Television - Venus / Marquee Moon / Guiding Light | REACTION

[@pineomt]

One of the greatest albums of all time, and it is essentially unknown….crazy.

[@RioRav]

Well not really. If youre a good musician you know the album.

[@shirak23]

Not sure if anyone's mentioned it, but they were the band that made CBGB's what it was. Before them, it was a country/bluegrass bar (the CB in CBGB) and they convinced the owner to be the house band and it changed the face of music in NYC forever. They were contemporaries of The Talking Heads, Blondie and the Ramones who all essentially catapulted their careers out of there. If you Google it, you can find a CBGB's flyer from the 70's where Television were double billed with The Talking Heads. Without Television, there would've been no CBGB's as we knew it. Legends.

[@gomezaddams4347]

Television was one of the best rock bands that ever existed. The musical chemistry, especially between Verlaine and Lloyd, was magical. No other band has ever sounded like this. They’re up there with VU in terms being unique and brilliant.

[@scottvalk]

Guiding Light, Tom's vocals to me are channelling Patti Smith's vocal style especially on her first few albums. The two had dated in the 70's during their CBGB days and remained lifetime friends. This band never had the commercial success like the other bands in the NYC-CBGB-punk scene, they just were really different but anyone who saw them live is where people said this band was amazing. Critically acclaimed hugely influential band on 80's, 90's thru to today indie/alternative/underground scene, they sometimes get tagged as being a post-Velvet Underground band, but were more savvy songwriter's and more technically adept with guitar interplay, of which had a big impact on other twin guitar (and not) indie bands (i.e. Pavement, Sonic Youth, REM, The Feelies, Wilco...etc).

[@jori1]

Quite the timing. RIP Tom Verlaine.

[@csestini]

One of my favorite bands of all time. They were never hugely popular but they were hugely influential. Sort of like the Velvet Underground in that not a lot of people heard their music, but the ones who did all went on to start bands. Always fun to see people react to music that was a huge part of my life. Their album Adventure is also a masterpiece. RIP Tom Verlaine.

[@martinquarton184]

I agree with what you said. Adventure is possibly better that Marquee Moon to me. Richard Lloyd is a fantastic guitar player. Very tight band. I briefly saw them at Glastonbury.

[@endlessdissent640]

I don't see anyone mentioning their very first single, Little Johnny Jewel, but that's probably my second favorite Television song after Marquee Moon. It's another long one, coming in at over 7 minutes, and it has another fantastic solo. Friction is another great song of theirs that's on Marquee Moon. This band is absolutely amazing, and I'm really glad I stumbled on them in the early 2000s when I was super deep into punk rock. They're my second favorite band of all time after Sublime. RIP Tom Verlaine

[@markphillips3186]

Love your reaction to Marquee. Has remained one of my favourite albums, and songs, since it’s release. I was heavily into prog in early 70s and caught on the relationship between what Television was doing and some of those early prog bands. It is Tom Verlaine on vocals not Richard Lloyd. I love the interplay between Verlaine and Lloyd. I love the way their leads weave in and out creating a tapestry unlike any other guitar band I can think of. Truly unique Not sure if either made Rolling Stones list of top 200 guitarist. In my mind they both deserve to be there. An interesting fact Lloyd was taught by a protege of Hendrix at Hendrix’s apartment under the supervision of Hendrix. It shows in Loyd’s playing.

[@ggnegrao]

great reaction! this album is a favorite of mine, really challenging to play along in any instrument. Tom Verlaine IS Television, to some extent. his guitar chops and lyrics are iconic, even though as Nathan said, his vocals are not universally loved. I don't mind it, but I can see where you're coming from, as did Ryan. really enjoyed your reaction, guys!

[@Paul-kt8ru]

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the contributions of the other Television members. I mean, I wasn't there; were you?

[@jonathanreich6360]

This is a guitar player or aficionado's album. Always loved it with the interplay of Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd. On Marquee Moon you can see the difference between them on the solos. Richard Lloyd does the first melodic short solo and Tom Verlaine does the long meandering solo. You can also hear that rarely are they playing full chords. The guitars generally have singular parts. Verlaine, who is singing is often playing the simpler part whereas Lloyd is filling the song with melodic subparts. Guiding Light was used on the tv show "Mr. Robot." Lloyd does the solo on Guiding Light -- you can tell his solos because they are worked out, shorter and melodic.

[@chrislewis-n3v]

the title track sounds like nothing before or since - what a record

[@zola731]

he sounded exactly like Patti Smith on Guiding Light.

[@marialupinacci5283]

You are so right. And I never realized that before. 😮

[@user-cs4fg1rm5k]

Produced by the great Andy Johns. No Television, no Strokes, no Brooklyn bands.

[@mattjohn4731]

I also recommend their self-titled album. It has some trace-like grooviness and some weirdness. Especially when TV exclaims That cat's from MARS...

[@Mulavi]

Three songs I distinctly remember where I was when I heard them the first time: Born To Run, Low Sparks of High Heeled Boys, and Marquee Moon.

[@libertypills5580]

Tom Verlaine’s solo album Dreamtime is a masterpiece

[@lindsaycrawford6540]

Next time maybe read wikipedia's page on the artist? After Adventure in 1978 Tom Verlaine recorded Tom Verlaine (Elektra 1979), Dreamtime (1981), Words from the Front (1982), and Cover (1984) all Warner Bros. Flash Light (1986 I.R.S.), The Wonder (Fontana 1990 UK only), the the 1992 Television album on Capitol, followed by Warm and Cool (1992 Rykodisc), Around (2006 Thrill Jockey) and Songs and other Things (same year same label). 12 albums from TOM plus various live.

[@richardhinman3046]

Good, honest reaction.

[@daveshort7371]

One of the greatest recordings in human history.

[@shyshift]

Marquee Moon is the album title also.

[@lupodelupis3672]

They are the fundamental american new wave band. They lead the way for the other groups back in '76-'77. But they'are not definitively a "prog band". Punk and new wave were "created" as a reaction to the prog rock or, as i call it, the "onanist rock".

[@pj_ama2359]

man. i dont hear any mistakes on this album. wtf u talkin about?

[@WelpHereWeAreOnYouTube]

Not sure. We had a blast ! Wtf you talking about?