The great Television singer is dead at age 73.
Like may, I love the band's classic Marquee Moon LP, with its mysterious ambience and intricately woven guitar parts. I'll need to give it a listen today.
Here's an overview from The Guardian:
Verlaine, who was born Thomas Miller in Denville, New Jersey, began studying piano at an early age but switched to the saxophone after hearing a record by Stan Getz.
It was during his adolescence that he was inspired to take up the guitar after hearing the Rolling Stones’ 1966 hit 19th Nervous Breakdown.
He adopted his stage name in a reference to the French symbolist poet Paul Verlaine.
He and his school friend, Richard Hell, who shared a passion for music and poetry, moved to New York City separately and in 1972 they formed the group Neon Boys, which comprised Verlaine on guitar and vocals, Hell on bass and vocals, and Billy Ficca on drums.
The group lasted a short while then in March 1973 they reformed, calling themselves Television, and recruited Richard Lloyd as a second guitarist. Their first gig was in March 1974. In 1975, Hell left the band and they released their first single with Fred Smith replacing Hell.
Verlaine, who was the band’s lead singer and did most of the songwriting, once dated poet and musician Patti Smith when they were part of the emerging New York punk scene, and they would collaborate many times over the years.
Television released two albums, Marquee Moon and Adventure, to great critical acclaim but only modest sales. Marquee Moon is considered one of the defining releases of the punk era.
The band broke up in July 1978 but Verlaine embarked on a solo career in the 1980s and lived in England for a time.
Television reformed in 1992 releasing a self-titled third album and performed live on an irregular basis.
And here's Verlaine fronting the band on "The Old Grey Whistle Test" in 1978:
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