NEM#202: Richard Lloyd (Television): Guitar is Combustible

Richard with Tom Verlaine were the groundbreaking NYC dual guitar monster that was Television from 1973-1978 plus reunions (totaling three albums), and Richard has fronted seven solo albums while also touring and recording as a guitarist with Matthew Sweet, John Doe, Rocket from the Tomb, and others.

We discuss “So Sad” from The Countdown (2018), “Glurp” from Radiant Monkey (2007), “Pleading (Revised Version)” from Field of Fire (1985, remixed or possibly re-recorded in 2018), and “Misty Eyes” from Alchemy (1980). We conclude by listening to “May This Be Love” from The Jamie Neverts Story, which is Richard’s album of all Jimi Hendrix covers. Intro: “Venus” by Television from Marquee Moon (1977). More at richardlloyd.com.

Richard’s book (released in 2019) is Everything Is Combustible: Television, CBGB’s and Five Decades of Rock and Roll: The Memoirs of an Alchemical Guitarist. Sample the audiobook version that Richard reads.

Listen to all of “Venus” and watch Richard play it as a live instrumental. Watch his recent band play “Misty Eyes” live. Hear the full, original, reverb-soaked recording of “Pleading.” Here’s Television live in 1992 during their fist reunion and rehearsing (with Richard Hell on bass) in 1974. Watch Richard play solo acoustically. Watch him give you a guitar lesson in 2010.

Richard mentions “I Thought You Wanted to Know” which was a single that Richard wrote and recorded even before his first solo album, which Chris Stamey ended up singing on and releasing has his first solo single because Richard’s record company would let him release it himself. Watch Matthew Sweet live with Richard. Here’s a whole John Doe gig with Richard.

Listen to the Jimi version of “It May Be Love.” Read the NY Times obituary for Tom Verlaine, who died earlier this year.

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Audio editing by Tyler Hislop. Photo by Ed Rode.