Television remains one of my favorite bands. I read a rave review of the group in the L.A. Times (was it Robert Hillburn who wrote it?) and actually found their album Marquee Moon at the local record store. I put it on the stereo and was at first jarred by the noise and anger, but by the time the tune Friction came on I was a fan. Saw them at the Whisky soon afterward. They were outstanding. Jangly. Intense. Psychotic, but in a musically expressive way. They truly had the goods. They truly turned my head around...as at the time my favorite non-classical artist was Cat Stevens. Yeah. What can I say? RIP.
RIP Tom Verlaine
A huge influence on me growing up and absolutely loving Marquee Moon and Adventure along with his solo albums. Bands I was in played covers of See No Evil, Elevation, Breakin In My Heart and Red Leaves. Just leaves a hole there.
[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/01/28/music-legend-who-delivered-one-of-rocks-greatest-album-dies-at-73/[/URL]
Tom Verlaine, the acclaimed vocalist-guitarist whose experimental art-rock band Television helped define the New York City punk scene in the ’70s, reportedly died on Saturday (Jan. 28).
The New Jersey-born artist, who grew up in Delaware, was 73.
Verlaine’s death was announced by Jesse Paris Smith, the daughter of fellow ’70s New York City punk-rock trailblazer Patti Smith, who added that he died “after a brief illness” but did not indicate a cause, according to the New York Times.
Unlike a number of his contemporaries from NYC’s early punk glory days at the legendary CBGB’s club — including Smith, Blondie, Talking Heads and the Ramones — Verlaine wouldn’t achieve widespread commercial success or become a household name in America and elsewhere.
Yet, Verlaine will be remembered for helping create music that is remembered as fondly — as least by a passionately discerning subset of music fandom — as anything that came from those other NYC legends.
In particular, Television’s debut, 1977’s “Marquee Moon,” ranks among the greatest albums in rock history. But don’t just take our word on it. Ask the folks at VH1, which included “Marquee Moon” on its list of the 100 Greatest Albums of Rock and Roll, or at Rolling Stone, which ranked it as the 128th best album of all time.
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