The musical scene that developed out of the ashes of the New York Dolls, centered around a grotty club called CBGB’s down on the Bowery in New York City, must have been something to behold happening. It gave the world the Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, Richard Hell & The Void Oids and Television. 

Television were led by the twin guitars of Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd. Now you must know by now that I’m no fan of what I disparagingly refer to as fretw@nk (twiddly-diddley-widdly-weee…look how fast I can play) but if all guitar playing were to sound as beautiful, mystical and intense as Verlaine and Lloyd did here on “Marquee Moon” then count me in daddio. These two showed there was another way to do virtuoso and do it without the cod-piece.

It begins in dizzying fashion with Verlaine and Lloyd’s guitars equal parts crunching rhythm while intricately weaving lines around each other and themselves during “See No Evil”. Somewhat unbelievably to me the title track was recorded live in one take (drummer Billy Ficca thought it was a rehearsal run through) ! Producer Andy Johns suggested that they record another take, but Verlaine told him "forget it”. I don’t usually have the attention span for long songs and especially long songs that feature extended guitar solo’s but as we have already established, this ain’t no fretw@nk happening here. In just over 10 minutes Television keep me transfixed.

It’s a record I never tire of hearing, I gotta admit it took me some years to appreciate its brilliance. It was unfairly grouped in by the press with the New York Punk scene, it’s so much more than that, and the Damned had a go at Television in the song “Idiot Box” on their second album. But once I got it, I got it completely.

A little whinge…I’ve mentioned before my utter disdain for Rolling Stone magazine and here’s another reason for that. Rolling Stone described “Marquee Moon” as a Post-Punk record. Can someone explain to me how a record written and recorded during 1974, 1975 and 1976 can be POST Punk ? It was recorded in New York City in September 1976, The Damned’s “New Rose” (generally regarded as the first Punk single) was released in October 1976 !

“Marquee Moon” walks a path all by itself. It is a breathtaking work of utter genius. Yes Television were lumped in with the Punk/New Wave scene but that was more lazy journalism than the reality, this is neither Punk, New Wave or any other label you want to pin on it, it’s simply Television. These guys were genuinely out there forging a path all of their own.

Marquee Moon - https://youtu.be/g4myghLPLZc?si=IPfIkd5vSq03o9E_