When it comes to debut albums, it really doesn’t get any better than 1977’s Marquee Moon from Television. The band, featuring Tom Verlaine (guitars and vocals), Richard Lloyd (guitars), Fred Smith (bass) and Billy Ficca (drums), was part of the CBGBs scene of the 1970s, but unlike punk forefathers like the Ramones, Talking Heads, and The Patti Smith Group, Television leaned into guitar solos. The title track to their debut is an epic excursion, and I’d argue is one of the greatest songs of all time.
Television would release two more albums, while Tom Verlaine would also carve out a solo career in which he played with Television’s Smith, along with Patti Smith Group drummer Jay Dee Daugherty and guitarist Jimmy Rip. In fact, when Richard Lloyd left Television in 2007, Rip would step into his role.
In 2023, Tom Verlaine passed away, leaving behind a fantastic legacy of music and friends determined to keep it alive, which brings us to TMOTV – The Music of Tom Verlaine. Featuring former Tom Verlaine Band members Jimmy Rip on vocals and guitars and Jay Dee Daugherty on drums, along with guitarist Jackson Smith and bassist Chris Lightcap, TMOTV will make their debut in New York City on September 30 at TV Eye.
I was lucky to get some time to chat with Jimmy Rip about the new band and his longstanding relationship with Tom Verlaine. Check it out below.
You can learn more about TMOTV on their Instagram page.
You can follow Jimmy Rip on Instagram.
TMOTV – The Music of Tom Verlaine Dates:
TV Eye, September 30
My Father’s Place, October 30
Daryl’s House, December 9
