Such a correct statement. I’m working on right a little 36 or so years and I still love how they put all the different parts together to create this! So, I fully agree!!
Tom Verlaine Guitar / solo and voice and it's pronounced Ver LANE. As others have stated Richard did the solo after the 1st chorus.Both of them were customers at the guitar shop I worked at. Being from NY and old enough my wife saw them at CBGB's around the time this came out. I got to play drums with Fred Smith on a music project around 1998. He was amazing and kind and great to play with. A real gift that I'll always remember. We both saw so many killer bands there and I played there many times too. Very sad that it's gone. It should've been saved by the city of NY like any other historic location.
Simply one of the best albums I've ever heard. They unfairly get the punk label because of the time and place the operated in. But much like the English band The Stranglers, they are all in on chops and musical ability. The polar opposite of what true punks were about. You need to hear every song on this album. It will enrich your life. But it ain't fuckin punk.
One of my favorite albums ever. I have two original copies, and then the maxi EP for this song. Each time I listen to it since its release, it still sounds fresh ... nearly 50 years later !!! I will never get tired of it.
I’m so stoked you liked it, and as several others said, listen to more of this album. Venus, friction, etc. It’s one of THE best album ever, and they influenced everyone
This was a good year... after the three chord let's all make records and spit on everyone of the punk shake up, we had the music coming back in... Like Elvis Costello and The Buzzcocks snd The Police. AND YES, you hit the nail on the head there Lee.... The White Stripes need to say thank you for the template of our career.. Keep on Rocking.
Before this album period, the original bassist left and formed Richard Hell & The Voidoids, which featured another great, distinctive guitarist - the late Robert Quine. Years later, Quine, his Voidoids bandmate Ivan Julian and Television's Lloyd would all prove (pun intended) instrumental as the guitarists for Matthew Sweet's popular early-'90s albums.
I always really appreciated the drummers subtle drumming. His drums tell a story and he rarely does the same thing twice. I think he just improvised a lot of what he did, I'd be surprised if he played it live like that. He just grooves along well with the guitars.
For starters, listen to both classic Television albums from beginning to end: Marquee Moon & Adventure. MM came first, and is an absolute masterpiece (with more than a little Velvet Underground influence). It's an after-midnight vibe, like wallking slick New York City streets illuminated in neon rain. But don't discount Adventure. Great songwriting, a slightly brighter atmosphere, but still featuring amazing guitar licks and an some of the most usual and mesmerizing solos ever laid down on tape. The The opening track "Glory" is actually my favorite Television song. Also, check out Tom's first two solo albums: Tom Verlaine (1979) and Dreamtime (1981). Same unique energy but an expansion of the soundscape and song writing. FYI: the band briefly reunited in 1992 and released one more album simply called Television. Not as groundbreaking as their early work, but still worth a listen.
When CBCB started presenting music, the acts were Patti Smith, Television, Blondie, and soon after the Ramones. They were friendly, if not all friends, enough to share equipment when necessary. Blondie (who sometimes covered Television's Venus in their live sets) had a breakup and reorganization during which Fred Smith left to join Television. Imagine you go to a scuzzy club, have a drink or 5, and are listening to these creatives (especially, but not only, Television) find themselves. It was a major wow.
This is one of my top 5 albums of all time, so much so that I had to pick up the Rhino limited edition remaster (and kept the original release I bought back in '77). A couple of Billy Ficca stories: - about this track, he was pissed because he thought this was going to be a practice run-through and it ended up being the take. Also, when Richared Lloyd first got together with Verlaine, Verlaine apologized for Billy's jazz leanings and hinted that he'd be sacking him. Lloyd convinced him not to, recognizing that Ficca was something special.
Ahead of their time. You are right, they sound modern and I’d say timeless. It’s like the quintessential, forever, alternative sound that seems to always sound fresh.
Definitely similarities with the early Talking Heads as well, and they both played at some of the same venues. Also similar in really amazing ways are Iggy Pop, and, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, just as a start. I bet you would enjoy both of those. Blank Generation by the latter would be a fantastic entry point. I love how much you noticed the drums and really everything, but yeah it's a minimal style of playing but people are still using like incredible levels of mastery in a way, just to make all that work. He was destroying that ride cymbal by the end, lol.
Love it! One of my all time favorite pieces of vinyl. Thank you! And i'd vote for Friction as next tune. Note a few years after this, Verlaine goes solo and releases a couple more excellent albums.
Art Rock is what we called Yes, ELP, Crimson, Genesis, Gentle Giant, etc. before it was called Progressive Rock. "The new wave" felt like a return to Rock n' Roll. Television was that, sharp-edged with stripped-down instrumentation. Ever hear The National Lampoon's parody song "Art Rock Suite?" It's great. "There are 27 bands wrong in this song, can you find them all?"
One of two albums I ever bought more than one copy of, always loved this album, they were my favourite of the CBGB bands. Down on myself for never seeing them. Could've, Lollapalooza in '92, though I'd seen Lloyd and Smith with a couple other players post-Television in a small Toronto club in 1980. Their 2nd album, 'Adventure', sadly failed to repeat the same magic or replace it with something better, or capture either the public's or critics' imaginations. Must give it a 2nd chance soon. Surely it's about time. 😊🤙🏼🎶❤️✨️🕊
Just one of my all time favorite tracks from one of my all time favorite albums... ...though I prefer the live version from The Blow Up... Which you must check out... especially Little Johnny Jewel
I was about 12 when this album came out, but I didn't hear any of it until the 90s. I never understood how this didn't get played on the rock radio stations I listened to. To me it's as epic a musical journey as Stairway to Heaven, Hotel California, Free Bird, etc. that got played ad infinitum. Yes, you can criticize me for listening to too much mainstream radio over the years (I don't anymore). Although the rest of the songs on this album are not as epic, they're all pretty great IMO.
2 solos Richard is first , Tom is 2nd Only ever saw Tom play with Patti Smith I just saw her in December and she did beautiful Tribute by singing Guiding Light This is a Perfect Album Tom was instrumental in getting rock music in to CBGB,s
Origianl Bass Player Richard Hell wrote the defining classic of the era : Blank Generation He also inspired the whole punk fashion look which Malcolm McLaren saw in NYC and brought to London
Yes, this is not "Post Punk". This was ground zero. NYC! Check out Patti Smitb Group's version of "Gloria". You will not be dissapointed. This was all before The Ramones went to England to kick off their Punk movement. Oh, who ripped off Television big time - The Strokes. If you want a real treat prior to all of this, Lou Reed's Intro/Sweat Jane from his live "Rock and Roll Animal". It's all related...
The whole album is fantastic but the last song 'Torn Curtain' is on the same level than this song for me. You know the... "Best songs of all time"-Level. If you want to hear more of them.
IMO Television have nothing to do with prog, although the 'art rock' label works I guess. I see them as an outgrowth of the Velvet Underground and the NYC underground music scene of the late 60's/early 70's that then went on to spawn Talking Heads. Most of the American new wave bands that had success in the late 70's and early 80's all got their start with this kind of music in their ears. Lee, the Stones influence you mention is there, which was the case with most American alt-rock groups of the 70's. For the most part the Stones (as well as bands like the MC5 and The Stooges) were a much bigger influence on bands like this than the Beatles.
Old fart here. What is now regarded as prog started being called progressive rock from around 1972 or so as a collective term for UK bands like Genesis, Yes, Van der Graaf Generator, King Crimson, ELP, Gentle Giant and the like. All they really had in common was a tendency towards longer more complex compositions and unusual (by pop standards) time signatures. The term was retrofitted later to include pioneers previously regarded as "psychedelic" like the Pink Floyd and jazz influenced ones like Soft Machine. There were a load of lesser bands you will probably not have heard of: Greenslade, Clouds, The Strawbs, Wishbone Ash, Gryphon and a bunch more that I can't remember either. I should also add some European ones like PFM, Magma, Focus and Nektar. People will argue about who gets included or excluded (should the "Canterbury" bands count?) but that's their problem. By the way, I don't even particularly like some of these bands and by the time US prog happened I was listening to totally different stuff, so I know nothing about that period.
Musical music using a kick ass rock band to make it. Not sophomoric. Smiths: How Soon Is Now, Gang Of Four: What We All Want, WIRE, Ultravox, Psychadelic Furs...
Once you hear it, noone wants Marquee Moon to end.
Such a correct statement. I’m working on right a little 36 or so years and I still love how they put all the different parts together to create this! So, I fully agree!!
Tom Verlaine Guitar / solo and voice and it's pronounced Ver LANE. As others have stated Richard did the solo after the 1st chorus.Both of them were customers at the guitar shop I worked at. Being from NY and old enough my wife saw them at CBGB's around the time this came out. I got to play drums with Fred Smith on a music project around 1998. He was amazing and kind and great to play with. A real gift that I'll always remember. We both saw so many killer bands there and I played there many times too. Very sad that it's gone. It should've been saved by the city of NY like any other historic location.
Yeah I found out by the end lol Wikipedia was hiding his stuff. But my god, what a voice and skill. This was so ahead of its time!!
The short solo after 2nd chorus is Richard Lloyd, the longer one is Verlaine’s.
Credited on the album.
Both are excellent and very distinct. And both guitarists are pretty much ignored.
Not as well known as they should be but a lot of people, all over the world, even here in Spain know and appreciate this LP @@brianwacker9111
Shouldn't it be pronounded French-style (a high-pitched "veir-leinn") in keeping with the author who inspired the pseudonym?!
Simply one of the best albums I've ever heard. They unfairly get the punk label because of the time and place the operated in. But much like the English band The Stranglers, they are all in on chops and musical ability. The polar opposite of what true punks were about. You need to hear every song on this album. It will enrich your life. But it ain't fuckin punk.
One of my favorite albums ever. I have two original copies, and then the maxi EP for this song. Each time I listen to it since its release, it still sounds fresh ... nearly 50 years later !!! I will never get tired of it.
One of the greatest rock and roll
Albums of all time and it’s virtually unknown. Crazy.
They talked the owner of CBGB into letting them play there. No bands came before them. Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, etc. came AFTER them.
I’m so stoked you liked it, and as several others said, listen to more of this album. Venus, friction, etc.
It’s one of THE best album ever, and they influenced everyone
Thank you so much for requesting this, Karl. This was absolutely sublime. How have I never heard of these guys... crazy. You rock bro!
The first time I heard this I was surprised at how well they performed and I had to play it again.
You want to listen to the rest of the album
I definitely do bro. I'm so down. I almost didn't have the words!
You will love the timing of Elevation
My brother is a drummer and loved playing it
You are killing it with the choices today
YES HE IS !
My patrons don't miss. They are amazing lol. But all 4 bangers on one day? That's just destiny. 😁😁
Maybe go for a lottery ticket ???@@L33Reacts 😅
@@L33ReactsThat was the new wave generation out progging the prog rock generation!!!.
Perhaps my favourite song of all time
This was a good year... after the three chord let's all make records and spit on everyone of the punk shake up, we had the music coming back in... Like Elvis Costello and The Buzzcocks snd The Police. AND YES, you hit the nail on the head there Lee.... The White Stripes need to say thank you for the template of our career.. Keep on Rocking.
Yeah these guys started entire genres. I can tell from this one song lol. It was absolutely fantastic . Left me stunned. Lol
Before this album period, the original bassist left and formed Richard Hell & The Voidoids, which featured another great, distinctive guitarist - the late Robert Quine.
Years later, Quine, his Voidoids bandmate Ivan Julian and Television's Lloyd would all prove (pun intended) instrumental as the guitarists for Matthew Sweet's popular early-'90s albums.
See no evil, Venus, Prove it, Friction, Ain’t that nothin, The dream’s dream….
They have so many great tunes, imo.
As a drummer - i am floored by how he plays this this. Both so loose and tught at the same time. Glad you discovered it - i was 12 when it came out.
It's all over the place, yet tight as hell. Reminds me of Charlie Watts on a track like Sway.
I always really appreciated the drummers subtle drumming. His drums tell a story and he rarely does the same thing twice. I think he just improvised a lot of what he did, I'd be surprised if he played it live like that. He just grooves along well with the guitars.
I've read claims that this was not only one take and the first take but actually intended to be just a run-through.
For starters, listen to both classic Television albums from beginning to end: Marquee Moon & Adventure. MM came first, and is an absolute masterpiece (with more than a little Velvet Underground influence). It's an after-midnight vibe, like wallking slick New York City streets illuminated in neon rain. But don't discount Adventure. Great songwriting, a slightly brighter atmosphere, but still featuring amazing guitar licks and an some of the most usual and mesmerizing solos ever laid down on tape. The The opening track "Glory" is actually my favorite Television song. Also, check out Tom's first two solo albums: Tom Verlaine (1979) and Dreamtime (1981). Same unique energy but an expansion of the soundscape and song writing. FYI: the band briefly reunited in 1992 and released one more album simply called Television. Not as groundbreaking as their early work, but still worth a listen.
The short ripping middle solo was Richard; the long vamp solo at the end was Tom.
In my personal opinion, this song is perfect.
Practically Television gave birth to the new wave era in America back in 76-77.
This whole record is a staple, a milestone for a new way to play rock!
Been a long time since I heard this!.......Timeless track, and has the same effect as it did in the 70s!
Yeah I definitely was spellbound. Fantastic work.
Love hearing Billy Ficca getting props. Very underrated drummer, to my thinking.
When CBCB started presenting music, the acts were Patti Smith, Television, Blondie, and soon after the Ramones. They were friendly, if not all friends, enough to share equipment when necessary. Blondie (who sometimes covered Television's Venus in their live sets) had a breakup and reorganization during which Fred Smith left to join Television. Imagine you go to a scuzzy club, have a drink or 5, and are listening to these creatives (especially, but not only, Television) find themselves. It was a major wow.
Lee: This was new to me. The drummer was excellent, the music very interesting and grabbed my attention. Thanks.
This is one of my top 5 albums of all time, so much so that I had to pick up the Rhino limited edition remaster (and kept the original release I bought back in '77). A couple of Billy Ficca stories: - about this track, he was pissed because he thought this was going to be a practice run-through and it ended up being the take. Also, when Richared Lloyd first got together with Verlaine, Verlaine apologized for Billy's jazz leanings and hinted that he'd be sacking him. Lloyd convinced him not to, recognizing that Ficca was something special.
Bought this when it came out and played it to death. Still sounds great. Main vocal is Tom.
Richard Hell and the Voidoids and The Dead Boys are worth checking out!
Saw them in London opening for Blondie..May 1977..
Ahead of their time. You are right, they sound modern and I’d say timeless. It’s like the quintessential, forever, alternative sound that seems to always sound fresh.
the long solo at the end is all Tom V. Llyod does the short fiery solo in the middle of the song.
Takes me back to college days.
There’s some really amazing live versions on YT where they turn it to 11. Take care, Lee
I'll definitely check em out! This was amazing!!
Due to Bad Religion, I got into both King Crimson & Television at the same time, 17. Thanks for this refresher.
Tom Verlaine on vocals. Fred Smith on bass.
Fabulous record!
Pioneers of late 70's Post-Punk New wave scene in New York City to follow.
Was lucky enough to see them in 2019 before the great disruption the following year - and before Tom Verlaine passed
Definitely similarities with the early Talking Heads as well, and they both played at some of the same venues.
Also similar in really amazing ways are Iggy Pop, and, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, just as a start. I bet you would enjoy both of those.
Blank Generation by the latter would be a fantastic entry point. I love how much you noticed the drums and really everything, but yeah it's a minimal style of playing but people are still using like incredible levels of mastery in a way, just to make all that work. He was destroying that ride cymbal by the end, lol.
Love it! One of my all time favorite pieces of vinyl. Thank you! And i'd vote for Friction as next tune.
Note a few years after this, Verlaine goes solo and releases a couple more excellent albums.
Television, great band i saw them back in the 70's
I bet it was a great show! They sound amazing.
Billy Ficca!
Such a groove, but such keith moon energy too
The other hit of theirs was years later and titled "Call Mr. Lee".
Art Rock is what we called Yes, ELP, Crimson, Genesis, Gentle Giant, etc. before it was called Progressive Rock.
"The new wave" felt like a return to Rock n' Roll. Television was that, sharp-edged with stripped-down instrumentation.
Ever hear The National Lampoon's parody song "Art Rock Suite?" It's great. "There are 27 bands wrong in this song, can you find them all?"
A pivotal work, culturally speaking. CBGB
Mentioned everyone but the main man.
Finish the video first before commenting lol
And you mentioned we/I would.
My mistake. Enjoy your videos.
Guiding Light from the same album is my favourite.
One of two albums I ever bought more than one copy of, always loved this album, they were my favourite of the CBGB bands. Down on myself for never seeing them. Could've, Lollapalooza in '92, though I'd seen Lloyd and Smith with a couple other players post-Television in a small Toronto club in 1980.
Their 2nd album, 'Adventure', sadly failed to repeat the same magic or replace it with something better, or capture either the public's or critics' imaginations. Must give it a 2nd chance soon. Surely it's about time. 😊🤙🏼🎶❤️✨️🕊
Just one of my all time favorite tracks from one of my all time favorite albums...
...though I prefer the live version from The Blow Up...
Which you must check out... especially Little Johnny Jewel
Also of note, there were no overdubs, and Billy wasn't even aware they were taping
See no evil was their biggest hit which the band Ghost did a cover of .
That track was played live in the studio
such an amazing album.
I'm definitely going to listen to more. This was incredible.
Try REO Speed wagon LP REO TWO golden country
I was about 12 when this album came out, but I didn't hear any of it until the 90s. I never understood how this didn't get played on the rock radio stations I listened to. To me it's as epic a musical journey as Stairway to Heaven, Hotel California, Free Bird, etc. that got played ad infinitum. Yes, you can criticize me for listening to too much mainstream radio over the years (I don't anymore).
Although the rest of the songs on this album are not as epic, they're all pretty great IMO.
2 solos
Richard is first , Tom is 2nd
Only ever saw Tom play with Patti Smith
I just saw her in December and she did beautiful Tribute by singing Guiding Light
This is a Perfect Album
Tom was instrumental in getting rock music in to CBGB,s
They both were great. Thank you for the info Wikipedia was not clear (as always) lol I'm definitely listening to more.
Origianl Bass Player Richard Hell wrote the defining classic of the era : Blank Generation
He also inspired the whole punk fashion look which Malcolm McLaren saw in NYC and brought to London
Fred is on bass, but all main vocals are Tom V.
Yes, this is not "Post Punk". This was ground zero. NYC! Check out Patti Smitb Group's version of "Gloria". You will not be dissapointed. This was all before The Ramones went to England to kick off their Punk movement. Oh, who ripped off Television big time - The Strokes. If you want a real treat prior to all of this, Lou Reed's Intro/Sweat Jane from his live "Rock and Roll Animal". It's all related...
They were one of those bands that came up through the punk scene but weren't necessarily punk themselves.
A desert island track.
Elevation is another great track from them
The whole album is fantastic but the last song 'Torn Curtain' is on the same level than this song for me. You know the... "Best songs of all time"-Level. If you want to hear more of them.
IMO Television have nothing to do with prog, although the 'art rock' label works I guess. I see them as an outgrowth of the Velvet Underground and the NYC underground music scene of the late 60's/early 70's that then went on to spawn Talking Heads. Most of the American new wave bands that had success in the late 70's and early 80's all got their start with this kind of music in their ears. Lee, the Stones influence you mention is there, which was the case with most American alt-rock groups of the 70's. For the most part the Stones (as well as bands like the MC5 and The Stooges) were a much bigger influence on bands like this than the Beatles.
Old fart here. What is now regarded as prog started being called progressive rock from around 1972 or so as a collective term for UK bands like Genesis, Yes, Van der Graaf Generator, King Crimson, ELP, Gentle Giant and the like. All they really had in common was a tendency towards longer more complex compositions and unusual (by pop standards) time signatures. The term was retrofitted later to include pioneers previously regarded as "psychedelic" like the Pink Floyd and jazz influenced ones like Soft Machine. There were a load of lesser bands you will probably not have heard of: Greenslade, Clouds, The Strawbs, Wishbone Ash, Gryphon and a bunch more that I can't remember either. I should also add some European ones like PFM, Magma, Focus and Nektar. People will argue about who gets included or excluded (should the "Canterbury" bands count?) but that's their problem. By the way, I don't even particularly like some of these bands and by the time US prog happened I was listening to totally different stuff, so I know nothing about that period.
Your comments about Television make me wonder...have you checked out the Velvet Underground?
Tom's on the vocals... not Fred.
Musical music using a kick ass rock band to make it. Not sophomoric.
Smiths: How Soon Is Now, Gang Of Four: What We All Want, WIRE, Ultravox, Psychadelic Furs...
Fred Smith did not sing this song.
Never much cared for Television. Lack of hooks I guess.