I Helped Edward Ball Escape – A Tribute To The Times & Edward Ball

Putting together a carefully curated Edward Ball 2CD tribute I Helped Edward Ball Escape – A Tribute To The Times & Edward Ball, took many, many years. The English songwriter, singer, guitarist and keyboard player never made it big, but he is an essential artist in the power pop, post-punk and indie pop scene. He was a member of well-respected cult bands (Television Personalities, 'O' Level, Teenage Filmstars, The Times), writing subtle songs wherein melody is king. Forever being a musician's musician he has been jheld in high regard amongst the cognoscenti, who put him on the same level as Alex Chilton and Ray Davies.

The sprawling I Helped Edward Ball Escape – A Tribute To The Times & Edward Ball, three hours of reinventing his development as a writer. Stand-out tracks Last Tango For One - with quite a bit of The Beatles classic Eleanor Rigby, the good-natured stabs at Oasis singer Liam Gallagher Our Leader who gets not one but two covers, the rollicking Controversial Girlfriend and the muffled garage rocker Pinstripes.

Most tribute albums are bogged down by a few clunkers, but thanks to label owner Wally Salem, who was on top of things for years on end, there are no weak spots. This set won't make Edward Ball a household name, but it will entice listeners to seek him out and also all the acts who brought their A-game to bring his music alive.

I Helped Edward Ball Escape – A Tribute To The Times & Edward Ball is released via The Beautiful Music. Edward Ball's on his thoughts can be read here.

Episode 1: True Stories – I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape Rotifer – Red With Purple Flashes The Che Men – Mill Hill Self Hate Club The Yellow Melodies – Manchester Moore – Liam Gallagher Our Leader Summerhouse – Tears On A Rainy Sunday The Leading End – Love is Blue April Events – Miss London Colin Swan – Last Tango For One James Clarke Five – Extase Mike Gale – Controversial Girlfriend Lovejoy – When You Lose Your Lover Learn To Lose Armstrong – It’s Kinda Lonely Where I Am Pretty Eyes For Captain America – I Hate Ibiza Alistair Jackson – There's A Cloud Over Gillingham The Broken Heed – Mill Hill Self Hate Club Terryball – Boys About Town Si Farrier – Heaven Sent Me An Angel Tender Engines – Love Is Blue SUPER 8 – Liam Gallagher Our Leader The Answers – If Now Is The Question Post Plastic World – I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape

Episode 2: The Woermwood Scrubs – Britannia Sleeps Tonight The Eddies – Red With Purple Flashes The Painted Word – Confiance Crabber – Controversial Girlfriend The Selfish Cales – Thamesbeat Bartholomew Mellowglass – Picture Gallery Cerdito – It's Time Dupont Circles – Jokes on Zandra The NoMen – Kiss Me (Teenage Filmstars) The Great Auk Fanciers Society – Pinstripes Cherry Fez – If Only Lloyd Meadows – Theme From Dangerman Dodgy Accent – Big Painting ¡Los Padrinos! – Looking at the World Through Dark Shades Woog Riots – My Andy Warhol Poster Self Love – Blue Fire The Che Men – Mill Hill Self Hate Club (Instrumental) Spring Rain – Liam Gallagher Our Leader Terryball – Boys About Town (2025 Mix) Tetley – Big Painting The Tables – Looking at the World Through Dark Shades (Live) The Times – Britannia Sleeps Tonight (Live London 1986)

» Edward Ball on Wikipedia