December 13: The great Tom Verlaine was born in 1949

photo: Hallgeir Olsen/BornToListen

Tom Verlaine

Tom Verlaine (born Thomas Miller, December 13, 1949):
Singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the frontman for the New York rock band Television.

Tom Verlaine
Birth name Thomas Miller
Born 13 December 1949 (age 69)
Morristown, New Jersey, United States
Genres Punk rock, art punk, post-punk, new wave
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments Guitar, vocals, piano
Associated acts Television, Neon Boys
Notable instruments
Fender Jazzmaster
Fender Jaguar
Fender Stratocaster
Danelectro Shorthorn Deluxe

Continue reading “December 13: The great Tom Verlaine was born in 1949”

Classic concert: Patti Smith live at Montreux 2005 (video)

Patti Smith was one of the key artists in the breakthrough of New York City punk rock with her 1975 debut album Horses being hugely influential on the whole New Wave genre. Her distinctive blend of rock, punk and poetry combined with her uncompromising style has ensured that she has remained a credible artist throughout her career. This concert at Montreux from 2005 was part of the tour in support of her 2004 album Trampin and the setlist features tracks from her first album right through to that release. Patti Smith remains a vibrant live performer and this first ever live concert Blu-ray is a long overdue treat for all her fans.

We love Patti Smith and it’s nice to see an official release of one of her shows on film, we’ve seen her two times live and both were fantastic. Energetic, intense and she had such a firm grip on the audience. Continue reading “Classic concert: Patti Smith live at Montreux 2005 (video)”