #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit in 1987 with a cover of Bill Withers' "Lean on Me".

Revival

As of 2011, the current Timex Social Club roster consisted of founding member Marcus Thompson as DJ and Samuelle Prater on vocals.

Discography

Albums

Vicious Rumors (1986) - US R&B #29

Singles

Song	Chart Peak	Chart
Rumors	8, 1, 1, 13, 1	US, R&B, Dance, UK, CAN
Mixed Up World	15	R&B
Thinkin' About Ya	15	R&B^[2]

Awards and Nominations

Year	Source	Song	Result	Misc.
1986	Commendation	Rumors/Vicious Rumors	Awarded (key to city)	Mayor Richard L. Berkley Kansas City MO.
1986	Proclamation	Rumors/Vicious Rumors	Awarded	Governor John D. Ashcroft state of MO.
1986	Bay Area Top Star Music Awards	Rumors/Vicious Rumors	Awarded	-
1987	American Music Awards	Rumors/Vicious Rumors	Nominated	-
1987	Bammies/Bay Area Music Awards	Rumors/Vicious Rumors	Nominated	-
1987	Juno Awards (CANADA)	Rumors/Vicious Rumors	Nominated	-
1987	Soul Train Music Awards	Rumors/Vicious Rumors	Nominated	-

Books

I Heard It Through the Grapevine: Rumor in African-American Culture by Joseph Stone(1994)^[3]
Mad Season: (Changing Stations)] by Joseph Stone(2005)^[4]
Flashbacks to Happiness: Eighties Music Revisited by Randolph Michaels (2005)^[5]
How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story Of Timex Social Club by Marcus A. Thompson (2011)^[6]

TV & Film

References

^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 560. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
^ Timex Social Club- R&B chart placements @Billboard.com Retrieved 6-12-2011.
^ Turner, Patricia (1994). I Heard It Through the Grapevine: Rumor in African-American Culture. US. p. 260. ISBN 978-0-520-08936-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Stone, Joseph (2005). Mad Season: (Changing Stations). US. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-595-37007-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Michaels, Randolph (2005). Flashbacks to Happiness: Eighties Music Revisited. US. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-595-37007-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Thompson, Marcus (2011). How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story Of Timex Social Club. US. p. 176. ISBN 978-1-257-28542-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

External links

Timex Social Club at AllMusic
Official Website
Timex Social Club discography at Discogs
Timex Social Club Album and Chart History @ Billboard.com

[British_Hit_Singles_&_Albums-1] Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 560. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

[Billboard-2] Timex Social Club- R&B chart placements @Billboard.com Retrieved 6-12-2011.

[I_Heard_It_Through_the_Grapevine:_Rumor_in_African-American_Culture-3] Turner, Patricia (1994). I Heard It Through the Grapevine: Rumor in African-American Culture. US. p. 260. ISBN 978-0-520-08936-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[Mad_Season:(Changing_Stations)-4] Stone, Joseph (2005). Mad Season: (Changing Stations). US. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-595-37007-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[Flashbacks_to_Happiness:_Eighties_Music_Revisited-5] Michaels, Randolph (2005). Flashbacks to Happiness: Eighties Music Revisited. US. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-595-37007-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[How_Do_Rumors_Get_Started:_The_True_Story_Of_Timex_Social_Club-6] Thompson, Marcus (2011). How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story Of Timex Social Club. US. p. 176. ISBN 978-1-257-28542-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

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Artists	MusicBrainz