Television was one of the most creative bands to emerge from New York's und… Read Full Bio ↴Television was one of the most creative bands to emerge from New York's underground scene of the mid-'70s, creating an influential new guitar vocabulary. While guitarists Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd liked to jam, they didn't follow the accepted rock structures for improvisation — they removed the blues while retaining the raw energy of garage rock, adding complex, lyrical solo lines that recalled both jazz and rock. With its angular rhythms and fluid leads, Television's music always went in unconventional directions, laying the groundwork for many of the guitar-based post-punk pop groups of the late '70s and '80s.
In the early '70s, Television began as the Neon Boys, a group featuring guitarist/vocalist Tom Verlaine, drummer Billy Ficca, and bassist Richard Hell. At the end of 1973 in New York City, New York, the group reunited under the name Television, adding rhythm guitarist Richard Lloyd. The following year, the band made its live debut at New York's Townhouse theater and began to build up an underground following. Soon, their fan base was large enough that Verlaine was able to persuade CBGB to begin featuring live bands on a regular basis; the club would become an important venue for punk and new wave bands. Television was the first punk/new wave bands to play at CBGB. That year, Verlaine played guitar on Patti Smith's first single, "Hey Joe"/"Piss Factory," as well as wrote a book of poetry with the singer.
Television recorded a demo tape for Island Records with Brian Eno in 1975, yet the label decided not to sign the band. Hell left the band after the recording of the demo tape, forming the Heartbreakers with former New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders; the following year, he began a solo career supported by the Voidoids, releasing a debut album, Blank Generation, in 1977. Hell was replaced by ex-Blondie bassist Fred Smith and Television recorded "Little Johnny Jewel," releasing it on their own Ork record label. "Little Johnny Jewel" became an underground hit, attracting the attention of major record labels. In 1976, the band released a British EP on Stiff Records, which expanded their reputation. They signed with Elektra Records and began recording their debut album.
Marquee Moon, the group's first album, was released in early 1977 to great critical acclaim, yet it failed to attract a wide audience in America; in the U.K., it reached number 28 on the charts, launching the Top 40 single "Prove It." Television supported Blondie on the group's 1977 tour, but the shows didn't increase the group's following significantly.
Television released their second album, Adventure, in the spring of 1978. While its American sales were better than those of Marquee Moon, the record didn't make the charts; in Britain, it became a Top Ten hit. Months later, the group suddenly broke up, largely due to tensions between the two guitarists. Smith rejoined Blondie, while Verlaine and Lloyd both pursued solo careers; Lloyd also played on John Doe's first solo album, as well as joined Matthew Sweet's supporting band with the 1991 album Girlfriend.
Nearly 14 years after their breakup, Television re-formed in late 1991, recording a new, self titled album for Capitol Records. The reunited band began its comeback with a performance at England's Glastonbury summer festival in 1992, releasing Television a couple months later. The album received good reviews, as did the tour that followed, yet the reunion was short-lived — the group disbanded again in early 1993. In 2001, Television again reunited for a handful of shows in the U.K., as well as an appearance at the Noise Pop Festival in Chicago.
In the early '70s, Television began as the Neon Boys, a group featuring guitarist/vocalist Tom Verlaine, drummer Billy Ficca, and bassist Richard Hell. At the end of 1973 in New York City, New York, the group reunited under the name Television, adding rhythm guitarist Richard Lloyd. The following year, the band made its live debut at New York's Townhouse theater and began to build up an underground following. Soon, their fan base was large enough that Verlaine was able to persuade CBGB to begin featuring live bands on a regular basis; the club would become an important venue for punk and new wave bands. Television was the first punk/new wave bands to play at CBGB. That year, Verlaine played guitar on Patti Smith's first single, "Hey Joe"/"Piss Factory," as well as wrote a book of poetry with the singer.
Television recorded a demo tape for Island Records with Brian Eno in 1975, yet the label decided not to sign the band. Hell left the band after the recording of the demo tape, forming the Heartbreakers with former New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders; the following year, he began a solo career supported by the Voidoids, releasing a debut album, Blank Generation, in 1977. Hell was replaced by ex-Blondie bassist Fred Smith and Television recorded "Little Johnny Jewel," releasing it on their own Ork record label. "Little Johnny Jewel" became an underground hit, attracting the attention of major record labels. In 1976, the band released a British EP on Stiff Records, which expanded their reputation. They signed with Elektra Records and began recording their debut album.
Marquee Moon, the group's first album, was released in early 1977 to great critical acclaim, yet it failed to attract a wide audience in America; in the U.K., it reached number 28 on the charts, launching the Top 40 single "Prove It." Television supported Blondie on the group's 1977 tour, but the shows didn't increase the group's following significantly.
Television released their second album, Adventure, in the spring of 1978. While its American sales were better than those of Marquee Moon, the record didn't make the charts; in Britain, it became a Top Ten hit. Months later, the group suddenly broke up, largely due to tensions between the two guitarists. Smith rejoined Blondie, while Verlaine and Lloyd both pursued solo careers; Lloyd also played on John Doe's first solo album, as well as joined Matthew Sweet's supporting band with the 1991 album Girlfriend.
Nearly 14 years after their breakup, Television re-formed in late 1991, recording a new, self titled album for Capitol Records. The reunited band began its comeback with a performance at England's Glastonbury summer festival in 1992, releasing Television a couple months later. The album received good reviews, as did the tour that followed, yet the reunion was short-lived — the group disbanded again in early 1993. In 2001, Television again reunited for a handful of shows in the U.K., as well as an appearance at the Noise Pop Festival in Chicago.
no glamour for will
Television Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Television:
01.See No Evil What I want, I want now And it's a whole lot…
05 Little Johnny Jewel Now Little Johnny Jewel, Oh, he's so cool, He has no decisio…
06_-_Television_-_No_Glamour_For_Willi Willi told me… I have some wishes, you could say, Sometime…
07. Ain't That Nothin' You're pushin' a furnace You're workin' too hard You're sett…
07. prove it The docks The clocks A whisper woke him up The smell of wate…
08 The Dream's Dream The elevator called me up She said you better start making…
1880 Or So O rose of my heart, can't you see I don't belong…
7. Prove It The docks The clocks A whisper woke him up The smell of wate…
Adventure Do you ever stop, stop and wonder What it is you…
Ain You're pushin' a furnace You're workin' too hard You're sett…
Ain't That Nothing You're pushin' a furnace You're workin' too hard You're se…
Beauty Trip De Soto Has a cool shark fin My humble abode Hey, uh, whe…
Blank Generation I was sayin let me out of here before I…
Burbujas de Amor No imaginé Que tus palabras y tu vida Fueran una fantasía Y…
Call Mr Lee (Verlaine) We did good on an inside job But now I'm down…
Call Mr. Lee We did good on an inside job But now I'm down…
Careful I jump outta bed and pull down the shade I used…
Carried Away Last night I drifted down to the docks The water, glittering…
Closer It's the ballad of a Catholic boy Full of Catholic hopes…
Dancing in the City She has a problem with people that have got No sensibility…
Days You were only like 13 when your mama lost her…
Elevation The last word Is the lost word Why don't you say so? Say…
Fire Engine Let me take you to the empty place in my…
Foxhole Soldier boy stands at a full salute He wants your orders…
Friction I knew it must've been some big set-up All the action…
Glory I was out stumblin' in the rain Staring at your lips…
Guiding Light Do I, do I Belong to the night? Only, only Only tonight All …
Hard on Love You hurt my feelings with your chitter-chatter, I know I li…
I Don't Care I feel so foolish now Like a king who's lost his…
In World I could just sort of not be there Know what I…
Intro I'm not convinced about this drum machine But every song on…
Kingdom Come Well, I walked in the pouring rain And I heard the…
Knockin' on Heaven's Door Mama, take this badge off of me I can't use it…
Little Johnny Jewel Now Little Johnny Jewel, Oh, he's so cool, He has no decisio…
Marquee Moon I remember Ooh, how the darkness doubled I recall Lightning …
Mars Guess I need some education Grab some whilst I have the…
No Glamour For Willi Willi told me… I have some wishes, you could say, Sometime…
Prove It The docks, the clocks A whisper woke him up The smell of…
Rhyme Lonely man in a lonely town yeah Key words: overseas facto…
Satisfaction Jagger-Richards I can't get no satisfaction I can't get …
See No Evil What I want, I want now And it's a whole lot…
Shane She Wrote This (Verlaine) Shane I want to know Sisters rejoice in a B-minor…
The Dream Baby I wanna go out with you tonight Baby the night…
The Dream's A Dream The elevator called me up She said you better start making…
The Dream's Dream The elevator called me up She said you better start making…
The Fire Storms all that summer we lived in the wind, out…
The Revolution The Bastard's Tale. A classic piece of literature, If I ev…
The Rocket (Evacuate the area) Rocket Rocket The Rocket Got a car …
This Tune She bought a wig It was all scrunched up Then she put…
Torn Curtain Torn curtain reveals another play Torn curtain, such an expo…
U Bad for the health, bad for the brain I think I…
Venus It was a tight toy night, streets so bright The world…
Venus de Milo Tight toy night, streets so bright The room looked so thin…
What I Heard When I was younger This woman came to me She told me…
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