― Michael Bourke, Saturday, 3 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
― emil.y, Sunday, 4 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
― duane, Sunday, 4 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
― Arthur, Sunday, 4 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
― Dana G, Sunday, 4 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
― david, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
― dave q, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
That's a dreadful thing to say.
― Sean, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
― Brian, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
This is a joke right? Television had been around for years before U2 even decided to become a band, and Edge cites Television as an influence. Edge couldn't hold a candle to either Verlaine's or Lloyd's playing, without effects boxes there would be no U2.
― Dennis D, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
― K-reg, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
― nickn, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink
anyone heard (WTF?) the new richard lloyd hendrix covers (WTF?) and/or seen a recent show?http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2009/04/televisions_ric.html
― kamerad, Thursday, 7 May 2009 22:38 (4 years ago) Permalink
I got his first solo album. Strikingly like mid-period Nick Lowe!
― Mark G, Friday, 8 May 2009 08:56 (4 years ago) Permalink
damn i didn't know he just played D.C. a couple weeks ago, i totally would've been into seeing Lloyd cover Hendrix
― apparent goals of sexiness and detailed vagina mapping (some dude), Friday, 8 May 2009 12:46 (4 years ago) Permalink
so i went last night. he didn't really play many hendrix songs but did do sterling versions of "friction" and "elevation." dude is an a-mazing guitar player. he had laryngitis though which sucked
― kamerad, Friday, 8 May 2009 14:32 (4 years ago) Permalink
Billy Ficca's playing drums with him right? That'd be a bonus for sure.
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 14:34 (4 years ago) Permalink
Sounds awesome.
I keep hoping Television get together and do another album like they did with that s/t one in, what, the early '90s?, that surprises me by actually being pretty good.
― SQUIRREL WITH A PEOPLE FACE (╓abies), Friday, 8 May 2009 14:46 (4 years ago) Permalink
i think it was billy yeah and the two of them were having a lot of fun together. a few times it seemed like they were making up songs on the spot for a minute or two before going into something familiar
― kamerad, Friday, 8 May 2009 14:48 (4 years ago) Permalink
cool, wish Lloyd/Ficca would come to my neck of the woods. there were some rumors that Television was recording an album -- without Lloyd!! -- a year or two back. Don't know if that would really end up being a Television album or just a Tom Verlaine solo record. Anyway, they had been playing about an albums' worth of new songs between 2002-2006. Not exactly the most ambitious band in the world, in terms of recording, though.
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 14:50 (4 years ago) Permalink
that brooklynvegan link upthread mentions that television are currently recording, with jimmy ripp on guitar.
― willem, Friday, 8 May 2009 15:17 (4 years ago) Permalink
ah yes, that is what I had heard. i think Lloyd made a big announcement a few years back about how he was quitting Television once and for all, but that he gave them his blessing to continue without him. Still, Television w/o Lloyd just seems like Tom Verlaine solo -- Ripp, Ficca and Smith have all played on his solo records, anyway. Whatever, it'd be nice to have some new Verlaine/Television material. What I've heard from various live tapes sounds prettty sweet.
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 15:26 (4 years ago) Permalink
Who is Jimmy Ripp :(
― SQUIRREL WITH A PEOPLE FACE (╓abies), Friday, 8 May 2009 15:29 (4 years ago) Permalink
Dude who played guitar with Verlaine throughout the 80s and 90s. Great player actually.
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 15:30 (4 years ago) Permalink
at this point, he's probably logged more hours with Tom than Lloyd has.
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 15:31 (4 years ago) Permalink
at the last television show i saw, 2005 i think?, he played some great stuff i didn't reccognize. I particularly remember a long song with a terrific eastern motif.
― willem, Friday, 8 May 2009 15:46 (4 years ago) Permalink
Sounds hopeful. Still sad to think of that band without Lloyd.
― SQUIRREL WITH A PEOPLE FACE (╓abies), Friday, 8 May 2009 16:16 (4 years ago) Permalink
yeah, would be pretty weird to have a Television album w/o Lloyd -- is there a single review of that band that doesn't talk about the dueling Verlaine/Lloyd guitars? it's pretty much their signature.
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 16:22 (4 years ago) Permalink
i've only seen television once - one of the early '00s reunion shows in DC - but my main takeaway was that i'd severely overrated verlaine and underrated lloyd as guitarists. verlaine was a mess (sometimes in a really good way, obvs) with flashes of inspiration, but lloyd was lyrical, hypnotic, and locked on. it was weird to realize how many times i'd listened to recordings and been like "omg verlaine!" when it was actually lloyd's playing. verlaine rules, but i think his stuff is more of an "if you catch him on a good night, wow" kinda thing.
― pretzel walrus, Friday, 8 May 2009 16:49 (4 years ago) Permalink
yeah i don't think Verlaine's heart is in the epic intense guitar solos these days. he can still do great stuff, but i think he left the heavy lifting to Lloyd in the various reunions. Like when I've heard latter-day versions of "Little Johnny Jewel" Tom barely seems there, whereas he kills it on those 70s recordings.
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 16:53 (4 years ago) Permalink
yeah...you just hear Verlaine's name so much more than when you hear guitar stuff on the albums you kinda assume it's him until you learn otherwise...i wish they'd credited who did which solos/leads on Marquee Moon like they did for the self-titled album.
xpost
― Briney Deep Coralgarden (some dude), Friday, 8 May 2009 16:54 (4 years ago) Permalink
they did! it's on the vinyl, anyway.
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 16:56 (4 years ago) Permalink
I heard somewhere or other that Lloyd's parts were a lot more written than Verlaine's, much truth in that ya suppose?
― SQUIRREL WITH A PEOPLE FACE (╓abies), Friday, 8 May 2009 16:59 (4 years ago) Permalink
ah really? I need to check my CD reissue to see if it's in there.
― Briney Deep Coralgarden (some dude), Friday, 8 May 2009 17:03 (4 years ago) Permalink
oh totally, re: Lloyd's parts. On Marquee Moon, Richard doubletracked every note he played.
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 17:04 (4 years ago) Permalink
xpost the guitar solo credits etc are def on the rhino cd reish
saw the reformed television twice this decade, and both times the tension between verlaine and lloyd was self-evident in the way that they played together, stood on stage together, glared at each other (mostly tom) etc etc - i wouldn't say that either of 'em was 'better' on the night, tho' the second time around (2004) the whole group was noticeably sloppier - the first time i saw 'em (at the Tortoise curated ATP in 2001) the version of 'little johnny jewel' they delivered was stunning and tom v was on fire
in 2006 i saw verlaine and ripp play a really sweet duo set at the 100 club - ripp was v. much the accompaniest and subservient to the master, and verlaine seemed much more engaged w/ the material and event, even when playing a few of the old hits - i don't ever expect to see tom in action so close up and personal, and he was def. on form that night - so he still has it, still
― Ward Fowler, Friday, 8 May 2009 17:32 (4 years ago) Permalink
yeah i've heard some of the Ripp/Verlaine duo (mostly instrumental) -- really lovely stuff!
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 17:35 (4 years ago) Permalink
btw if yr interested in hearing a bunch of vintage Television bootlegs, I did a long overview at my blog a couple weeks back: http://doomandgloomfromthetomb.tumblr.com/ I'll get around to the reunion years someday.
― tylerw, Friday, 8 May 2009 17:37 (4 years ago) Permalink
hmm: http://aquariumdrunkard.tumblr.com/post/677685931/indieandyy-careful-by-local-natives-originallyAquarium Drunkard will be digitally releasing L’Aventure on June 22, featuring 8 Los Angeles bands each covering a track from the 1978 Television LP, Adventure.1.The Henry Clay People: “Glory”2.Foreign Born: “Days”3.The Happy Hollows: “Foxhole”4.Local Natives: “Careful”5.The Deadly Syndrome: “Carried Away”6.Imaad Wasif [ft. Lykke Li]: “The Fire”7.Dirt Dress: “Ain’t That Nothin’”8.Growlers: “The Dream’s Dream”don't know any of these bands ... good/bad/eh?
― tylerw, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 21:06 (2 years ago) Permalink
local la bands, seen most of them, none of them are that bad but nothing really that special about any of em
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Tuesday, 8 June 2010 21:08 (2 years ago) Permalink
^^ tyler--any chance that you could re-post No Glamour-- later TV @ Academy '92?
― nerve_pylon, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 21:13 (2 years ago) Permalink
yeah, sure i'll re-post that one. totally an amazing set. blows away the s/t record. lloyd's solo on 1880 or so = craaaaaazy.i'm in the process of putting together a couple of comps covering unreleased Television songs from the 70s and the 00s for the blog, too.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 21:15 (2 years ago) Permalink
Venus de Milo has no arms, fwiw
― ksh, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 21:16 (2 years ago) Permalink
^^ thanks tyler--sounds great!
― nerve_pylon, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 21:19 (2 years ago) Permalink
this covers thing has me thinking -- are there any really *great* television covers? i liked chris stamey's mellow take on "venus" ... feelies do a good see no evil. clientele did a nice version of "the fire" a few years back.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 21:36 (2 years ago) Permalink
[ft. Lykke Li]
Huh? How'd she get involved? (swedish pop princess (imo :))
― willem, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 22:00 (2 years ago) Permalink
LOL Upthread somebody said Television was a rip-off of early U2. I fervently pray that they were kidding.
'Marquee Moon' remains one of the great guitar-oriented rock LPs, a distinction that was certainly not damaged by the inclusion of "Little Johnny Jewel" on the reissue. The arrangements are also spot-on, the melodies infectious. The other records are also very good. 'The Blow-Up' is a terrific sounds-like-you're-there live recording & the s/t comeback disc was better than I thought it was going to be. 'Adventure' isn't as crazy-good as 'Marquee Moon' but I think it suffers only by comparison. Pretty solid throughout & it makes me wish they had continued long enough to do a 3rd LP so we could really judge its sophtware (sic) slump qualities more accurately. BUt - there ya go...
― ImprovSpirit, Wednesday, 9 June 2010 01:03 (2 years ago) Permalink
LOL Upthread somebody said Television was a rip-off of early U2.
omg holy lols
― ksh, Wednesday, 9 June 2010 01:04 (2 years ago) Permalink
It was dave q, it was a joke
― Wenlock & Mandelson (Tom D.), Wednesday, 9 June 2010 13:30 (2 years ago) Permalink
this is cool -- the classic ARROW bootleg, uploaded by the taper/bootlegger himself: luckypsychichut.blogspot.com/2009/11/television-arrow-bootleg.htmlpretty awesome bootleg (most of it shows up on the Blow Up, but as the dude notes, it sounds better here). Johnny Jewel might be the definitive version.
― tylerw, Thursday, 21 October 2010 19:38 (2 years ago) Permalink
this 1993 NC show is killer: http://ow.ly/jhY2I when they were on during that first reunion tour, they were amazing.
― tylerw, Thursday, 21 March 2013 16:14 (2 months ago) Permalink
Really enjoyable new review of Hell's autobio, which I gotta get---linked on this ancient, still worthy thread:richard hell takes apart poor journalist
― dow, Thursday, 21 March 2013 23:27 (2 months ago) Permalink
Wow thanks tyler for the 93 show, I didn't have that one
― Brakhage, Friday, 22 March 2013 03:48 (2 months ago) Permalink
yesterday...
― Thus Sang Freud, Friday, 19 April 2013 19:02 (1 month ago) Permalink
cooool. even w/o lloyd, still sounding pretty good.
― tylerw, Friday, 19 April 2013 19:58 (1 month ago) Permalink
when they were on during that first reunion tour, they were amazing.
Yes. I saw them in Washington DC and they were good in a way few bands ever are. Saw them about 10 years later and they were awful.
― kornrulez6969, Friday, 19 April 2013 20:27 (1 month ago) Permalink
yeah i have a couple really bizarre early 00s shows where they seem to have forgotten how to play.
― tylerw, Friday, 19 April 2013 20:35 (1 month ago) Permalink
― tylerw, Friday, April 19, 2013 2:58 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
lloyd may still be living in mpls, he played some weird show here a couple years ago, had an ad on our craigslist for guitar lessons....um i'm not sure how functional he is these days
― ums (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 19 April 2013 21:28 (1 month ago) Permalink
Who's replaced Lloyd?
― If you tolerate Bis, then Kenickie will be next (ithappens), Friday, 19 April 2013 21:29 (1 month ago) Permalink
Great blog by Richard Williams
― If you tolerate Bis, then Kenickie will be next (ithappens), Friday, 19 April 2013 21:32 (1 month ago) Permalink
i think that's jimmy rip on second guitar. he's a session guy who's collaborated with verlaine off and on. very skilled but not nearly as manic as lloyd.
― Thus Sang Freud, Friday, 19 April 2013 21:44 (1 month ago) Permalink
yeah jimmy ripp has been verlaine's second guitarist outside of television for 30+ years now. he knows the parts.
― tylerw, Friday, 19 April 2013 21:48 (1 month ago) Permalink
saw them in london in the early 00s and they were soooooo boring. broke my heart as they've always been one of my favourite bands, but they were so... tasteful. like, knopfleresque.
― media conglomerates are pedaling the same product (stevie), Friday, 19 April 2013 22:33 (1 month ago) Permalink
i have a few good 00s shows by them, seems like it all depends on whether verlaine is interested in being there, which is probably only half of the time.
― tylerw, Friday, 19 April 2013 22:39 (1 month ago) Permalink
had an ad on our craigslist for guitar lessons
u should hit him up
― flopson, Friday, 19 April 2013 22:50 (1 month ago) Permalink
i follow him on facebook, he's always asking for students, even via skype, i think.
― tylerw, Friday, 19 April 2013 22:53 (1 month ago) Permalink
Which show Steve? QEH or ULU? Cos I saw them at ULU in maybe 04 and they killed. Finished with an incredible Psychotic Reaction.
The really weird one was the first gig in London after the reformation, at the Forum in 94 (or 93. I don't recall). Maybe 200 people there. Upstairs closed, downstairs almost completely empty. Verlaine asked for some blue light, and then the whole show was played under two blue spots and nothing else. I recall an amazing Little Johnny Jewel though.
― If you tolerate Bis, then Kenickie will be next (ithappens), Saturday, 20 April 2013 00:44 (1 month ago) Permalink
It was the Shepherds Bush Empire, April 2001. Seems like I just caught a bad night - wish I'd been at the Forum show you describe, though.
― media conglomerates are pedaling the same product (stevie), Saturday, 20 April 2013 08:39 (1 month ago) Permalink
saw them at the tortoise-curated all tomorrow's parties, and at their later ULU show. they were great both times - but the tension between verlaine and lloyd onstage was palpable, particularly at the ATP show, like almost uncomfortably so. the ATP gig started out very well-attended but the crowd soon started to thin out - think television are just a bit too 'sophisticated guitar solos' for the indie kid purists of days. they were much sloppier at the ULU show, but seemed to be enjoying themselves a bit more, and the one new song they played (something like 'sahara'???) was excellent. a year or so later verlaine and rip played a beautiful duo show at the 100 Club on Tottenham Court Road, and i'm not sure that TV has been back since.
― Ward Fowler, Saturday, 20 April 2013 14:35 (1 month ago) Permalink
new song you mention is probably this - verlaine's been playing it with and without television since like 1997.
― tylerw, Saturday, 20 April 2013 16:04 (1 month ago) Permalink
btw looks like you can still grab this -- http://www.earcandyarchive.com/?p=24It was 7 years ago that I first heard Tom Verlaine say:“This here’s a newie….goes like this”
And finally a new Television album is nearing completion,albeit without Richard Lloyd, who left to persue TheRadiant Monkey and his own musical vision. So its sheerconjecture as to which of these new TV songs will have madeit into the studio along with replacement, Jimmy Rip.
Here, then, is a compilation of live performances of thosenew songs as performed in recent years. May this serve asa fitting farewell to Mr Lloyd’s involvement with the groupand an appreciation of his contribution to the evolving ofthese new songs.
These are audience recordings so sonic quality is not ideal.However,the passion is all there in the zeros & the ones…
01 I Could Sleep All Day (Washington DC 2003-03-24)02 Rise & Fall (London 2005-06-21)03 Frustration (Sao Paolo 2005-10-25)04 Flower Spasm (London 2005-06-21)05 Balloon (Washington DC 2003-03-24)06 Persia (London 2004-06-23)07 The Sea ((Hamburg 2004-06-18)
bonus tracks:08 Swells Pt 1 / Stars / Swells Pt 2 (Sao Paolo 2005-10-25)09 Stax (Hamburg 2004-06-18)10 Stockhausen Pysche Jam (London 2004-06-23)11 Bowie medley (London 2002-06-1812 Love Theme From Piranha (London 2002-06-18)13 “Hits On TV” (London 2002-06-19)
― tylerw, Saturday, 20 April 2013 16:11 (1 month ago) Permalink
Jeff Tweedy's wife Sue reportedly gave him lessons with Lloyd for his birthday once.
Can I tell my fave Television story again? Yeah? OK, cool. The last time I saw them, in 1998 or something, they were at the start of "Marquee Moon" when Lloyd broke a string. So as the band played the song, as a trio, he very calmly, and very slowly, moved aside and patiently changed the string. Very. Patiently. Took his sweet time. In fact, didn't strap the guitar back on until the last few seconds of the song. It was hilarious.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 20 April 2013 16:14 (1 month ago) Permalink
they're doing marquee moon in its entirety in australia this fallhttp://www.atpfestival.com/newsview/1304162359.php
― tylerw, Monday, 22 April 2013 14:52 (1 month ago) Permalink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH8Iqv6LkVc&feature=player_embeddedweird! last weekend television played "i'm gonna find you" an unreleased tune from 1974. have they been listening to the old bootlegs?
― tylerw, Tuesday, 23 April 2013 16:41 (1 month ago) Permalink
Well you know there's this blog they may have stumbled upon
― willem, Tuesday, 23 April 2013 17:49 (1 month ago) Permalink
haha, that would be terrifying.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 23 April 2013 17:51 (1 month ago) Permalink
I'm thinking people need to talk about Adventure more often!
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Thursday, 25 April 2013 22:29 (4 weeks ago) Permalink
let's talk about it! Television played this one last week, which they never did back in the day:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtSsXABdBNw
― tylerw, Thursday, 25 April 2013 22:31 (4 weeks ago) Permalink
i really like that song. the clientele do a groovy version but it doesn't appear to be on youtube.
― tylerw, Thursday, 25 April 2013 22:34 (4 weeks ago) Permalink
Crazy, I've just seen these posts and I'm actually listening to 'The Fire' right now on my copy of Adventure! Great song, and absolutely wonderful guitar work as always. I can see why Adventure tends to get overlooked... it followed up a stone-cold classic in Marquee Moon, and its material is a touch more relaxed, maybe... but the more I listen to it, the more it gets its claws in me. There really isn't a song on Adventure I dislike, for what it's worth!
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Thursday, 25 April 2013 22:42 (4 weeks ago) Permalink
I recall Adventure getting a two star review in UNCUT for the reissue, alone with MM's five stars. Seemed really OTT rather than standing on its own merits (which it has). It's not MM but it's not a two star album either (IMO).
― Master of Treacle, Friday, 26 April 2013 00:12 (4 weeks ago) Permalink
Also surprised that, at that time (00s anyway), it seemed Adventure was getting quite a lot of credit on its own whilst keeping things realistic, rather than people dismissing it offhand just because it wasn't MM (and it isn't, but anyway..)
― Master of Treacle, Friday, 26 April 2013 00:15 (4 weeks ago) Permalink
Yeah, that's more than a bit OTT, IMO... I definitely don't think Adventure is a two star record!
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Friday, 26 April 2013 00:23 (4 weeks ago) Permalink
finally watched the 1974 tape from ork's loft. verlaine is so animated, jumping around & smiling, kinda reminiscent of thurston moore circa 1983 & in fact the blurry untuned guitar sound resembled sonic youth to a startling degree. huh. too bad hell's mike didn't work but still a revelation.
― screen scraper (m coleman), Friday, 26 April 2013 11:10 (4 weeks ago) Permalink
I think my issue with Adventure is how it kinda fizzles out with the last track.
Now, it has the title track to 'end' it, which isn't exactly 'great' but it does what was needed.
C'mon! It has "Foxhole", "Careful" and "Aint that nothing". And "Glory", and and and....
― Mark G, Friday, 26 April 2013 11:16 (4 weeks ago) Permalink
Terry Ork's loft rehearsal
― The Cosimo Code of the Woosters (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 27 April 2013 14:22 (3 weeks ago) Permalink
"Persia" is my new jam
― The Cosimo Code of the Woosters (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 27 April 2013 14:37 (3 weeks ago) Permalink
yeah it's great, total trance music. i have one version that's close to 20 minutes.
― tylerw, Saturday, 27 April 2013 14:47 (3 weeks ago) Permalink
Get outta here, the solo is among the best guitar playing I've ever in my life
― Bees Against Racism (Tom D.), Saturday, 27 April 2013 14:49 (3 weeks ago) Permalink
Ever heard that is. LOL. And believe me I've tried to play it.
― Bees Against Racism (Tom D.), Saturday, 27 April 2013 14:53 (3 weeks ago) Permalink
I hate to say this, but Television could be the most underachieving band in the history of rock and roll. All that talent, the immortal debut, and that's pretty much it.
― kornrulez6969, Saturday, 27 April 2013 15:26 (3 weeks ago) Permalink
xxp: i've always wished for a side-long version of The Dream's Dream
― nerve_pylon, Saturday, 27 April 2013 15:37 (3 weeks ago) Permalink
"yeah it's great, total trance music. i have one version that's close to 20 minutes."
Ysi?
― brad palsy (Jon Lewis), Saturday, 27 April 2013 17:15 (3 weeks ago) Permalink
hate to say this, but Television could be the most underachieving band in the history of rock and roll. All that talent, the immortal debut, and that's pretty much it.
I'm a stan for the '92 album.
― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 27 April 2013 17:19 (3 weeks ago) Permalink
Side 2 of Adventure is where I'm at.
― PaulTMA, Saturday, 27 April 2013 17:43 (3 weeks ago) Permalink
that ork loft youtube is one of my most watched/listened to things of the past month, i think i saw it on tyler's blog
― flopson, Saturday, 27 April 2013 19:54 (3 weeks ago) Permalink