Vinyl Vault - The Times – Red With Purple Flashes

Ed Ball is a genius songwriter with impeccable influences. I first met him in 1982, and we hit it off immediately. Ed, Paul Bevoir, and I shared a similar musical heritage and were all carving out careers as independent artists and label owners—something quite rare at the time. Later, we even formed a band together, The Boys About Town, which you can explore in a trilogy of episodes starting here.

Red With Purple Flashes is quintessential Ed Ball—where does he find those melodies? The arrangement is so natural it feels like the song has always existed, yet it’s completely fresh. Paired with Biff, Bang Pow on the flip side, this was a killer double A-side single and a shining example of Ed’s incredible talent and creativity. A mod classic!