See 6 more photos
Tom Verlaine
108,908 plays (8,421 listeners)
post-punk, singer-songwriter, new wave, indie, rock… see all
Tom Verlaine (born Thomas Miller, on 13 December 1949, in Morristown, New Jersey) is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, probably best-known as a founder of Television.
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 playing technique 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’s stage name is a reference to French symbolist poet Paul Verlaine.
Famed for his trailblazing work as the singer and guitarist for the seminal New York punk band Television, Tom Verlaine also carved out an acclaimed and eclectic solo career. Born Thomas Miller in Wilmington, Delaware in 1949, Verlaine was trained as a classical pianist, but gravitated toward rock music after an encounter with The Rolling Stones’ “19th Nervous Breakdown.” In 1968, he and bassist Richard Meyers (later Richard Hell) moved to New York’s Lower East Side, where they and drummer Billy Ficca formed the group The Neon Boys. After the addition of second guitarist Richard Lloyd, the band renamed itself Television.
Beginning with their landmark 1975 debut single “Little Johnny Jewel,” Television became one of the most renowned groups on the burgeoning New York underground scene; though lumped together with the punk phenomenon, the band’s complex songcraft — powered by Verlaine’s strangled vocals, oblique lyrics and finely-honed guitar work — clearly set them apart from their peers.
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 playing technique 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’s stage name is a reference to French symbolist poet Paul Verlaine.
Famed for his trailblazing work as the singer and guitarist for the seminal New York punk band Television, Tom Verlaine also carved out an acclaimed and eclectic solo career. Born Thomas Miller in Wilmington, Delaware in 1949, Verlaine was trained as a classical pianist, but gravitated toward rock music after an encounter with The Rolling Stones’ “19th Nervous Breakdown.” In 1968, he and bassist Richard Meyers (later Richard Hell) moved to New York’s Lower East Side, where they and drummer Billy Ficca formed the group The Neon Boys. After the addition of second guitarist Richard Lloyd, the band renamed itself Television.
Beginning with their landmark 1975 debut single “Little Johnny Jewel,” Television became one of the most renowned groups on the burgeoning New York underground scene; though lumped together with the punk phenomenon, the band’s complex songcraft — powered by Verlaine’s strangled vocals, oblique lyrics and finely-honed guitar work — clearly set them apart from their peers.
Including Television, Magazine, The Pop Group, Pere Ubu, Wire, Lydia Lunch, Gang of Four and more…
Videos
Top Albums
Shoutbox
-
distantfingers wrote:
I know a lot of people think Dreamtime is Tom's best solo output, but personally I find myself liking his other albums more.
-
nicoinfurs wrote:
HUHHHHH
-
novemberland wrote:
There is only one Tom Verlaine...he has an entirely unique and thoroughly impressive body of work.
-
lmaster65 wrote:
Didnt expect Grip of Love to be 1st.
-
MoogleFan wrote:
Wow, that's really fantastic news! I hope that generates some new interest in his music, and finally people who haven't heard Dreamtime will be able to understand while it's been hailed as the best for so long! :D
-
morningside24 wrote:
Good news, lmaster65 and others. 'Dreamtime' and 'Words from the Front' are being reissued in September: http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/004542.html
-
lindadox wrote:
YES deep hatred for yonki time
-
lmaster65 wrote:
How is it that DreamTime is out of print in the US? I can't find it anywhere. The world is fucked up.
-
morningside24 wrote:
Does anyone else love Tom Verlaine but have a deep, deep hatred for 'Yonki Time'?
-
MoogleFan wrote:
Were y'all aware that Tom Verlaine covered Fever? It's track #6 on this tribute album: http://www.last.fm/music/Various+Artists+-+Shanachie+Entertainment/Brace+Yourself%21+-+A+Tribute+To+Otis+Blackwell
-
VideoLovE wrote:
caro tom, se nn mi firmerai la maglietta dei television giorno 18 ti strapperò un lembo di carne :*
-
Albert_Transom wrote:
Those Harbor Lights is brilliant.
-
Iveldie wrote:
Great artist
-
indieskret wrote:
He's my man.
-
Undertaker-tr wrote:
Absolutely a guitar hero.
-
[deleted-user]
wrote:
Anybody happen to have a copy of Dreamtime that they're willing to upload?
-
distantfingers wrote:
he likes to show his hands a lot in pictures, it seems... Anyhow, i love this man. I just love him.
-
Tornasol wrote:
Hi. new pics!!! VOTE!
Listeners
-
scruffymcmuffin
Top Listener
-
hubbjm
Top Listener
-
EvilFerro
Top Listener
-
gilessimon
Top Listener
-
distantfingers
Top Listener
-
FlyingAce
Top Listener
Recent Activity
- TheMotions, fedefer, dbeiley and 2 other people added Tom Verlaine to their libraries. Tuesday evening
- DuFletch tagged Tom Verlaine with ‘t’. Sunday evening
- CarloGentile and galaxina500 added Tom Verlaine to their libraries. Sunday morning
- Cylab tagged Tom Verlaine with ‘instrumental’, ‘filters’ and ‘smart’. Friday evening
- ombadadden, Pandesowna, elycollini and 8 other people added Tom Verlaine to their libraries. last week
- scaramik created the Italian wiki page for Tom Verlaine. 12 days ago
- un4given_23, StealthSnake832, resempiano10f and 3 other people added Tom Verlaine to their libraries. 12 days ago
- PreTeenJesus tagged Tom Verlaine with ‘new jersey’ and ‘post-punk’. 15 days ago
- ssioux, mariocave, Hindmarsh and 3 other people added Tom Verlaine to their libraries. last month
- dubwoofer tagged Tom Verlaine with ‘psychedelic’. last month
Related Journals
-
Good Music; Few Listeners! +Comments
by MoogleFan |
2 Jul 2008 | 
7 comments
-
mix disc
by Uhwelluh |
30 Jun 2008 | Add comment
-
A Masturbatory List of Every Band I Have Ever Seen Live, pt. 2K8
by iAshmunki |
5 May 2008 | 6 comments
Groups (15)
-
mjcrbt padroeira de gosto musical
29 members
-
basically, I just wanted my own group.
490 members
-
Cook'd and Bomb'd
373 members
-
Weeds
284 members
-
Pere Ubu
112 members
