RE: Television Live (and twangless)
-Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 1999 1:54 PM To: passenger side Subject: Re: Television Live (and twangless) Richard Lloyd is now and forever on my guitar god list no matter who he plays with. Amen. The single most under-rated guitar player going. Perhaps it's because he used to play with one of the most over-rated. Nicholas
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
In a message dated 99-04-06 17:19:33 EDT, you write: Richard Lloyd is now and forever on my guitar god list no matter who he plays with. Deb he was teaching voice here in Hoboken at The Guitar Bar not long enough. If I had only had the bucks... Elena Skye
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
William F. Silvers writes: Review/commentary on the re-release of Television's live BLOW-UP record. I don't get it. This has been on CD as a French import for, what, six years or so? I've had it that long, anyway. To be honest, it's not their best work. It's interesting, but the sound quality ain't too hot. I never saw them back in the day and my sole live encounter with them was the '91 Paradise date, though I have no doubt that better live material exists. There was a great story about Mike Watt playing at the Middle East (I think) last year while Verlaine was doing a date next door at TT the Bear's. I might have the clubs reversed, but it doesn't really matter. Anyway, Watt is almost as big a Television fan as he is a B.O.C. fan and closed his set with a Television cover, hoping that Verlaine would hear it; "Little Johnny Jewel," I think. Speaking of New York punk bands from the '70s, the Dictators are at the Middle East on May 7th. Woo hoo! Rock 'n' roll made a man out of me... Jon Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Wollaston, Massachusetts
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Nah, Amy, I don't hate 'em or anything. I've just never quite been on the wavelength. I enjoyed those shows way back when and I even see the sense in which their were certain innovations there (like the phrasing thing Barry mentioned). They just never rang my own little bell, etc I did that the live recording, however, when it came out on ROIR some time back and thought at the time that it was the best recording of them I'd ever heard. And that Patti Smith quote was hilarious, thanks for that one! g. So maybe Verlaine needs to do a tour with the Ex-Husbands now... --junior
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
I'm probably jumping into this late (sue me, I've been in bed with a fever of 103 the past three days) but Richard Lloyd is indeed a guitar god. The closest I ever got to seeing his fingers fly was a tour that the Heath Happiness Show did with Butch Hancock in 1995. Lloyd was playing with HH, who opened the show then backed Butch during his set. Talk about your mingling of influences and scenes. Great night of music and Butch sure seemed to enjoy the hell out of it. Jim, smilin' and coughin'
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Junior says: And that Patti Smith quote was hilarious, thanks for that one! g. It's even better if you imagine it being said in Patti's weird South Jersey hippie accent. So maybe Verlaine needs to do a tour with the Ex-Husbands now... Shudder
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Television isn't quite as twangless as you'd think, in my opinion. They are played a different sort of twang than most of us are used to hearing. In my opinion, they could have been one of the great bands of the 70s, had they not been sidetracked by drug abuse. Tom Verlaine's vocals were an acquired taste, but one I certainly acquired. I'm sure I wasn't the only person who spent time trying to align a cassette recording of both sides of the "Little Johnny Jewel" 45 so they played in sync. I later bought the big EP version (which I still have somewhere). More TV facts: Richard Lloyd also played with John Doe, on his CD "Meet John Doe". And Billy Ficca was the drummer for the Waitresses ("I Know What Boys Like"). np in my head: "Prove It"
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Former and future Amy Haugesag wrote: Bill writes: I'm with you, which is why I baited the hook that way. (Though "Prove It" does end up as a song I get stuck in my head from time to time) Wondered if any NYC types who maybe saw them back in the day had different ideas. the twin guitars of Richard Lloyd and Tom Verlaine were revelatory. Patti Smith once said of Tom Verlaine, "He plays guitar like a thousand bluebirds screaming," and as pretentious and silly as that sounds, it's oddly accurate in a way. Television were a band like no other, and the relative unevenness of Verlaine's solo output and the reunion record shouldn't distract or detract from that fact. Well, your using that quote and verifying it despite how it sounds is reminicent of what always bothered me about Television. I was a naive little midwestern high schooler when those Television/Talking Heads/Ramones shows were happening, and of course I never even saw Television live. The level of hyperbole always seemed to me disproportionate to the way the records struck me- unique and unquestionably talented, but relatively sterile and uncompelling. The level (and the *tone*- like "bluebirds screaming"g) of critical praise given the band was a lot higher than my esteem for them- I liked MARQUEE MOON, played the heck out of it, but never fell in love despite trying to. ADVENTURE was even less interesting to me. Now Talking Heads, well, who'd guess that I liked them sorta OK? But David Byrne's "Sessions at West 54th" interviews...yow. Makes you long for a competent interviewer like Charlie Rose or Craig Kilborn...g b.s. n.p. XTC APPLE VENUS VOLUME 1
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
In a message dated 4/7/99, 9:42:21 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: but Richard Lloyd is indeed a guitar god He was great playing on the "Meet John Doe" tour as well. I had a space by the stage right by him and though I find John Doe pretty darn easy on the eyes -- I still couldn't take my eyes off Richard's fingers. Deb
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Excerpts from internet.listserv.postcard2: 7-Apr-99 Re: Television Live (and tw.. by Brad Bechtel@macromedia. More TV facts: Richard Lloyd also played with John Doe, on his CD "Meet John Do e". And Billy Ficca was the drummer for the Waitresses ("I Know What Boys Like" ). And the original bassist co-leader was Richard Hell, to my ears a better writer than Verlaine (though not a better singer or player). Has Richard lloyd put out any solo work this decade? His record on Celluloid about a dozen years ago was excellent. Carl Z.
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Carl Abraham Zimring writes: Has Richard lloyd put out any solo work this decade? His record on Celluloid about a dozen years ago was excellent. I have an import LP that he did at some point on a Swedish label with - I believe - a Swedish backing band. I think it was done earlier in the decadebut can't remember any details. It's been a while since I pulled it out to listen to it. --Jon Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Wollaston, Massachusetts
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Bill ponders the mysteries of Televison and that epochal artiste, Tom Verlaine... Seminal and magical or pretty much overrated, you decide. Ah well, these are taste matters I know. I tend toward the latter however I'd give their entire recorded output for a single track by the Ramones. --junior
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Reply to: Re: Television Live (and twangless) Everyone's entitled to their own opinion blah blah blah, but I have to interject an objection here. I remember the first weekend I went to CBGB's, back in 75 or 76. First night it was Mink Deville and Ramones, next night was Talking Heads opening for Television. As great as Ramones were, Television blew em away. I've never been a big fan of guitar solos, but Verlaine and Lloyd always managed to surprise me. And "Marquee Moon" still holds up. Additional twang: Richard Lloyd backed up Butch Hancock at the Mercury Lounge a couple of years ago, and I still consider it one of the best shows I've ever seen. lloyd's solo on "Bluebird" brought tears to my eyes. BARNARD wrote: Bill ponders the mysteries of Televison and that epochal artiste, Tom Verlaine... Seminal and magical or pretty much overrated, you decide. Ah well, these are taste matters I know. I tend toward the latter however I'd give their entire recorded output for a single track by the Ramones. --junior
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Bill Silvers wrote: Seminal and magical or pretty much overrated, you decide. I'm with you, which is why I baited the hook that way. Lord, lord no. As Robin wrote, Marquee Moon stands up well over time. Yeah, he's done some goofy stuff, but even the reunion Televsion record was pretty strong. Dave *** Dave Purcell, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Northern Ky Roots Music: http://w3.one.net/~newport Twangfest: http://www.twangfest.com
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Everyone's entitled to their own opinion blah blah blah, but I have to interject an objection here. I remember the first weekend I went to CBGB's, back in 75 or 76. First night it was Mink Deville and Ramones, next night was Talking Heads opening for Television. As great as Ramones were, Television blew em away. I've never been a big fan of guitar solos, but Verlaine and Lloyd always managed to surprise me. And "Marquee Moon" still holds up. FWIW, anyone a fan of Television who hasn't tapped into Sleater-Kinney might want to check 'em out. They're two-guitar interplay is really something special. As is their two vocal interplay. Just two of several things that make them maybe the most vital rock band around at the moment. Cheerleadingly, Neal Weiss
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Actually, I saw 'em in 76 at CBGB's too old old old!!! and several other times, but they didn't do any more for me then than they do now, in retrospect. Ah well, --junior
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Richard Lloyd is now and forever on my guitar god list no matter who he plays with. Deb
Re: Television Live (and twangless)
Bill writes: I'm with you, which is why I baited the hook that way. (Though "Prove It" does end up as a song I get stuck in my head from time to time) Wondered if any NYC types who maybe saw them back in the day had different ideas. Yep. And evidently Robin Hall did too (in fact, we were probably at the same show(s); my very first CB's show was Television with Talking Heads opening, back in fall 1975). And I'm certain that Barry Mazor saw them a few dozen times back in the day. Evidently Junior and I just can't agree on anything lately--the Ex-Husbands, Television...The Ramones (my fourth or fifth CB's show) were wonderful, and more seminal than they're given credit for, but the twin guitars of Richard Lloyd and Tom Verlaine were revelatory. Patti Smith once said of Tom Verlaine, "He plays guitar like a thousand bluebirds screaming," and as pretentious and silly as that sounds, it's oddly accurate in a way. Television were a band like no other, and the relative unevenness of Verlaine's solo output and the reunion record shouldn't distract or detract from that fact. --Amy, who is bound to get back to talking about twangier stuff any minute now