Timex Social Club
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Timex Social Club is an American R&B group, formed in 1983 and best known for the 1986 hit single "Rumors".[1]
History
Originally known as the Timex Crew, members included Marcus Thompson (founding member), 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[1] They fused funk rap and urban R&B.
The group's major hit, "Rumors", reached number one on BillboardTemplate:'s Hot Black Singles, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance/Disco 12 Inch Singles Sales charts and peaked at number eight on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart and number 13 in the UK,[2][3]
Recording
Thompson, Hill and Marshall wrote the song "Rumors" in 1983. The lyrics Thompson wrote were inspired by student life at Berkeley High School.[4] In late 1985, aspiring Sacramento-area producer and promoter Jay King heard the demo and arranged for Timex Social Club to record it at Starlight studios in Richmond, CA.[5] "Rumors" was released as a seven and a twelve-inch single on King's fledgling Jay Records and distributed by Macola Records.[5]
By May of 1986, while "Rumors" was rising on the charts, the unsigned group recorded an album with Danya Records.[6][5] The album Vicious Rumors was recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, CA and distributed by Fantasy Records in the US (A&M in Canada; Mercury in Europe; CBS/Sony in Japan) and produced by Jay Logan.[4] "Rumors" was re-recorded for the album[4] and a music video was made to this new version. Two follow-up singles, "Thinkin' About Ya" and "Mixed-Up World", both reached number 15 on the Black Singles chart.[3][7] As "Rumors" became popular outside of the US in the fall of 1986, it was this re-recorded version that charted in Canada and Europe.
The album debuted on BillboardTemplate:'s Black Albums chart on 6 December 1986 and peaked at number 29 (on 21 March 1987), but failed to chart on the Billboard 200 albums chart.[3]
Touring
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.[8] 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.[9]
Split
Timex Social Club disbanded in 1987, shortly after the success of "Rumors".[10]
Revival
As of 2025, the Timex Social Club roster consists of founding member Marcus Thompson as DJ, Samuelle and Val Watson on vocals.
Book
In 2011, Thompson authored "How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story of Timex Social Club", his history of the group and his take on the rap music scene in the mid 1980s.
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album | US R&B [11] |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Vicious Rumors | 29 |
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 100 [7] |
US R&B [7] |
US Dance [7] |
CAN |
UK [12] | ||
| 1986 | "Rumors" | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| "Mixed Up World" | — | 15 | — | — | 81 | |
| "Thinkin' About Ya" | — | 15 | ― | — | ― | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||
Awards and nominations
| Year | Source[9] | Song | Result | Misc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | CRIA/Music Canada Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
"Rumors" Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
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| 1986 | CRIA/Music Canada Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
"Rumors" Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Platinum single Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Certification/Label A&M Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| 1986 | Commendation Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
"Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Awarded (key to city) | Mayor Richard L. Berkley Kansas City MO. Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| 1986 | Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | "Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Won Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Governor John D. Ashcroft state of MO. Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| 1986 | The 1986 NARM Awards Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
"Rumors" Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Won Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
Best Selling New Artist Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| 1986 | Bay Area Top Star Music Awards Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
"Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Won Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
— Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| 1987 | Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | "Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Nominated Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
— Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| 1987 | Bammies/Bay Area Music Awards Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
"Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Nominated Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
— Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| 1987 | Juno Awards (CANADA) Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
"Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Nominated Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
— Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
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| 1987 | Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | "Rumors" / Vicious Rumors | Nominated Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". |
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See also
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- List of number-one hits (United States)
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
- List of bands from the San Francisco Bay Area
References
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Further reading
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External links
- Timex Social Club at AllMusic
- Official Website
- Template:Wikidata Template:PAGENAMEBASE discography at DiscogsTemplate:EditAtWikidata
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- African-American musical groups
- American contemporary R&B musical groups
- New jack swing music groups
- Fantasy Records artists
- Music of California
- Musical groups established in 1985
- A&M Records artists
- Mercury Records artists
- 1985 establishments in California
- Musical groups from Berkeley, California