Tom Verlaine
Thomas Joseph Miller (December 13, 1949 – January 28, 2023), known professionally as Tom Verlaine, was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter, best known as the frontman of the New York City rock band Television.
Tom Verlaine
Thomas Joseph Miller[1]
December 13, 1949
Denville, New Jersey, U.S.
Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
January 28, 2023 (aged 73)
New York City, U.S.
Musician, singer, songwriter
Guitar, vocals, piano
Death[edit]
Verlaine died in New York City on January 28, 2023, at the age of 73. According to his former Television band mate, Richard Lloyd, Verlaine had "been sick for quite a while", with prostate cancer, which had metastasized. Television had been asked to open a European tour for Billy Idol, but Verlaine's doctors told him he was not in good enough health to do so.[1][16]
Collaborations[edit]
Verlaine was in discussion with Jeff Buckley to produce his second album before Buckley's death by drowning in 1997.[17]
Verlaine guested as guitarist on numerous releases by other artists, including the album Penthouse by the band Luna. He played on Patti Smith's Grammy-nominated "Glitter in Their Eyes" from her 2000 album Gung Ho. This was not the first time Verlaine had collaborated with one-time romantic partner Smith; four years earlier, he played on the songs "Fireflies" and "Summer Cannibals" from her 1996 album Gone Again, and in the 1970s he played guitar on her debut single "Hey Joe" and on "Break It Up" from her debut album Horses. He also co-wrote the latter song with Smith. He played with Smith in 2005 for a 30th-anniversary concert of Horses in its entirety, which was later released on CD.
Verlaine was part of the Million Dollar Bashers, a supergroup also featuring Sonic Youth musicians Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley, Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, Bob Dylan bassist Tony Garnier, guitarist Smokey Hormel, and keyboardist John Medeski.[18] Their work appears on the original soundtrack to I'm Not There, a biographical film reflecting on the life of Bob Dylan.
In 2012, Verlaine collaborated with former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha on his second solo album Look to the Sky.[19]
Musical style[edit]
Equipment[edit]
Throughout his career Verlaine played a variety of Fender guitars, most frequently Jazzmasters and Jaguars, through Fender and Vox amps. On his reasons for choosing the Jazzmaster, Verlaine said, "I think it was financial! In the seventies, when guitars were still cheap, nobody wanted a Jazzmaster because they weren't loud and didn't stay in tune. In '73/'74 you could buy a Jazzmaster for $150 easily. So that's why I started playing it, because we didn't have a lot of money and they were cheap. And then I really got used to it, plus the vibrato arm on it is very nice. I use really heavy strings on it—like a 14 to a 58 or something similar—and that's another part of the sound, I think."[20]
In later years at solo concerts and at Television concerts, Verlaine played a guitar built in the style of a Fender Stratocaster, modified with Danelectro "lipstick" pickups and fitted with a Fender Jazzmaster neck.