Timex Social Club
Timex Social Club is an American R&B group, formed in 1983 and best known for the 1986 hit single "Rumors".
History
Originally known as the Timex Crew, members included Marcus Thompson, 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 They fused funk rap and urban R&B.The group's major hit, "Rumors", reached number one on Billboards 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,
Recording
Thompson, Hill and Marshall wrote the song "Rumors" in 1983. The lyrics Thompson wrote were inspired by student life at Berkeley High School. 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. "Rumors" was released as a seven and a twelve-inch single on King's fledgling Jay Records and distributed by Macola Records.By May of 1986, while "Rumors" was rising on the charts, the unsigned group recorded an album with Danya Records. The album Vicious Rumors was recorded at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, CA and distributed by Fantasy Records in the US and produced by Jay Logan. "Rumors" was re-recorded for the album 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. 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 Billboards Black Albums chart on 6 December 1986 and peaked at number 29, but failed to chart on the Billboard 200 albums chart.