Editing Timex Social Club

{{Short description|American R&B group}}
{{use mdy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist| <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name                = Timex Social Club
| image               =
| caption             =
| alias               = {{ubl|TSC|The Social Club|The Timex Crew}}
| origin              = [[Berkeley, California|Berkeley]], [[California]], U.S.
| genre               = [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]], [[new jack swing]]
| years_active        = 1985–1987, 2011–present
| instrument          =
| label               = Jay Records, Danya, [[Fantasy Records]]
| current_members     = {{ubl|Marcus Thompson (DJ)|[[Samuelle|Samuelle Prater]] (vocals)}}
| past_members        = {{ubl|[[Michael Marshall (singer)|Michael Marshall]]|Greg Thomas|Craig Samuel|Darrien Cleage|Alex Hill|Kevin Moore}}
| spinoffs            = [[Club Nouveau]]
}}

'''Timex Social Club''' is an American [[contemporary R&B|R&B]] [[musical ensemble|group]], formed in 1985 and best known for the 1986 hit single "[[Rumors (Timex Social Club song)|Rumors]]".<ref name="AM1"/>

==History==
Originally known as the Timex Crew, members included Marcus Thompson (founder), Gregory "Greg B" Thomas, [[Michael Marshall (singer)|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<ref name="AM1">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/timex-social-club-mn0000506362|title=Timex Social Club - Artist Biography|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|first=Ron|last=Wynn|accessdate=27 August 2020}}</ref> (despite the group's name, [[Timex Group USA]] bears no sponsorship of the group). They fused [[funk]] and urban [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]. 

In 1986, the group released the ''[[Vicious Rumors (Timex Social Club album)|Vicious Rumors]]'' album produced by Jay King on Danya/[[Fantasy Records]] ([[A&M Records|A&M]] in Canada; [[Mercury Records|Mercury]] in Europe; [[Sony Music Entertainment Japan|CBS/Sony]] in Japan). Its one major [[hit record|hit]], "[[Rumors (Timex Social Club song)|Rumors]]", written by Thompson, Hill, and Marshall, peaked at number 8 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], number 13 in the UK,<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=560}}</ref> and number 1 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|R&B]], [[Hot Dance Club Play]], and [[Dance Singles Sales|Hot Dance/Disco-12&nbsp;inch Singles-Sales]] charts. The two follow-up singles, "[[Thinkin' About Ya]]" and "Mixed-Up World", reached the R&B top 20.<ref name="VF">{{cite web|title=Timex Social Club Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography|url=https://www.musicvf.com/songs.php?page=artist&artist=Timex+Social+Club|website=Music VF|access-date=3 January 2021}}</ref> Also in 1986 Ocea Savage was added on keyboards and background vocals.

===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 (album)|Raising Hell]] tour in 1986.<ref name="Flashbacks to Happiness: Eighties Music Revisited">{{cite book|first=Randolph|last=Michaels|year=2005|title=Flashbacks to Happiness: Eighties Music Revisited|location=US|isbn=978-0-595-37007-8|pages=196, 198}}</ref> 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 (band)|Midnight Star]], [[the S.O.S. Band]], [[Kool & the Gang]], and [[Jermaine Jackson]].<ref name="How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story of Timex Social Club">{{cite book|first=Marcus|last=Thompson|year=2011|title=How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story of Timex Social Club|location=US|isbn=978-1-257-28542-6|pages=6, 173}}</ref>

===Split===
Timex Social Club disbanded shortly after the success of "Rumors". The band's producer Jay King, [[Denzil Foster]], and [[Thomas McElroy]] 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 No. 1 ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hit in 1987 with a go-go cover of [[Bill Withers]]'s "[[Lean on Me (song)|Lean on Me]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/club-nouveau-mn0000152228|title=Club Nouveau - Artist Biography|publisher=AllMusic|first=Ron|last=Wynn|accessdate=27 August 2020}}</ref>

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

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Album
! style="width:35px;"|<small>[[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|US R&B]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|title=Timex Social Club - Awards |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/timex-social-club-mn0000506362/awards|website=AllMusic|access-date=23 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117184411/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/timex-social-club-mn0000506362/awards|archive-date=January 17, 2013}}</ref>
|-
| 1986
| ''[[Vicious Rumors (Timex Social Club album)|Vicious Rumors]]''
| align=center | 29
|-
|}

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title
! scope="col" colspan="5"| Peak chart positions
|-
! style="width:35px;"|<small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US 100]]</small><br><ref name="VF"/>
! style="width:35px;"|<small>[[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US R&B]]</small><br><ref name="VF"/>
! style="width:35px;"|<small>[[Dance Club Songs|US Dance]]</small><br><ref name="VF"/>
! style="width:35px;"|<small>[[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]</small><br>
! style="width:35px;"|<small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small><br><ref>{{cite web|title=TIMEX SOCIAL CLUB - full Official Chart History |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/23618/timex-social-club/|website=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=3 January 2021}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1986
| "[[Rumors (Timex Social Club song)|Rumors]]"
| align=center | 8
| align=center | 1
| align=center | 1
| align=center | 1
| align=center | 13
|-
| "Mixed Up World"
| align=center | —
| align=center | 15
| align=center | —
| align=center | —
| align=center | 81
|-
| "[[Thinkin' About Ya]]" 
| align=center | —
| align=center | 15
| align=center | ―
| align=center | —
| align=center | ―
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Source<ref name="How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story of Timex Social Club"/> !! Song !! Result !! Misc.
|-
| 1986 || {{center|CRIA/[[Music Canada]]}} ||{{center|"Rumors"}}|| {{center|Gold single}} || {{center|Certification/Label A&M}}
|-
| 1986 || {{center|CRIA/[[Music Canada]]}} ||{{center|"Rumors"}}|| {{center|Platinum single}} || {{center|Certification/Label A&M}}
|-
| 1986 || {{center|Commendation }} ||"Rumors" / ''Vicious Rumors'' || Awarded (key to city) || {{center|Mayor [[Richard L. Berkley]] Kansas City MO.}}
|-
| 1986 || {{center|[[Proclamation]]}} ||"Rumors" / ''Vicious Rumors'' || {{center|Won}} || {{center|Governor [[John D. Ashcroft]] state of MO.}}
|-
| 1986 || {{center|The 1986 [[National Association of Recording Merchandisers|NARM]] Awards}} ||{{center|"Rumors"}}|| {{center|Won}} || {{center|Best Selling New Artist}}
|-
| 1986 || {{center|Bay Area Top Star Music Awards}} ||"Rumors" / ''Vicious Rumors'' || {{center|Won}} || {{center|—}}
|-
| 1987 || {{center|[[American Music Awards]]}} ||"Rumors" / ''Vicious Rumors'' || {{center|Nominated}} || {{center|—}}
|-
| 1987 || {{center|Bammies/[[Bay Area Music Awards]]}} ||"Rumors" / ''Vicious Rumors'' || {{center|Nominated}} || {{center|—}}
|-
| 1987 || {{center|[[Juno Awards]] (CANADA)}} ||"Rumors" / ''Vicious Rumors'' || {{center|Nominated}} || {{center|—}}
|-
| 1987 || {{center|[[Soul Train Music Awards]]}} ||"Rumors" / ''Vicious Rumors'' || {{center|Nominated}} || {{center|—}}
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|1980s}}
* [[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==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|first=Marcus A.|last=Thompson|year=2011|title=How Do Rumors Get Started: The True Story of Timex Social Club|location=US|isbn=978-1329954939}}
*{{cite book|first=Patricia A.|last=Turner|year=1993|title=I Heard It Through the Grapevine: Rumor in African-American Culture|location=US|isbn=978-0-520-08936-5|page=260}}
*{{cite book|first=Joseph|last=Stone|year=2005|title=Mad Season: (Changing Stations)|location=US|isbn=978-0-595-37007-8|page=220}}

==External links==
* {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p23716|label=Timex Social Club}}
* [http://timexsocialclub.com/ Official Website]
* {{Discogs artist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Timex Social Club}}
[[Category:African-American musical groups]]
[[Category:American contemporary R&B musical groups]]
[[Category:New jack swing music groups]]
[[Category:Fantasy Records artists]]
[[Category:Music of California]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1985]]
[[Category:A&M Records artists]]
[[Category:Mercury Records artists]]
[[Category:1985 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Berkeley, California]]