The lyrical world of Dan Treacy's band, the Television Personalities, is a parallel universe, where flamboyant Sixties references collide with bleak kitchen sink dramas, where incisive social commentary rubs shoulders with raw anxiety and romance. We encounter Syd Barrett and Salvador Dalí and David Hockney - but you'll also face abusive husbands, profound loneliness, and depression. Entering this world is like taking a psychedelic holiday: you can never be sure if it will be hilarious or frightening. As constants these lyrics are captivating, entertaining, and aching beauty - a quality that has maintained their global audience even years after their last proper record. If I Could Write Poetry, for the first time, gathers the lyrics to 100 of Treacy's essential songs. More than just a lyric collection, it features deeply personal takes, anecdotes, and appreciations from around 50 musicians, friends, and followers. The selection spans Treacy's career, from his sarcastic late '70s observations from his London Kings Road home (including the John Peel favourite, 'Part Time Punks') to the painfully honest self-observations of the group's late period ('A Memory Is Better Than Nothing'). You'll find early TVPs-drummer and Hollywood actor Mark Sheppard labelling Treacy 'a working class poet', Evan Dando (The Lemonheads) calling him 'the funniest motherfucker I ever met,' and Stuart Staples (Tindersticks) writing about how the TV Personalities provided the soundtrack to the grim early '80s UK. Told through a multitude of individual perspectives, these contributions accumulate into a fragmented history of Britain's unredeemed song writing promise. Though lauded by Alan McGee, praised by MGMT, and acknowledged by Kurt Cobain, Daniel Treacy never received the widespread recognition he deserved. This book offers an unprecedented look into his genius, helping the reader to understand the unique artistry and tragic trajectory of one of pop's greatest cult heroes.
Dan Treacy, born in London in 1960, formed his band Television Personalities in 1977 shortly after the punk explosion, influenced by the Sex Pistols and Jonathan Richman. Dan Treacy remained the only constant member of the band as its songwriter. The TVPs, favourites of John Peel, were active until 2008 and recorded twelve regular albums.
