Tom Verlaine and Patti Smith Wiki, Biography
The musicians are mourning Television founder and leader Tom Verlaine, who died on Saturday at the age of 73. The rock guitarist was a groundbreaking figure of the punk era, whose twisted, inventive style can be seen as an influence on younger groups like Sonic Youth, the Feelies, and many other groups.
Patti Smith, Verlaine’s former partner and regular collaborator, shared a tribute on Instagram on Saturday afternoon, posting a photo of the two together: “Goodbye Tom, on top of the Omega.”
Blondie co-founder and guitarist Chris Stein recalled his first meeting with Verlaine in 1972, at the same time he shared a promotional poster for a television concert that featured Blondie’s guest performance.
Musician and producer Steve Albini praised Verlaine as a “wonderfully lyrical guitarist” and an “underrated vocalist”.
“He was my guitar hero when I needed him the most,” Dream Syndicate guitarist Steve Wynn said in a statement posted on Facebook. “I spent the entire year of 1981 practicing daily for Marquee Moon. Tom Verlaine’s solos (and Richard Lloyd’s too, of course) showed me that you could be both virtuoso and dangerous, more Coltrane or Ornette than the arena rockers of the day. It was a revelation and I was hoping my Jazzmaster could channel his in some way when I soloed on ‘Halloween’ on the first Dream Syndicate album. Such an immeasurable influence on me and of course many guitarist friends. A great loss: keep poking those skies, Tom Verlaine.”
Guitarist and former Drive-By Truckers member Jason Isbell has expressed how important Television’s debut album “Marquee Moon” continues to be to him and his bandmates.
Mike Scott of The Waterboys tweeted: “Tom Verlaine has passed over to the beyond that his guitar playing always hinted at. He was the best rock and roll guitarist of all time, and like Hendrix could dance from the spheres of the cosmos to garage rock. That takes a special greatness.”
He added: Tom Verlaine … first heard on Patti Smith’s “Hey Joe” and “Break It Up”, and Television’s “Little Johnny Jewel”, the most incredible, otherworldly guitar playing. Jazzblown, fantastic, inspired. Never surpassed, never equaled except by himself.”
Susanna Hoffs, founding member of The Bangles wrote “Peace and love, Tom Verlaine” followed by a broken heart emoji.
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