Founding member of the band Television and an early influencer on Punk, Post-Punk, and later the Alternative Rock movement, Tom Verlaine has died. He was 73. Tom died “peacefully” in New York City, “surrounded by close friends,” following a brief illness, according to a news release from Jesse Paris Smith, the daughter of Verlaine’s former partner Patti Smith. Originally teaming up with Richard Hell in Neon Boys, the band eventually became Television, along with fellow lead guitarist Richard Lloyd, helping transform Rock music with their inventive guitar playing and songcraft. Television was one of the first regular bands at CBGB’s which galvanized the Punk Rock movement. Even before Television, Verlaine has a 50-year of song-writing partnership with Patti Smith, a former romantic partner. Later Verlaine’s solo work had a massive effect on Post-Punk as well as Alternative, and he left his imprint on countless other bands he produced, wrote for, and side projects he participated in. RIP.
Tag Archives: CBGB’s
PSSR ft. Guns N’ Roses Frank Ferrer Release “Busted” And “Push” Singles
New York City Rock band PSSR has some famous members trying to do justice to the greatest names in NYC rock history such as KISS, The New York Dolls, The Strokes, The Ramones, Living Colour, and The Velvet Underground. Capturing the spirit of those bands and haunts such as t just the bands, CBGB’s, Fillmore East, The Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom, PSSR is comprised Eric J, on vocals and guitar, Guns N” Roses drummer Frank “Thunderchucker” Ferrer, and bassist Brett Bass (Greg Allman), and lead guitarist/producer Rob Bailey (Delta Goodrem, David Johansen). Check out two new singles “Busted” (also with a new video) and “Push’! A third, “Last Time”, will drop late July. “Busted” features Ferrer”s Guns N” Roses bandmate Richard Fortus on guitar and introduces the band with tough defiant lyrics and vocals over a gritty NYC rock backdrop. Check them out!Continue reading
In Flames Goes Unplugged to Promote Siren Charms
In Flames, minus the rhythm section, had a very intimate listening party for their new album Siren Charms (RED/Sony Music Germany), which took place in Manhattan NYC at The Bowery Electric, just across the street from where CBGB’s once stood. The evening started off with a few spins of their new album. After an hour so of mingling and a lot of free drinks, singer Anders Friden, along with guitarists Bjorn Gelotte and Niclas Engelin took to the stage. In between drinks and clearly nervous laughter, Anders commented about them never before doing something like this. All awkwardness aside, playing an acoustic set seems like the next logical step in the ever evolving world of In Flames.
Supported by only an ambient backing track, they started what turned into a two-song mini set with ‘Dead Eyes’ from Siren Charms. Anders sounded possibly even more powerful on the chorus on this rendition of the tune. They continued the show with the lead single off the new album, ‘Through Oblivion’. It sounds a lot more eerie this way and I’m having a tough time not hearing it this way again. These songs fit extremely well within the acoustic realm, the right songs for the right occasion. It was very short and pretty freaking sweet. Perhaps they will do it again…
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY OMAR CORDY