Tom Verlaine
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Tom Verlaine (born Thomas Miller, 13 December 1949, in Morristown, New Jersey)[1] is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, best-known as the frontman for the New York punk band, Television.
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[edit] Biography
Verlaine is often regarded as one of the most talented performers of the early punk rock era.
Tom Verlaine's poetic lyrics, and his accomplished guitar technique playing were highly influential and widely praised in the music media. He and Television bandmate Richard Lloyd are one of rock music's most acclaimed and inventive guitar duos.
Verlaine played a Fender Jazzmaster, and is credited as one of the first rock guitarists to use it. Later guitarists Lee Renaldo and Thurston Moore of the band Sonic Youth used Jazzmasters to achieve their signature sound, especially on earlier albums. Jazzmasters were also used by Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine on the acclaimed album Loveless.
Verlaine's stage name is a reference to poet Paul Verlaine.
[edit] Trivia
- Verlaine was in discussion with Jeff Buckley to produce his second album, before Buckley's accidental drowning in 1997.
- Played guitar on the song Fireflies from Patti Smith's 1996 album Gone Again. This was not the first time Verlaine had collaborated with one-time romantic partner Smith; he played guitar on "Hey Joe" from her debut single "Piss Factory/Hey Joe" and on "Break It Up" from her debut album Horses. He also co-authored the song with Smith.
- Is placed #56 on Rolling Stone Magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time
[edit] Solo discography
[edit] Albums
- Tom Verlaine (1979)
- Dreamtime (1981)
- Words from the Front (1982)
- Cover (1984)
- Flash Light (1987)
- The Wonder (1990)
- Warm and Cool (1992) (Reissed in 2005)
- The Miller's Tale: A Tom Verlaine Anthology (1996)
- Around (2006)
- Songs and Other Things (2006)
[edit] Singles
- "Always" (1981)
- "Postcard from Waterloo" (1982)
- "Let Go the Mansion" (1984)
- "Five Miles of You" (1984)
- "A Town Called Walker" (1987)
- "Cry Mercy, Judge" (1987)
- "The Funniest Thing" (1987)
- "Shimmer" (1989)
- "Kaleidoscopin" (1990)
[edit] References
- Guinness Rockopedia - ISBN 0-85112-072-5
- The Great Rock Discography (Fifth Edition) - ISBN 1-84195-017-3
