(TV) Television's Dorian+Mixolydian Modes Redux/MM List Archives Being Read

["Casey, Leo J" <CaseyL@VOLPE.DOT.GOV>]

I got a very nice and informative answer to my earlier question about the use of Dorian and Mixolydian modes in Television's music from someone not a member of list, but who saw my question when he was reading the MM List Archives!  I thought I would share it with the list.	Leo
"Hi 
You wanted to know a little more about Tom Verlaine and Television's use of modes. I'm not actually on the Marquee Moon list - keep trying to subscribe can't get it to work - but I read the archives and as I've looked into this a little I might be able to help. 
First off, modal scales are simply scales that use the basic major scale but start on a different note, which gives a new flavour to the entire scale. Starting melodies or solos on a different note from the central key is a classic verlaine/lloyd tatic and one that gives their music that feeling of 'otherness' from a lot of other guitar rock, although other guitarists such as Robert Quine, Roger McGuinn etc, etc also use modes. 
The song "Marquee Moon" would be a good place to start when looking at TV's use of modes. As one of the articles suggest these players use mixolydian in place of the major scale, which seems to give more of an 'open' feel - for want of a better word - than using the major scale. The da-da-da-da melody line that starts the chorus is D mixolydian, which is actually the G major scale, but played from D-to-D rather than starting on the usual G note. 
Then Tom's solo is all based around the D mixolydian mode, which over D/Bm chords, again allows more open feeling than using say the D major scale. 
The mixolydian scale appears all over Tom Verlaine's earlier songs, it seems to have been as seductive to him as the minor pentatonic was to Jimi Hendrix, it also turns up in Friction, Glory (esp long outros on live versions), Breakin' in My Heart and multitude of others. Particulary used in songs that use only a few chords, it seems to me. 
I'd say the mixo mode is as esential to the earlier TV sound as a Fender Jazzmaster and a Super Reverb Amp. Both he and richard seem to use more pentatonic or 'bluesy' scales more often these days. 
Anyway, that's enough musicianly nonsense for now 
Hopes this helps 
Dan "  
Dan Jones, dnljns@hotmail.com

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