Television: What is it and should I get one?

You guys sometimes talk about television. Is it worth getting?

I would start with Marquee Moon.

Maybe you can burn a copy for Rhett. It would make him feel special.

Originally posted by mark e smith:
I would start with Marquee Moon.

After today and all of the attention it has brought I am sure Rhett feels special enough.

I bought their self-titled album in 92 when it came out on cassette. Nothing special.

Originally posted by mark e smith:
I would start with Marquee Moon.

Originally posted by Rhett Miller:
I bought their self-titled album in 92 when it came out on cassette. Nothing special.

look at mark e smith's post again and follow his instructions. . .

I rather like that 1992 album, it is certainly no Marquee Moon, but No glamour for Willi is still pretty great.

there's no doubt that marquee moon is the essential television record, but that self-titled album has plenty of great songs on it. it's probably one of the best "comeback" records by anyone.

i actually like adventure , too. tom verlaine's first few solo albums have lots of good moments as well.

i could go on and on about the brilliance of television and verlaine/lloyd, but it basically comes down to this: they were a classic rock band in the 1975-1978 milieu of NYC punk. you can hear as much dylan/allmans influence as the velvets in their music. when everybody else was writing terse, urgent anthems, television were writing epic songs with unique melodies and arrangements.

Marquee Moon, especially the new remaster, is a masterpiece. The 1992 self-titled LP is a horrible representation.