I Television, one of the most innovative bands to emerge from the New York underground scene of the mid-1970s, capable of devising a new guitar language and influencing dozens of bands to come, arrive in Italy to re-propose in its entirety what is considered their undisputed masterpiece, "Marquee Moon". The band led by Tom Verlaine will perform 3 June at Alcatraz, Milan.
Opening the concert, the versatile and powerful voice of the Milanese rock singer-songwriter Sarah Stride.
The music of Television has always followed unconventional directions, laying the foundations for many post-punk bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The guitarists Tom Verlaine e Richard Lloyd they never conformed to the traditional canons of improvisation in rock, setting aside the blues in favour of the raw energy of garage, and adding complex references to jazz in the solo parts.
I Television formed in New York at the end of 1973, from the meeting of singer/guitarist Tom Verlaine with the drummer Billy Ficcathe bass playerRichard Hell (later replaced by Fred Smith) and guitarist Richard Lloyd. The band began performing at a club on Bowery Street: a club destined to go down in rock history, the legendary CBGBwhich would soon become an important venue for punk and new wave artists such as Patti Smith, Blondie, Ramones e Talking Heads. After releasing the self-produced single 'Little Johnny Jewel", i Television attracted the attention of several majors and, in 1977, after signing with the Elektra Records, they release their debut album, 'Marquee Moon". The album was critically acclaimed in the U.S.A., although it failed to attract a large audience; in the UK, on the contrary, it reached No. 28 in the charts, and anticipated a sold-out tour of theatres. Their second album, 'Adventure"was published in 1978, but a few months later the group suddenly disbanded.
In 1991, the Television reformed, recording a new self-titled album for the Capitol Records. Since then, the band has continued to perform sporadically, appearing at, among others, the Noise Pop Festival in Chicago, ATP in the UK and L.A. and numerous shows in Europe, Japan and South America. In 2007 Lloyd left the band and was replaced by Jimmy Rip, former collaborator of Tom Verlaine since the early 1980s.
The band is at work with the recordings of a new album. The current line-up includes Tom Verlaine (guitar and lead vocals), Jimmy Rip (guitar and backing vocals), Fred Smith (bass and backing vocals), and Billy Ficca to the battery.
TELEVISION performing "Marquee Moon“
opening act: Sarah Stride
Tuesday 03 June - Milan, Alcatraz
Doors open h. 19.30 - concerts start h. 20.30
Tickets Euro 30,00 + d.p. on sale on the Ticketone circuit (on www.ticketone.it and at authorised points of sale)
