Tom VerlaineCo-founder of influential ’70s punk rock band Television has died. He was 73 years old.
Verlaine died on Saturday, January 28 after a brief battle with an undisclosed illness, according to statements made by the musician’s PR representative. Kara HutchisonFirst shared Associated Press (AP).
“He was noted for his angular lyricism, pointed lyricism, seductive wit and ability to shake every string to its truest emotion,” said a statement from his publicist. “He will lose his vision and his imagination.”
No other information about the survivors or plans for a memorial service were immediately available.
A famous guitarist and singer was born Tom Miller– took his last name from the 19th century French poet Paul-Marie Verlaine Many of the band’s lyrics were influenced after meeting the future television co-founders Richard Lloyd And Richard Hell at a prep school in New Jersey.
Lloyd, Hell, and Verlaine became CBGB regulars. They released their debut album, Marquee Moon.
New York: 1975 performing live on television at CBGB’s in New York. LR: Richard Hell, Tom Verlaine, Billy Fica (drums), Richard Lloyd.
Richard E. Aaron/Getty Images
A year later, Television followed with a second album, adventureBut after tensions rose between guitarists Lloyd and Verlaine, the group disbanded three months after its release. adventure The band’s first album never saw the fame it achieved, but that didn’t stop Verlaine from finding commercial success in his solo career.
Over time, Verlaine released eight solo albums and a second studio album in 1981. dream time, peaked at No. 177 on the Billboard album chart, per AP. He toured with a menagerie of other legendary artists including Patti Smith.
Television then reconvened in 1992, releasing a third and final album: the self-titled Television. By then, it was clear that the band’s debut album had made a huge impact within the scene. Marquee Moon continued to dominate entertainment’s “best of” lists, and many other proto-punk bands such as Sonic Youth and Pavement began to rise to the top.
Although television never formally broke up again, the band’s performances became more infrequent, and other artists eventually found their way into the public eye. Then in 2011, Television announced that the band was almost done with a fourth follow-up album. But Guardian The album is reportedly not out yet.
