Troy Tate is an English musician and record producer who was a member of several bands including

The Teardrop Explodes The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. Best known for their Top Ten UK single " Reward", the group originated as a key band in the emerging Liverpool post-punk scene of the late 1970s. ...

and

Fashion Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashion i ...

as well as working as a solo artist, for which he is best known for the single "Love Is ..."

Biography

Born in

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

, England, Tate's first band was the Cheltenham-based punk rock band Index, who released one single, "Jet Lag" c/w "Total Bland" in 1978.Strong, Martin C. (2003) "Troy Tate", in ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, He moved on to join former members of

The Rezillos The Rezillos are a punk/ new wave band formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1976. Although emerging at the same time as other bands in the punk rock movement, the Rezillos did not share the nihilism or social commentary of their contemporaries, b ...

in the band Shake, recording two singles with this band. In 1981, he first recorded as a solo artist, releasing the "Thomas" single on the

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

label Why-Fi. He joined

in late 1980, replacing Alan Gill on guitar, and playing on the ''Wilder'' album. While with the band, he continued his solo career, releasing "Lifeline" in 1982. He left The Teardrop Explodes, and joined

in October 1982, leaving in 1983 when he signed to Rough Trade Records, for whom he debuted that year with "Love Is ...". Tate moved on to

Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehre ...

in 1984, who issued a remixed version of "Thomas", which was followed by his debut solo album, ''Ticket to the Dark'' the same year. The album featured contributions from former-Rezillos and Shake drummer Ali Paterson, former-Teardrop Explodes member

David Balfe David Balfe (born 1958 in Carlisle, Cumberland) is a musician and record company executive, most notable for playing keyboards with the Teardrop Explodes, founding the Zoo and Food independent record labels, signing Blur and for being the subj ...

, Nicky Holland,

Virginia Astley Virginia Astley (born 26 September 1959) is an English singer-songwriter most active during the 1980s and 1990s. Her songwriting career started in 1980. Her classical training influenced her as did a desire to be experimental with her music. Alt ...

and Rolo McGinty of

The Woodentops The Woodentops are a British rock band that enjoyed critical acclaim and moderate popularity in the mid-1980s. History The band formed in 1983 in South London with an initial lineup of Rolo McGinty (vocals, guitar, formerly of the Wild Swans a ...

, and was described by ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...

'' as "an exceptionally good record".Robbins, Ira
Troy Tate
, ''

'' A second album, ''Liberty'', followed in 1985, which proved to be Tate's swansong.

The Smiths - ''The Troy Tate Sessions''

When

The Smiths The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. They comprised the singer Morrissey, the guitarist Johnny Marr, the bassist Andy Rourke and the drummer Mike Joyce. They are regarded as one of the most important acts to eme ...

(also on Rough Trade) were looking for a producer for their debut album, Tate was chosen; although after the album was recorded, the band decided to reject these recordings and re-record the album with producer

John Porter John Porter may refer to: Politicians * John Porter (portreeve), 1390–94, Member of Parliament (MP) for Taunton * John Porter (Illinois politician) (1935–2022), Illinois politician, U.S. Representative * John Porter (MP for Bramber) (died 1599 ...

. The original version of the album is widely known as ''The Troy Tate Sessions'' and has only been released on bootlegs. "Jeane" from these sessions was released as the B-side of the "

This Charming Man "This Charming Man" is a song by the English rock band the Smiths, written by guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey. Released as the group's second single in October 1983 on the independent record label Rough Trade, it is defined by Mar ...

" single, and the version of "Pretty Girls Make Graves" was the B-side to " Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me". Tate's version of "Reel Around the Fountain" had been scheduled for release as a single in 1983, a disc of which was included in a collectors edition of '' Complete'' in 2011.

Solo discography

Albums

*''Ticket to the Dark'' (1984) Sire *''Liberty'' (1985) Sire

Singles

*"Thomas" (1981) Why-Fi *"Lifeline" (1982) Why-Fi *"Love Is ..." (1983) Rough Trade *"Thomas" (1984) Sire *"Sorrow" (1985) Sire

References

External links

*Sinclair, Mick (1981
Troy Tate Feature
''

Sounds In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...

'', August 1981 {{DEFAULTSORT:Tate, Troy Living people Year of birth missing (living people) English new wave musicians English male singer-songwriters English rock guitarists Musicians from Liverpool The Teardrop Explodes members