(TV) RS bio on verlaine:another refernece to iggy pop/LJJ

[Jay Pontrelli <jaypontrelli@yahoo.com>]

Tom Verlaine is best known for his work in the 1970s
New York band Television, a group that ultimately had
little impact in America but was widely popular and
influential in Britain. Verlaine's style of guitar
playing, which bore neither the pentatonic excesses of
the "guitar heroes" nor the steadfast incompetence of
his punk peers, particularly influenced the oncoming
"New Wave" movement.

Verlaine, born Thomas Miller in 1949 in New Jersey,
began jamming with bassist Richard Hell and drummer
Billy Ficca as the Neon Boys in the early '70s. By
1973, the band had added guitarist Richard Lloyd and
adopted the name Television. In 1974 Television began
a residency at the legendary New York club CBGB, where
they were labeled as either glam or punk, the two
dominant underground scenes in the city at the time.
In reality, Television was neither and borrowed
elements of both. Their first single, 1975's "Little
Johnny Jewel," paid tribute to Iggy Pop.

Verlaine's persistent conflict with Hell caused the
latter to leave the band before the release of
Television's first album in 1977. Marquee Moon,
released on Elektra Records, didn't chart in America.
However, it received rave reviews in Great Britain and
Ireland and was a must-have for anyone who considered
themselves "up" on music. In Dublin, for example, a
young guitarist by the name of Dave Evans cited
Marquee Moon as one of his favorite albums. Evans was,
at the time, beginning to make a name for himself as
the Edge, in a band called U2.

Despite this promising beginning, Television survived
for only one more album, 1978's Adventure, before
breaking up. Unfortunately, Adventure elicited an even
bigger American yawn than Marquee Moon.

Verlaine began his solo career with a self-titled
album in 1979. By then, a pattern was beginning to
emerge in the reaction to Verlaine's work; in Britain
Verlaine's music was considered innovative and cutting
edge, while in America it was virtually ignored by
audiences tuned into to Styx and Foreigner. 

Verlaine's biggest impact in America came with the
1981 album Dreamtime, which charted briefly in the
States. Dreamtime was followed by Words From the Front
in 1982 and Cover in 1984, both of which again did
better in the U.K. than the U.S. Finally, Verlaine
gave in and relocated to London where he took a
three-year break before returning with Flash Light in
1987, a highly acclaimed album. However, The Wonder,
released in 1990, was a disappointment both
commercially and critically.

In 1991, Verlaine reunited with his old Television
mates for an album and a tour. It didn't take, though,
and Television was switched off for good in 1992. That
year, Verlaine released his first instrumental album,
Warm and Cool, on Rykodisc. He branched out into film
scoring with Love and a .45 in 1994. A two-CD Verlaine
anthology was issued in Britain in 1996, but its U.S.
release was held until late 1998, no doubt to avoid
chart competition with the third installation of Styx'
greatest hits.

Andrew Fraker



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