Television (band)

Television's roots can be traced to the teenage friendship between Tom Verlaine and Richard Hell. The duo met at Sanford School in Hockessin, Delaware, from which they ran away.{{sfn|Waterman|2011|page=18}} Both moved to New York, separately, in the early 1970s, aspiring to be poets.{{sfn|Waterman|2011|page=25}}

Their first group together was the Neon Boys, consisting of Verlaine on guitar and vocals, Hell on bass and vocals and Billy Ficca on drums.{{sfn|Wallace|Manitoba|2007|page=254}} The group lasted from late 1972 to March 11, 1973. A 7-inch record featuring "That's All I Know (Right Now)" and "Love Comes in Spurts" was released in 1980.{{sfn|Waterman|2011|page=103}}

On March 12, 1973, the group reformed, calling themselves Television and recruiting Richard Lloyd as a second guitarist. The name, devised by Hell, was a pun on 'tell a vision' as well as a reference to reclaiming the dominant media of the era.{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Elizabeth |date=2022-04-13 |title=Lightning Struck Itself: Television's 'Marquee Moon' in Eight Phases |url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2022/4/13/23022787/television-marquee-moon-tom-verlaine-richard-hell |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=The Ringer |language=en}} Their first gig was at the Townhouse Theatre, on March 2, 1974.{{cite web |url=http://www.thewonder.co.uk/facts/gigs.htm |title=The Wonder – Tom Verlaine, Television and Stuff: Television Gigs – Gigography |website=The Wonder |access-date=December 25, 2014}} Their manager, Terry Ork, persuaded CBGB owner Hilly Kristal to give the band a regular gig at his club,{{cite web|url=http://www.noclass.co.uk/hilly.html|title=Hilly Kristal|work=Interview|publisher=No Class Now|access-date=June 30, 2015}} where they reportedly constructed their first stage. After playing several gigs at CBGB in early 1974,{{sfn|Waterman|2011|page=63}} they played at Max's Kansas City and other clubs, returning to CBGB in January 1975, where they established a significant cult following.

Initially, songwriting was split almost equally between Hell and Verlaine, Lloyd being an infrequent contributor as well.{{sfn|Thompson|2000|page=683}} However, friction began to develop as Verlaine, Lloyd, and Ficca became increasingly confident and adept with both instruments and composition, while Hell remained defiantly untrained in his approach. Verlaine, feeling that Hell's frenzied onstage demeanor was upstaging his songs, reportedly told him to "stop jumping around" during the songs{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} and occasionally refused to play Hell's songs, such as "Blank Generation", in concert. This conflict, as well as one of their songs being picked up by Island Records, led Hell to leave the group and take some of his songs with him.{{sfn|Waterman|2011|pp=95–101}} He co-founded the Heartbreakers in 1975 with former New York Dolls Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan, later forming Richard Hell and the Voidoids.{{sfn|Wallace|Manitoba|2007|page=55}} Fred Smith, briefly of Blondie, replaced Hell as Television's bassist.{{sfn|Waterman|2011|pp=108–109}}

Television made their vinyl debut in 1975 with "Little Johnny Jewel" (Parts One and Two), a 7-inch single on the independent label Ork Records, owned by their manager, Terry Ork. Lloyd apparently disagreed with the selection of this song, preferring "O Mi Amore" for their debut, to the extent that he seriously considered leaving the band.{{sfn|Waterman|2011|p=13}} Reportedly Pere Ubu guitarist Peter Laughner auditioned for his spot during this time.{{sfn|Waterman|2011|p=17}}

Television's first album, Marquee Moon, was received positively by music critics and audiences, and although failing to enter the Billboard 200 albums chart, it exceeded commercial expectations in Europe, reaching the top 30 in the United Kingdom and Sweden. Upon its initial release in 1977, Roy Trakin wrote in the SoHo Weekly "forget everything you've heard about Television, forget punk, forget New York, forget CBGB's ... hell, forget rock and roll—this is the real item."{{sfn|Trakin|1977}} Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic writes that the album was "revolutionary" and composed "entirely of tense garage rockers that spiral into heady intellectual territory, which is achieved through the group's long, interweaving instrumental sections."{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/marquee-moon-mw0000193524 |title=Marquee Moon – Television – Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards|last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |website=AllMusic |access-date=December 25, 2014}}

Television's second album, Adventure, was recorded and released in 1978.{{sfn|Waterman|2011|p=x}}{{sfn|Emerson|1978}} Softer and more reflective than their debut album, Adventure was well received by critics despite modest sales. The members' independent and strongly held artistic visions, along with Lloyd's drug abuse and lack of commercial success,{{sfn|Heylin|2005|p=270}} led to the band's break-up in July 1978. Both Lloyd and Verlaine pursued solo careers, while Ficca became the drummer for the new wave band the Waitresses.{{cite web|last1=Huey|first1=Steve|title=The Waitresses {{!}} Biography & History {{!}} AllMusic|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-waitresses-mn0000585210/biography|website=AllMusic|access-date=July 28, 2016}}

Television reformed in 1992, released a self-titled third album and have performed live sporadically thereafter.{{sfn|Thompson|2000|p=684}} After being wooed back on stage together for the 2001 All Tomorrow's Parties festival at Camber Sands, England, they played a number of dates around the world on an irregular basis.

File:Television.jpg

In 2007, Lloyd announced he would be amicably leaving the band after a midsummer show in New York City's Central Park.{{cite web |url=http://www.richardlloyd.com/news.htm |title=Richard Lloyd – Matters: News |last=Lloyd |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Lloyd (guitarist) |website=richardlloyd.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424082045/http://www.richardlloyd.com/news.htm |archive-date=April 24, 2008 |access-date=December 25, 2014}} Due to an extended hospital stay recovering from pneumonia, he was unable to make the Central Park concert. Jimmy Rip substituted for him that day and was subsequently asked to join the band full-time in Lloyd's place. On July 7, 2011, the new lineup performed at the Beco 203 music festival in São Paulo, Brazil.{{cite web |url=http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/television/2011/beco-203-sp-sao-paulo-brazil-33d35c39.html |title=Television Concert Setlist at Beco 203, São Paulo on July 7, 2011|website=Setlist.fm |access-date=December 25, 2014}} In an MTV Brazil interview, the band confirmed that an album with about ten new tracks was close to being finished, but as of 2023, that album has not surfaced.{{cite web|url=http://mtv.uol.com.br/programas/bigaudio/videos/big-audio-83-especial-dia-mundial-do-rock-com-television|title=Big Audio - Big Audio # 83 - Especial dia mundial do Rock com Television - 13/07/2011|date=July 13, 2011|access-date=January 28, 2023|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318121010/http://mtv.uol.com.br/programas/bigaudio/videos/big-audio-83-especial-dia-mundial-do-rock-com-television|archive-date=March 18, 2012}} In the 2010s, the band kept on touring performing Marquee Moon in its entirety; they notably did European tours in 2014 and 2016.{{cite web|lang=it|url=https://www.ondarock.it/news.php?id=2746|title=I Television a Milano suoneranno tutto "Marquee Moon"|publisher=ondarock.it|date=2014-01-10|access-date=2023-01-29}}
{{cite news|lang=it|url=https://www.rtl.it/notizie/articoli/television-marquee-moon-e-un-album-senza-tempo-grazie-alla-sua-semplicita/|title=I Television a Milano suoneranno tutto "Marquee Moon"|newspaper=rtl.it|date=2016-03-22|access-date=2023-01-29}}
{{cite web|lang=fr|url=https://www.telerama.fr/musique/john-cale-dejoue-le-velvet-et-ses-fantomes-a-la-philharmonie-de-paris,140560.php|title=fantômes à la Philharmonie de Parisp|publisher=telerama.fr|date=2016-04-04|access-date=2023-01-29|quote=Next to the Velvet Underground exhibition, two concerts were face to face this weekend reminding rock to its souvenirs. Television played his classic Marquee Moon without warmth (En marge de l'expo Velvet Underground, deux concerts confrontaient ce week-end le rock à sa mémoire. Television a rejoué sans chaleur son classique “Marquee Moon”}} In New York in October 2015, the band performed a four-song show that lasted an hour: Village Voice reviewed it saying the highlight of the set was a new number "Persia", dubbing it "a pulsing, rhythmic exploration lasting close to 20 minutes, to which each member of the band contributed in equal strength".{{cite web|first=Caryn |last=Rose|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2015/10/09/television-thrill-brooklyns-house-of-vans-with-20-minute-soundscape/|title=Television Thrill Brooklyn's House of Vans With 20-Minute Soundscape|publisher=Village Voice|date=2015-10-09|access-date=2023-01-29}}

Verlaine died on January 28, 2023, at the age of 73.{{cite news|last=Keepnews|first=Peter|date=January 28, 2023|title=Tom Verlaine, Influential Guitarist and Songwriter, Dies at 73|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/28/arts/music/tom-verlaine-dead.html|url-status=live|newspaper=The New York Times|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230128222834/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/28/arts/music/tom-verlaine-dead.html|archive-date=January 28, 2023|access-date=January 28, 2023|url-access=limited}} In February 2025, a fourth album was announced, made from recording sessions in December 2007.{{cite web |author=David Fricke |date=February 27, 2025|title=Television's Unreleased Fourth Album Unveiled! |url=https://www.mojo4music.com/articles/stories/televisions-unreleased-fourth-album-unveiled/ |website=Mojo}}

Television are contemporarily regarded as an art punk band. The band broke from standard rock convention by omitting blues influence and instead incorporating elements of jazz, while retaining the "raw energy" that was influenced by garage rock. According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, "With its angular rhythms and fluid leads, Television's music always went in unconventional directions."{{cite web |last1=Erlewine |first1=Stephen Thomas |title=Television Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/television-mn0000019701#biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 17, 2024}}

As with many emerging punk bands, the Velvet Underground was a strong influence.{{sfn|Waterman|2011|pp=22–24}} Television also drew inspiration from minimalist composers such as Steve Reich.{{Cite web|url=https://classicalbumsundays.com/album-of-the-month-television-marquee-moon/|title=The Story of Television 'Marquee Moon'|last=Murphy C|date=2014|website=Classic Album Sundays|access-date=September 20, 2019}} Tom Verlaine has often cited the influence of surf bands the Ventures and Dick Dale on Television's approach to the guitar, and he has also expressed a fondness for the bands Love and Buffalo Springfield, two groups noted for their dual-guitar interplay. Television's ties to punk were underscored by their late '60s garage rock leanings; the band often covered the Count Five's "Psychotic Reaction" and the 13th Floor Elevators' "Fire Engine" in concert.{{sfn|Waterman|2011|p=95}}

Lester Bangs heard in Television's music the influence of Quicksilver Messenger Service, noting a similarity between Verlaine's guitar playing and John Cipollina's.{{sfn|Bangs|1979}} Tom Verlaine has downplayed the comparison, citing The Ventures as a more apt reference point.{{sfn|Wizon|1992}}

Though Verlaine and Lloyd were nominally "rhythm" and "lead" guitarists, they often rendered such labels obsolete by crafting interlocking parts, where the ostensible rhythm role could be as intriguing as the lead. Al Handa writes, "In Television's case, Lloyd was the guitarist who affected the tonality of the music more often than not, and Verlaine and the rhythm section the ones who gave the ear its anchor and familiar musical elements. Listen only to Lloyd, and you can hear some truly off the wall ideas being played."{{sfn|Handa|1996}}

Former members

• Tom Verlaine – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards {{small|(1973–1978, 1991–1993, 2001–2023; his death)}}
• Billy Ficca – drums {{small|(1973–1978, 1991–1993, 2001–2023)}}
• Richard Lloyd – guitar, backing vocals {{small|(1973–1978, 1991–1993, 2001–2007)}}
• Richard Hell – bass, lead vocals {{small|(1973–1975)}}
• Fred Smith – bass, backing vocals {{small|(1973–1978, 1991–1993, 2001–2023)}}; guitar {{small|(1991–1993)}}
• Jimmy Rip – guitar {{small|(2007–2023)}}

Timeline

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Studio albums

• Marquee Moon (Elektra) (1977) #92 AUS, #23 Sweden, #28 UK
• Adventure (Elektra) (1978) #7 UK
• Television (Capitol) (1992)

Live albums

• The Blow-Up (ROIR) (1982)
• Live at the Academy, 1992 (Ohoo Music) (2003)
• Live at the Old Waldorf (Rhino Handmade/Elektra) (2003)

Compilation albums

• The Best of Television & Tom Verlaine (EastWest Japan) (1998)

Singles

• "Little Johnny Jewel, Part One" b/w "Little Johnny Jewel, Part Two" (Ork) (1975)
• "Marquee Moon Part 1" b/w "Marquee Moon Part 2" (Elektra) (1977) #30 UK
• "Marquee Moon (Stereo)" b/w "Marquee Moon (Mono)" (Elektra) (1977)
• "Venus" b/w "Friction" (Elektra) (1977)
• "Prove It" b/w "Venus" 12" 45 (Elektra) (1977) #25 UK
• "Foxhole" b/w "Careful" (Elektra) (1978) #36 UK
• "Glory" b/w "Carried Away" (Elektra) (1978)
• "Ain't That Nothin'" b/w "Glory" (Elektra) (1978)
• "Call Mr. Lee" (Capitol) (1992) #27 Billboard Modern Rock Tracks

• The Blank Generation (1976)

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Refbegin|30em}}

• {{cite journal |last=Bangs |first=Lester |author-link=Lester Bangs |date=1979 |title=Free Jazz / Punk Rock |journal=Musician |url=http://www.notbored.org/bangs.html |access-date=December 25, 2014}}
• {{cite magazine |last=Emerson |first=Ken |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/adventure-19780601 |title=Television Adventure Album Review |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=June 1, 1978 |access-date=April 4, 2016}}
• {{cite web |url=http://www.furious.com/perfect/tv12.html |title=Television: Marquee Moon |last=Handa |first=Al |date=May 1996 |website=Perfect Sound Forever |access-date=December 25, 2014}}
• {{Cite book |last=Heylin |first=Clinton |url=https://archive.org/details/fromvelvetstovoi0000heyl_a9v8 |title=From the Velvets to the Voidoids: The Birth of American Punk Rock |publisher=Chicago Review Press |year=2005 |isbn=1-55652-575-3 |language=English |author-link=Clinton Heylin}}
• {{cite web |url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/television_announce_vancouver_show |title=Television Announce Vancouver Show |work=Exclaim! |date=April 27, 2015 |access-date=October 30, 2015 |last=Hughes |first=Josiah}}
• {{cite book |last=Mitchell |first=Tim |year=2006 |title=Sonic Transmission. Television: Tom Verlaine, Richard Hell |edition=1st |location=New York |publisher=Glitter |isbn=978-1-90-258816-2}} * {{cite web |url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music-television-nycs-artpunk-pioneers-31260962.html |title=Music – Television: NYC's art-punk pioneers |work=Irish Independent |date=May 31, 2015 |access-date=October 30, 2015 |last=Meagher |first=John}}
• {{cite news |last=Murray |first=Noel |url=http://www.avclub.com/article/60-minutes-music-sum-art-punk-pioneers-wire-219113 |title=60 minutes of music that sum up art-punk pioneers Wire |newspaper=The A.V. Club |date=May 28, 2015 |access-date=October 28, 2015}}
• {{cite book |last1=Schinder |first1=Scott |last2=Schwartz |first2=Andy |year=2008 |title=Icons of Rock: An Encyclopedia of the Legends who Changed Music Forever |volume=2 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-313-33847-2}}
• {{cite book |last1=Ramone |first1=Marky |last2=Herschlag |first2=Richard |title=Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life as a Ramone |year=2015 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-1-4516-8775-0 |url=https://archive.org/details/punkrockblitzkri0000ramo}}
• {{cite book |last=Robb |first=John |editor=Craske, Oliver |year=2012 |title=Punk Rock: An Oral History |location=United Kingdom |publisher=PM Press |isbn=978-1-60486-005-4}}
• {{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/nov/17/television-sage-gateshead-review |title=Television |newspaper=The Guardian |date=November 17, 2013 |last=Simpson |first=Dave}}
• {{cite book |last=Taylor |first=Steven |year=2003 |title=False Prophet: Field Notes from the Punk Underground |location=Middletown, Conn. |publisher=Wesleyan University Press |isbn=978-0-8195-6668-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/falseprophetfiel00tayl}}
• {{cite book |last=Thompson |first=Dave |year=2000 |title=Alternative Rock |location=San Francisco |publisher=Miller Freeman |isbn=978-0-87930-607-6}}
• {{cite news |last=Trakin |first=Roy |title=Marquee Moon review |newspaper=SoHo Weekly |year=1977}}
• {{cite book |last=Walker |first=John |year=1991 |title=The Trouser Press Record Guide |url=https://archive.org/details/trouserpressreco002269mbp |edition=4th |editor=Ira Robbins |location=New York |publisher=Collier |isbn=978-0-02-036361-3}}
• {{cite book |last1=Wallace |first1=Amy |last2=Manitoba |first2=Dick |title=The Official Punk Rock Book of Lists |year=2007 |publisher=Backbeat Books |isbn=978-0-87930-919-0}}
• {{cite book |last=Waterman |first=Bryan |year=2011 |title=Television's Marquee Moon |series=33⅓ |volume=83 |publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group |isbn=978-1-4411-8605-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/marqueemoon00wate}}
• {{Cite web |title=Television |first=Tod |last=Wizon |year=1992 |url=http://bombmagazine.org/article/1592/television |publisher=BOMB Magazine |website=bombmagazine.org |access-date=February 2, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106073700/http://bombmagazine.org/article/1592/television |archive-date=January 6, 2016}}

{{Refend}}

• {{allmusic}}
• {{Discogs artist|254494|Television}}
• {{imdb name|2098433}}

{{Television (band)|state=expanded}}

{{Richard Hell}}

{{Portal bar|New York (state)|New York City}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Television}}

Category:American post-punk music groups

Category:American art rock groups

Category:Musical quartets from New York (state)

Category:American new wave musical groups

Category:Capitol Records artists

Category:Elektra Records artists

Category:Musical groups established in 1973

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1978

Category:Musical groups reestablished in 1992

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1993

Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2001

Category:Musical groups from New York City

Category:Art punk groups

Category:American protopunk groups

Category:Punk rock groups from New York (state)

Category:ROIR artists