Television...(the band,not the box!)

[singular]

I finally picked up Marquee Moon recently after many many "i'll get it another day" occasions etc.
I can immediately tell it's gonna be a firm favourite.Really enjoying it to put it mildly.
So, after a google search (needle + haystack) and a read on wikipedia (brief) does anyone here have some info on what gear they used on this album?
It says on wiki Tom Verlaine used Jazzmasters and Jaguars through Fenders & Voxes. I saw some pics of Richard Lloyd using a Strat but not sure what amp he used etc or what he used on the album. I really like their sound!

here's to a great record,
:BEER

 

[AL30]

Not sure exactly about the equipment but I think you're on the right track. There wasn't a lot to choose from then (compared to now) so it keep it simple.

That is a landmark album. Amazing stuff.

:BEER

AL

 

[anxiousmofo]

~Very~ Voxy sounding record to me. I love it, to boot. In fact, I just fired it up due to your post.

Good luck on the info.

 

[AL30]

Ah !! From Richard Lloyd's web-site

What were you main amps during TV, specifically the ones you used in 'Adventure'?

We used to use Fender Super Reverbs. Black face with 4 ten inch Jensens. We both had those for years. Then for some reason we switched to the Music Man equivalent. They weren't nearly as rich and resonant; a little generic sounding but real work horses. The Fenders were temperamental ponies and used to be plagued with breakdowns like speakers blowing and all that. Later we both had Ampeg V4s, but man, were they loud! Since we used no floor pedals and no power soaks, we had to turn them way up to get good tone, and the V4s were what the Stones were using in 20,000 seat halls. We were playing 500 seat clubs. I used to see glasses vibrate off the tables and we used to laugh, saying that the fans didn't pay to hear us, but to feel us. That's about it live. In the studio we used different amps including those, but live we both always used the same amps. Some kind of sibling rivalry I bet, as a 20/20 hindsight junior psychologist.

 

[e-z]

Here's a link to an article that has some gear info:

http://www.thewonder.co.uk/onair.htm

In it they mention that Tom Verlaine used a Super Reverb on Marquee Moon.

 

[MojoHand]

One of the great bands of the late 70's. A shame that they came and went so fast. Some cool vids on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw80nob1MvQ&feature=related

Looks like Verlaine is using a Strat into a Vox nowadays, but he was famous (notorious?) for using Jazzmasters and Jaguars back in the 70's. I'd say if you want to chase that tone, a Jazzmaster into a Vox would be the ideal starting place. But recorded sounds have so much to do with miking, mixing, and studio tricks... even if you knew exactly what gear they used, you'd have to do a lot of tweaking to get that sound in a live setting.

 

[Groovey Records]

Television, NYC, 1974. Richard Hell first sang "Blank Generation" when he was a member of Television. This was the first time I saw them perform at CBGB. The stage was in the middle of the room at the end of the bar. Along with Patti Smith, they were the first to play at CBGB. R. to L.: Hell, Billy Fica, Richard Lloyd, Tom Verlaine photo by Bob Gruen

Hell left and went on to form the Voidoids (Bob Quinne on BrilliantGuitar) and for a brief time was a member of the Heartbreakers with Johnny Thunders.

Later Fred Smith joined on bass. This band was the archetype of punk in that they could barly play but had something to say that was very artistic. They actualy learned their instrument and voice as they went along. The extended guitar excursions became a breaking point for Richard Lloyd and Tom Verlaine. The period these photos preserve was a minimal and contrapunk time for the band. Maybe two years before they hit the studio.

Tom and I worked together at Record City and Bleeker Bobs in NYC. I first meet him at City Lights a book store in the East Village of NYC.

The band is touring again with Jimmy Ripp steping in for departed Richard Lloyd. Ripp also produces and plays on the new Television album

Enjoy The Music
Groovey Records

Little Johnny Jewel he's so cool

 

[RickC]

+1 on a great record!

Interestingly, I was listening to the first Quicksilver Messenger Service record recently, and was struck by how some of the guitar interplay reminded me of stuff on Marquee Moon. I'm guessing there was some influence there.

/rick

 

[gushtone]

Great thread, and Killer! pics Groovy Records! I love it. I also HIGHLY recommend the self titled record "Television" that came out in 1992. Huge muscular, gritty clean tones on both guitars and a neverending intertwining of dual guitar parts. Unbelieveably cool and to me it should be a centerpiece in all guitar players collections. It is an amazing demonstration of how to gracefully interact with a fellow guitar player in a band/songwriting environment and still be able to rip.
Tunes "1880 or so" & "Call Mr. Lee" are among my faves, but I love them all.
Peace...

 

[Butterfly]

Saw them at CBs back in the day. As the pics suggest, definately a Fender into a Fender amp w/o pedals. I started to play at this time and bought a Twin because all the guys on stage had them (or similar- I was not sophisticated enought to tell the difference between models in high school). Plugged straight in as well.

As to Television--they were awesome live as well--I remember they used to do 10-15 minute jams--this during the supposed punk era when guitar solos were "out". I heard Tom Verlaine sounds great in his new venture.

 

[singular]

originally posted by Butterfly
"Saw them at CBs back in the day. As the pics suggest, definately a Fender into a Fender amp w/o pedals. I started to play at this time and bought a Twin because all the guys on stage had them (or similar- I was not sophisticated enought to tell the difference between models in high school). Plugged straight in as well."

i play a twin reverb at the moment,im hoping to get a TopHat Super Deluxe soon though, which are biased to handle 6L6's, EL34's and 6V6's without having to adjust it.could be great to go from Vox to Fender ish sounds.

originally posted by Groovey Records
"I also HIGHLY recommend the self titled record "Television" that came out in 1992"

I'll definitely check that out.cheers!
Must also give a listen to Quicksilver Messenger Service.

and thanks for the info and links guys.
Television are really a band to celebrate.I'm surprised when I've mentioned them to friends and they havent even heard of them!
I love Richard Lloyd's guitar parts in the song "Marquee Moon", its not just the notes,it's the rhythm of it that hooks me.

 

[fuzzinator]

A Jazzmaster or a Strat into a Super Reverb gets me the Television tone.

Verlaine and Lloyd are my biggest influence, along with Dave Schramm and Richard Lloyd. A lot of similarities between all those players. I really gravitate towards that style of modal playing.

 

[shakti]

I've drawn a *lot* of inspiration from this band, and this record in particular. Probably the main reason why I've owned a Jazzmaster for nearly 7 years, and it remains a fundamental part of *my* sound (I just seem to be myself on that guitar almost more than any).

A Jazzmaster and/or Strat into a blackface Fender will get you there, but I'd stay with the 40w or less models (i.e. Super Reverb, Vibrolux Reverb, Pro Reverb, Deluxe Reverb etc). It also helps to push the front end with just a slight clean boost. Turning the Fulltone TTE up for just a hint of boost does the job *very* nicely. For the jangly lines in See No Evil, an Analog Man Juicer is perfect. Basically, Fender into Fender amp with a hint of boost and natural tube compression is it.

I've seen photos of Verlain playing Jazzmasters with Danelectro-style "lipstick" pickups, but not sure when and how often he used those.

 

[dr.circles]

Great topic, great band.

Does anybody know how much Richard Lloyd charges for private lessons? I'm not in the NYC area currently, but I'd very much like to take some if I ended up around there for a little while.

 

[ROKY]

Great album ..

Heard these guys a little later (1983)when I was a sophmore in HS,
and a bandmate started to turn me onto different stuff he was listening
to. Haven't been quite the same since !

I read a GP interview of them from around '93 where they mentioned
touring w/ AC30s- Lloyd listed some 50's Tweed amps he used along
with his trusty '61 Strat. Verlaine did mention the Super Reverb, also.

To get those kinds of tones I turn to a Jazzmaster or hardtail strat
and plug into a TopHat King Royale thru celestion Golds .

 

[bionic]

Easily one of my favorite bands of all time and definitely the reason I play a jazzmaster and a Super Reverb. Two questions though...
1) According to the above shot where Verlaine is playing the Danelectro he is plugged into the normal channel. He never used reverb so did he plug into the normal with the jazzmaster as well?
2) When is that new record coming out? Even though he plays a strat now I can still forgive him

 

[ROKY]

The 2 and 4 postions on a strat can sound as cool as a Jazzmaster if
the amp has enough midrange .

 

[TAVD]

He mentioned using twins, ac30's, Supro Thunderbolt and National? (or some other Valco amp) w/ a 6" speaker in a fairly recent TapeOp interview. I believe this is his more current selection of amps however.

No idea on what his lessons cost, but that would almost be motivation enough to pick up and move. :AOK

 

[singular]

well he seems to keep up to date via his website so id say check that out for guitar lessons, theres also the "ask richard" section which seems interesting.i'd imagine it'd be pretty expensive to get lessons from him! But worth it.
hmm,i use Fender guitars into Fender amps,should be able to get somewhere near, BUT as mentioned early on in the thread,theres a lot of stuff goes on after a guitar sound is recorded, mixing etc etc etc.
Im just looking forward to discovering their other records now! (and turning my friends onto them).
also,on listening to a few of the tracks i noticed the slightest touch of chorus on a few lead parts,they seemed to have this warmth and roundedness. might plug in the CE-2 with the settings quite low (how i like it anyway,not a huge fan of chorus).

EDIT: the link earlier in the thread (http://www.thewonder.co.uk/onair.htm ) down near the end,both Tom and Richard talk about their gear.

 

[Groovey Records]

Easily one of my favorite bands of all time and definitely the reason I play a jazzmaster and a Super Reverb. Two questions though...
1) According to the above shot where Verlaine is playing the Danelectro he is plugged into the normal channel. He never used reverb so did he plug into the normal with the jazzmaster as well?
2) When is that new record coming out? Even though he plays a strat now I can still forgive him

Listen I am telling you these guys were worried about singing and playing at the same time. CBGB's didn't even have a stage yet. The dan electro didn't last long. Always played clean

We are talking minimal see if you can find a copy of the original Little Johnny Jewel, their first 45 rpm single on ORK records. Terry Ork was the Voidoids manager as well with Richard Gotterer. The mix is so different

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFkQq_UpLwU