(TV) The 20 Longest Live Versions Of The Song 'Marquee Moon'

["Leo Casey" <LeoCasey@comcast.net>]

Part 2 of 4: The 20 Longest Live Versions Of The Song 'Marquee Moon'

 

"While one can find countless interesting fusions of genres over the
decades, there are some that seem to be unable to mix with one another due
to simply being based on such opposite foundations. The best example may be
taking the stripped down approach of punk rock and trying to combine it with
anything that focuses on longer songs or improvised sections. Though they
rarely work properly with one another, there is one band that managed to
bridge the gap between the 'simple-ness' of punk rock and the complex
arrangements of jazz roots, manifested in the sound known as 'jam music'.
Standing as one of the key bands that began the post-punk movement, and
perhaps the beginning of 'new wave', there are few groups that can compare
to the extraordinary musical creations of Television. Truly a groundbreaking
and revolutionary record, their 1977 debut, Marquee Moon, can be seen as a
'normal' rock record, and yet the brilliant progressions, powered by a
clearly punk attitude make it unlike anything else in music history. Pulling
strong influence from the work of The Velvet Underground, Marquee Moon shows
that the band knows no limits, and there is perhaps no more impressive a
moment on the album than their epic song, 'Marquee Moon'.

 

"Clocking in at just shy of eleven minutes, the run-time alone stands in
strong defiance to everything that was thought to 'be' punk rock. Yet within
the music, written by Tom Verlaine, lives an amazing swagger and attitude
that is 'vintage' punk sneer. It is songs like 'Marquee Moon' that prove the
idea that in any genre, it is far more about the spirit and energy behind
the song than it is the structure that makes it 'fit' into a particular
genre. Along with the attitude, the song bolsters one of the most brilliant
guitar progressions in history, and the signature riff, played by both
Verlaine and Richard Lloyd, weaves seamlessly through the bass and drums,
creating a rhythm all its own. This cadence seems to simultaneously contrast
and compliment the bass of Smith, while the drumming of Billy Ficca creates
an almost impossible third tempo. The fact that the song manages to function
at such a complex rhythmic level defies all previous musical norms, and it
blew open the doors for endless 'post-punk' experimentation. Again standing
in contrast to the 'norms' of  punk, Verlaine and Lloyd treat the listener
to plenty of amazing guitar 'licks' as well as one of the most phenomenal
solos of the era. Finishing off the song, Verlaine gives 'Marquee Moon' an
absolutely breathtaking ending, as his final progression is nothing short of
sonic bliss.

 

"While his guitar performance on Marquee Moon would have certainly been
enough to instantly solidify him as a music legend, Tom Verlaine places
himself into the most elite group of performers in history with his equally
brilliant vocal stylings.  Possessing one of the most unique and instantly
recognizable voices in history, his singing cuts through the music and
creates yet another tempo within the music.  Falling somewhere between David
Byrne and Joey Ramone, there has simply never been anyone who sounded quite
like Verlaine, and his distinctive ability to punctuate songs without really
changing his delivery makes the songs of  Television unparalleled. Clearly
drawing from the world of poetry, Verlaine's lyrics follow their own
pattern, and it is this almost disconnected rhythm that can be heard in
later bands like Fugazi and Gang Of Four. It is also within the lyrics of
'Marquee Moon' that the song's somewhat dark mood comes into play. The
almost cryptic lyrics paint a dark image, filled with storms and graveyards.
Yet there is also an undeniably 'deeper' level, where one can hear the words
as quite introspective, such as when Verlaine sings: " ... I asked him, how
he don't go mad. He said, 'look here junior, don't you be so happy ... and
for heaven's sake, don't you be so sad' ....".

 

"For so many reasons, the band Television remain today one of the most
important groups in the entire history of music. Given the fact that it was
largely their pioneering music that kick-started the post-punk and new wave
movements, the importance of the group cannot be overstated. Blending
psychedelic rock with the punk attitude, the band proved that nearly any
style of music could be fused with another, and their 1977 debut, Marquee
Moon, remains one of the most sensational records ever released. Though
quite literally every song on the album is an amazing musical
accomplishment, Television threw all expectations to the wayside with the
album's epic title track. Completely exploring every aspect of the music,
the band jams in and out of their complex rhythmic structure, and one is
truly left in awe of the amazing talent that each member shows. Clearly,
both Verlaine and Lloyd were fans of this 'jam' style, as they perfectly
fill each moment, yet are skilled enough to know 'when not to play'. The
addition of Tom Verlaine's unmistakable voice over-top the stunning music
only makes the song more superb, and there is simply nothing else in the
history of recorded music that can compare to Television's 1977 masterpiece,
'Marquee Moon'."

http://thedailyguru.blogspot.com/2010/06/june-4-television-marquee-moon.html

 

Part 3 of 4 to follow.

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