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Tom Verlaine, seminal punk guitarist and singer, dead at 73
The New York Times confirmed the death of the influential musician on Saturday, quoting Jesse Paris Smith, the daughter of Verlaine’s fellow musician Patti Smith. She did not specify a cause, saying that he died “after a brief illness”.
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Singer/musician Tom Verlaine performs at The 2008 Tibet House Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 13, 2008. in New York, the United States. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
(AFP/Steven Lovekin/Getty Images)
T
om Verlaine, guitarist and lead singer of Television, the seminal New York punk outfit who laid the groundwork for guitar-based post-punk music, died in Manhattan at the age of 73.
The New York Times confirmed the death of the influential musician on Saturday, quoting Jesse Paris Smith, the daughter of Verlaine’s fellow musician Patti Smith. She did not specify a cause, saying that he died “after a brief illness”.
Born Thomas Miller, Verlaine (who adopted his last name from the French poet Paul Verlaine), formed his first band in the early 1970s with high school classmate, Richard Hell, another early-punk icon.
Born in New Jersey, the United States, and growing up in Delaware, Verlaine arrived in New York at the earliest period of punk. Verlaine and Hell first teamed up for the short-lived act Neon Boys before cofounding Television in 1973 alongside guitarist Richard Lloyd.
Television released their debut album Marquee Moon in 1977, at the height of punk's popularity, and received a critical acclaim for intricate guitar works and impressionist lyrics, which was worlds apart from Ramones' three-chord compositions and teenage-angst theme.
Marquee Moon, which boasted an 11-minute title-track single, only sold moderately but went on to become critics' darling, with many considering it to be one of the best records in rock music.
Music magazine Rolling Stone put Marquee Moon at number 107 on its list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
“As exhilarating in its lyrical ambitions as the Ramones’ debut was in its brutal simplicity, Marquee Moon still amazes,” Rolling Stone wrote. “‘Friction’, ‘Venus’ and the mighty title track are jagged, desperate and beautiful all at once. As for punk credentials, don’t forget the cryptic electricity and strangled existentialism of guitarist Tom Verlaine’s voice and songwriting.”
In its obituary of Verlaine published over the weekend, the The New York Times wrote that Verlaine, who was also the band’s lead singer and did most of the songwriting, studied piano and saxophone as a child, and his music had roots in everything from the free jazz of John Coltrane to the Rolling Stones’ hard-driving “19th Nervous Breakdown".
Upon hearing the news of Verlaine's death, numerous musicians took to social media to pay tribute in his honor.
“Tom Verlaine was a true great. His role in our culture and straight-up awesomeness on the electric guitar was completely legendary. Name 10 minutes of music as good as Marquee Moon. You can’t. It’s perfect. Rest in peace Tom x,” Stuart Braithwaite of the band Mogwai tweeted on Sunday.
Grunge producer Steve Albini said in a Twitter post on Sunday that "Television made a new kind of music and inspired new kinds of music".
"Beautifully lyrical guitarist, underrated vocalist. Marquee Moon is a perfect record. Requiescat," said Albini.
Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea said he listened to "Marquee Moon" 1,000 times and "will listen 1,000 more".
"Tom Verlaine is one of the greatest rock musicians ever. He (affected) the way John and I play immeasurably," he tweeted, referring to guitarist John Frusciante. "Fly on Tom."
"Went by the book stalls outside Strand yesterday thinking I'd see you as usual, have a smoke, talk about rare poetry finds for a couple of hours," tweeted Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth. "Gonna miss you Tom. TV Rest In Peace."
Will Sergeant, the lead guitarist of the band Echo and the Bunnymen, said Verlaine influenced him in a big way.
"Tom Verlaine's playing meant the world to me. If I ever played anything that sounded like him, I was happy. He set me on my path as a guitarist, thank you Tom," Sergeant said in a tweet posted minutes after hearing news of Verlaine's passing.
